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Post by Graveyardbride on May 16, 2021 19:17:44 GMT -5
I'd like to see the one where Tristan Bailey lives. Does anyone have the address? She lived on Cloisterbane Dr., St. Johns, Florida. I checked and Google hasn’t blurred the house. His house has a covered swimming pool, the Bailey house doesn’t have a pool.
If you want to know what Fucci’s house looks like, here’s a photo:
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 16, 2021 8:27:00 GMT -5
Illegal Alien Killer’s Trial Scheduled to Begin Monday, May 17
The trial of Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 26, the illegal alien who stalked, kidnaped and killed 20-year-old Mollie Tibbets in July 2018, is scheduled to begin tomorrow.
Although the accused led investigators to the young student’s corpse, which he dumped in a cornfield, he claimed he “blacked out” and could not recall the details of the murder. He is charged with first degree murder and could face life in prison without parole if convicted. Iowa does not have the death penalty. Defense attorneys claim his confession was coerced.
Born in Mexico, Bahena was in the country illegally and employed by Yarabee Farms under the name John Budd.
The trial, which has been delayed several times, is being held in Scott County and will start with jury selection, which some believe could be difficult because the murder has been reported throughout the nation. According to Professor James Tomkovicz of the University of Iowa, potential jurors will be asked if they have heard of the case and if answered in the affirmative, they will be asked if they have formed opinions. “And you know if they say they’ve formed views and they can’t put those aside and listen to the evidence and decide based on that, then they’re not, they’re going to be disqualified for cause,” he added.
Sources: Brie Stimson, Fox News, May 16, 2021; The Des Monines Register, May 13, 2021; and KCRG.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 13, 2021 20:21:56 GMT -5
Fucci Could Be Charged with 1st Degree Murder, Internet Trolls Continue to Fan FlamesAiden Fucci is currently charged with second degree murder in the stabbing death of Tristyn Bailey, but if it turns out he lured the young cheerleader to the location where she was killed or had a weapon on his person, this would constitute premeditation and warrant a charge of murder in the first degree.
In the meantime, Sheriff Rob Hardwick, still contending with hundreds of internet trolls, has announced those who claim to be involved in the murder – as some have – “could do prison time for interfering in a murder probe.”
Posts on numerous sites taunt the victim’s family and friends and one troll posted a photo of a bloody knife which he (or she) claimed was the murder weapon. Some since-deleted posts by presumed friends of Fucci’s made derogatory comments, e.g., “She probably deserved it” and “Don’t dress like that and you might not get raped.”
Although Bailey’s body was fully clothed when found, rumor has it that she was sexually assaulted in some manner and an online petition demanding the 14-year-old teen be tried as an adult contends the girl “is believed to have been raped.”
Hardwick admitted detectives have been bombarded with “hundreds and hundreds of leads” and his office is “trying to figure out” if each tip is legitimate and “coming from a person that’s a possible witness.” He added that crime analysts have identified many of the accounts and there are many individuals who still have to be questioned.
Under Florida law, an individual posting harassing comments online could be charged with interfering with an investigation or providing false information. Attorney Gene Nichols of Jacksonville, who is not involved in the case, confirmed those who “post something stupid on the internet” could be charged. “The question is whether or not they know what they’re doing is impacting a criminal investigation,” he added. “And what we have seen and what we know is the sheriff’s office has these individuals, they know who they are, and if these individuals continue to keep posting.”
Fucci is being held at the juvenile detention facility for a period of 21 days while the state attorney determines whether he will be charged with first or second degree murder and tried as a juvenile or an adult.
The following is from the Probable Cause Section of Fucci’s Arrest Report:
On Sunday, May 9, 2021, at approximately 0100 hours, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office received a call in reference to a missing 13-year-old female.
