I have been wanting to post about this story for awhile now. I am talking about the one from Cleveland where Anthony Sowell is doing his part to give black folks equal billing even when it comes to serial killers.
But sorry Anthony, you are not exactly a trail blazer, we have had others like you before. What you are is a monster, one who should have been locked away from the rest of society a long time ago.
No need to go over this story again; we all know the dreadful and unspeakable details by now:
Eleven women murdered; rotting and decaying bodies found in a portion of his home; a rape and strangulation of a pregnant woman many years ago; and officials from an entire city who dropped the ball.
The neighbors complained about the stench coming from his home. So why didn't his probation officers notice the stench inside his damn house when they went to check on him? And, if they did notice, did they think that shit was normal? ( Ahh Anthony, what's that smell bro? Oh that, it's nothing, just some leftovers on the stove. ) WTF?
And when families reported -1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-(!) loved ones missing to the authorities, did they think they were just making shit up? I mean after five women wouldn't trained law enforcement officials start to notice a pattern? Yep, I would say five missing women from the same neighborhood is a pattern.
"Now, the families of some women who have been reported missing in Sowell's neighborhood are coming forward. One of them, Kyana Hunt, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that her mother, 43-year-old Nancy Cobbs, lived one block from Sowell and has been missing for seven months. "She always comes home. It's not just like her to disappear," Hunt said."
Well at least now Anthony Sowell will finally disappear from the rest of society, unfortunately for eleven women and counting, it's way too late.
How could you live in a house with rotting corpses stuffed everywhere?
ReplyDeleteI can't understand the evil behind the murders, just trying to understand how you could eat, sleep and shit in a house that smelt worse than a cat's arsehole.
The thing is when these people were reporting their loved ones missing, no search parties were formed, no law enforcement agencies combing the woods for them. I bet when they called in, they told them they hadn't been missing long enough, or that they were probably out somewhere with a friend, or we're doing the best we but we don't have the manpower.
ReplyDeleteSowell was a beast to kill a pregnant woman too, he had no regard for life whatsoever.
Similar to the Grim Sleeper in LA. No real action for the missing.
ReplyDeleteSowell sounds almost like Dahmer, but I guess that's without the cannibalism and he targeted women only. Plain old evil.
glad they caught the sick bastard
ReplyDelete(1) "( Ahh Anthony, what's that smell bro? Oh that, it's nothing, just some leftovers on the stove. ) WTF?" I know there's nothing funny about this story, but thanks for that line....I needed a good laugh.
ReplyDelete(2) On a serious note, I sure wouldn't mind being homeboy's cell mate. An assault and battery charge (of a high and aggravated nature) wouldn't ruin my career. I doubt many judges would care. Prison wont really be punishment. This mole will go off to prison and do the same thing to gay inmates. Therefore, before he begins living life as usual, I'd love to give him a colorful send-off. Purple eyes and swollen lips may get him the treatment he deserves behind bars.
If this would've happened in an upscale, predominantly white and/or affluent neighborhood, this shit wouldn've have gone on so long.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am saying it.
The families, in future, need to raise HELL. Create their own search parties, and badger police until they can't anymore.
Granny, I was also wondering if the people in the neighborhood didn't see the pattern themselves. Are there no more neighborhood block watch meetings in the black communities? I understand the dynamics of race, poverty and law bias, but these are your "women folk" and maybe the community dropped the ball too.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I don't believe 99% of these men could ever be reformed. Rapist and child molesters should never be allowed back in general population. Never. Why is this so hard to understand? And don't think there aren't people who are justifying what happened to these women. Victim blaming goes hand in hand with being a black female.
Another thing, I'm having issues with how the media and others (I'm giving you a break Field) are describing a certain sensitive backdrop of this tragedy. Why is there an elaboration on words such as "stench, rancid, rotting etc." oppose to just saying badly decomposing? We all know what happens to the human body in such situations, no need for dramatics. Some might find this trivial, but I can't help notice the media's lack of regard and respect for these women and their families regarding the delicate rendition of the tragedy.
