On May 24, Fink posted the following entry: “I am not mad at Amy for calling the cops on me even though she lives in california now and I in ct…It makes me mad that as a Tax payer Police are responding to such bullshit calls when somebody was murdered here last week. Amy lives in California and since I did not make the threat to her parents directly it is not considered thetening and plus there has to be reason to belive that I was serious with the threat which I obvisoely was not.”
The officer assigned to Amy’s case told her to remove Fink from her IM buddy list and to ignore him, which she did. But as she discovered more background information about Fink, her worries intensified.
Amy began to suspect that the police didn’t think Fink was a direct threat to her because she was in California. Her friends on the East Coast did some research on Fink, whose full name was Franklin Fink, and discovered a long list of arrests. In 1999, Fink was arrested and convicted for harassing and threatening a girl. He received 1 year of probation. In 2001, he was arrested again for breach of peace, harassment, threatening, and computer crime. He was convicted on five of seven charges and received 3 years of probation, but his sentence was suspended. Amy knew that the police department was well aware of Fink’s past activities, but she didn’t know why they weren’t doing anything to help her.
“I was scared of [him],” she said.
When Fink posted that he had sold his hard drive, Amy called the officer assigned to her case, telling him that this was Fink’s attempt to discard any incriminating evidence. The officer just said that Fink probably responded that way “since I scared him into thinking we would take his computer away from him that first night we went over there.”
Amy didn’t know what to think or believe. One minute she was angry; the next she was just plain frightened. “His actions and words placed me in severe emotional distress and put me in fear, not only of my own well-being, but that of my family back home,” she said. “I did not want to simply ‘forgive and forget’ these incidents. If I moved on with my life, and ignored Fink’s actions, I knew that I would be leaving the door open for other women and girls to fall prey to this bully.”
A few days later, on May 29, Amy’s father went to the gas station where Fink worked and confronted him in person. Amy’s father told Fink to leave his family alone, and if Fink didn’t, he would return with the police officer on the case. Fink’s LiveJournal post 4 days later revealed Fink’s darker side: “I had one hand banging on the counter and my other clinching a boxcutter in my pocket since I was contemplating either punching the guy right then and there or even stabbing him.”
“Honestly, I have never spoken to someone or seen anyone whose train of thought was more … disheveled,” Amy said.
Amy began filing complaints everywhere: AOL Instant Messenger, LiveJournal, Fink’s ISP, and Yahoo! (the host for the email accounts through which he harassed her). She also kept contacting the officer handling her case.
By June 16, Amy’s mother told her that there was a signed arrest warrant against Fink, but it could take up to 3 weeks to grant it even if the judge found probable cause.
An officer from the Connecticut State Police called Amy the next day. She had sent them information about her case and plenty of background on Fink’s prior arrests. According to the state trooper who called her, Fink was still on probation, and online harassment was a violation of his probation. The trooper didn’t think it would be hard to charge Fink on those grounds. Although Amy was excited when she hung up the phone, nothing happened.
On June 26, Amy was still waiting for the arrest warrant to be issued, and Fink was posting on LiveJournal that he was the person being wronged and asked why Amy was blaming him.
“I sat there crying, because he made me so mad,” said Amy. “He makes this seem as if he had done nothing wrong, when it was pretty damn obvious that he had. He had no right to do this to me—make me upset, make me sad, make me doubt myself.”
On July 2, Amy returned to Connecticut to visit her family and discovered that Fink had been arrested the night before.
Fink’s court date for Amy’s online harassment case was set for July 15. Amy and her sister went to the courthouse, but Fink didn’t show up. A bail letter was mailed to him, notifying him that he had to appear for the rescheduled court date of August 4 or face the consequences.
Fink began to IM Amy again:
“I love you why wont you say anything”
“Dirty whore”
“Amy I just have one thing to say … I am sorry you waisted a whole day for me … And This jury trial thing that your about to be summoned for I have nothing to do with … Nothing personal I hate dragging your name threw the mud but I have no choice. So it’s not personal … I am sorry. thats all I wanted to say good bye”
On August 3, Amy talked to the head of probation in Litchfield County in Connecticut, where Fink had previously been arrested. He told Amy that Fink was just trying to control her and her emotions.
