Thoughts on Kyron Horman, David Durham, and Doitchen Krastev

True’s Miscellany:  I hope those of you who bother to read my posted opinions also check-out the comments.  They can be very informative and articulate.

I have recently received questions about Sheriff Dan Staton’s (Multnomah County SO) statements early on in the Kyron Horman investigation; to wit the Sheriff referring to related information uncovered, including information that they (allegedly the authorities) wished they did not know.

It was, I agree, a strange comment.  I might use the metaphor here that the Sheriff was like a deer caught in the headlights.  I suppose that he was speaking extemporaneously – while attempting to project compassion and sincerity.  Regarding things that he wished he did not know, my current guess would be that he was referring to generalized information about child trafficking and abuse that he, and all of us, would find heartrending.  Nonetheless, this was not something that a Sheriff should say in a press conference, during a very active investigation, without elaborating.  When no elaboration was forthcoming, the implication for the public was, perhaps, we need someone in charge of the investigation who is not quite so ‘sensitive,’ and that we want our investigators to know everything that might have some relevance to this inquiry or other inquiries.  My initial reaction to his comments was that law enforcement was close to a solution and a recovery.  That initial opinion, on my part, was apparently far from accurate - in that the Kyron investigation has not seemed to significantly progress since the Sheriff made those rather awkward comments.

Here I might add something about the news media coverage.  Have you noted that the Oregonian reporters covering the David Durham case, or the Kyron Horman case for that matter, seem to be entirely satisfied with receiving the latest law enforcement briefing, without doing any independent investigation?  This was especially evident in the recent Oregonian article about David Durham – nothing really new, just a rehash of old information.

One of my readers very smartly stated some follow-up that outlined what the Oregonian reporters needed to do.

“Previous articles said that David Durham was on the north coast at a work colleague’s party in Manzanita. He skipped work on the Friday before, was he planning to go to work on Monday? What else WAS going on with him, why would someone set-out, at this time of year, down the coast highway in the dark & bad weather? It’s not commonly done.
Why have no details been released about that party, interviews with the other partygoers, explanations for why he left and drove south instead of east.”

True’s Response:  Law enforcement will give the press the typical boilerplate; and, if the press appears satisfied, they will go no further.  I don’t think it is a misrepresentation to say that the Oregonian reporters, when it comes to criminal investigations, are remiss in many ways.  It is the responsibility of reporters to press the authorities for information – hence the word ‘press.’  This is also what good investigators do.  They need to push for information, not just accept what is handed to them.

Another reader referred to the Doitchen Krastev case, previously discussed in this blog.  Said reader furnished some interesting information.  The information appears to be accurate.

“Not to resurrect a dead story, but there are a couple of issues with the original anonymous questions and comments in this post.

1. The Anarchist Cookbook contained the basics on how Krastev obtained his fake ID and was quite available on BBSes and other pre-internet networks. It went through the computer underground in the early 90s. I had a copy by 1995 and I was barely in high school at the time.

2. Krastev’s parents were intellectuals, whether they were nonmenklatura, is uncertain. No information as far as I’m aware of has established, beyond speculation, that the parents were committed to the communist party. His mother basically brought Jungian psychotherapy to Bulgaria. His father is the Executive Director of the Central Library.

3. As of today he’s been released from Taft Correctional Camp and is in INS custody. I would assume that had he been a spy there would have been a much faster deportation to Bulgaria, like the Russian 10.”

True’s Response:  The Russian 10 were returned to Russia in an expedited manner for a couple of reasons (I believe):  embarrassment to the US security services for allowing this to continue for so long; and as a token offered to a quasi-ally of ours, the new Russia.  Within a few weeks of their capture, the Russian 10 were old news, and most Americans had forgotten about them.  They did, however, return to their homeland and a heroes’ welcome.  My feeling is that there are many more like the Russian 10 still acting as ‘sleepers’ within the U.S. – probably hundreds from many countries.  Another reason, if we really require another, to secure our borders.

Krastev may be currently being held because they do not know what to do with him.  Bulgaria may not want him back.  Or, Krastev may be claiming that he would be in danger if he was forced to go back.  Moreover, Krastev could, possibly, serve as a negotiating chip.  Who is to say?  My feeling is that, ultimately, he will be allowed to remain in the U.S.

True Nelson