by Burl Barer
One friend who has stayed loyal is Stephanie Vaughn, Rhonda Glover’s best friend since the fourth grade. “I believe that a true friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out,” Vaughn has said. “Rhonda was there with me through every milestone I experienced in my life. My prom, my wedding, the birth of my children, and when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She was a beautiful, strong, confident, assertive and successful woman. I never witnessed the actual physical abuse, but I did witness some of the out-of-control drinking. I did see Rhonda on several occasions when she had left him due to his alleged abuse. I had no reason to doubt her. I cannot imagine the horror of what drove her to that fateful decision, but I do know her and I will tell you that she could never have done anything like this, unless she thought she had no other choice. This is indeed a tragedy and my heart grieves for my dear friend Rhonda, for her son, who now has lost his mother and father, for Rhonda’s family, for Jimmy’s friends and family, and for Rhonda’s countless friends, who are no doubt left as perplexed and saddened as I.”
If there is anything to offset Rhonda Glover’s sadness with incarceration, it is her assertion: “I have found my calling through all of this—criminal justice reform. I want to be a lawyer or at least play one on TV. I will write writs of habeas corpus for those who are stuck in here without justice and are innocent. There are thousands left behind in here. I really just want to go home,” she says, wherever home is. “I want to go back and be a mommy.”
A corrections officer interrupts. It’s time for Rhonda Glover to leave her side of the glass divider. Visiting hours are over. She will be eligible for parole in twenty-odd years. Even then, she won’t be going home to be a mommy. Her son will be over thirty years old by then, and probably have a family of his own.
“I hear from Rhonda Glover all the time,” says attorney Joe Lanza. “She writes me constantly.”
Lanza is working on a “collateral attack” on behalf of Rhonda Glover. “This isn’t an appeal, or part of the appeal process,” explains Lanza. “This is different than an appeal, which is a challenge to the decision made in the same case. A collateral attack refers to when a separate and new lawsuit is filed to challenge some aspect of an earlier and separate case because an obvious injustice or unconstitutional treatment occurred in the earlier case.
“We are looking for a reversal of judgment in Rhonda’s case,” Lanza explains. “We are raising several issues [that] we believe could result in the case being tried all over again. This doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen. You see this type of reversal of judgment in cases where there is suddenly new evidence, such as DNA, or the law has changed, or there is blatant misconduct by prosecutors, or ineffective counsel for the defense. Yes, it may be a long shot, but we are working on it.”
Should success crown Lanza’s efforts, Rhonda Glover would get another trial. It is all very questionable, as would be Rhonda’s ability to assist rationally in her own defense. One must wonder what the ramifications would be if she was found a second time incompetent to stand trial, after spending five or ten years in prison following conviction.
She does get some mental-health treatment in prison, but nothing compared to what she would get if she was serving her sentence at Texas State Hospital or in a proposed but nonexistent program of separation from society, coupled with complete psychiatric care for the full length of her sentence.
“When in prison, your health care is limited, both physically and mentally,” explains Lanza. “If you are on probation, you have access to the same health care as anyone else. In prison you get what they give you. Taxpayers are not known for wanting to pay too much for prisoner care. I get mail from prisoners all the time who are dying from some illness that could have been caught and treated, had they only had basic decent health care while in prison. They don’t.”
“You know, it is not that far-fetched,” offers Fred Wolfson, “that Lanza gets Rhonda a reversal. It all goes back to the beginning, and what if… what if… you know, here she is in prison still talking about Cave X, bubble gum, and Devil worshipers. She is still nurturing the same delusions. The big difference is that she is in a structured environment, and is getting at least some care. It is almost as if her condition, and the denial of it, is a mirror image of the entire approach to crimes committed by the mentally ill, diseased or brain damaged. It’s delusional, ignores reality and has really no use for the discoveries of modern medicine.”
Texas laws are not much different than most states’ laws, and most states have locked themselves into situations regarding crime, punishment and prevention that resonate more with the world of Charles Dickens than anything related to the twenty-first century. America justice calls for the imprisonment of both the irresponsible criminal and the criminally irrational, and places them together in the same facility.
That could be a new definition of insanity, and I doubt there is a defense for it.
I am glad Rhonda Glover is not walking the streets with a Glock 9mm. If she was in a paranoid delusional state, and was convinced someone was Satan, it could be fatal. There is ample evidence that the combination of Rhonda Glover, firearms and paranoid delusions are deadly. The death by gunfire of the affable Jimmy Joste is irrefutable evidence.