The next day, which was Fink’s rescheduled court date, the prosecutor’s office called Amy. Fink claimed that he had not been online since he had been arrested and had not contacted Amy. But the prosecutor produced copies of the IMs that Fink had actually been sending her. The prosecutor told Amy, “We’re going to raise his bail because … he’s kind of a weird little guy.”
“Kinda weird?” Amy said.
“All right, he’s a weird guy,” the prosecutor said.
On August 13, Fink’s bail was increased from $10,000 to $45,000, which his family couldn’t post. The state attorney told Amy that they “slapped the golden bracelets” on him and put him in a jail cell. Fink spent 1 month in jail and finally pled guilty to the charges. However, he did not receive any additional jail time. The court simply restricted his internet use and ordered him to undergo psychological counseling. His computer was also confiscated, and his ISP account was canceled, along with his LiveJournal and Yahoo! accounts.
And Amy? She’s married now with a family. She endured years of harassment from Fink, but her persistence paid off. Her ordeal is finally over.
Amy Lawson (with her father, Bryan), harassed after trying to help a friend [Courtesy of Amy Caruso]
Franklin Fink, who finally stopped harassing Amy after many years [Courtesy of Norwich Police Department]
Stalking Ghosts
At first, Jason Hawes shrugged off the strange emails from a man named Joseph Kennedy as the rantings of some nut. Not many people would mess with then 36-year-old Jason, a formidable man with a muscular build. But as Jason discovered, this was no ordinary nut; this was an online stalker who would soon begin threatening his wife and children:
Ho! Ho! Ho! Did you think I was gone forever??? No such luck. I just got out of the Cook County Jail after 2 months in HELL. I am sending this BCC to prevent all of you from contacting one another and comparing notes. I hope and pray that OSAMA BIN LADEN KILLS THOUSANDS of Americans this Spring!!! I also hope and pray that a TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE OCCURS OR A MASSIVE VOLCANIC ERUPTION KILLS THOUSANDS!!! Last night I MURDERED a young, pretty woman after raping her several times. I killed her by strangling her with a pair of her brown-colored pantyhose!!! You are next VERENE!!!
Until later SCUM!!!
A Serial Killer
In 1990, Jason and his buddy Grant Wilson co-founded a ghost-hunting organization called The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) in Warwick, Rhode Island. Both men claimed to have experienced paranormal events and were interested in learning more. By day, they were plumbers for Roto-Rooter; by night, they looked for ghosts. As more members joined TAPS, Jason’s and Grant’s reputations as ghost hunters began to grow and, in 2003, the Syfy cable channel asked the duo if they would be interested in filming a television series based on their paranormal investigations. In October 2004, Syfy aired the first episode of the Ghost Hunters series, which has since earned a cult following among those who love all things paranormal.
In March 2005, Jason and other members of TAPS starte
d to receive disturbing emails from someone who called himself a serial (sometimes “cereal”) killer. At first, Jason and the staff at TAPS deleted the emails, but the emails continued to pour into their inboxes, and the threats escalated:
From: Sharon Edwards
To: TAPS Members
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2005 4:02 PM
Subject: Thank You
The Kennedys are FILTH and SCUM!!! Swimming in Shark-Infested Waters is nothing compared to what I am going to do to you before I MURDER YOU!!! Ho! Ho! Ho! I Murdered another Young Woman last night. That’s 3 so far this year. [F—-] YOU F.B.I.!!!
