Just One Case

[Jackalgirl]

Hello everyone --

I've been working on following up leads about Allison Dubois' involvement with the Opal Jennings case in Texas and, so far, I've been able to find no independent evidence that she's been helpful. I'm not done, so that's not to say that it didn't happen, but things are looking pretty thin.

So here's my question: does anyone know of one case, just one case, in which a psychic has actually provided key (or, heck, even usefully non-vague) information to law enforcement personnel that has led to the solving of the case in question?

I'm not talking about anectodal evidence like "Sylvia has helped solve hundreds of cases." I just want one specific case. Preferably, I'd like on in which the details are available: the detectives, what specifically the psychic said or did, the result, and that it be a case in which the psychic wasn't a perp, victim, a witness, or closely tied to the perp, victim, or witnesses. Something that can be followed up.

Just one.

P.S. I haven't yet begun my search for Internet references -- I will, but that's a daunting task, and I'm still trying to sort out the Dubois mess. What I'd really like is to hear of any first-hand experience any of you might have or any links to reputable news stories you have come across. --J

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Sylvia claims to have solved a serial rapist case in San Jose, CA. The perp was called the "Ski Mask Rapist." She has claimed this both on Montel and in one of her books.

I haven't listened to this, but supposedly this is Sylvia talking about catching the Ski Mask Rapist.

http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/?id=1950

 

[Lisa Simpson]

Okay...I went through the archives of the San Jose Mercury News and I found this:

The case, which had frustrated local police departments for the past year, ultimately was solved with the help of a civilian: a Foster City woman whose apartment Sanchez broke into on Nov. 18, 1985. Sanchez served six months in San Mateo County Jail from about May to October last year for attempted burglary in the break-in, said Foster City Police Sgt. Ross Roberts.

The woman, whose name was not revealed, called a San Mateo County rape crisis center in August of this year to report striking similarities between the way the attempted burglary was conducted and the methods reportedly used by the ski-mask rapist.

Sylvia has claimed that her information led to the police "catching him in the act", which they actually did:

Monday night, officers followed Sanchez to Redwood City. There, police said, they watched him remove a screen from a darkened house where a woman lived alone. Police said that Sanchez apparently became frightened and drove away.

However, in the two articles I purchased from the Mercury News, neither mentions Sylvia and searching their archives didn't turn up any hits related to this case.

 

[Loss Leader]

Good luck with your search. Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope it will be fruitless.

 

[JLam]

So here's my question: does anyone know of one case, just one case, in which a psychic has actually provided key (or, heck, even usefully non-vague) information to law enforcement personnel that has led to the solving of the case in question?

No.

 

[Jackalgirl]

Okay...I went through the archives of the San Jose Mercury News and I found this...

Excellent! Thank you most kindly; Monday night (for me), in addition to trying to see what else I can find out Opal-Jennings-wise, I will try to get in touch with the police on this case and see if they are willing to confirm or deny that Browne was involved directly.

I can't seem to get your link to work, but it might work on another computer; I'll try. I'd like to find out -- and perhaps transcribe -- exactly what she said about this case.

What's the date of the article that you found? I wasn't able to find anything on the San Jose Mercury News (search terms: "sanchez AND rapist", no hits) so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks again!

 

[Jackalgirl]

Good luck with your search. Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope it will be fruitless.

I wish, how I wish, that we could prove that this stuff works. I mean, I always dream about having superpowers. It would be cool, in some ways, and absolutely hideous, in others. However, I don't expect that it will ever really pan out, because I don't believe it happens either. At least, not in any testable, observable, reliable, charge-people-$700-for-20-minutes, kind of way.

 

[rjh01]

Part of your answer is here Psychics and Missing People Kelly is a great, but very busy woman.

 

[Rodney]

Hello everyone --

I've been working on following up leads about Allison Dubois' involvement with the Opal Jennings case in Texas and, so far, I've been able to find no independent evidence that she's been helpful. I'm not done, so that's not to say that it didn't happen, but things are looking pretty thin.

So here's my question: does anyone know of one case, just one case, in which a psychic has actually provided key (or, heck, even usefully non-vague) information to law enforcement personnel that has led to the solving of the case in question?

