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2 skeletons found off Carolina Beach Road raise possibility of serial killer

By David Reynolds
Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 8:18 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 11:56 p.m.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE:

Allison Jackson-Foy and Angela Nobles Rothen disappeared a year apart.

What is a serial killing?

The FBI defines serial killing “as a series of three or more killings, having common characteristics such as to suggest the reasonable possibility that the crimes were committed by the same offender or offenders.” The definition includes the requirement that at least one of the killings occur within the United States.
Source: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, January 2005

Related Links:

• Backlog at DNA lab keeps families waiting
• Double murder? Serial killer? Police keep options open
• Family holds out hope that daughter may be found alive
• Wilmington police still working to identify remains found off Carolina Beach Road in April
• Bones found in woods may hold clues to ’06 disappearance
• Human remains found in woods near Carolina Beach Road

 

 

A Wilmington police detective acknowledged Wednesday that human bones found off Carolina Beach Road last month raise the possibility investigators are after a serial killer.

Since the discovery of the remains in a wooded area in the 3500 block of Carolina Beach Road on April 26, detectives have narrowed their investigation to two women – who disappeared a year apart – as the most likely victims.

If police are correct in their suspicion that Allison Jackson-Foy, 34, and Angela Nobles Rothen, 42, who disappeared a year apart, are the women whose skeletons were found in the same spot, Detective Lee Odham said common sense suggests their bodies were dumped by the same killer.

“That is a major concern we are looking into,” he said. Though Odham never used the phrase “serial killer,” he said, “The possibility does exist.”

Investigators also are considering other possibilities, he said.

And technically, by the FBI’s definition, serial murders require three or more killings, Odham said.

Police are still awaiting DNA test results to confirm the victims’ identities. Meanwhile, Odham said the department’s team of three investigators has shifted its focus to finding out who is responsible for their deaths.

“We can’t sit on our hands and wait,” he said. “We’re trying to get to it and figure out what the entire situation is.”

Left in the woods

On a Saturday afternoon in April, a passer-by found the scattered human remains in a narrow strip of woods off Carolina Beach Road.

The spot is about 100 feet from the road behind a closed-down Mexican restaurant. It bumps up against a clearing near a metal tower – an area accessed by a gravel road.

Police spent two days at the site as crime-scene technicians gathered bones. The bones are now at a lab in Texas where scientists are comparing the remains to DNA samples given by the families of missing women. Relatives of both Jackson-Foy and Nobles Rothen said they provided information for the tests.

The bones are of two white women, police have said, and other indicators have led them to suspect Jackson-Foy and Nobles Rothen.

Jackson-Foy was last seen July 30, 2006, at Junction Billiards Sports Bar at 5216 Carolina Beach Road – three miles south of where the bones were found. Her car was still in the bar’s parking lot the day after her disappearance.

She grew up on Long Island, the youngest of four, and moved to Wilmington with her husband and two daughters two years before her disappearance.

Jackson-Foy’s sister, Lisa Valentino, who lives in New Jersey, said she believes her sister is one of those recovered.

Less is known about the disappearance of Nobles Rothen.

A cold case

Nobles Rothen’s parents and daughter said they last saw her at a birthday party on June 10, 2007. She was driven home to Lex Road in New Hanover County. Angela called once after that, relatives said, then was never heard from again.

Family members said they reported her missing to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office three weeks later. They felt they weren’t taken seriously and said they thought it was because Nobles Rothen was a grown woman with a troubled past.

[bloggers question: Why did it take 3 weeks for her family to make an official report?]

Court records show she had convictions for drugs and misdemeanors like property damage and possessing stolen goods.

“It was like it didn’t matter,” said Patricia Nobles, her mother, who lives in Leland. “They thought she had left.”

Detective Ken Murphy, who investigates cold cases for the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, said records show Nobles Rothen’s daughter reported her missing in September 2007 – three months after she was last seen. Every missing person case is taken seriously, Murphy said, but deputies were months behind and had little to go on.

They patrolled Fifth Avenue and Meares Street in Wilmington where Nobles Rothen hung out, Murphy said, without success.

