This Doesn’t Happen Here

Kelly Bergh Dove Gone Without a Trace

2:27 am on June 18, 1982, Martha Yankee a 911 dispatcher received a call from the Imperial Gas Station on south main street in Harrisonburg, Va. 
The young lady calling was 20 year old Kelly Bergh Dove who was working the night shift alone at the gas station.
When Officer Sam Yankee arrived she was gone without a trace. Her cigarette was in the ashtray burned down to the butt, the magazine she was reading was still open on the counter as well as her pack of marlboro lights with a $5 bill inside. It was like she just walked away! Literally minutes from officer yankee being dispatched to the gas station, there was no sign of Kelly. 
The last 911 call would be the last time anyone ever talked to Kelly. 
 
 
"Woman Asks Aid, Then Vanishes." Richmond Times Dispatch, 19 Jun. 1982, p. 15.
"Apparent Kidnap Victim Is Sought." The News-Virginian, 19 Jun. 1982, p. 8.
"Missing Woman's Sister: Calls Common." The Roanoke Times, 23 Jun. 1982, p. 47.
"Search Continues for Woman Missing From Service Station." The Roanoke Times, 23 Jun. 1982, p. 21.
"Reward Set in Alleged Abduction." Richmond Times-Dispatch, 29 Jun. 1982, p. 13.
"Case Still Baffling to Area Police." The Daily News Leader, 16 Jul. 1982, p. 7.
"Police Lack Hard Evidence in Abduction." The Daily News Leader, 29 Jul. 1982, p. 9.
"Is Abducted Woman Still Alive." The Bee, 29 Jul. 1982, p. 1.
"Police Sift Clues in Gas Station Attendant's Disappearance." Richmond Times-Dispatch, 16 Jan. 1983, p. 83.
Lee, M. (1993, February 14). Fatal Connections. The Daily Progress, A-1, A-12.

Terror In McCarthy Alaska

March 1, 1983, in McCarthy, Alaska an old mining town at the base of the Wrangell Mountains.
It was a Tuesday, which in this town of about 20 people was mail day. Because this town was so remote, residents received mail and necessities such as groceries only once a week from what they called the mail plane. 
Yall This town was so remote and small that one resident said “Around here there are so few of us we know each other by boot tracks.” Not only that they had no electricity, no running water and no telephone service. Im talking nearly off the grid all the way. If you wanted to be left alone completely McCarthy was the place for you. 
On mail day, the locals gathered at Lester and Florence Hegland’s place to wait for the mail plane because it was close to the airstrip. They would have coffee, play games, chat, etc while waiting. It was a social event for them. 
But, this mail day was different. There were no games, no coffee, no chatting. Only terror ending in nearly half of the population of McCarthy being dead.
 
"Six Shootings Rock Little Town." The Hanford Sentinel, 2 Mar. 1983, p. 4.
 
Bartley, B. (1983, March 3). Shooting Spree Stuns Isolated Alaskan Outpost. The Herald-Palladium, 11.
 
"Troopers Leave Mass Murder Site." Anchorage Times, 4 Mar. 1983, p. 4.
 
"Harvard Grad, Husband Alaska Shooting Victims." North Adams Transcript, 7 Mar. 1983, p. 18.
 
"Two Hours of Terror Change Town Forever." The Atlanta Journal, 8 Mar. 1983, p. 2.
 
Conklin, E. E. (1983, March 12). Hastings Claims Innocence; Trial Set for May 31. The Anchorage Times, B-7, B-11.
 
"Conflicts Delay Hastings Trial." Anchorage Times, 3 May 1983, p. 14.
 
O'Brien, P. (1983, July 17). Mccarthy Residents Recall Blood Bath. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-11.
 
O'Brien, P. (1983, July 23). Judge Sanctions Search of Hastings Property. Anchorage Times, B-2.
You Tube Video 
 
O'Brien, P. (1983, July 27). Psychiatrist Says Hastings Won't Talk. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-4.
 
Toomey , S. (1983, August 11). Murder Suspect Refuses to Talk to Psychiatrist. Anchorage Daily News, 17.
 
"Multiple Murder Suspect May See Psychiatrist." The Peninsula Clarion, 12 Aug. 1983, p. 6.
 
Bartley , B. (1983, December 5). McCarthy Murders Trial: Mystery to be Unraveled. Daily Sitka Sentinel, 1.
 
"McCarthy Murder Spree Suspect's Hearing Held." The Peninsula Clarion, 6 Dec. 1983, pp. 6, 9.
 