La,
ReplyDeleteIf men in the black community don't care for their own women, would you be surprised that no one else does?
Anon@1:14 AM--I would hope that all humans would care about all other humans. I don't know about anyone else, but I had a great father who cared about all people. And I have great brothers. They're African American, and they care, so I'm not buying into your generalized statement, which attempts to make it seem as if all African American men don't care about their families and/or African American females because it's not true.
ReplyDeleteHow much you want to bet that the probation officer was black, and never visited the house?
ReplyDelete"If men in the black community don't care for their own women, would you be surprised that no one else does?"
ReplyDeleteWhen white children/women "go missing" from white COMMUNITIES, WHITE PEOPLE (men AND women) organize search parties THEMSELVES and go looking for their loved ones. They don't depend exclusively on the police.
The first identified victim is an alleged crack addict. If these murdered black women as a whole were from the "lower elements" of black society, i.e., crack/drug addicts, prostitutes (most female drug addicts prostitute themselves/male addicts often turn to the sex trade as well btw) etc., the authorities figure they go on binges for days and weeks on end and then turn up again when and if they feel like it.
I have drug addicted relatives and I've see the pattern up close and it's not pretty. I have relatives I haven't seen or heard from in years and I don't miss them because when they're around all they do is beg for money. They lie about what they want it for but what they really want it for is drugs.
I had a drug addicted male cousin die a month or so ago. His body just gave out. He was 60 years old(yes, a 60 year old drug addict) and he had everything: congestive heart failure, several lung diseases, kidney failure, diabetes you name it. He was a total scumbag. He spent his life getting in and out of trouble with the law. He never took care of his kids, always had his hand out and would get mad at you if you didn't give him your hard earned money. What he was REALLY mad about is that he was a total loser and who, after 60 years of life, had absolutely nothing to show for it. And neither did his kids. The world is a better place without him in it. Yes, I said it. His wife (yes, he was married) is a drug addict, btw. She'll probably be next. She's not a nice person either. The world will be a better place without her in it as well.
A drug addict (male or female) is NO VALUE to society. They are considered losers not just by society but by their own families if their families are normal, hard working people (yes, I said it).
The police are NEVER going to spend a lot of resources (taxpayers money) looking for a known drug addict when they go missing. No matter what their race.
That said, of course, the pervert who did this (now that he's been caught) has to be punished to the fullest extent of the law because he's a threat to civilized society. But life goes on. Bad elements of ALL sorts are eventually eliminated from society one way or another as well they should.
Brother Field ..breakdown of families also means brakdown of neighborhood intramessages. In other words women may have been missing,,,but if the cohesioness of your/my hood is not there, we may not know what hapening on the next block. With racial/sexual diversity of neighborhood, I only speak briefly and superficial with my neighbors, Being a family man I also rarely speak to single mothers to avoid any misunderstanding,also I dont interact with the kids for fear that too can be misunderstood What I am saying is to offer another insight as to how sooo much troubles can be present but in my hood the info will not be passed by the neighbors. The media where most of us get our local news may not connect the dots because they rely on police for info and now most news agencies is no longer centered on the local but the spectacular (national). Butttt, with the other events in this tragic situation, someone should have been tweaked out his/her sleep and investigated. I am sure that a city the size of Clevland has a missing persons clerk/officer that should have seen the trend. Then again, maybe I should not watch too many 1st 48
ReplyDeleteSame thing happened in Philly in the 1980's
ReplyDeleteWe had two seperate monsters :
Gary M. Heidnik & Harrison "Marty" Graham
They each had there own victims but they were preying on woman during the same era .
Once ,they were even in the same holding cell when when there cases came to trial .
That is one scary looking dude.
ReplyDeleteLa~INcognita, that's an interesting take on the word choice. (I am guilty of it myself) I must admit that I never thought of that angle.
Seattle Slim, you are right. But I am guessing that many of these women were poor and in some cases strung out on drugs. As someone above stated with their own family member, that can be a very interesting dynamic. (That's another post for another day.) And it's something that adds an entirely different dimension to this story.
