Noting the Lynnwood police failed Marie and further victimized her instead of investigating what she reported had happened to her is very important and it is essential we ask about who else might have been failed. She was jolted awake by a masked man with a knife who tied her up with her own shoe strings, blindfolded, gagged, and raped her. In the report, Rider says, "We learned a great deal from this. In its moral clarity, its possible to find Miller and Armstrongs project comforting. RELATED: 10 Things In Netflix's Unbelievable That Were Shockingly Real. The following article contains discussion of sexual assault that some readers may find upsetting. Dahmer's LGBTQ+ controversy and backlash explained. He told Miller and Armstrong he would talk to them only if they paid him, while complaining about victims who lie and a biased story. The other officer, however, is introspective enough to be the books most complex figure. Upon his retirement from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office, Mr. Crumb was selected to be the Manager of Investigations and Risk Services for Amway Corporation, a position he held for over 11 years. He is also a veteran of the United States Army, having served as a military police officer. Ive talked to Marie on time on the phone since this happened, Galbraith told CNNlast year. A native of West Michigan, he graduated from Aquinas College with a degree in business administration and accounting. In the report, Marie says that Mason looked "like a lost little puppy", much like the actor who played him did during that same scene in the Unbelievable show. Additionally, Mr. Crumb was responsible for pre-employment screening and the investigations of threats directed toward Amway, as well as workplace violence training. He is also a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. A forty-six-year-old woman wasattacked in her home by a man wearing a black mask and wielding a knife. When the woman reported the attack to Lynnwood police, she says detectives Jerry Rittgarn and Sgt. Marie realized that surrendering to a lie was her only way out, and wrote the following statement: After leaving the station, Marie told her case managers that the police accused her of lying and decided to go back and refute it. Miller and Armstrong tell their story plainly, expertly and well. It took five-weeks for detectives to link this pickup truck to OLeary and one of the biggest breaks during this part of the investigation was that both OLearys truck and the one seen at the crime scene had broken passenger side mirrors. As a Tech Agent, he was responsible for the installation of the most cutting-edge electronic surveillance devices, which included cameras, microphones, telephone wiretaps, GPS trackers, and other devices. Her lawyer assumed Marie was faced with the charge merely because she wasted the detectives time. On the rapists computer, they found the photos he took of Marie. Instead of being treated like the victim she was, Marie was questioned repeatedly by the two male detectives in charge of her case who began to poke and prod at inconsistencies in her story. Review: Bruce Springsteen reminds Seattle no one works a room like the Boss, ZooTunes reveals a stellar concert lineup for summer 2023, Are you too fat for Universals new Mario Kart ride? Prior to her new position, she was the Senior News and Entertainment Editor for the brand, covering and editing all things in the entertainment, pop culture and celebrity world forGood Housekeeping. martyvandervliet@thebureaugroup.com. I think it came across beautifully because Armstrong laid out his case in a very matter-of-fact sense and let the facts speak for themselves. Miller and Armstrong interviewed OLeary in prison but it seems, understandably, as if it was hard for them to get into his head. During his career with the MSP, he held the ranks of Trooper Investigator, Detective Sergeant, and First Lieutenant. In hindsight, it was my job to get to the bottom of it and I didnt.". Mr. Blynn is an FBI-certified Police Instructor, Firearms Instructor, and SWAT Agent. Why didnt you write that you made the story up? Detective Sgt. Here are eight important details you should know about the true story that inspired Unbelievable. Armstrongs appearance at Elliott Bay Book Company provided some insight into how this remarkable piece came to be. The Most Iconic Celebrity Best Friendships, The Most Iconic Old Hollywood Engagement Rings, The Most Iconic Oscar Dresses of All Time, Christie Brinkley Honors 69th Birthday in New IG. Makes my blood boil the way the cops treat her is exactly why many other survivors would rather suffer I silence #Unbelievable, I'm watching #Unbelievable on #Netflix #UnbelievableNetflix and the differences of approach in questioning rape victims by male and female cops is incredibly alarming. Mr. Crumb investigated or oversaw numerous investigations concerning complex financial crimes and fraudulent activities. Mr. Colby has experience in school security audits, active shooter training and the development of threat assessment teams. Thats awful. Mr. Vander Vliet is a graduate of Calvin College and the University of Wisconsin Law School. Ken Armstrong said that he and Miller interviewed everyone still working with the Lynnwood PD, and that they were all very concerned with how they failed Marie and wanted to ensure it doesnt happen to anyone else again. Rittgarn was more experienced in that he had worked as a detective for 11 years already, but this experience was mostly limited to cases involving helicopters and the aerospace industry. Ph: 616-901-7796 Two years after her attack, Lynwood police found Marie and informed her of OLearys arrest. East Grand Rapids, MI . Mariewhich was the real victims middle namelived in Lynwood, Washington, where she bounced around from foster home to foster home and endured physical and sexual abuse, according to ProPublica. The show Unbelievablepremieredon Netflix in 2019 to rave reviews from both critics and viewers alike, even earning lead actress, Kaitlin Dever, her first Golden Globe nomination. In the series, the character based on OLeary was called Chris McCarthy, but thats really the onlything thewriters changed about this guy. In the original story, authors Miller and Armstrong chose to leave out much of this information about OLeary, instead concentrating on his victims. Neither man followed standard protocol. I asked Armstrong about him during the Q&A and he said he couldnt comment on him, only saying that hed only agree to an interview if he was paid for it. Detective Jerry Rittgarn/Pruitt (Bill Fagerbakke) Photo: Beth Dubber/Netflix The real-life counterpart of Bill Fagerbakke's hard-hearted Detective Pruitt, Jerry Rittgarn threatened Adler with . According