AboutCommander Chris Wagoner Expertise I have been a police officer for 28+ years and still going! I am the Police Academy Commander at a Law Enforcement/ Corrections Academy in North Central Florida. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and Physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police officer curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask!
Experience I am a 26 year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others. Ihave served on Road Patrol, Traffic Homicide, Dive Rescue and other units.
Publications I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management.
Education/Credentials I have 2 degrees, an AAS in Criminal Justice Technology from Santa Fe Community College, and a AA from Santa Fe Community College in Criminal Justice Programs.
Sorry to request privacy, but I can't have the slightest chance of being recognized. I'm a writer, but I'm NOT writing a book:). I feel like I'm living in a really bizarre one,though.
My mother was apparently murdered in the home of my sister and her boyfriend four years ago. They somehow managed to conceal her complete recovery from a previously "terminal" cancer diagnosis and hired in-home hospice to legitimize her passing, from what they claimed was cancer but appeared to those of us who managed to see her a few times (I also work in medicine, BTW)to be some kind of drug-induced delirium/neurologic collapse. By the time her best friend and I figured out what was going on, it was too late. Very swift. Pretty ingenious, too.
I had three contacts with local police and am still trying to make sense of them. I'm hoping you can help. I understand if you don't want to make judgements about fellow officers (I've asked other law pros who have been maddeningly noncomittal and one who even insisted I must be after money). I would just like an idea in broad terms of what would typically happen in a situation like this, and any other comments you might be willing to offer.
A few days before her death, I called state police and told them exactly what I feared was going on, and asked what I should do. A supervisor of some sort was located; he and the first officer wanted to go investigate RIGHT NOW. At the time I feared they might be snowed just like hospice and others, and it would make the situation even worse. Lots of guns and rage in that house. They insisted I call them IMMEDIATELY if I found out anything more. Never got the chance.
After a year of investigation and research, I called the local DA. He insisted I talk to a homicide detective. I told him I wanted to talk to him, because there were rumors (just rumors) about this boyfriend being tight with some cops. The DA insisted he could vouch for this detective's ethics and professionalism.
So, third contact was with the detective. I laid out a meticulous, clearcut case I had put together with the generous,generous help of a prominent retired Pittsburgh city homicide detective (who expressed 100% certainty that I was correct). It included information easily proven in the public record and documents I had legally obtained relating to health care fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud, identity theft (the boyfriend has multiple socials, aliases, mail drops, otherwise virtual invisibility to background checks)and FEMA fraud to the tune of $26K (they had taken my mom in when her house was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ivan just two days after her all-clear from cancer...they "helpfully" filed for a flood grant, lied about it being denied and kept it themselves. Nice, huh?)Pretty big-time stuff, wouldn't you agree? The detective told me the very first thing he would have to do was inform them they were being investigated. I commented that they would immediately destroy evidence, come after me and/or take off, and he said "That's the risk you take." He insisted he could do NOTHING, not even check out the boyfriend's identity, unless I "pressed charges" (his words, repeatedly), which he strongly discouraged me from doing, as I would be in danger and although he agreed I had a "very strong case," "anything can happen in court." (Well, of course!) He insisted I hire a criminal attorney and made me promise to call him back in a month.
Well, the attorney I contacted evaporated after our third chat, right after I gave him the names of the people involved. Refused any further calls, no explanation. As have about a dozen other people who started out on fire to get involved (like my mother's oncologist, a private investigator...), did a little digging and promptly became permanently unavailable.
I never followed up with the detective, and he never followed up with me, which I find surprising.