From: Gomez Fuentes
To: TAPS members
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 12:02 PM
Subject: Mexico
Well. I have another short stay in the Cook County Jail ahead of me. I am not looking forward to it but I get my Revenge on Young Women. By the way, this missive is being sent BCC to 7 TAPS members and 7 Non-TAPS members, including one of my “friends” in Australia. VERENE-I hope and pray that GOLDA and MOSHE are both DEAD by now or at least DYING of CANCER!!! BENJAMIN R.-Have you RAPED any FEMALE WHITE BUFFALOES lately? CYTOCOP-I posted another message at VJ claiming to be a Desparate Young Woman!!! I got some great responses from new VICTIMS!!! … Want to hear a good joke? What did the Penus say to the Vagina??? Answer-“Can I squirt sperm inside you?” Ho! Ho! Ho! Attention F.B.I,-I am a Genius and infinitely too smart for you to catch because 1. I ONLY use a Library Computer. 2. I ONLY use Free Yahoo Mail. 3. I NEVER use the same e-mail address TWICE. 4. I ONLY use HACKED Library Card Numbers to log onto the Internet. 5. I provide False Clues like the Cook County Jail. 6. I have a GENIUS I.Q. of 162. 7. I know NONE of the people I Terrorize. I hope and pray that Osama Bin Laden KILLS THOUSANDS of Americans this JULY 17!!! TONIGHT I MURDER another Young Woman whom I have been Stalking for 2 weeks. She wears Brown-colored Pantyhose and that gives me a HUGE Erection!!! Shalom. A Serial Killer
The staff at TAPS continued to receive the strange emails, but the team refused to respond.
“The problem is I [had] no issues with anyone that I [knew] of,” said Jason. “I felt it would give him the attention he wanted if I responded, so I never have.” But then, the emails began to focus directly on Jason’s wife, Kris Hawes, and their children.
From: Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
To: TAPS members
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2005 12:31 PM
Subject: Hardee’s On Brayton Road
Hello from the very nice Warwick Public Library at 600 Sandy Lane. Your library does not have as many Computers as the one I go to near Wrigley Field but they are Private and the Basthroom is Clean. Jason Hawes-Shame On You for Blocking Your E.M. Address!!! I guess I will have to come visit you and Kris and your Children at [address deleted for privacy] or Call you at [phone number deleted for privacy]. After Breakfast at the Dunkin’ Donuts, I paid a visit to the T.A.P.S. Trailer HQ that I have seen so many times on Television. How Quaint! I am eating Lunch at Hardee’s after I send this missive to all my many BCC acquaintances. TERRI -I apologize for forgetting to send you any personal messages lately. I posted 3 Messages at Goldsmith Students. Can you spot them??? Attention F.B.I.-Did you get the reference to Inspector Erskine. If you’re still in the Dark, just check out Efrem Zimbalist Jr. the Actor. CYTOCOP-There is still one of my FAKE messages posted at VJ. It is dated 3-7 and is from a “desparate young woman” names Alicia C. I got some good responses to that. Hey F.B.I….Am I from Chicago or not??? Ho! Ho! Ho! I will be watching my favorite TV show Ghost Hunters this July and also my 2nd favorite show-Battlestar Galactica. I hope that Commander Adama Lives! My dear brother Osama will SLAUGHTER THOUSANDS of Americans on JULY 17. I will both RAPE and SLAUGHTER AMY by my 40th Birthday on April 15. Soon I will have a 5th pair of Pantyhose in my Shoebox. Kris Hawes MAY be Number 6. Ho! Ho! Ho!Because of my GENIUS I.Q. of 162, I can NEVER be caught. I will be on RED ALERT for a Police StakeOut of the Warwick Library, Hardee’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, etc!!! AMY, soon I will take a pair of Silky Pantyhose from YOUR Lingerie drawer!!! Get your Vagina and Breasts ready for ME YOU FILTHY BITCH!!!
aurevoir,
the Cereal Killer
From: Miriam Sawyer
To: TAPS Members
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 10:33 AM
Subject: T.A.P.S. Membership
Ode To Murder
Amy I can’t find your address
So this is your lucky day more or less.
A young virgin I won’t be able to Rape and Kill
If you need a Shrink after this send me the Bill.
KRIS HAWES will be taking your place
I can;t wait to meet her face to face.
When Jason leaves Warwick to hunt a Ghost
Of our time alone together I’ll make the most.
To [address removed for privacy] I will go
There Naked in Bed Together KRIS and I will put on a show. …
My 12 inch Penus will Penetrate her Vagina
With Vaseline Galore as an oily liner.
I’ll RAPE and then KILL KRIS while she Cries
Then I’m off to Hardee’s for a burger and fries.