The initial investigation led deputies to contact the above-named defendant, who provided an initial statement. The defendant’s story changed several times, but ultimately made several admissions. The defendant admitted to being with the victim at a mutual friend’s house and leaving at approximately 0110 hours with the victim. The defendant admitted to walking north along North Durbin Parkway, which was verified with video surveillance footage obtained from the North Durbin Amenities Center which depicted two subjects resembling the description of the victim and the defendant walking north at 0114 hours. the defendant admitted to engaging an argument with the victim in which he forcefully pushed the victim to the ground striking her head. The defendant further admitted to walking around and got home at approximately 0330 hours.
Video footage obtained from a home on Saddlestone Drive revealed two subjects walking east on Saddlestone Drive at approximately 0145 hours. One subject was wearing what appeared to be shorts, a light colored hooded sweatshirt and white shoes with a black “Nike” logo. The second subject appeared to be wearing black pants and a black shirt. The video footage depicted only one subject wearing the shorts and the light colored hooded sweatshirt walking west on Saddlestone Drive at approximately 0327 hours. The subject walking west was carrying a pair of white shoes with a black “Nike” logo.
The defendant was transported to the Sheriff’s Office and placed into an interview room. While alone in the interview room, which was audio- and video-recording, the defendant’s mother mentioned something about video surveillance depicting the defendant carrying his shoes. The defendant admitted he took his shoes off because his feet hurt.
The victim was located deceased on the south end of a retention pond, located just to the east of the cul-de-sac on Saddlestone Drive. The victim appeared to have significant injury to her head and other trauma and was wearing black pants with a black shirt. It should be noted, the defendant’s residence is located approximately .3 miles from the location where the victim was discovered, which is consistent with the timeline established from the video surveillance.
A search warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence, where several items of evidentiary value were located within the defendant’s bedroom which were consistent with clothing observed in the aforementioned video surveillance. Furthermore, some of these items yielded a presumptive positive test result for the presence of blood.
Based on the defendant’s statements, the video surveillance, and the items of evidentiary value obtained from the defendant's bedroom, probable cause was established for homicide.
According to the Arrest Report, Fucci’s full name is Aiden Sean Fucci; his date of birth is November 6, 2006, and he is 5'11" tall and weighs 179 pounds. Sources: State of Florida v. Aiden Sean Fucci, Case No. 21-825-CF, Division 56; WJXT, May 13, 2021; St. Johns County Sheriff's Office; and State Attorney's Office, Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 13, 2021 9:56:52 GMT -5
Tristyn Bailey, 13, Murdered by 14-year-old SchoolmateAround 6 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, May 9 (Mother’s Day), the body of 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey was found at the south end of a retention pond in a wooded area at the end of Saddlestone Drive in St. Johns, Florida. The pretty and popular young cheerleader had been stabbed multiple times and there was evident head trauma.
A video clip from the Durbin Amenity Center showed Bailey and Aiden Fucci, 14, at approximately 1:15 a.m. The two teens, who lived in the same neighborhood and attended Patriot Oaks Academy, were later captured on a neighbor’s surveillance video walking east on Saddlestone at 1:45 a.m. Approximately an hour and 45 minutes later, at 3:27 a.m., Fucci was seen walking back alone.
Bailey’s family didn’t realize the girl was missing until around 10 a.m., when they contacted the St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Robert Hardwick quickly identified Fucci as a person of interest and searched his home on Castledale Drive, where deputies discovered bloody clothing and other incriminating evidence. During questioning, Fucci kept changing his story.
While law enforcement and numerous volunteers were searching for Bailey, teenagers were posting comments concerning the young cheerleader’s disappearance on social media. According to Hardwick, they were using the case “to try to gain fame and followers” and he requested all such activity be forwarded to the sheriff’s office.
On Monday, May 10, Sheriff Hardwick announced Fucci had been taken into custody. Following his arrest, as he sat in the backseat of a deputy sheriff’s cruiser, he sent a Snapchat selfie to his friends with the caption “Hey guys has inybody seen Tristyn lately.”
When Fucci’s cavalier attitude was reported by the local news media, one individual commented, “He’s always been a sick little weirdo smartass. He couldn’t care less that he just snuffed out the life of a pretty little girl. Too bad he’s too young for the death penalty.”
