Save the date: The book opening for The I-94 Murders will be at The Shoppes of Little Falls on September 22, 2018. Award winning chef Scott Stocco will be serving hors d’oeuvres at the event. The I-94 Murders will be for sale and Frank Weber will be signing books. Photos taken by Xsperience Photography, model Alicia Isom I have received a number of comments, emails and additional information about Richard Zaun’s murder of Roger Arkusczewski which I would like to share. I will add my own thoughts also. The homicide occurred at approximately 5:00 pm. Zaun had told Roger he needed to stay after school for messing up the cafeteria earlier in the day. According to Morrison County Court documents, Richard Zaun was married the previous November, but hadn’t consummated his marriage. Richard felt alienated from teachers as he felt he was the only one not agreeing with the pending contract. Richard Zaun didn’t have his previous employment renewed at Randall due to disciplinary problems with students. Father Heltmes in Pierz evidently told Richard Zaun he could not hear his confession because Zaun wasn’t Catholic. It was reported that Roger Arkusczewski told his mother the morning of the murder that he was afraid of Richard Zaun. Richard Zaun poured water on Roger. Richard Zaun consumed Valium after the homicide. Richard Zaun died last year. My thoughts and responses to comments: ~I don’t believe Richard Zaun took valium prior to the homicide. Valium relaxes the central nervous system. Valium is used to pull people out of status seizures (unending seizures). I don’t believe Zaun could have killed Roger if he was on Valium. He would have been too relaxed, and people don’t give up life easily. ~Profilers suggest that strangling is often considered a sexual form of homicide by the killer. ~I have never been interested in writing a book on this case because I don’t see this as much of a mystery. It reminds me of many of the domestic abuse assessments I’ve done. You have an obsessive guy, Zaun, who is angry that someone doesn’t behave as he desires in his order of the world so he assaults him. After the brutal act, Zaun feels tremendous shame. He dumps water on Roger trying to revive him, and then looks for some type of religious forgiveness. Zaun pops valium over the extreme narcissistic shame created by his crime. But none of it changes the tragedy he brought to the Arkusczewski family and to his community. ~My last comment has to do with premeditation. As I stated earlier, people don’t give up life easily. Zaun had to catch him by surprise, and he had to know what he was going to do. I wear a tie for court and to speak. It’s never occurred to me, even when I’m frustrated, that I could use the tie as a weapon. I think there was some type of weird fantasy that had occurred previously. Again this is simply speculation. My prayers go out to the Arkusczewskis. Richmond, Virginia Last week I flew into Baltimore and then spent time in Washington DC and Richmond, Virginia. We visited St. John’s church in Richmond where Patrick Henry made his famous speech, in 1775. Henry was a bartender who became a self-educated attorney. Colonists were upset for “taxation without representation” and this led to the Boston Tea party, where taxed tea was dumped in the harbor. Britain responded by firing all of the elected officials in Massachusetts and replacing them with British officers. Britain took away the right to assemble and the right to trial by a jury of peers. Virginia had the House of Burgesses and one day, when the appointed British Governor was ill, they still met. Britain felt this was disrespectful and responded again by firing all elected officials and replacing them with the British. So the two largest colonies had now lost basic rights. Britain sent soldiers and inserted them in homes throughout Virginia and Massachusetts, violating the rights of the owners. They took their food and weapons, slept there, and basically viewed themselves as entitled to take what they wish. In 1775, the former Virginia elected officials (including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry) met at St. John’s Church and agreed that Britain didn’t have the right to remove elected officials. When people argued we didn’t want war, Patrick Henry stood and pointed out that the war had already begun. The British invaded our homes, and we weren’t fighting back. He suggested Virginia form a militia and it was put to vote. Patrick Henry declared, “Give me liberty or give me death.” The decision to create a militia barely passed, and George Washington was selected to lead the militia into Massachusetts. Edgar Allen Poe grew up in Richmond, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis is buried there. Davis had an estate in Mississippi with 74 slaves. Davis is historically criticized for being outperformed by Abraham Lincoln throughout the war. Lincoln has outperformed the vast majority of Presidents since. But more than anyone else, Richmond celebrates Thomas Jefferson, who was a former governor in Virginia. Abraham Lincoln visited Richmond two days before his assassination to take a look at the damage done by fires. Lincoln exited the boat on the James river before arriving at the landing in Richmond, as there were concerns the confederate faithful wouldn’t let him enter. Lincoln felt it was important to support people and unite the country. Richmond, which part of the confederacy during the Civil War, is a city that is now 51% African American and 40% European American. That makes me feel good. On June 3, 1864 a Union attack on Cold Harbor in Virginia left 7000 soldiers dead in 20 minutes of fighting, which has been the bloodiest period of time in American History. Politicians stated after, “If that scene could have been presented to me before the war, I would have said the cost is too great.” It was the last victory for Robert E. Lee. Ulysses Grant stated later that this battle was his greatest regret. He simplified his strategy after and this decision changed the course of the war. Ulysses Grant ultimately pinned Lee’s confederate troops in Appomattox on April 9, 1865 and forced his surrender. In the pictures I have a photo of George Whythe’s grave. He was murdered at age 80 by his grandnephew who poured poison in his coffee. However, the grandnephew was found not guilty as the only witness was an African American servant who saw him do it, and at the time an African American was not allowed to testify against a white person. Whythe managed to live long enough to write his grandnephew out of his will. Also notice the blue clothing laid out on a bed. It was the designated swim ware for wealthy women in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Notice the full one piece outfit, skirt, hat, stockings, and shoes, most of which were wool. That had to be a dashing good time! Notice in the pictures that the early beer mugs were sewn from leather. I ate the best cupcake at Carytown Cupcakes, and the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten, at Mama J’s, in Richmond. Quotes this week are Southern sayings: We done plowed this furrow clean down to the bedrock! Time to rest the mule. Translation: We've already discussed this - let's move on... Lord willing, and the creek don’t rise…. Translation: I’ll do my best. Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit…. Translation: A happy surprise. He squeezes a quarter so tight the eagle screams. Translation: He’s cheap. Thanks for listening, Frank Photos from my trip to Maryland, Washington DC, and Richmond, Virginia with Brenda, Preston and Olivia Weber, and Branden, Nicolette, Kaycee, and Andrea Deal.
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AuthorFrank F. Weber is a forensic psychologist specializing in homicide and sexual and physical assault cases. He uses his unique understanding of how predator’s think, knowledge of victim trauma, actual court cases, and passion for writing true crime thrillers. His Award Winning books include "Murder Book" (2017) "The I-94 Murders" (2018) "Last Call" (2019) and "Lying Close" (September 2020). Archives
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