"Sowell was a beast to kill a pregnant woman too, he had no regard for life whatsoever."
Granny, I don't think he killed that woman. He tried to strangle her to death but she escaped. He was tried and convicted for that crime. He is still a monster, though.
Anon 5:23 a.m., I am up on Gary M. Heidnik, but I don't think I ever heard of that other guy. Their stories were both before I came to Philly. Thanks for the 411. I will look up that story.
"Brother Field ..breakdown of families also means brakdown of neighborhood intramessages. In other words women may have been missing,,,but if the cohesioness of your/my hood is not there, we may not know what hapening on the next block."
Preach!
This stuff has been happening in the black community for years.Blacks get killed and no one does a thing.
ReplyDeleteThe current Mayor of Cleveland, Frank Jackson niece dated Sowell.When a black person gets killed here nothing is done. In 1981 my father was murdered and the killer who was 13 at the time was released a few years later.
Remember Jeffery Dahmer was from Cleveland as well. The problem isn't black people, it's American society.We have too much freedom to kill each other.When someone is mad or to make a point, they get their gun.In America a gun is used as a prop when you protest.The media devalues peoples lives.We seen commentators make "jokes" about killing the President.
there are stories that neighbors complained and were ignored...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-06/a-serial-killers-free-rein/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsC4
plain dealer is leading the coverage:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/an_faq_on_the_anthony_sowell_c.html
"If this would've happened in an upscale, predominantly white and/or affluent neighborhood, this shit wouldn've have gone on so long."
ReplyDeleteThere isn't a No Snitchin' policy in these communities.
Damn, alot of y'all smell like Corpses....
ReplyDeleteI mean most of Cleveland smells like rotting Flesh, I think its called "The Bengals"...
You know Lebron can't wait to get the fuck outtta there..
Frank
Field Hand G...
ReplyDeleteSowell's ALREADY got a Black Eye (2 of em, in fact) and fat lips...
HA HA!!! haven't used that line since 7th grade
Frank
Actually the media used the word stence to describe a man's house in the Chicago area years ago when buried bodies of young boys in his yard and basement. I think was John Gates Casey.
ReplyDeleteWe tried to find an explanation or even critique the media's coverage, but sad fact of the matter is that this person killed eleven women (at least we actually know about because he may have killed more women). These people are still dead and nothing will change that fact. I do not have a perspective about this gruesome tradegy. I am relieve that he will finally put away and no longer on the street, but the sad reality is that the victims' family will forever have to deal his evil.
It takes years for law enforcement catch a serial killer. This a lesson that seriel killers are not exclusivley white men although it is more likely not. Also serial killers are rare which is another reason why it is difficult to catch them. Evil has no color or sex. Evil is evil and this guy is evil.
@Frank *shaking head*
ReplyDeleteWhen a black person gets killed here nothing is done. In 1981 my father was murdered and the killer who was 13 at the time was released a few years later.
ReplyDeleteCleveland is one of the most violent places in America. The cops aren't miracle workers. Black people are being killed allot (by other black people) what exactly can the cops do to stop it? Can they force people to stop killing each other? R=
I think there is a level of denial because we do not want to think the worse. I was watching Unsung, a series on TV One about black singers who were on the verge of success and really never getting to the top. I watched the one about Donny Hathaway and Phyllis Hyman both who suffered from mental illness paranoid schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder respectively. Both commited suicide. I sat there listening to Hathaway's publicist who refuses to believe that he commited suicide when the number cause of death among paranoid schizophrenics is suicide. This woman is still in denial after 30 years, but it is difficult to believe that such a talented perrson would kill himself, or that black people commit suicide because it something that white people do. However, denial can have deadly consequences. Smart people can ignore facts for multiple irrational reasons. Some people do not get involved because they do not want to hear the worse. There are things in this world that are horrible, and there some people in this world who are nefarious and that includes black people. We do not believe that a black person is capable of something heinouss like being a serial killer. I have to make a correction, it is John Wayne Gacy and the police did not make a connection that some of his employees were missing which were among the young boys found in the basement one being a police sgt's son which is ironic.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people are still in shock about the identity of the DC sniper. I was talking to a coworker about that and he said it's just not in our nature to be serial killers. I think any race is capable of being anything and sometimes, unfortunately, that includes heinous acts.