On Tuesday, Fucci appeared before Circuit Judge Michael Orfinger at 8:30 a.m. He showed little emotion during the proceedings, closing his eyes and running his hands through his hair, although at one point, he did appear to be holding back tears. Both his parents, Jason Fucci and Crystal Smith, were present and he was represented by Jacksonville attorney Anwar Snober. The judge ordered that Fucci be held in the juvenile detention center for 21 days on a charge of second degree murder.
Dr. Justin D’Arienzo, a forensic and clinical psychologist, later viewed the videotaped hearing. “I just saw a child that was exhausted, that was self-soothing, that was overwhelmed and that was really scared,” he said. “It’s very rare that pure and impulsive behavior would lead a 14-year-old boy to stab a 13-year-old girl,” he continued. “Usually, when we dissect these cases, usually there is a history of something that led to that behavior.”
The state attorney’s office has not yet decided if Fucci will be charged as an adult.
While there is a great deal of sympathy and support for Bailey’s family, a lot of people would like to know why neither set of parents knew the whereabouts of their children on the night of the murder. There have been suggestions that perhaps the teens sneaked out of their homes, but many are quick to point out that parents are supposed to be aware of such propensities and take measures to prevent this sort of activity.Sources: WJAX, May 12, 2021; WJXT, May 11, 2021; St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office; Daniel Dahm, WKMG, May 11, 2021; Jennifer Ready, WKMG, May 11, 2021; Vic Micolucci, WJXT, May 10, 2021; and comments sections on various sites.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 11, 2021 11:01:10 GMT -5
Second Clue: accountant
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 10, 2021 7:06:12 GMT -5
First Clue: Spanish
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 9, 2021 23:25:40 GMT -5
Second Clue: accountant _______
First Clue: Spanish _______
Please read carefully before attempting to name the Location.Following is the primary clue for Mystery Location No. 252:
The house on the big corner lot has a somewhat unusual roof, but unlike the grand domiciles of the 19th century with similar tops, this one is woefully lacking in charm. Realtors have described the home as “elegant,” however, they never mention that one former resident died a violent death shortly after moving into this dwelling and no one knows who did it. This, of course, isn’t particularly unusual considering the city’s lackluster performance in the crime-solving department.
Each day, a new clue will be posted until someone names the location, providing the street address, city and state, as well as the room or apartment number, if applicable, (or province/country if located outside the US) and an explanation as to how each clue applies to the location. If no one correctly names the location, the contest will end at midnight (Eastern time), Saturday, May 15, 2021. Please note, the contest ends at midnight in the Eastern Time Zone. If you live in a different time zone, please make adjustments so you will know what time it ends where you are.
You may discuss the location with other members by posting your comments using the “reply” option, but please do not attempt to name the location until you are absolutely certain of your answer and you are able to post the street address, city, state, etc., along with a photo, or link to a photo, of the Location.
For those of you who remember our old Mystery Locations contest, the point system has changed. Now, if you name the location on the first day, i.e., Sunday, before midnight (ET), you will receive 7 points. Thereafter, the points will depend on the number of clues that have been provided when you name the Location as indicated below. If you name the Location after the first clue, you will receive 6 points, etc., as indicated below. However, after the Sixth (last clue) is provided on Saturday, you must name the location before midnight (EST) Saturday night. Upon accumulation of sufficient points, winners may choose an item from our Prize List.
Sunday (or before First Clue is provided) - 7 points First Clue (Monday) - 6 points Second Clue (Tuesday) - 5 points Third Clue (Wednesday) - 4 points Fourth Clue (Thursday) - 3 points Fifth Clue (Friday) - 2 points Sixth Clue (Saturday before midnight) - 1 point
If you wish, you may collaborate with another member and if the two of you win, points will be divided between the two of you.
