I know I didn't handle letting everyone know in a gentle way. I was a mess myself and didnt have good judgement at the time. I called my sister first and she wasnt at home, so I called the manager of the apartments and left a message that if they could find Carol's son who was about 17 at the time to go to my sister Lindas apartment and wait on a call from me. I told him over the phone. The screams from that boy's mouth sent me into a mothering mode. I know what I must have done and sounded like when I first heard it by Misty on the phone. I left and went to him. By the time I got to Linda's apt she had returned home and everyone was pacing and crying and cussing Robert. Linda called to the trailer that Carol lived at and demanded to know where Carol was. Nothing was accomplished except finding out what funeral home she was taken to. I cant remember how we verified that this was all true. I remember that when Misty, the next door neighbor, told me over the phone I asked her if she was sure it was Carol and how she knew and she said that when they was bringing her out that her hand was out from under the blanket that was covering her. I dont think any of us wanted to believe it.. It is still hard to believe today, but it is getting easier and there is no getting around it ..................she is DEAD.
When it came time to go in to the funeral home for the viewing, I couldnt believe my eyes. The funeral director said that we might want a closed casket. Carol didnt even look like herself!! She looked like a 50-80 yr old woman!!!!!! I screamed in shock and ran back to the smoking room and cried and cried and cried. What caused her to look that way could be from the autopsy of the head and some could have been from the beating. We just dont Know.
The funeral was very beautiful and so many people showed up at either the viewing or the actual funeral. There were over 500 in attendance and so many screams of shock by the visitors when they went up to the casket and seen Carol looking that way. Everyone was in tears and had so much anger for Robert because all knew that he did it.
From that point on I seem to have put my grief on hold and was determined to get us all through the nightmare that we all were having. I dedicated myself to keeping up on the investigation, then the charges and court hearings. Finally it came down to the fact that there were no eye witnesses and everyone that had initially said that they would testify against Robert all of them back down and coward out of it. I found out alot by researching the autopsy report and the steps and restrictions of the law. One thing I did learn is that no matter what evidence you think you might have .......document it ON PAPER and FOLLOW THRU WITH CHARGES.....MAKE THAT PAPER TRAIL OF PROOF!!
WE COULDNT EVEN BRING UP THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEAT EVERY WOMAN HE HAD BEEN WITH BECAUSE NONE HAD FILED CHARGES AND HE WASNT PROSECUTED ON ANY CHARGES. ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT NO ONE THAT KNEW HIM PERSONALLY WANTED TO APPEAR IN COURT AGAINST HIM.
NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE : A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE THAT HOLDS A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 6 MONTHS CONFINEMENT. WITH NO MENTION OF PROBATION OR PAROLE SINCE IT IS A MISDEMEANOR.
At first when this first happened, it was going to be murder ONE....then some changes within the staff of the department happened and the next thing we know....its going downhill.
HOW DID THE CHARGES GO FROM MURDER ONE TO NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE? WHY DID THE COURT LET THE CHARGES BE REDUCED WHEN SUCH A TRAGEDY HAD HAPPENED?? WHY DID WE EVEN ACCEPT A PLEA BARGAIN??? WHAT DID THE MAN WHO CAUSED THIS HAVE TO SAY TO THE INVESTIGATORS????
GO TO THE NEXT PAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT ROBERTS STORY WAS.