ReplyDeleteFrank,
ReplyDeleteThe Bengals are in Cincinnati. Thanks for playing.
Sandy
ReplyDeleteI am going to have break down the numbers. There are 46 known serial killers in the US. 24 are white, 10 are black, 6 are asian/indian, and 4 are hispanics/lations, and 2 women. While white men make almost make 55%, black make up the second largest group at almost 22%, a/I almost 13%, h/l almost 9%, and about 4%. The last time I checked black people are a part of human nature
Serial killers are a rare group from the outset. There is no reason out of the irrational, but it that does not stop us from finding a reason. There is a common thread of serial killlers in choosing victims who are considered not socially acceptable to the rest of society. The prostitutes, gay people, drug addicts, and even mentally ill people fit into less desirous group. Serial killers count on the apathy of others. Even one of the victim's mother did not report her missing until the news broke about Sowell and no one heard from the woman since June 2009. I do not fathom how anyone does not report a family member missing for almost five months. This says more about society than the serial killer.
ReplyDeleteSandy248 said...
ReplyDeleteA lot of people are still in shock about the identity of the DC sniper. I was talking to a coworker about that and he said it's just not in our nature to be serial killers. I think any race is capable of being anything and sometimes, unfortunately, that includes heinous acts.
the whole saga was the surprise...everything that happened was horrific for all of us. i lived through it, and i didn't give a fuck what race he was--nor his little protege who did the deed with him.
thanks for the facts, sandy.
Many of us, particularly in many Black communities, already know men who are either nascent(sic?) or wannabe Sowells. We ignore and/or excuse their abhorrent behaviors - especially when women, period, are the victims. And you know I speak to truth. The meme of "no snitching" is but one example of this phenomenon. Not too far in the distant past, many of our 'cousins' echoed the meme of "don't air the dirty secrets of our 'community'"; countless women were (and continue to be) sexually, physically, and verbally abused. Shame on us; I used to think we were better than that. Some of us are no better, even worse, than our 'trailer park', po' white crackers neighbors.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will incarcerate Sowell for good this time...don't hold your breath.
I am not an advocate of the death penalty, but I'd make an exception in this case. What a monster. And the response from authorities (or lack thereof) is chillingly similar to the Jeffrey Dahmer serial murders back in the early '90s.
ReplyDeletePrison wont really be punishment.<<
ReplyDeleteField Hand G,
Rapists and child molesters are the lowest of the low in prison society. He may have to spend the rest of his days in solitary confinement or he's likely to be killed.
When white children/women "go missing" from white COMMUNITIES, WHITE PEOPLE (men AND women) organize search parties THEMSELVES and go looking for their loved ones. They don't depend exclusively on the police. <<
ReplyDeleteBullshit. The media and law enforcement are all over it from day one. And then we are subject to hearing every detail, ad nauseum, even after the victim is 1) found alive or 2) the remains have been recovered.
The attention paid to some towheaded little girl who goes missing should be the same when the little girl is mocha brown with cornrows or braids.
There isn't a No Snitchin' policy in these communities.<<<
ReplyDeleteYou are making an across-the-board assumption. Families had been coming forward to report their loved ones missing and the authorities did nothing about it.
Neighbors were complaining about the smell emanating from this monster's home. Even a no-snitching policy--if this were even a factor here, which is not in evidence from what I have read--wouldn't rob the police or parole officers of their sense of smell.
I think was John Gates Casey.<<
ReplyDeleteHenna,
It's John Wayne Gacy.
Sharon
ReplyDeleteThanks. I realized the mistake and made the correction in my second post.