This contest is meant to be fun, so, as before, we ask that you conduct yourself accordingly. To prevent any accusations of favoritism, Steve has been advised of the name and address of the Location and will not be participating in this week’s contest.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 8, 2021 12:28:38 GMT -5
Woman Tries to Run Down Mourners at Ex-Boyfriend’s BurialOn Saturday, May 1, Blair Whitten (above left), 28, of Barnesville, Minnesota, drove to Riverside Cemetery in Fargo, North Dakota, where her former boyfriend, 24-year-old Colin MacDonald (right), was being interred. Angry because MacDonald’s relatives had told her she wouldn’t be welcome, she proceeded to drive to the location where the services were taking place and attempted to run down mourners.
Witnesses waved down a police cruiser at the cemetery and reported an SUV was driving over grave sites and “trying to run people over.” Blaine MacDonald, the deceased’s father, identified Blair Whitten as the driver and told the officer she was not welcome.
“All of a sudden, I heard someone screaming and yelling,” Joan McIntyre, Colin MacDonald’s mother, added. “So, I came out of the tent to find a car taking off at about 50-miles-an-hour and people screaming, ‘She just ran me over!’”
A second family member confirmed he had approached Whitten when he saw her speeding through the graveyard with the intention of asking her to leave, but she accelerated toward him, forcing him to jump out of her way. He explained the woman wasn’t welcome because of various nasty comments she posted on social media following her former boyfriend’s death. Colin MacDonald died in his sleep April 24 following complications from minor surgery, however, Whitten claimed she had killed him. In one post on a site announcing details of the service, she wrote: “DEAD PEDOPHILE 666 thank the powers that be thank ME.” The family member also alleged Whitten had been threatening Colin as well as his friends and relatives for the past five years.
Riverside Cemetery When police detained Whitten on the north side of the cemetery, she said she had been sitting in her vehicle when people she believed intended to do her harm approached. She drove away, she admitted, but was careful not to hit anyone or anything.
“Multiple complainants reported Whitten was driving her vehicle inside the cemetery with extreme indifference for human life which created substantial risk of serious bodily injury to persons in the cemetery,” a Fargo police spokeswoman told KVRR TV. Whitten was subsequently arrested on a charge of reckless endangerment and booked into the Cass County Jail. On Monday, May 3, she pled not guilty.
“She knew she wasn’t welcome and what she did instead of leaving peacefully was try to run somebody over and run somebody else over, which was me,” Gericka Charbonneau, the deceased’s current girlfriend, remarked following the incident. “There were elderly, there were children, there were people here who weren’t even here for Colin’s funeral. They were here for their own people and they didn’t know what was going on. I was afraid for my life.” Sources: Ewan Palmer, Newsweek, May 7, 2021; Stephen Sorace, Fox News, May 6, 2021; Valley News Live, KVRR; and Echovita.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 6, 2021 10:54:55 GMT -5
Sheriff Announces Possible New Lead in Dermond Case
Sheriff Howard Sills has announced that a possible lead unearthed in recent months may identify a suspect. “I am currently trying to obtain data of a highly technical nature that I believe will be fruitful. ... I’ve obtained some of it and I have reason to believe that when I obtain the rest of the data and sort it out that it may well lead me to a suspect or suspects in this case,” he said.
Keith Dermond, son of Russell and Shirley Dermond, said he understands the sheriff has been working diligently to find out who murdered parents. “It’s very hard to catch somebody when you don’t even know their motive,” he explained. “You have no clue as to what you’re looking for. I always thought that, you know, maybe it was some kind of a serial killer kind of thing … just because of the weird things .... But the thing is, … a lot of the times serial killers are very hard to catch. They know what they’re doing. … But you think there would be other crimes.”
“I’m not exaggerating,” Sills added. “I think about this every day no matter where I am. ... The concern of it may have diminished in the public, because time, of course, erodes all things. I travel all over the United States of America and the first thing [people] ask me no matter where I go is about the Dermond killings. They’ll say, ‘They never came up with nothing on that murder, did they?’ I’ll say, ‘Well, you’re looking at they. And they ain’t give up yet.’”
Sources: Joe Kovac Jr., The Macon Telegraph, May 5, 2021; and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 5, 2021 23:10:40 GMT -5
South Carolina Killers May Soon Face the Firing SquadFrustrated by the shortage of drugs necessary to perform lethal injections, the state of South Carolina is one step closer to adding the firing squad to its methods of execution.
