Of a final twist in the "Suit-Case Murder"~~~~

Well Darklings,

You know how I love a mystery and yes I seemed to be obsessed with the strange case of body parts found in a Suitcase near the Goodwill Store in San Francisco and how the one suspect was released and not charged.

Well this case may never be solved.

The suspect Andrus died early this morning after being release nearly a week ago.

It seems he died of complications from a drug overdose.

This story posted here-----

Main Suspect In Suitcase Murder Has Died

Mark Jeffrey Andrus, the main suspect in the gruesome 'suitcase murder' case, has died reports The Chronicle.

Andrus was admitted to a hospital on Saturday morning for drug-related reasons and died after going to septic shock, according to the report. He was arrested on January 30 as the primary suspect in the case of the human remains found in a suitcase in SoMa(South of Market Street area), but later released with no charges filed due to insufficient evidence. Despite being released, Andrus was still considered a suspect in the case.

The SFPD has not confirmed the report that Andrus has died, releasing only the following statement through a spokesperson: "Mr. Andrus is a free man he is not in police custody. I do not have any information on his whereabouts."

Update [4:30]: The SFPD has confirmed that they've learned of Andrus' death. His public defender, Jeff Adachi, said, "Mark was a good person and I'm very sad to learn of his passing."   Authorities have still not identified the remains found in the piece of luggage last month, although there is speculation that it is Andrus' former roommate Omar Shahwan.

`~~~~~~~

And so Darklings, did Mr. Andrus commit murder or was he duped into dropping off the suitcase with it's grisly contents?

Is the body that of Omar Shahwan, and was this victim murdered or died of natural causes and in a bizarre way was disposed of, perhaps thought as the best way by a possible drug addled mind.

Did the victim die by accident or by violence?

If it was violence what was the motive or was it of passion?

I am not saying that the late Mr. Andrus is the perpetrator, that is for the police to discover.

It is just one more bizarre mystery in this City by the Bay.

Later Darklings

 

 

Of Rain glorious RAIN!!! ~~~~~

Hello My Darklings,

  I woke up early to a very rainy morning too.  but my head was foggy, and I had a slight headache, sinuses acting up.  Took forever to go away,  I didn’t want to get out of bed my head hurt so bad, but I forced myself, because I felt staying in bed would be worse, so took some Tynoldo (on an empty stomach, never do that again) and sought to get coffee, maybe I was having a caffeine withdrawal, I didn’t know, but I opened the door to the back porch deck and breathed in the wet air and began to feel better in my head although my stomach was begging for something warm, which I had with the coffee.

I listened to the rain and watched it as it came down, just listening to it, there was no other sound except the plink, plink of rain on things, a xylophone of sound, and how fast the tempo told me how fast and hard the rain came down.  I saw droplets on the thin branches of the plum tree  in my garden like crystal ornaments, and then the breeze moved the branches like a shaggy tree beast but no sounds until I heard a mournful robin issue a short song, perhaps trying to find its friends.  No freeway sound, no street sounds, no dogs barking, nothing, until a passenger jet flew overhead to land at one of the airports and then it was quiet again. 

Finally with the coffee and Tynoldo my headache and growling stomach quieted, and I breathed in the air again to wake up, took me long enough to do it.  As I watched the rain coming down I decided that today we would Not go to the grocery store nor would the dogs  get a walkie, much too wet, and the dogs do not like getting wet even with their rain coats on unless we insist they have their walk but it's very heavy rain so down go the doggie pads on the back porch for them.   I was glad I got the pot roast and milk yesterday between storm fronts, but either Monday or Tuesday we’ll get the rest.

Hmmm it may have to be Monday if the rain tapers off as we have a Doctor’s appointment on Tuesday in Concord for Doyle and I have one on Wednesday in Oakland to check my back --- Maybe Wednesday, we won’t be tired from a long drive during commute time.  Oh well, just have to see what the weather dictates, as long as it doesn’t rain on our medical appointment days.

Now the rain has stopped for a bit, so I've taken a check on my underground water cisterns that I use to water the garden during dry spells and they are full, not over flowing but nearly full one more good storm will do it, and I still have another to open up if more rain is promised.