A 5th pair of Pantyhose for my Shoebox
Then the countdown to Murder 6 while the clock tick tocks.
The F.B.I. and Police are in Darkness with NO Clues
When you take on an I.Q. of 162 you are bound to lose.
My brother OSAMA on JULY 17 will Strike
The BLOODY Pictures on CNN I will truly LIKE.
I’m getting a Job in WARWICK and staying here
Where [address removed for privacy] is so very near.
Goodbye Elgin, Geneva, Batavia, Fox River Valley
In Warwick, what will be my final Murder Tally?
Shalom,
Osama Jr.
P.S. Hey F.B.I.-Do you really think I would use a Computer at the Warwick Public Library and then be Stupid enough to tell you? Where am I using a Computer? Ho! Ho! Ho1
As the content of the emails escalated and grew more bizarre, Jason contacted the local police, who in turn contacted the FBI because of the death threats and self-professed claims that the cyberstalker was a serial killer.
Whoever the cyberstalker was, he was clever. He would open a free email account on Yahoo!, send one message to the intended recipients, and then cancel the account. When the cyberstalker sent the next message, he used a new Yahoo! email account and then deleted it after he sent the email. He hoped to confuse the police and FBI, but opening and closing free email accounts doesn’t safeguard a user’s anonymity.
The FBI told Jason that the email threats had been traced to an ISP somewhere in Ohio. Jason wanted to speed up the pace of the investigation, so he contacted the online safety organization WHOA. After he forwarded several emails to WHOA, he discovered that although the FBI was correct that the ISP headquarters were in Ohio, that’s not where the messages originated.
Email message headers (e.g., To, From, Date, Subject) provide plenty of hidden clues, but there’s a way to display these full headers to retrieve all of the behind-the-scenes information. When the message header is properly displayed, the message can then be traced to the specific ISP/location by looking at the originating internet protocol (IP) address, which consists of four sets of numbers that have one to three numerals in each set. Each IP address is unique and assigned to a specific computer/account.
WHOA determined within a day that the messages to Jason had come from two IP addresses: 216.183.185.70 and 216.183.185.133.
This data helped pinpoint the IP addresses where the messages originated. The messages were sent from two libraries in the Pittsburgh area: the Bethel Park Public Library and Mt. Lebanon Public Library. Both used the same Expedient Communications ISP in Cleveland, Ohio.
When Jason passed this information along to the FBI, the FBI dis
covered that the cyberstalker was using a third IP address at the Upper St. Clair Library, also in the Pittsburgh area. Since these libraries did not have any video cameras or sign in/sign out logs for anyone using library computers, the FBI had to find another way to figure out who was sending the emails.
On April 19, the FBI took control of Jason’s email account after he received the following messages from the cyberstalker:
From: Sonny Garfunkel
To: Jason Hawes
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2005 11:10 AM
Subject: Providence Haunting
Funeral Verses
Last night I Murdered Victim Number 5
She’s Dead and Buried, that ain’t no Jive.
5 pair of Pantyhose for my Shoebox
Kris Hawes is next, Tick Tock Tick Tock.
East, West, North, South from Warwick you go
A 100 mile radius to search to and fro.
I Buried her Corpse in a woods dark and deep
Her Silky Brown Pantyhose are now mine to keep.
She Cried and Sobbed and Begged for her life
I Laughed and Slit her Throat with my Knife. …
I Raped her 2 times and made her Spread her Legs Wide
Her Vagina was all Hot and Oily inside.
I’ve got her Purse, Credit Cards and Money
When I think of her Dying Sobs it sure is Funny.
The Quantico Profiler says I’m filled with such Hate
That venting my Murderous impulses feels great.
Library Computers and Free Yahoo Mail
Putting the Cuffs on me will be to no avail.
The Quantico Profiler says I’m on a vast stage
My 13 BCCs let me vent all my Rage.
The F.B.I. can’t catch me because I’m too damn smart
an I.Q. of 162 for a start.
In Warwick I’ve got a job and sublet
To [address deleted for privacy] I can easily get.
True Crime Online Page 6