I also think we would all be better served if we could simply deal with what’s real when it comes to crime, punishment and prevention. Under the current laws of many states in America, no one is “insane” if he or she knows killing is “wrong.” Saying that someone is sane—no matter how crazy they are—simply because they know what they did was illegal makes no sense in this century of information and scientific discovery. Denying comprehensive psychiatric treatment to the mentally ill as punishment for acts committed as symptomatic of the illness might not come under the category of cruel and unusual punishment, as usually defined. However, when the mentally ill are punished by imprisonment, and a primary characteristic of that imprisonment is the denial of the same level of treatment that they would receive in a mental hospital, the punishment, in the opinion of many, is then both cruel and unusual.
In this debate over how to deal with mentally compromised felons, it is easy to forget that Jimmy Joste, a man well loved by friends and family, was shot dead and left to rot in the home at Mission Oaks. Kelly Joste rightly characterizes Jimmy as a kind, caring, compassionate and generous man who welcomed all, showed kindness to all and cared so much for the mother of his child that he was willing to endure all manner of madness. There was a picture of Jimmy Joste shown in Mike Lynch’s courtroom that depicted Jimmy the way his brother remembers him—a good-looking guy with an easygoing attitude and warm, inviting smile.
“You know,” said Danny Davis, “if Rhonda, bless her heart, had been okay mentally, or simply taken her medications and stayed off illegal drugs, and if Jimmy had stayed off that crap too, then they might have all really had a good life together. They were both basically good people from good backgrounds. He loved her with all his heart. They had a wonderful son together. You can see in your mind how if they had just not gone down that road, they could have had a life that was the kind other people only dream about—two physically attractive people, plenty of financial resources, the creativity to do great things, a warm, loving family with supportive friends who loved them. Yes, there was always the potential there for unlimited happiness. Instead, he’s dead and she’s in prison. My heart goes out to his brother, Kelly, and Jimmy’s son, and everyone in both families. Having known Jimmy ever since I was a kid, it is as if I lost a member of my own family. No, let me rephrase that. Jimmy was family. ”
Jimmy Joste was a good friend, an excellent cook, a fun companion and, in the final analysis, a man who allowed wishes to overrule reason, and feelings to obscure established facts. He always believed that he could control Rhonda Glover. Not even Rhonda could control Rhonda.
Acknowledgments and Clarification
This book is an interpretive version of events adapted from personal interviews, wi
tness depositions, police reports and court records—many of which were recalled from memory. All statements, testimony and/or conversations were subject to editorial emendation for purposes of clarity, concision and readability, and are not to be taken as literal or verbatim. All effort has been made to retain factual accuracy. Any mistakes of fact are unintentional. Some names have been changed for reasons of legality or courtesy. Any and all allegations of illegal acts or moral wrongdoing made by anyone in this book against anyone else are allegations only, and/or matters of personal opinion that do not reflect the opinions or positions of either the author or the publisher.
Due to the complexity of this story, and the wide range of emotions and opinions it evokes, I summoned to the page numerous experts, psychiatrists, psychologists, judges, lawyers and a plethora of my fellow true crime authors, including Steven Long, Ron Franscell, John Semander, Caitlin Rother and many more whose viewpoints are as divergent as those expressed by the legal and medical sources. One thing you won’t find in this book is 100 percent agreement on what should be done in a homicide case such as this, and that is what makes this case so fascinating.
As with my previous book, Mom Said Kill, I called upon Fred Wolfson, internationally famed private detective, and Jeff Reynolds, requested alias of an outspoken investigative journalist, for insightful observations and opinionated commentary. Joining them is Travis Webb, also an accomplished researcher and journalist who assisted me in the preparation of my book Head Shot.
Rhonda Glover was afforded every opportunity to speak her mind, and her mind is central to the story. Glover has a well-documented medical condition that severely impacts her ability to think rationally. She suffers from relentless and recalcitrant paranoid delusions. For her, these delusions are irrevocably woven into the fabric of her personal reality. She is not, by legal definition, insane. She is capable of functioning with productive normalcy in the structured environment of the Texas correctional facility in which she is currently housed.
Gratitude is expressed to the Austin Police Department, the city of Austin and the various departments that, via Mr. Smiley, of the Office of City Attorney, made an incredibly daunting research assignment considerably easier; Danny Davis, Rocky Navarro and many others offered generously of their time and memories. Deep appreciation to Michaela Hamilton and her dedicated editorial staff at Kensington Publishing Group’s Pinnacle True Crime imprint for encouraging me to produce the best book possible under what were not the easiest of conditions.