Pierson, R. (1984, May 15). Confessed Killer Seeks to Fire "Laggard" Lawyer. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
 
"Convicted Killer Denied New Attorney." Anchorage Daily News, 19 May 1984, p. 21.
 
Toomey, S. (1984, June 14). Relatives Seek Psychiatric Care for Killer of Six. Anchorage Daily News, A-1, A-16.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, June 14). Family Knew Hastings as "Happy Little Boy". Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
 
Leslie, T. (1984, June 16). Attorneys Condemn Release of Hastings Letters. Anchorage Times, B-5.
 
"Dissolutions." Anchorage Daily News, 24 Jun. 1984, p. 16.
 
O'Brien, P. (1984, July 12). Judge Decrees Hastings' Hearing Open to Public. Anchorage Times, B-1, B-5.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, July 25). Hastings' Plan: Slaughter, Suicide. Anchorage Times, 1.
 
Toomey, S. (1984, July 26). Psychiatrist: Killer Wanted to Wreck Pipeline. Anchorage Daily News, B-1, B-3.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, July 27). Judge Rules McCarthy Killer Was Sane. Anchorage Times, B-1.
 
Toomey, S. (1984, July 27). Killer May Have Intended to Slay Others, Doctors Say. Anchorage Times, C-1.
 
Kizzia, T. (1984, July 28). McCarthy Killer Gets 634 Years. Anchorage Daily News, 1, 16.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, July 28). Hastings Gets 634-Year Term. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-8.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, October 27). Hastings' Victim Files Suit for $3 Million in Damages. Anchorage Times, B-1.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, November 10). Confidentiality May Block Killer's Legal Fight. Anchorage Times, B-1, B-4.
 
Scarpinato, M. (1984, November 21). Mass Murderer Wants to Serve Sentence in Alaska. Anchorage Times, 13.
 
Leslie, T. (1985, February 2). Hastings Asks to Withdraw Murder Plea. Anchorage Times, A-1, A-12.
 
Rich, K. (1985, February 2). Hastings Puts Blame on Toxic Poisoning. Anchorage Daily News, C-1, C-3.
 
"Judge Denies Murderer's Request." Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 1985, p. 16.
 
"Suit Filed in McCarthy Killings." Anchorage Daily News, 5 Mar. 1985, p. 27.
 
Jarvis, C. (1985, March 6). Hastings Bans Lawyer from Court. Anchorage Times, B-6.
 
Toomey, S. (1985, March 7). Judge Rejects McCarthy Killers Bid for Trial, New Plea. Anchorage Daily News, C-3.
 
Pragano, R. (1987, May 24). Appellate Court Upholds Hastings Murder Sentences. Anchorage Times, B-1, B-8.
 

Murder in my Hometown: The Tragic Story of Dawn Snyder

On February 5th, 1997, around 8:35 pm employees at a Stuarts Draft pizza place heard the back door close that was shared with the next-door floral shop. At first, they thought it was the co-owner Dawn Snyder leaving. It wasn’t until they noticed she had left the lights on that they felt something wasn’t right. 
Once they realized her van was still outside with her keys and purse inside they KNEW something wasn’t right.
The next couple weeks left the small town of Stuarts Draft, Virginia reeling to discover the truth about where Dawn was and what happened to her.
 