“It was almost waiting on leads,” he said. “Then the bones came up.” At that point the sheriff’s office passed their information to WPD.

Piecing it together

While awaiting the results of DNA testing, investigators and family members of the missing wrestle with uncertainty.

Patricia Nobles said an investigator told her one of the skeletons has false teeth, which she knows points to her daughter. Still she’s holding out hope Angela is alive.

Marc Benson, a private investigator looking into Jackson-Foy’s disappearance, said he’s looked for similarities between his client and other missing women.

The only similarity he believes exists between Jackson-Foy and Nobles Rothen is both were last seen on Carolina Beach Road between Shipyard Boulevard and Monkey Junction. That information could not be confirmed by police.

Odham said Nobles Rothen also hung out at Junction Pub & Billiards, where Jackson-Foy was last seen.

But the bar is a popular spot, he said, so the lead in itself tells investigators little.

Court records show both women faced trouble with the law. Nobles Rothen had a criminal record. Most recently, a misdemeanor charge of possessing drug paraphernalia was dropped by authorities four months before her family said she disappeared.

Authorities obtained warrants against Jackson-Foy but never served them. New Hanover County District Court records show summonses for bad checks and felony warrants for embezzlement and forgery – none of which was ever served against her.

Without the DNA test results no one knows for certain who the women are or what could possibly connect them.

But whoever they are, Odham said, their case shouldn’t remain a mystery.

“The fact is it’s two people,” he said. “We need to find out who hurt them and who killed them.”

He asked anyone with any information on the disappearance of Jackson-Foy or Nobles Rothen to call the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600.

CREDIT: David Reynolds: 343-2075

dave.reynolds@starnewsonline.com

Old Fashioned Pin-Up Girls

I just love the old pics, those ladies were just plain sexy

 

So? What do you do when…..

I LOVE it when I am in this kind of a blogging mood…sometimes the funniest sh*t just oozes outta me.

Okay, so what do you do when…

…you have a contract with the #1 real estate broker in your area and they PROMISE to sell your house in 3 months and 8 months later, your still living in your house and the sign they buried in your front lawn has a family of birds living under it ?

…you have a very nice piece of expensive jewelry [let's say it's a diamond ring, real gold, just for sh*ts and giggles] and some D.B. Lady from Tulsa Oklahoma bids on it, not once, not even twice, but four times! And she stops bidding just under your reserve price, so you pay the auction site $10 [Yep! I paid the 10 bucks] for D.B.’s email address like it was some kind of state secret!  You then email D.B. and ask her if she’d still like to buy the ring, you make her a deal she’d be a fool to pass up. She says YES! then the stupid sh*thead D.B. strings you along for almost 2 weeks with crappy excuses like “I can’t get PayPal to work”, “I can only use the computer at work”, “I had to go out of town, my newborn grandbaby died”. [which I am convinced was a total BS story] I honestly don’t think she’s old enough to have a newborn grandbaby, I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. Yeah! I’m not so stupid that I don’t know how to Google a person.

Anyone want to bid on a diamond engagement ring?

This is my eBid Pic [Sexy huh??]

note: in case anyone had trouble with the “D.B.” above, it stands for a not-so-very-nice name to call someone that rhymes with  “JUICE HAG”  [just slur JUICE so it sounds like “JOOSH”, you’ll figure it out.

What CHANGES when you quit smoking??

When Smokers Quit

Within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette, the body begins a series of changes that continues for years. All benefits are lost by smoking just one cigarette a day, according to the American Cancer Society.

20 minutes after that last cigarette

• Blood pressure drops to normal
• Pulse rate drops to normal
• Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 hours after that last cigarette

• Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
• Oxygen level in blood drops to normal

24 hours after that last cigarette

• Chance of heart attack decreases

48 hours after that last cigarette

• Nerve endings start regrowing
• Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

2 weeks to 3 months after that last cigarette

• Circulation improves
• Walking becomes easier
• Lung function increases up to 30 percent

1 to 9 months

• Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease
• Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce infection
• Body’s overall energy increases

1 year

• Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 years

• Lung cancer death rate for average former smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half
• Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting
• Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is half that of smoker’s

10 years

• Lung cancer death rate is similar to that of nonsmokers
• Precancerous cells are replaced
• Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases

15 years

• Risk of coronary disease is that of nonsmoker

Source: American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control

CHANTIX Does it work??