I had a chance to talk to my brother this afternoon and he says that there are no leaks from the roof but he thinks a gutter or maybe all the gutters will have to be replaced, he was able to determine that a faulty gutter caused some leakage in the master bedroom, but once we're past the rains, he'll have the roof and gutter's replaced and the ceiling painted with a oil type based paint that will cover the stain.  No basement flooding and the garage does have a bit of a roof leak that will be attended too as well but at least livable for now.

I became restless last week and did a mid-week daytime road trip, it had been ages since I've gone to Half-Moon Bay so I traveled over and took note of the different nurseries and artist studios on Hywy 92, and discovered that Half-Moon Bay has sort of grown up a bit, feeling like a jaunt I turned south on Hywy 1 and decided to go to the little hamlet of Pescadero, there is a bakery there that makes the most wonderful sourdough French bread, and I felt the need for it. 

Although the sky was grey indicating the coming storm, I felt refreshed looking at the green grass and the mustard yellow of the fields,  the low coastal hills and fields on one side and the ocean on the other,  I stopped at several beaches just enjoying watching the waves rolling, frothing and crashing down.  The roar of the ocean was strangely soothing to me, almost hypnotic, it was only me and a immature gull as a companion, but mostly looking for possible handouts which I didn't have.

I was even joined by some red-winged black birds hopeful that I had something to toss to them, sorry darklings, not even a drop of crumbs.

And even my stomach began to growl and I remembered there was a deli in the bakery and possibly a small café open, and I continued on down until I saw the sign announcing Pescadero, est. 1858.

Going past  a few houses, a small farm with sheep and goats, a place that builds barns I came to Stagecoach Rd, that intersected the road, on one side a post office, a church a house or two, and on the left the one block long town, consisting of a bank, a bakery, a grocery, a tavern, houses, a craft store or two, an auto towing service and I knew there was a B & B beyond, but that was not my destination, the bakery was.

Choices of bread, honey, wine and tomato sauces greeted me and I needed to make my selections carefully, honey, tomato and marinara sauces and wine would keep but fresh bread never and making my purchases I happily stowed them into the trunk of my car, I walked over to the grocery store that I knew had a café in it and it was open so I had clam chowder and bread with tea for my lunch and found it filling.

I knew it was not the season for their small Farmer's Market nor for their crafts festival, but I walked the one and a half block length of the town just to enjoy it's quirkiness, and its peacefulness, and was surprised that there was a 2nd church at this other end of the road, I knew if I took Stagecoach Road it would take me to San Gregorio but I decided not to chance it alone, maybe sometime with Doyle.

Maybe stay at the B & B as well, I knew I had to bring my camera next time just to photograph this place before in time it too becomes part of Lost Americana, but I think with the efforts of the 600 plus folks in this community they will do their part to keep it just the way it is and preserve it as well.

I knew that with the frequent fog it would take on a sort of Dean Koontz, Steven King quality to it, but now it felt like a bit of forgotten England pre-world war 2.   It's moments like this that I wish I was a painter or a writer or a photographer, somehow being able to capture it how it felt part of now and part of "then".

But looking at my watch I knew I had to get back before the commute traffic made driving a frustrating task.  So drive back the way I came I found myself at the lower half of Hayward and taking back roads found myself home jiggery, jig picked up the 4 legged dynamic duo from my elderly neighbor and gave her a loaf of bread, honey and marinara sauce which she was happy to have as she was planning to make spaghetti for her visiting nephew that evening.

And I decided to do that as well since I had fresh ground round that I bought the day before.  Sis was grateful that I made dinner that evening as she had several difficult clients, Doyle said he was going to be late, so I held up starting it as Sis relaxed her toes and drank a glass of red wine, I decided to spoil her with Vampire Wine, I had picked up two bottles at the bakery Deli and since it was not going to be a problem cooking dinner we relaxed and then I started cooking while Sis made the salad.

I told her about my little road trip and she said she'd like to go with me next time, yes it is a far distance for bread but for clearing one's head, it's worth it.

And now I'm relaxing as laundry is being done but I hear in the distance siren and the blare of the horn of a fire engine, I hope it's not too serious for whom the siren screams.