Resources:
(n.d.). Bobby Wayne Swisher. Murderpedia. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s1/swisher-bobby-wayne.htm
(n.d.). Bobby Wayne Swisher. Clark Prosecutor. http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/swisher866.htm
(n.d.). Bobby Wayne Swisher Obituary. Legacy. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/bobby-swisher-obituary?id=29646320
(n.d.). Dawn Snyder. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51760516/dawn-shadir-snyder
Shaver, M. (1997, February 9). Time of Woman's Disappearance Narrowed to a Half Hour Span. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Hewlett, M. (1997, February 13). Disappearance Shakes Draft Residents' Feelings of Safety. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Shaver, M. (1997, February 13). Prayer Vigil Set. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Bacheller, J. (1997, February 14). Praying for Dawn Snyder. The News-Virginian, 1, A-10.
Bacheller, J. (1997, February 14). Family Offers Reward. The News-Virginian, 1, A-10.
Shafer, M. (1997, February 14). Community Prays for Dawn. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Shafer, M. (1997, February 14). Family Offer $10,000 Reward. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Bergen, P. (1997, February 15). Friends Fill Orders for Missing Florist. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Shaver, M. (1997, February 17). FBI Enter Dawn Snyder Search. The Daily News Leader, 1, 2.
Carter, S. (1997, February 22). Body Believed to be Dawn Snyder. The Daily News Leader, 1, 2.
Meeks, D. (1997, February 22). Draft Residents Shocked by News. The Daily News Leader, 1, 2.
Bacheller, J. (1997, February 22). Woman's Body Found. The News-Virginian, 1, A-2.
Shaver, M. (1997, February 23). Body ID'd as Dawn. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Bacheller, J. (1997, February 24). Suspect's Arrest Rumored. The News-Virginian, 1, A-10.
"Dawn Snyder Obituary." The News-Virginian, 24 Feb. 1997, p. 10.
Shaver, M. (1997, February 25). Man Nabbed in Slaying. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Shaver, M. (1997, February 25). Arrest Jolts Friend From Childhood. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Hewlett, M. (1997, February 25). Though Relieved by Arrest Draft Residents Still Shaken. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Clark, J. (1997, February 25). Augusta Sheriff,'Jail Lacks Proper Space'. The News-Virginian, 43.
Bacheller/staff, J. (1997). Pic of Florist and JJs Pizza [Photograph].
Shaver, M. (1997, February 28). Dawn's Family: 'Help Us Help Each Other'. The Daily News Leader, 1.
Allison, W. (1997, October 29). Dawn's Family: 'Help Us Help Each Other'. Richmond Times-Dispatch, 22.
Bacheler, J. (1997, October 31). Jury: Swisher Should Die. The News-Virginian, 1, A-2.
Bacheler, J. (1997, October 31). Court Awaits Report Before Sentencing; Swisher's Attorney Planning Appeal. The News-Virginian, 1, A-2.
Bacheler, J. (1997, November 1). Family, Community React After the Verdict. The News-Virginian, 1, A-2
Lerz, V. (1997). Bobby Wayne Swisher [Photograph]. The Daily News Leader.
Meeks , D. (1997, December 31). Death Sentence Recommended for Swisher. The Daily News Leader, 13.
Bacheller, J. (1998, February 5). One Year Later...Draft Family Copes with Dawn Snyder's Death. The News Virginian, 1, A-2.
Bacheller, J. (1998, February 5). Swisher Will Face a Sentencing Hearing. The News Virginian, 1, A-2.
Hickerson, S. C. (1998, February 19). Swisher Sentenced to Die. The News-Virginian, 1.
Bacheller, J. (1998, February 19). Ervin: Death Pentalty Needed in This Case. The News-Virginian, 1, A-2.
Bacheller, J. (1998, September 16). Attorneys Argue Swisher Murder Conviction. The News-Virginian, 1.
 
 
 
 
 
 

My Grandfather was a Devil

Over the years while listening to and watching these stories I noticed a running theme. When cases in small towns were covered people would say “things like this don’t happen around here” or “this doesn’t happen here” as if being in a small town kept the evil at bay. I knew the false sense of security we feel in small towns is just that, false. 
 
I know this because my grandfather was that evil……. 
 
I have only met my grandfather in person one time and I do not even remember it. I was very young. However, his evil was very well known in our family. My grandfather had shot and killed a woman in cold blood at THE POLICE STATION!! 
 
Oh yea you heard that right I said at the police station….right in front of his victims mother and his own daughter!
 
Resources:
(n.d.). Houghtaling V Commonwealth. Justia. https://law.justia.com/cases/virginia/supreme-court/1968/6836-1.html
 
"Obituary." The Daily Newsleader, 2 Aug. 1986, p. 2.
 
"Obituary." The Daily Newsleader, 22 Aug. 1966, p. 2.
 
"FamilyTells Details Leading to Murder." The News-Virginian, 22 Aug. 1966, pp. 1, 8.
 
"Slaying Case Figure Said Improved." The Roanoke Times, 23 Aug. 1966, p. 32.
 
"Houghtaling Satisfactory in Hospital." The News-Virginian, 23 Aug. 1966, p. 8.
 
"Houghtaling Due Out of Hospital Soon." The Daily Newsleader, 4 Sept. 1966, p. 2.
 
"Judge Orders Mental Tests for Suspect." The Daily News Leader, 8 Sept. 1966, p. 2.
 
"Mental Tests Ordered in Slaying Case." The Roanoke Times, 8 Sept. 1966, p. 28.
 
"Houghtaling Committed to Mental Institution." The News-Virginian, 8 Sept. 1966, p. 1.
 
"Houghtaling Sane, Slated for Trial." The News-Virginian, 22 Nov. 1966, p. 7.
"Preliminary Houghtaling Hearing Set." The News-Virginian, 14 Dec. 1966, p. 1.

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