What is CHANTIX?

CHANTIX™ (varenicline) is a prescription medicine to help adults stop smoking. CHANTIX helps reduce the urge to smoke.

How is CHANTIX different from other smoking cessation products?

CHANTIX contains no nicotine, but it targets the same receptors that nicotine does. CHANTIX is believed to block nicotine from these receptors. It is the only prescription treatment of its kind.

Learn more about how CHANTIX works.

What should I tell my doctor before starting CHANTIX?

Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions including if you:

• have kidney problems or get kidney dialysis. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of CHANTIX for you.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. CHANTIX has not been studied in pregnant women. It is not known if CHANTIX will harm your unborn baby. It is best to stop smoking before you get pregnant.
• are breastfeeding. Although it was not studied, CHANTIX may pass into breast milk. You and your doctor should discuss alternative ways to feed your baby if you take CHANTIX.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Especially, tell your doctor if you take:

• insulin
• asthma medicines
• blood thinners

When you stop smoking, there may be a change in how these and other medicines work for you.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

How do I take CHANTIX?

1. Choose a quit date when you will stop smoking.
2. Start taking CHANTIX one week (7 days) before your quit date. This lets CHANTIX build up in your body. You can keep smoking during this time. Make sure that you try and stop smoking on your quit date. If you slip, try again. Some people need a few weeks for CHANTIX to work best.
3. Take CHANTIX after eating and with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
4. Most people will keep taking CHANTIX for up to 12 weeks. If you have completely quit smoking by 12 weeks, ask your doctor if another 12 weeks of CHANTIX may help you stay cigarette-free.

• CHANTIX comes as a white tablet (0.5 mg) and a blue tablet (1 mg). You start with the white tablet and then usually go to the blue tablet. See the chart below for dosing instructions.

 

My personal CHANTIX story:

I was a pack-a-day PLUS smoker…sometimes more sometimes, less than a pack. [usually MORE] I started smoking at about age 15. I smoked almost every day and quit using hypnosis at age 29 [after 14 years of smoking]. The hypnosis worked immediately, no withdrawal, no slip-ups.

At age 39, after being smoke-free for 10 years I had an argument with a loved one, went to the bar, had a beer and bummed a smoke off the guy sitting next to me. That smoke turned into 10 more years of a pack-a-day habit.

Now I am 49 years old and quitting again using CHANTIX.

I smoked during the first week, but tapered off a bit, aiming for my target date, my QUIT DAY.

The first few days were difficult, I won’t lie. But the CHANTIX works to take the psychological urge away. As quickly as you think about having a cigarette, you just as quickly can change your thought to something else, diverting your attention away from smoking and onto a new activity.

I am on DAY 9

I still have urges, but I am stronger than they are.

I will comment on this blog as I hit my milestones [2 weeks, a month, 3 months and so on...]

House for sale

House for sale.

Location: 1128 Loman Lane, WILMINGTON, North Carolina USA  28412

Price: $175,000

Description: 3 Bed/2 Bath stick-built patio home on .20 acres with attached 2 car garage. Built in 2002. Very well maintained. Landscaped with vegetable garden.