Later Darklings

 

 

 

 

 

Of an Update on my Brother's new/old home~~~~

Dear Darklings,

Well last evening I had a chance to go over to my brother's new/old home.

The reason why I say that it's new/old is that it's new for my brother and sister-in-law but it is an old Victorian.

In touring their home my brother remarked that for its age it has been kept up very well, and since they will be living in it when the storm comes they will see if there are any leaks, but from what he's seen there doesn't appear to be any but it does have a 3rd roof, so time to take it down to basic's and have a new one installed.

Most of the previous owner's furniture has been left behind, she didn't want it nor did her children want it except for some pieces of it as well as valuable dinner and silverware and some paintings.   My brother had to move in their old bedroom furniture from their old house since the previous owner took hers, so it looks a bit strange in their bedroom but Monica said she plans to eventually get period furniture but they will need a queen size bed.  My brother has a tendency to spread out while sleeping. LOL.

The other things that they've done is move the mattresses from Corallines room into her new bedroom, but they had to buy new mattresses and box springs for the boys since each have now their own rooms and beds, well the twins are in one bedroom and Chris has his own, which I've been told he is very happy with.

Coralline is extremely happy with her new and much larger bedroom, she doesn't want to change a thing in it, and both she and Chris appear to be very happy with the arrangements.

The twins complain because new rules have been imposed upon them, the antics they use to do can no longer be done except down below in the "Club Room" as it's been called, my brother has taken over decorating it along with Chris but I noticed a lot of the sports memorabilia has been toned down and doesn't looks so garish.   Their former living room couch and chairs have found their way down there as well.  Monica said "They can do what they want except bounce on it like a trampoline".

The children still stay the week at their grandmother's and great grandmother's house and on the weekends stay in the parents house Friday through Sunday evening.  The gasoline bill will be high because of this commute,  but with both parents working they can take care of it.

The sale of their house is completed and quickly too, everything except what is immediately needed is in storage but in the "maid's room" off of their kitchen I've seen boxes opened and things sorted and boxes labeled "yard sale", "toss", "donate", and also labeled which room to go in if they are keeping it.

Monica told me that a lot of the boys toys are being donated "they've out grown them and a lot of their clothing as well, so might as well give it where it will do the most good" she said.

The maid's room is also going to be a work area for the kids to do their homework, since it's right off the kitchen Monica can keep an eye and ear out for any trouble.  

But the children are working hard to keep their grades up, and their new school is lined up as well. 

Coralline is a little apprehensive about the new school and is concerned about making friends, I told her to focus on school work, the friends will come later and to not be to quick about that part, get to know them first.  Chris will be in his first year in high school and fortunately the grammar school and high school are on the same grounds but separated by fences, it all being part of the Church's total facility. 

But both my brother and Monica want to keep Coralline back a year in school, I asked why and they felt that she had not matured enough yet, she's very smart but still a bit naïve, she understood the ways of the girls in the other school but they want her to have a chance to understand them in this new school. 

Monica told me that she felt it was a mistake to have Coralline in an accelerated class, she's bright intellectually but needs to gain a bit more "defense mechanisms "  socially.  Maybe that's not the right word to use but I understand what they want to do and Coralline even told me that she felt better about being held back and was not embarrassed about it.

The boys are fine, which is good and with Chris being in the lead to keep an eye on them it works out very well.  And their aunt that lives near by will be able to pick them up since she's retired or I can but Aunt Judith lives much closer to the school and said she doesn't mind.

I asked Monica if she's going to do much changes in the house and she said except with a new coat of paint in the Twins bedroom and the"maids'/homework room"  and on the ceilings of Chris and Coralline's room not very much, they are even keeping the wall paper---she told me it all goes so well, she just have to find pictures that will cover the faded area's---something tells me we're going to have fun antique shopping.

And there is so much more to do, they are going to upgrade the electrical in the "club room" and "homework room"  but for the kitchen and laundry areas it's just fine---May need to install a larger hot water heater as a 50 gallon might not do the job with 6 people in the house.  But that's for future.

I can see a brightness on Monica's face, even my brother is happy, the sales and the purchases have worked out well financially, and the move hasn't been too bad, Monica is in a routine and with my brother's help is going through things quickly. 