I'm not talking about anectodal evidence like "Sylvia has helped solve hundreds of cases." I just want one specific case. Preferably, I'd like on in which the details are available: the detectives, what specifically the psychic said or did, the result, and that it be a case in which the psychic wasn't a perp, victim, a witness, or closely tied to the perp, victim, or witnesses. Something that can be followed up.

Just one.

Victor Zammit claims psychics have assisted in several cases: http://www.victorzammit.com/articles/psychicdetectives.html

 

[Richard]

Mark Mayer in Australia has looked into this matter with regards to Allison Dubois. I recommend you download this episode of the 'TANK' podcast and hear him for yourself.

http://www.mysteryinvestigators.com/podcast.htm

Look for :
October 13, 2005:
Psychic Detectives
Mark Mayer

 

[Lisa Simpson]

What's the date of the article that you found? I wasn't able to find anything on the San Jose Mercury News (search terms: "sanchez AND rapist", no hits) so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks again!

The articles are from late-1987, when the ski mask rapist was caught. I think I searched ski mask.

 

[rjh01]

Victor Zammit claims psychics have assisted in several cases: http://www.victorzammit.com/articles/psychicdetectives.html

Almost thought the site was credible until I saw the following sentence on the page

What follows was taken randomly from television documentaries.

Not independently verified.

 

[Mojo]

When a poster on the UK Skeptics forum asked UK police forces about their possible use of psychics, in their responses only one force, the Metropolitan Police, mentioned a specific case. They said that while some of the records in the case were available,

some parts of the record are closed as it remains an unsolved case.

 

[Jackalgirl]

When a poster on the UK Skeptics forum asked UK police forces about their possible use of psychics, in their responses only one force, the Metropolitan Police, mentioned a specific case. They said that while some of the records in the case were available,

some parts of the record are closed as it remains an unsolved case.

Did the poster say or look into which of the records were available? Perhaps the people involved might be unwilling to divulge critical information, and rightfully so, but maybe the police might respond yes or no to the question "did a psychic provide you, using his or her psychic powers, key information in this case?"

Of course, the case is ongoing, so they might not know whether the information is key or not. But it might be worthwhile to specify "using his or her psychic powers." A psychic might have materially contributed by assisting with research or making sure that the detectives never ran out of pens, but that doesn't mean any psychic powers were involved...

 

[Garrette]

Almost thought the site was credible until I saw the following sentence on the page

Victor Zammit cannot be taken seriously at all. Regarding anything.

Many believers, however, think that he can be, so occasionally pointing out why, while a herculean task, is necessary.

 

[Mojo]

Did the poster say or look into which of the records were available? Perhaps the people involved might be unwilling to divulge critical information, and rightfully so, but maybe the police might respond yes or no to the question "did a psychic provide you, using his or her psychic powers, key information in this case?"

Of course, the case is ongoing, so they might not know whether the information is key or not. But it might be worthwhile to specify "using his or her psychic powers." A psychic might have materially contributed by assisting with research or making sure that the detectives never ran out of pens, but that doesn't mean any psychic powers were involved...

I've done a bit of research; it seems that the case is not really ongoing, although nobody was ever convicted. Athough the victim's body was never found, someone was charged with the murder. He was found not guilty at trial, but it seems that he later admitted to the murder. So the police should have a pretty good idea of the importance of any information that was provided.

 

[Rodney]

Almost thought the site was credible until I saw the following sentence on the page

Not independently verified.

Try this page: http://www.nancyorlenweber.com/references.html

You will read two glowing testimonials by retired police officers regarding psychic Nancy Weber's work. Excerpt:

"In 1995 I obtained a copy of Psychic Detective written by Nancy Orlen Weber. I was amazed to read about her involvement in many cases I had worked. I was even more impressed by her accuracy. She gave police specific, relevant, and concrete information early on in investigations that proved to be absolutely correct! I wondered why I had not heard of her impressions while I was involved in testing suspects in the case. But I realized that often her conclusions did not mesh with police theories. She did all she could but she could not make people believe her. However, in each case, her information proved to be entirely correct. Since I had worked on these cases I knew all of the police officers mentioned in her book. So I began calling them to see if this was all true. Not only did all of the officers vouch for the information in the book, they told me that Nancy actually did more in some cases than she had related.