MLS # 420665
Beautiful 3 BR, 2 BA home in desirable Archmil Place!
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
Single Family Property
Area: Archmill Place
Approximately 0.18 acre(s)
Lot is 7841 sq. ft.
Year Built: 2002
Central air conditioning
Features include a bright floor plan with wood foyer, vaulted ceiling, fan & planter lighting in the spacious living room.
The master bedroom has its own private bath with tiled shower & walk-in closet.
Relax on the back patio overlooking the large nicely landscaped fenced backyard with vegetable garden & various fruit trees!
Other features include dining area, sprinkler system & shelving in 2 car garage.
Home is wired for surround sound & security system.
All of this & a 1 year home warranty is provided for additional comfort!
Single Family Property
Status: Active
Area: Archmill Place
Year Built: 2002
3 total bedroom(s)
2 total bath(s)
Approximately 1244 sq. ft.
Master bedroom is 14.00 x 13.00
Living room is 14.00 x 13.00
Dining room is 12.00 x 9.00
Kitchen is 9.00 x 8.00
Heating features: Electric
Central air conditioning
Cooling features: Central Forced Air
Interior features: Built-in Microwave, Blinds, Cable Available, Ceiling Fans, Home Warranty, Carpet Flooring, Laminate Flooring, Wood Flooring
Inclusions: Common Area Maintenance, Tax Comm Area, Yard Maintenance
Exterior features: Landscape Sprinkler System, Patio, Back Yard Fence, Privacy Fence
Exterior construction: Wood Frame, Vinyl Siding
Roofing: Shingle
Lot is 7841 sq. ft.
Approximately 0.18 acre(s)
Lot size is less than 1/2 acre
Utilities present: Progress Energy Electric, Municipal Sewer System, Municipal Water System
Parcel Access: Paved Road
School District: New Hanover
Elementary School: Mary C. Williams
Middle School: Murray
High School: Ashley
Close to area beaches, mall shopping, NHRMC [Hospital], shopping on College Rd.
CONTACT: Wendy Fincher-Hughes,Realtor

Intracoastal Realty Corp. 910.458.2108

wendy@intracoastalrealty.com

 

Ebay~Is it really a good thing?

I have spent the past 8 months selling on ebay and have had both good and bad experiences. I have learned a lot about online sales and about people.

Most folks want to buy good stuff for cheap money. The better you present your product as a good deal, the more folks will be interested in purchasing your product and presentation counts for about 70% of sales. I spent a lot of time enhancing and ‘tweaking’ the digital photos I took of the items I had for sale. I learned very early on that the better my pictures and written descriptions were, the more sales I would make. Eye appeal online is much like ‘curb appeal’ in the real world.

Ebay! Wow! What a HUGE idea! And combined with PayPal services [owned by Ebay] they own the online auction market. It’s a win-win situation. The problem I have as a seller on ebay is the money amount I have to pay to Ebay to auction off my items. Although I made some excellent deals, a lot of my profit had to be paid to Ebay in the fees I incurred as a seller.  This easily amounted to a few hundred bucks a month! And if Ebay is making an average of $100.00 per month per seller…the dollar amount is staggering! [I don't really know what the actual 'average' is]

During my time on Ebay I have seen scams, like the guy who claimed to have a vinyl record collection of over 3 million albums, made a deal AND got paid for a record collection that didn’t exist.  And ‘miracle deals’, like the lady who wanted to sell a fistful of Pokemon cards her son stole while grocery shopping, to teach the boy a lesson, and walked away with a winning bid of OVER $5,000 bucks! How about the corn flake that looked like the profile of Jesus? Or the piece of toast with the silhouette of the Virgin Mary burned into it? I know! It really is ridiculous! BUT! IT WORKS!

Ebay has taken steps to protect both the buyer and the seller. And they keep pretty good tabs on everyone and everything. Once in a while a scam slips through and somebody gets away with what essentially amounts to stealing. I have heard that it can be tough to try to get money back via PayPal once it’s been paid out, although I have NEVER had a bad experience with PayPal [personally].

Sellers and buyers get feedback points from each successful transaction they make. [My number is 124.]     I have seen sellers with numbers over 10,000! I imagine they’ve been with Ebay since the very early days.  When leaving feedback you have the option to leave positive, neutral or negative feedback. The goal is to get as much positive feedback as you can, it is frowned upon to give OR recieve negative feedback and users are encouraged to exhaust all options BEFORE leaving negative feedback/comments as it can tarnish a person’s online reputation. You can avail yourself of an Ebay mediator to resolve disputes you may have with another user. And there are user-created forums to assist with all things Ebay. As well as extensive help files at your disposal.

The only REAL complaint I have about Ebay is the cost of their fees to users. It just costs TOO MUCH and it is very difficult to make any REAL money.