There is something very strange going on here. I can't understand how so many legal balls were dropped...hospice not checking my mother's medical records, never contacting me (my 19-year-old niece was passed off as 45-year-old me. And they believed it???)(I've never been able to locate the hospice, and Medicare never paid for it, either), FEMA asking and asking to speak to my mother personally, being refused, and being OK with that? And never following up? You have to jump through hoops to get that money, including purchasing flood insurance. They sold the house out from under Mum before the grant was even applied for! How on earth? And then the boyfriend broke into the house, terrorized the new owner (another long story), several squad cars in THAT county responded, checked the boyfriend out, then said it was a "property matter," they weren't getting involved, but warned the BF never to set foot in their county again. Credible neighbors witnessed. Again...what??? Everybody who meets this guy knows immediately there's something wrong with him. And he doesn't even try to hide what he does. Why doesn't anybody ever do anything about him? Oh, and my mom's neighbors all know she got the biggest FEMA grant in town, *after* the house was sold. I can't imagine none of them notified FEMA.
So anyway, the police. If I were a state trooper and got a call like mine, I think I would make it my business to find out if the mother lived or died. And the detective. After a half-hour talk he said that "legally" he could do nothing, but he couldn't even if he wanted to because I "really hadn't told him anything." I reminded him that he had my name, phone number, my mother's name, and the address and date of her death. "Yeah, I guess you're right." I also told him about the BF's crooked lawyer who changed Mum's will at the last minute, and when I signed estate papers informed me the FEMA grant was "intended to refurbish [my mother's] "final residence," i.e. my sister's place, and "legally had to be used for that purpose...and I Don't Want Any Trouble from the Federal Government." Seriously. It really set the detective's hair on fire, too. Yet...he tried to scare me off and never followed up?
I honestly wonder if this boyfriend guy is being investigated and everyone is being warned away from him in the meantime. A PI in Colorado called me breathless about his bizarre background and lack of, then when I tracked him down (no return calls, again) he denied having said any of it. Yet further work confirmed everything he had said. I believe his last words to me were "Someday you'll understand everything, and you'll say 'Ah-ha! So that's what it was!" Yep,that's what I would say to a grieving relative. One thing he did give me and acknowledge -- free, without being asked -- was an extensive background check on my own deceased mother, complete with a new alias and address (a retirement complex next-door to our old house). But I doubt that helps explain anything.
Thanks. And sorry so lengthy. I tried not to do that, but it never works, this is so convoluted. Anyway, I am asking for my own peace of mind, just to get some experienced insight that might help me keep my mind trained in useful directions. What is your gut saying? Do you think this is all a tragic comedy of errors, or is there a common thread somewhere? As Holmes/Conan Doyle said "Find the singularities." This is nothing but. I haven't asked my retired detective friend because I don't want to wear out my welcome.
Oh, and you're going to love this: BF also assaulted and harrassed an Amish elder, who says he reported him to Homeland Security for making a terroristic threat against a church. Complete with a tape recorded phone call I have listened to and sounds pretty damning to me.
And please forgive me for adding this also: My mother was a brilliant, iron-willed person who would never have just handed over her home, money, control of her life, etc. and cheerfully lied to all callers about everything being peachy. But she did. It WOULD, however, be like her to alert the authorities herself and blithely play along.
This whole thing reeks from beginning to end, and not just what they did to her. So. Your thoughts? Thank you so very, very much for listening.
Sandra in PA
ANSWER: Hi Sandra,
I have to say that was probably the longest description I have received yet on allexperts, and I was tempted to tell you its too long and involved for me to help you with, but, as I thought of it, I realized that you really have not expended all your avenues for an investigation yet.
I gather the main theme here is you think your mother was murdered. And that you think there may have been some financial fraud taking place in the mean time. OK Got all that.
If you did not get satisfactory help from your local police, you go to the county sheriff, if the county sheriff gives you no help you go to the state police. Since part of your complaint seems to involve FEMA fraud you may want to contact your local FBI office also.
So my advice to you is, since you feel you got no help locally, go to the county sheriff. If they do not help, go to the state police. And I would also contact my local FBI office about the FEMA fraud.
As for do I think you have something? To be honest I am not sure, but since you believe you do, then you are the one that matters. Take all your information with you when you contact these people. And if they ask you if your going to press charges, tell them yes. :)
Hope this suggestion helps...