On a very personal note, this book would not have been possible without the kind support of my son and daughter, Anea and Jordan Barer, son-in-law Isaac Cummings and the following vastly diverse individuals who made it possible for me to maintain a relative degree of sanity and stability during the writing of this book: Matt Alan, Lori Downey, Don Woldman, Michael Hirshensen, Marty Sherer, Kip Addotta, Howard Lapidas, Shadoe Stevens, Ryan Stiles, Elya Baskin, Prescott Niles, Richard Tyson, Jimmy the Printer, Robert Hayes, Johnny Cosmo, Robo and Billy Dilly, from the Big Fish in Glendale. Special gratitude is expressed to both Ms. Susan Balcuns and Dr. Ata Egrari for their kind hospitality during the completion of the final manuscript.
Resources
Rhonda Glover was initially diagnosed as suffering from bipolar disorder, and later revised to psychosis NOS. People with this diagnosis live on a mood roller coaster. When they’re up, they may feel on top of the world, spend money they don’t have and do reckless or even dangerous things. When they’re down, they may feel so guilty and worthless that they want to die.
Bipolar disorders, or other forms of psychosis, are chronic illnesses, not character flaws. Your loved one’s brain chemicals are out of balance. Medicine can help bring them back into balance. Taking the medicines as prescribed can help prevent mood swings. Without treatment they often get worse. It’s also important to know what you can’t do. For example, if your loved one is an adult, you can’t force him or her to take prescribed medicine or go to appointments.
People with bipolar disorder or psychosis NOS are at higher than normal risk for suicide. Take all talk or threats of suicide seriously. Get help if your loved one talks or writes about death, gives away possessions, has a weapon or a plan for committing suicide. Call 911 or take your loved one to a hospital right away.
People with bipolar disorder may often say things they don’t mean or do things that embarrass them later. Try to let go of hurtful actions and remarks. If they’re harming your relationship, talk to a counselor. It can really help to talk to others who know what you’re going through. Find a support group for families with bipolar disorder or for those who have been diagnosed with psychosis. You can call the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) at 800-826-3632 to locate a support group in your area.
Rhonda Glover’s physical beauty and outgoing personality immediately captivated Jimmy Joste. (Photo courtesy of Rhonda Glover)
Jimmy Joste as friends and family remember him—good natured and optimistic. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Missing Persons poster for Rhonda Glover. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department}
Rhonda Glover following domestic violence incident with Jimmy Joste. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
The Joste/Glover Austin residence as seen from the rear. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Entrance to the Joste/Glover Austin residence. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Police approached the stairs via this hallway. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Jimmy Joste died of ten gunshot wounds at close range. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department}
Spent shells from a Glock 9mm were found near the body. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department}
Each shell casing was numbered and noted. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Four more shell casings were discovered in the bedroom. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Shots fired from the bedroom were embedded in the hallway wall. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Glock 9mm shell recovered from the wall. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department}
Detective de los Santos found this card for the Top Gun handgun training and shooting center. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Glover purchased her Glock 9mm from Red’s Indoor Range in Austin, Texas. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Rhonda Glover drove her RV to American Auto Rental where she rented a Ford Taurus. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
The Ford rented by Glover from American Auto Rental. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Detectives measured the car’s tires and photographed the tread to confirm identification of the vehicle. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
The mileage on the Ford’s odometer was also carefully verified. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Police found Glover’s business card, and that of her attorney, with pictures of her son. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
“God has been working on this plan to catch Satan for Years,” wrote Glover. She believed she was part of the plan. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Glover was convinced that her son was being cloned, and that Dana Bateman was somehow involved. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Rhonda Glover’s black leather Bible was taken as evidence. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
The Houston home of Glover, paid for by Joste, offered a stunning view. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Expensive furniture and the best of everything in Glover’s Houston home. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
“The Mark of the Beast,” Glover believed, was a biblical reference to President Bush, John Gacy and Jimmy Joste. (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
The enormous RV/motor home in which Glover made her “getaway.” (Photo courtesy of the Austin Police Department)
Assistant District Attorney Bryan Case. (Author photo)
Assistant District Attorney Gail Van Winkle. (Author photo)
The Travis County Courthouse where Rhonda Glover testified in her own defense. (Author photo)
Rhonda Glover: how she appeared when she met Jimmy Joste. (Photo courtesy of Rhonda Glover)
Rhonda Glover back in her rodeo days. (Photo courtesy of Rhonda Glover)