I've been able to offer suggestions on a few things but frankly there is very little that needs to be done,  and new rules are being set down for the children mostly the twins, I think as they get older they'll understand the value of things but right now it's all fun and games, but they'll learn.

And now I need to get back to paying bills.  That is never done.

Later Darklings

I'm afraid that this was Monica's and Coralline's feelings about the Super bowl, when told that Super bowl 50 was going to be played nearby, they both groaned and said "365 days of listening to 'the super bowl is coming' no, no, NOoooooo!' "

Of Updates on the "Suitcase Body Parts Murder" or is it really murder???~~~~~~

Dear Darklings,

I love a mystery, I love  a mystery that takes twists and turns, but the one thing I know that in real life it is never nice and neat as in a book, movie or Television show.

It's messy and the law must always be upheld and the law has been upheld in this case that I have been posting about.

The suspect has been released but the case is still under investigation and they still do not have a positive I.D. on the victim and the police have to go over all the evidence again more thoroughly, this does not mean that the suspect is "off the hook", no.

But it does mean that the police are going to have to go over everything and wait on the results on some of the tests before there is any forward movement.

This is the story as reported by KGO T.V. (an ABC affiliate) ~~~

KGO

By    Carolyn Tyler  and    Lilian Kim 

Tuesday, February 03, 2015 12:00AM

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) --

 The San Francisco district attorney announced he will not file charges against the man accused of killing a person and carrying some of the butchered remains in a suitcase. Public Defender Jeff Adachi walked his client out of jail sometime after 9 p.m. Tuesday evening.

The district attorney says they are very disturbed by the facts of the case, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. So the suspect will not be formally charged. It will likely be a relief for his best friend, who says he never believed he was guilty.     "It's a crying shame, but I'm supporting him," said Mark Keever. "I'm praying for him."

It was there at Keever's Tenderloin apartment on Friday that San Francisco police arrested his good friend Mark Andrus on suspicion of murder.

The 59-year-old Andrus was suspected of murdering a person whose headless torso was found in an abandoned suitcase last Wednesday. Other body parts were found nearby. Surveillance video obtained by ABC7 News shows the suspect lugging a suitcase down the street.

When asked if he ever had that suitcase in the apartment, Keever answered, "Not that I know of, no."

Keever says Andrus stayed there off and on over the past two years, and twice brought his roommate Omar Shahwan, whom the San Francisco Chronicle says investigators believe may be the victim.   "I knew Omar for two years, good guy," Keever said.

But police tell us that's speculation and the victim hasn't been identified.    "Investigators have been receiving inquiries from all over the country about concerned family members and friends who are worried that this person could be their loved one of theirs," said Sgt. Monica MacDonald.

Police and the medical examiner are trying to figure out who the victim is, what was the cause of death, and the murder weapon.

Former San Francisco Police Chief Tony Ribera says he's sure investigators have been retracing the suspect's steps trying to figure out where he's been in the last few weeks.    "See if you can't get search warrants to search those locations to see if there's any sign of a struggle, if there's any blood, any sign that would make it a crime scene," he said.

Under the law, Mark Andrus had to be released.