There is a common thread of serial killlers in choosing victims who are considered not socially acceptable to the rest of society. The prostitutes, gay people, drug addicts, and even mentally ill people fit into less desirous group. Serial killers count on the apathy of others. Even one of the victim's mother did not report her missing until the news broke about Sowell and no one heard from the woman since June 2009. I do not fathom how anyone does not report a family member missing for almost five months. This says more about society than the serial killer.<<<
ReplyDeleteAnd this apathy--disregard for the lesser people in society--is what they depend on.
If the serial killer's targets were housewives, teachers, lawyers, schoolgirls and college students, the crime would draw more immediate attention.
But when the victims are hookers, drug addicts or hustlers, their lifestyle often is attribute for their going missing. What is particularly tragic is when the victim is black, concerned family members are faced with police making the unfounded assumption that the victim is a runaway or living some sort of aberrant lifestyle.
I realized the mistake and made the correction in my second post.<<
ReplyDeleteHenna,
I saw that after I posted. :-)
Speaking of serial killers; has any one heard about this?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/18/us/18cnd-orleans.html
A black woman's life has NEVER been "valuable", so I don't see any news here.
ReplyDeleteBesides the fact that Black women are their own worst enemies, I'm starting not to care anymore.
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteAt least you knew I made a mistake. I appreciate people telling me I made a mistake.
I've likened the lackluster and comatose authorities involved in this tragedy of horrors as co-defendants along with Sowell.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective they are just as guilty as he is.
I find it a conviction of incompetent ridicule in modern day times where we have a police dept that can't distinguish the smell of rotting human flesh from that of processed sausage.
A black woman's life has NEVER been "valuable", so I don't see any news here.
ReplyDeleteBesides the fact that Black women are their own worst enemies, I'm starting not to care anymore.<<
It's as if your second statement about black women "being their own worst enemies" (Really? Each and every one? You? Me? Michelle Obama? Susan Rice?) justifies your first assessment.
Sharon @ 4:18 You stated that "Rapists and child molesters are the lowest of the low in prison society. He may have to spend the rest of his days in solitary confinement or he's likely to be killed." Well, with rapists, this isn't always the case. Remember, there are a lot of guys in prison who are bitter because wives and girlfriends have moved on with their lives, so a man who hates women is often tolerated by the general population. However, your points about molesters are on point. They have to live in isolation. I'll have all of them mowed down on pay-per-view, and give the proceeds to the victims families. Sorry, but I'm not feeling the "life in prison is enough" line of thinking.
ReplyDeleteTo make it short, as long as he fouled up his own neighborhood, the authorities could care less.
ReplyDeleteHe couldn't pull the same stunt with white females, even if he was dragging them back to his house in order to cover his tracks (police are more likely to comb a wooded area than a high-crime hood). That wouldn't have lasted long.
The only silver linings are that the families finally get some sense of closure, Sowell finally gets locked up and the city now has to face up to it's own incompetence.
I have no sympathy for Sowell. However, what I have trouble accepting is that the big time killers, politicians like Bush and Cheney are still free. They killed over 4000 US troops and over 1.3 million Iraqis out of greed and lust for power.
ReplyDeleteWe had a serial killer very similar where I live, the bodies were all in his family home, he told his parents it was a problem with raccoons in the attics and they believed him. Also, the house was directly across from our pediatrician, I never noticed any smell myself, although, I am sure that the house did smell.
ReplyDeleteAll the women were small, and thin, and either drug addicts or prostitutes, the only missing woman not accounted for, however, was 27 year old Black woman. She is still missing and unaccounted for even today, at least ten years later.
Commenter, iseeise)
ReplyDeleteNancy Grace show, should give us a CLUE about White on White crime! Men smothering their wife and children to Death, as they sleep! one thing about it, the MEDIA don't hide White on White CRIME like they did in the Past! it was a hush hush!
Nancy Grace can't keep up with Black crime, because every other week little White girls' are MISSING from their community's! and the neighbor's will say "oh, no one from this community would ever do a thing like this!!!! well, I guess, someone from NEW, YORK, caught a plane and went to Rural white community, just to kill a little White girl! NO, someone in that community know's full well who did the crime! so do we call this! HUSH, HUSH! YES!