On Wednesday, May 5, the state House voted 66-43 on legislation that would allow inmates condemned to death to choose execution by firing squad. Currently, they are allowed to choose between lethal injection and the electric chair. The state Senate approved the bill in March. Following another routine final vote in the House, the bill will be submitted to Gov. Henry McMaster. “We are one step closer to providing victims’ families and loved ones with the justice and closure they are owed by law,” McMaster tweeted, “I will sign this legislation as soon as it gets to my desk.”
Supporters say the bill will deliver justice to those convicted of violent crimes. As expected, opponents of the death penalty oppose the bill, citing, as usual, the possibility of innocent people being put to death.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, three men – all in Utah – have been executed by firing squad, the first being Gary Gilmore, who was shot to death January 17, 1977. Gilmore, a born loser, was sentenced to death for the cold-blooded murders of Max Jensen, a 24-year-old gas station employee, and Bennie Bushnell, a 26-year-old motel manager, in July 1976. Both men were married with small children. Sources: Louis Casiano, Fox News, May 5, 2021; Julia Kauffman, WLTX, May 5, 2021; Jeffrey Collins, The Associated Press, May 5, 2021; and The New York Times, January 18, 1977.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 3, 2021 10:37:09 GMT -5
First Clue: poet
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 3, 2021 0:15:24 GMT -5
First Clue: poet _______
Please read carefully before attempting to name the Location.Following is the primary clue for Mystery Location No. 251:
The huge brick mansion on the hill incorporates three architectural styles and the old dwelling has long fascinated the inhabitants of the city in which it stands – a city known for a large manufacturing concern and little else. There are even stories the house is haunted by a former resident who committed suicide by jumping from an upper story window, something that would have been very difficult for the particular resident in question to have accomplished.
Each day, a new clue will be posted until someone names the location, providing the street address, city and state, as well as the room or apartment number, if applicable, (or province/country if located outside the US) and an explanation as to how each clue applies to the location. If no one correctly names the location, the contest will end at midnight (Eastern time), Saturday, May 8, 2021. Please note, the contest ends at midnight in the Eastern Time Zone. If you live in a different time zone, please make adjustments so you will know what time it ends where you are.
You may discuss the location with other members by posting your comments using the “reply” option, but please do not attempt to name the location until you are absolutely certain of your answer and you are able to post the street address, city, state, etc., along with a photo, or link to a photo, of the Location.
For those of you who remember our old Mystery Locations contest, the point system has changed. Now, if you name the location on the first day, i.e., Sunday, before midnight (ET), you will receive 7 points. Thereafter, the points will depend on the number of clues that have been provided when you name the Location as indicated below. If you name the Location after the first clue, you will receive 6 points, etc., as indicated below. However, after the Sixth (last clue) is provided on Saturday, you must name the location before midnight (EST) Saturday night. Upon accumulation of sufficient points, winners may choose an item from our Prize List.
Sunday (or before First Clue is provided) - 7 points First Clue (Monday) - 6 points Second Clue (Tuesday) - 5 points Third Clue (Wednesday) - 4 points Fourth Clue (Thursday) - 3 points Fifth Clue (Friday) - 2 points Sixth Clue (Saturday before midnight) - 1 point
If you wish, you may collaborate with another member and if the two of you win, points will be divided between the two of you.
This contest is meant to be fun, so, as before, we ask that you conduct yourself accordingly. To prevent any accusations of favoritism, Joanna has been advised of the name and address of the Location and will not be participating in this week’s contest.
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 1, 2021 3:25:11 GMT -5
Should Disney Remove Haunted Mansion’s ‘Hanging Ghost’ Display?The Haunted Mansion is one of the most iconic attractions at California’s Disneyland, but now, after many years of enjoyment by millions of visitors, someone has decided the “hanging man” display isn’t PC.