The case remains under investigation ………

 

~~~~~~~~

 

And that is where this case remains.....For those of you who love a Murder Mystery, I will keep you updated as things unfold.

For me, well Belladonna and Weiner Dog need their walks and do discoveries of their own.

Later Darklings.

 

Of Puxataney Phil and Six more weeks of winter?~~~~~

Dear Darklings,

Puxataney Phil the famous groundhog yesterday predicted that we will have six more weeks of winter.

A cousin of his in another city was so frustrated by this fact that he bit the Mayor's ear.

Frankly six weeks of winter or not I am looking forward to much needed rain.

But in celebration of Groundhog Day I've posted this image....Enjoy!

However if you love to ski I'm sure that is not so bad.

Later Darklings

Of "The Suitcase Body Parts Murder"~~~~~

"....this is a City.....and sometimes you expect things like this."

So said one resident of the Tenderloin of San Francisco.

Dear Darklings,

I know I seem to be terribly focused on this horrible crime, but in the city that gave us Sam Spade and the "Maltese Falcon" and T.V. programs like "The Streets of San Francisco" and "The Line Up" and Film Noir movies as well at Dirty Harry, in a city that inspired Anne Rice to start writing "Interview with a Vampire", was the birth place of Anton LaVey's "Church of Satan"  one cannot help but feel the gothicness of the place.

Granted not as old as New York, or London or Paris, nor as associated with the mixtures of Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santeria as New Orleans, or the bizarre fake glam of Los Angeles, San Francisco has a strange, twisted mystic all its own.

I have found that in traveling through this city it has soooo many different faces, it is both a city and county within the same borders,  but within those borders there are different feels to it, if one can take away the cheap garishness of cheap trinkets and souvenirs and look for it's original foundations.

It's like micro-climates, beautiful peaceful, business and gray, glamorous and haute something, flashy and garish, gritty, sophisticated, old money, new money, sleek, but art Deco, 30's/40's noir yet Victorian and modern, light and dark, clean and dirty, international and historical, glass towers and wooden false fronts, high power business and abject poverty.

She is a siren that beckons, where either you thrive or be destroyed, to be loved or feared or both.

She is a city that hates cars, but has crowded streets, and people moving like lemmings with strong leg muscles from walking and directions that would drive a person insane unless you have a guide and forget GPS it will mislead you, and buses and trolleys packed like sardines, and heaven help you if you contract lice or bed bugs by contact or some crazed person who thinks you didn't look at them right and decides to stab you or you find unusual characters that become landmarks within themselves.

And yet at times there are moments of kindness but far and few between.   And most of all Fear.

One old time fireman said to me "every minute of everyday somewhere there is a fire burning in San Francisco, she is a city always on fire."

Doyle told me in the hospitals there is new life every day, but in the streets there is death every day and this was one of them.

It seems that SFGate has labeled this death "The Suitcase Body Parts Murder"....but whether a murder has really been committed is not known at this time and is still to be determined, without the Head to show if a blow had been rendered, it leaves it up to the City Medical Examiner to make that determination, and who it is, is still unknown.

Last report is evidence has been sent to a DNA Laboratory in the hopes of identifying this person.

However a person of interest (and we know what that means) was detained and finally arrested, thanks to both a phone tip, eye witness testimony and surveillance footage and according to this news report-------

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco police arrested a man on suspicion of murder Saturday in connection with a suitcase found on a downtown street stuffed with dismembered human remains.

Mark Andrus, 59, had been spotted on surveillance footage near where the suitcase was discovered and was booked into county jail hours after he was detained as a "person of interest," Officer Grace Gatpandan said.

Gatpandan said she could not comment on exactly how police linked Andrus to the body, but said they were aided by the surveillance footage and witness statements. She did not have any additional information about Andrus, the body parts found in the suitcase or a possible motive.

Andrus' family told the San Francisco Chronicle he had run-ins with the law, kept to himself and drifted so far from them that they didn't know where he was or how to reach him.

"We haven't heard from him in, oh my gosh, years and years and years," said Helen Andrus of Spokane, Wash., who is married to Mark Andrus' older brother, Jon. "My husband at one point tried to reach out and find him, but I'm guessing it's been 20 years now since we last saw him."

The newspaper said Andrus had arrests in Missoula, Montana, in the 1980s and '90s for suspected drug possession, theft, burglary and jumping bail.

Police received a call on Friday night on the department's anonymous tip line that a "person of interest" in the suitcase incident had been spotted in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood, Gatpandan said. They responded and detained two people, including Andrus.

Police had released photos of Andrus from the surveillance footage earlier in the day showing him in a striped baseball cap, light blue jeans and a blue and orange jacket.

The suitcase was found Wednesday afternoon outside a Goodwill thrift store in the city's South of Market neighborhood. More body parts were found in a trash can nearby. The San Francisco medical examiner determined that the remains belong to an unidentified light-skinned man. Authorities will now turn to a DNA laboratory to identify him.

The condition of the man's torso had police considering the possibility that organized crime or a gang was responsible for the remains, Officer Albie Esparza told the Chronicle before the announcement of Saturday's arrest. He did not elaborate in the story.

Gatpandan said she did not know whether the second person who was detained remained in custody Saturday.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

But there is more that I found out over 3 hours ago~~~~

 

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) [Televison] --

 Arraignment is scheduled for early this week for a man arrested in connection with a dismembered body found in a suitcase in San Francisco. People who live in the building where murder suspect Mark Andrus was staying say they're in shock.

When asked if he'll be there in court to defend him, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi answered, "Yeah, that's what we do."

Adachi came to the jail on Saturday night to visit the 59-year-old accused killer. Andrus, seen in surveillance camera stills, is accused of dismembering a body, stuffing the headless torso into a suitcase, and then dumping it at 11th and Market streets.

"We generally enter a plea of not guilty and then begin the investigation of the case," Adachi said. "But at this point, the case is under investigation."

Police point to photos and surveillance video as evidence leading to Andrus' arrest. It shows a man dragging a suitcase just two blocks from where the body and suitcase were found.

"You're not really thinking about somebody's torso being in a suitcase," said Miles Gregory. The San Francisco resident says he's breathing some relief knowing a murder suspect is off his neighborhood streets.

On Saturday night, investigators came to a public housing building in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood after getting an anonymous tip. The suspect was led out with a sheet covering his head.

"So many people coming in and out of here, it's scary," said one San Francisco resident.

Andrus didn't officially live there. But one longtime resident told ABC7 News that the 59-year-old has lived there on and off for about a year. He bunked with a friend on the fourth floor. A resident named Bill lives next door.

Very nice guy," he said. "That's why it's a surprise when I saw his picture on TV."

Others are shocked that a man seen regularly in the building could be accused of something like this.

"My roommate, she got kind of afraid of it," said resident Leslie Clark. "But I looked at her and said, 'this is a city. You know, and sometimes you expect things like this.'"

San Francisco resident Jackie Williams added, "I've spoken to the man a couple of times in passing and stuff, but that's crazy. I mean, it's just really scary because you never know what's going to trigger a person off."

The case remains under investigation ........