This is to the PERSON who try's to Uphold White CRIME! WHITE FOLK'S KILL! they SHOOT! ROB, RAPE, MASSACRE, CUT PEOPLE UP, PUT BODY'S in BARREL'S with ACID! and if that isn't enough, they EAT their VICTIM'S!
The media will ONLY give coverage to a Black crime, if it is out of the Ordinary, it has to somewhat Resemble White Crime's! in other word's, the MEDIA is used to White's committing Gruesome Crime's act's!
iseeisee
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Cleveland is one of the most violent places in America.The cops aren't miracle workers. Black people are being killed allot (by other black people) what exactly can the cops do to stop it? Can they force people to stop killing each other?"
__________________________________
You sound like a coward and a bigot, no wonder you're Anonymous.The incidents of incest are higher in Alaska than any other state, does that mean that all Alaskans are pedophiles? When people in the suburbs want to commit a crime they go to the hood. Maybe someone should stop looking for their prostitutes and drugs in the black neighborhoods.Now the suburbs have their drugs and prostitution but they don't allow murder.Look at the movie "The Godfather" ,they said to keep in among the dark people. That was a actual quote from the Mob's meeting in upstate New York in the 50's.
Kid,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, the mob doesn't control much of the drug trade at all. Mexican and South American cartels do. Secondly, most of the drug dealing in the city doesn't go to suburban whites. You think suburban whites smoke much crack or shoot much heroin? Those are two of the biggest city street drugs. Suburbians prefer cocaine or marijuana, both of which can be bought in the suburbs themselves. There are for sure white kids that go to the ghetto to buy drugs, but that's not anywhere near a majority.
Third, what your asking for is the police to intercede to keep black men from killing black women and other black men; that's what's happening.
It's as if your second statement about black women "being their own worst enemies" (Really? Each and every one? You? Me? Michelle Obama? Susan Rice?) justifies your first assessment.
ReplyDelete>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You singling out my post to make a point I never stated in my original post, simply prooves my point and why in general I've washed my hands of Black women.
Now do I need to state that I'm NOT referring to myself, my sisters, mother, best friend and other Black women who by example, represent us well? (roll eyes)
ditto fn:
ReplyDeleteblack life is devalued in america
abused black women are less cherished than abused pit bulls
this same thing occurred with all the poor black callers/missing gay men who were abused/murdered by jeffrey dahmer in milwaukee
we live in 2 americas
getting more distant each day
hp:
ReplyDeletethe jury is still out on donnie hathaway's suicide
i do not believe he committed suicide
he was bi-sexual and many believe he was murdered by a dl gay lover
fyi
Henna's Place said; "I do not fathom how anyone does not report a family member missing for almost five months. This says more about society than the serial killer."
ReplyDeleteSome people become estranged from their families and with the best will in world they do not know where they are nor can they say when they might have gone missing. In some cases, they mourn their losses early and long.
HP "I do not fathom how anyone does not report a family member missing for almost five months. This says more about society than the serial killer."
ReplyDeleteFirst, bw's lives have been devalued in our society and things are not getting better, they are getting worse.
Secondly, many black families are fractured and there is no strong connection or love there.
Anthony Sowell is a sick monster who committed atrocities in a dysfunctional ghetto environment.
ReplyDeletePeriod.
All the other tripe about "black communities" being non caring and black women being undervalued is total bull$hit.
Does anyone think any more attention would have paid were it 11 black men missing?
If someone went missing in my neighborhood, particularly a woman or a child, there would search parties out looking.
UTS "If someone went missing in my neighborhood, particularly a woman or a child, there would search parties out looking."
ReplyDeleteYou are deluded, mindless one. You live in an apathetic community where people could care less about each other. Now that's dysfunctional; you only 'wish' they would care.
what i think is interesting, and i plan to discuss this in my blog...is the fact that this was a black serial killer black female victims who were drug attics from poor black families. this is why the cops didnt care. this reminds me oh what spike lee comments on in "summer of sam" if this was a black man killing all of those white women, there would have a been a race riot the likes of which you have never seen. i love your blog though!
ReplyDelete