In a recent article, the Los Angeles Times reported the “Hanging Ghost” may be removed in the near future. “It’s been discussed for sure. It’s definitely something that we’re thinking about,” a Disney spokesperson confirmed.
It’s all about political correctness, of course. Someone has decided every noose, or facsimile thereof, from the beginning of recorded time, is a reminder that a few individuals of a certain group were once lynched. The fact people of all colors and nationalities were lynched and hanging was a method of execution – legal and otherwise – long before Europeans ever set foot on the American continent seems to have escaped the attention of the PC police.
Others have suggested the hanging man could also be upsetting to those who have a relative or friend who committed suicide by hanging. While it’s true those who have suffered this sort of loss could be reminded of such a personal tragedy, people who enter commercial haunted houses expect to see images of death and one would hope someone overly-sensitive to displays of death would avoid such venues.
Theme Park Tourist is allowing people to vote on whether the Hanging Ghost display should be removed or remain as is. Vote here. Sources: Theme Park Tourist, April 23, 2021; and The Walt Disney Company.
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Post by Graveyardbride on Apr 30, 2021 14:25:36 GMT -5
Recent Dark Shadows DeathsRecently, three Dark Shadows actors died within weeks of each other. Christopher Pennock (above), who played several roles on the popular daytime soap opera, died February 12 following a diagnosis of melanoma. Born June 7, 1944, he was 76-years-old. Pennock first appeared as Jeb Hawkes in episode 935, broadcast January 30, 1970. Later, he was cast in the roles of Cyrus Longworth in a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type storyline, Sebastian Shaw and Gabriel Collins. He revived his Gabriel Collins role in the 1971 movie, Night of Dark Shadows, with David Selby and Lara Parker.
Geoffrey Scott (born February 22, 1943), who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, died February 23 at the age of 79. On Dark Shadows, he played the part of Schuyler, “Sky” Rumson, a rich publisher who owned an island near Collinsport. Rumson, secretly in league with the Leviathans, married Angelique Bouchard, appeared in 13 episodes. Among his portrayals following Dark Shadows, was that of “Mark Jennings” on Dynasty.
Robert Rodan (born January 30, 1938), who played the Frankenstein-esque role of Adam in a 1968 storyline, died of heart failure March 25 at his home in Oregon. He was 83. Rodan appeared in 82 episodes.
In addition to the actors, Malcolm Marmorstein, (August 9, 1928), a Dark Shadows writer, died November 21, 2020, at the age of 92. According to Marmorstein, when contemplating the introduction of a vampire, he told Dan Curtis, “We have to pretend we’re doing a vampire for the very first time. Let’s get a young, blond guy, because our audiences are very young. They’ll fall in love with him.” Jonathan Frid, as everyone knows, was neither blond nor particularly young, but everyone fell in love with him nonetheless. According to Marmorstein, his advice to Frid was: “Don’t act. Be a nice man, as you are. This is your family in the house, and you’ve got to be charming for them.”
Despite his longtime interest in vampires, Marmorstein was not at all impressed by the 2012 Tim Burton-Johnny Depp Dark Shadows remake. “I was shocked to see, at the beginning of the movie, Barnabas killing seven or eight innocent people, who weren’t even trying to harm him,” he commented in an interview at the time. “Barnabas would never do that. And I saw no reason whatsoever for the movie to be set in 1972. For nothing, I would have told them not to do that.” Sources: Greg Evans, Deadline, November 24, 2020, and February 17 & 29, 2021; Ellise Shafer, Variety, March 2, 2021; and Dark Shadows.
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Post by Graveyardbride on Apr 28, 2021 19:31:08 GMT -5
Spirit of the Amelia Island Lighthouse In daylight, only the tip of the 64-foot conical tower is visible above the treetops in historic Fernandina Beach, a small town in extreme northeastern Florida. But as night descends upon the quaint Victorian village, an iridescent white light flashes above even the tallest oaks and pines as the Amelia Island Lighthouse sends its powerful beam 19 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Originally constructed on Cumberland Island, Georgia, some three miles north of its present location, the tower was dismantled, brick-by-brick, and reassembled on Amelia Island in 1838, making it the oldest existing lighthouse in the state of Florida. With the light, came its keeper, Amos Latham, a Revolutionary War veteran who had been keeper of the Cumberland light since 1829, and his wife Janet.