to the Pro Publica article titled 'An Unbelievable Story of Rape', Lynnwood Police Chief Steven Jensen requested an outside review of his department. Mr. Alexander is also an FBI-certified Police Instructor and he is currently an instructor at a West Michigan Police Academy. Ph: 269-271-0440 A black-masked man jolted awake a 59-year-old woman, tied her up, and took pictures of her. 616-481-0751 Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning story in Pro Publica, this memorable book examines the case of a serial rapist and his first victim, who initially wasnt believed. He said its not common for police to talk so openly about a a mistake theyve made.. With all of this damning evidence to contend with, you'd imagine that Mason and Rittgarn would have suffered some kind of consequences for how they treated Marie. He told her that if she failed, she could be jailed, and her housing assistance pulled. Hendershot also knew of a 2009 case that occurred in Aurorathe attackers methods were identical. But when the police told her OLeary had been identified as her assailant, and that her criminal record would be expunged, she got her drivers license and then a job as a truck driver. Jerry Rittgarn asked Marie, according to the report. Marc OLeary was the man who, after many years of getting away with it, was eventually caught and taken into custody in February of 2011. We know that Jerry's political affiliation is currently a . It was a complete failure for the Lynnwood PD and something that is absolutely impossible to defend or excuse. Once you've watched all eight episodes of Unbelievable on Netflix, it's easy to see how the show got its name, for a variety of reasons. Mr. Vander Vliet was selected to receive highly specialized training in Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM), more commonly referred to as sweeps, and he has done TSCM examinations of FBI facilities throughout Michigan, the United States, and at US Embassies around the world. When Marie asked for an apology, he showed up and said he was sorry; she found him sincere. Rittgarn, who has left the Lynnwood Police Department and works as a private investigator in San Diego, said he was unaware of the lawsuit. Coloma, MI Mr. Blynn took a transfer to the Grand Rapids office of the FBI in 1995. The implicit bias against sexual assault victims is a national embarrassment that extends far beyond the Lynnwood borders. Im thankful for the hard work and skill Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller put into their reporting. In recreated flashbacks that rely on phrases like the beast wouldnt rest and the monster would gather strength, the authors show him stalking women and breaking into their homes by night. Mr. Heffron has extensive experience in white collar crime, extortions, kidnapping, fugitives, and surveillance investigations. "I just started watching #Unbelievable and am already so angry. In Lynnwood, the Police Department didnt fire or discipline anyone, but it did try to learn from its mistakes, Miller and Armstrong reassuringly report. Crown Publishers. (Jerry) Alexander. As a Special Agent, Mr. Aubermann founded and coordinated the Dallas Metroplex Health Care Fraud Task Force and he also led two FBI Major Cases that were directed at national white-collar crime targets. And we dont want to see this happen to anybody ever again," but this probably won't be the last time that cases of this nature will be mishandled. Her retraction came after detectives Sgt. Johnson was also the Field Coordinator for the FBI in Michigan for more than 20 years, working with the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in Quantico, Virginia, that addressed significant violent crimes throughout the United States. For me, its the case even the most craven apologists for unrestrained police power cant explain away. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. She lost her subsidized apartment and many of her friends. Hastings, MI With a case like this, youve got a fifty-fifty chance of sending the wrong man to prison for the rest of his life, so the detectives needed one more piece of evidence to ensure they arrest the right man, and they get it. Miller was reporting on the Colorado angle for ProPublica, an investigative news organization, and Armstrong was chasing Maries story for the Marshall Project, a group that focuses on criminal justice journalism. Our experience speaks for itself. Anthony Tony Aubermann is a retired FBI Special Agent with over 30 years of service to the FBI. They found him the break in the case came from a single detail about the spotting of a white truck. The 65-year-old victim he interviewed was matter-of-fact rather than emotional, much like Marie, but he didnt discount her credibility, and that withholding of judgment helped catch the serial attacker. Miller handled the reporting and writing in Colorado and Armstrong handled the Lynnwood portion of things. That plus some idea about the duality of man, which he got from reading Carl Jung, are about as deep as it gets. While her managers waited outside, Marie insisted with Rittgarn that her attack did happen, and that she wanted to take a lie detector test to prove her innocence. Mr. Blynn retired from the FBI in 2010. T Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, the investigators who broke the story for Pro Publica, also interviewed Steve Rider, the commander of Lynnwoods Criminal Investigations Division. Two days later, Marie was questioned further by the detectives and persuaded to write not one, but two counter statements. Hiring a private investigator can help in all kinds of situations ranging from finding a birth parent to improving personal security. What happens next is of monumental importance, and I hope the right people take the right lessons from this book. Kayla Blanton is a freelance writer who reports on all things health and nutrition for Mens Health, Womens Health, and Prevention. It follows the true story of an 18-year-old woman named Marie, who in 2008, filed a report claiming she was gagged, bound, and raped. There is a bad guy. Kalamazoo, MI Mr. Vander Vliet is an FBI-certified Technical Agent. What is alarming, though, is that it is easy to imagine something like this happening inside any police department, not just ones that are hilariously inept (like Bellevue). Then she said she made it up. They also found one of Maries kitchen knives next to the bed and her learners permitoddly removed from her walleton the bedroom windowsill. It is painful to read, and difficult to understand how this type of behavior on the part of experienced police officers can happen in a professional police department. stevencrumb@thebureaugroup.com. 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