Be well...
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for your prompt and thoughtful reply. I apologize again for so much detail, but I have been working very hard on this for a long time, and every answer brings up more questions (I'm sure you can relate).
I've spent some time thinking about your answer. I already know I have at least three choices: Go over the detective's head, hire a lawyer, and/or contact the FBI. The problem is this guy is so dangerous and such an enigma. My family has scattered since this happened and I am on my own now with a small child to protect.
It has been reported back to me by others that "the boyfriend" has already been reported to FEMA, the IRS and Homeland Security (at least). The word from the IRS was supposedly "We are watching the situation and basically giving him enough rope to hang himself." (Hmm, would they really volunteer that?) The Amish/Mennonite FEMA relief worker claims to have reported to FEMA/Homeland Security, pursued it aggressively and was eventually told to back off because "it looks like witness protection might be involved." Again, how likely is it anyone would admit that? Not to mention general improbability.
I managed to obtain a sample of my mother's hair, properly collected, chain of evidence, etc. and paid a small fortune to have it analyzed by a lab favored by the DEA. The results took weeks longer than promised, I was told that when they "find something" they have to "repeat everything and be really careful." The tests were wildly misreported to me -- liters instead of grams, blood normal instead of hair normal values for comparison, and more. The director went about crazy on the phone when I asked him why and refused to discuss anything about it with me, ever. Not even explain the results I paid so much for. A tech who works there confided she had never seen anything leave the lab in that condition before. There was even a test they never reported to me, she said. Mysterious, unprofessional,unprecedented. Anyone can mess up, but it's everywhere I turn.
Can you see why I'm a little crazy? Or spooked, at least. I did just finish a book today that helped gel a lot of things for me. There are probably a thousand ways this guy could eventually go down -- my sister or her children or an endless number of others this guy has messed with could speak up. The FBI or local police could already have taken an interest. I may break down and do something myself one day. But I'll need to know a lot more before I jump off that cliff.
If I had to break all this song and dance down to one question for you it would be this: How much latitude would the homicide detective I spoke with actually have to look into my mother's death and the people involved, without further involvement from me -- and yes I know, IF it bothered him enough, or if he already knew this guy was trouble, whatever. I know he is not obligated. Yes, you bet it's wishful thinking, that something might happen without me sticking my neck out again. But anonymous tips help solve a lot of crimes (although this certainly isn't on the books as a crime,yet).
And, while I know you have a lot of good reasons for not giving certain things away, am I crazy to think that his apparent freedom to keep committing crimes in plain sight and everyone backing off when they check him out *might* mean he is already under the microscope? I assume there is no way to find out.
I strongly believe this man was involved in the deaths of two other family members in the last 10 years, as well. I am afraid of him, afraid for my remaining family, and afraid to do anything. What would you do in this situation? You said trust my own gut. My gut has been screaming for four years that one way or another this is all going to come out in the wash.
I've gotten a lot of great, instructive answers (many, many sources) in the past, but some things no one seems to want to touch. You would be doing me a great service by pointing out anything I can't expect comment on.
Whether you can help or not, I really do appreciate your time. And the smallest things mean the world to me.
Thank you again and may God bless
Sandy
Answer Hi again Sandy,
I am not sure what you want me to comment on. I think that if you feel strongly that you have something, then you need to pursue it until you get some help. If you are afraid for your own safety, then you have to think of how to notify the people you want to notify without getting yourself to involved. Tiplines? Letters? I am not sure. But you are the one that seems to be very upset and distraught about this and need to take some kind of action. Eventually someone has to stand up and say what they think is going on. If you don't do it, who will?
I say sit down and take stock of what you think is important for you, and then act on it. Fear is on thing, letting fear rule your actions is another.
As for the test you had done, I would sue them for failure to give you what you asked for as far as a readable, usable result. Small claims court should take care of that. Force them to give you your money back so you can have the test done again or give you good accurate results.
Hope it all works out for you in the end. Be safe, and be well..