~~~~~~~~

 

Doyle told me that the police were tight lipped about this and he suspected that they had quiet a bit of information, the fact that they were able to move in so quickly about it was amazing but he said, if only those who live in the Hunter's point area or know of suspects in gang shootings would be as forth coming many of those homicides would be cleared up quickly, but Fear among them prevent those cases from ever being solved or even bringing closure to the survivors. 

And yet, I would not be surprised if I see a variation of this story appearing in a police procedural drama, I work in this city, even if I'm partly retired.  At one time in my youth I lived here, this does not surprise me, and yet it is what I expect from this Gothic City, that now I prefer to view at a distance.

Later Darklings

 

 

Of our own Murder mystery~~~

Well Darklings,

The news on the body part's that were found on 11th and Mission is sparse.

So far the suitcase was left in front or near the Goodwill Store in that area, and it contained a torso and leg of a light skin male, other parts were found in a 3 block radius but no head.

They have a image but not a very good one of a suspect. 

The possibility of identifying the body is unknown as the easier identifiable parts (head, hands) have at this time not been found.

And at this time they do not know how the person died.

The question of DNA is questionable unless this person is in a data base, but if not, it will only make it harder.

Doyle told me SFPD is being very tight-lipped about it and he has to respect that.

Having been on a couple of juries, one of them a murder, I know how hard and difficult getting answers can be, its not like how they show on CSI or NCIS or Blue Bloods or Bones, the answers are not there within the 43 to 45 minutes of show time.  It can take months trying to pull it all together, and still have the case go cold.

But because it is so unusual, it has peaked my interest, if I were a hard-boiled news reporter of the 1940's I'd call it "The Torso Murder" but now, who knows.

And speaking of Murder plus Film Noir, I have a guilty pleasure in watching Viola Davis in "How to Get Away With Murder"  when I first heard that title of that program I thought what are they going to come up with.

And they have come up with things that would make even my head pivot around, even Doyle is trying to leap ahead of the story line, because there is that campus cop that saw the group of law students take the rug out of the house, he is that one string that's left dangling to entangle them.

This is one program that keeps me glued to my TV what is going to happen, I keep asking.

The only draw back is you have to watch it in sequential order, it is not episodic, but still it is worth viewing.

And now my ride is here and I'm going out to dinner with my Doyle.

Later Darklings