Latham, who was 78 when he assumed his duties at Amelia Island, realized he didn’t have many years left. As a consequence, he told everyone who would listen that when he died, he wished to be buried within sight of the lighthouse he loved so dearly.
Janet Latham died November 24, 1940, and Latham and a few friends committed her remains to the earth on a little hill within sight of the lighthouse. Just a year-and-a-half later, on April 28, 1842, while painting the inside of the tower with the aid of an assistant, Latham, without warning, suddenly laid down his paintbrush, and grasping the railing to keep from toppling forward, feebly sat down on one of the cold granite steps and breathed his last. The dedicated old keeper – on the job until the bitter end – was laid to rest beside his wife.
Lighthouse keepers, for the most part, were a superstitious lot and in their repertoire of superstitions was the belief that each lighthouse had an individual spirit – something they called the “Spirit of the Light.” Many light stations, particularly those in isolated areas, were the scenes of madness, suicide and murder, but no such dark deeds had occurred at Amelia Island. It was generally accepted among keepers that old Amos Latham provided the “spirit” of the Amelia Island Light. So in spite of the mosquitoes and intense summer heat, the location became a choice assignment because it was considered a “cheerful” lighthouse.
Nonetheless, as the years passed, there were occasional changes at the Amelia Island Light: In 1856, a third-order Fresnel lens was installed, but just five years later, in 1861, the light was extinguished and remained dark for the duration of the War Between the States. A new lantern was placed atop the tower in 1881, raising the overall height by 14 feet. In 1920, a red sector was added to the sentinel to warn mariners of dangerous shoals to the south, and the light was converted to electricity in 1935. Even in 1956, when the station was automated, Coast Guard personnel still occupied the old keeper’s quarters. Despite the march of time and progress, the peaceful aura of the Amelia Island Lighthouse remained intact.
Then, in the 1970s, the Coast Guard began selling off some of the land surrounding the lighthouse and the decision was made to relocate the graves of Amos Latham and his wife to nearby Bosque Bello Cemetery.
Ortho Brown, a Coast Guard chief petty officer who served two tours of duty at Amelia Island, claimed when the graves of the old keeper and his wife were disturbed, strange things began to happen. Men at the station discovered doors unlocked and objects moved about in the keeper’s house and at times, a strange odor – what one retired gentleman vising the station described as the “stench of death” – permeated the tower.
“Nothing like that had ever happened before they moved those graves because if it had, the men would have talked about it,” Brown insisted. “All of us that had ever worked at Amelia Island said they shouldn’t move those graves. Ol’ Amos said he wanted to be buried close to the lighthouse and they should have left him where he was.”
On several occasions, men working in the tower alone became spooked by “something” and several Coast Guardsmen admitted feeling “watched” while they were at the station. It got to the point no one wanted to remain inside the house, or go into the tower, alone. Then there was the day two men returned to the keeper’s quarters and upon opening the door, smelled what one described as “the best Sunday dinner you could imagine” coming from the kitchen. Thinking one of the other men had forgotten to turn off the stove, or someone’s wife or mother had stopped by to surprise them with a home-cooked meal, they hurried through to the kitchen, where they found a cold stove and nothing more than a few cans of Spam, corned beef hash and beans in the cupboards.
Although Latham’s body has lain in Bosque Bello Cemetery for some 50 years, the unexplained phenomena at the lighthouse continue and no one doubts the old keeper still resents having been disturbed and moved from his resting place of more than a century near his beloved lighthouse.
A local historian and lighthouse aficionado agreed with Brown and claimed that following the relocation of the graves, the aura of serenity surrounding the light disappeared.
The Amelia Island Lighthouse had lost its spirit.Sources: Amelia Island Museum of History, Fernandina Beach, Florida; and Bosque Bello Cemetery.
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