"But I did not really need their endorsement, as I had lived the cases. In her chapter 'Murder Close to Home', Nancy writes about a woman who was murdered in her home. Police focused on her daughter and some male friends of the victim because there did not appear to be any forced entry into the apartment. In addition, the murder weapon was from her kitchen. Their conclusions were sound based on the evidence at hand. Nancy told them early on that it was a stranger – a male stalker who lived in Netcong. She told them that he had watched her and had committed other crimes. She said that he had entered through the kitchen window. Investigators did not think that anyone had come through that window. We ended up polygraphing twelve potential suspects – friends and acquaintances who the victim may have let in. I remember one day that a detective told me they had talked to a psychic and she had given the initials of the murderer; 'NM'. I remember going through the list of people we were testing to see if any of them matched. We cleared everyone we tested. About nine months after the murder, police in Netcong conducted a search warrant on a burglary suspect and found a stack of newspaper articles about the murder in Mt. Olive. They checked the man's fingerprints and matched them to an unidentified fingerprint that had been lifted from the victim's kitchen window. His name was Nicholas Muscio and he was found guilty of the murders."

 

[Mercutio]

Excellent! Thank you most kindly; Monday night (for me), in addition to trying to see what else I can find out Opal-Jennings-wise, I will try to get in touch with the police on this case and see if they are willing to confirm or deny that Browne was involved directly.

I can't seem to get your link to work, but it might work on another computer; I'll try. I'd like to find out -- and perhaps transcribe -- exactly what she said about this case.

What's the date of the article that you found? I wasn't able to find anything on the San Jose Mercury News (search terms: "sanchez AND rapist", no hits) so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks again!

The articles are from late-1987, when the ski mask rapist was caught. I think I searched ski mask.

The reporter was Betty Barnacle, who retired from the paper last year. Her email at the paper no longer works, and I could not find her on any people-finder site. (May be a pen name?) The editors at the Mercury may be able to help.

I gave all this info to R Lancaster (figuring that news editors might be more willing to work with someone who has just been all over CNN), so you might wish to coordinate with him so the Mercury does not get inundated with requests. He may have already contacted them, or he may be overjoyed to have someone else do it--I am not psychic.

 

[Gr8wight]

Try this page: http://www.nancyorlenweber.com/references.html

You will read two glowing testimonials by retired police officers regarding psychic Nancy Weber's work. Excerpt:

"In 1995 I obtained a copy of Psychic Detective written by Nancy Orlen Weber. I was amazed to read about her involvement in many cases I had worked. I was even more impressed by her accuracy. She gave police specific, relevant, and concrete information early on in investigations that proved to be absolutely correct! I wondered why I had not heard of her impressions while I was involved in testing suspects in the case. But I realized that often her conclusions did not mesh with police theories. She did all she could but she could not make people believe her. However, in each case, her information proved to be entirely correct. Since I had worked on these cases I knew all of the police officers mentioned in her book. So I began calling them to see if this was all true. Not only did all of the officers vouch for the information in the book, they told me that Nancy actually did more in some cases than she had related.

"But I did not really need their endorsement, as I had lived the cases. In her chapter 'Murder Close to Home', Nancy writes about a woman who was murdered in her home. Police focused on her daughter and some male friends of the victim because there did not appear to be any forced entry into the apartment. In addition, the murder weapon was from her kitchen. Their conclusions were sound based on the evidence at hand. Nancy told them early on that it was a stranger – a male stalker who lived in Netcong. She told them that he had watched her and had committed other crimes. She said that he had entered through the kitchen window. Investigators did not think that anyone had come through that window. We ended up polygraphing twelve potential suspects – friends and acquaintances who the victim may have let in. I remember one day that a detective told me they had talked to a psychic and she had given the initials of the murderer; 'NM'. I remember going through the list of people we were testing to see if any of them matched. We cleared everyone we tested. About nine months after the murder, police in Netcong conducted a search warrant on a burglary suspect and found a stack of newspaper articles about the murder in Mt. Olive. They checked the man's fingerprints and matched them to an unidentified fingerprint that had been lifted from the victim's kitchen window. His name was Nicholas Muscio and he was found guilty of the murders."

Both of those anecdotes involve somone claiming that the psychic's information was accurate after the fact, but in neither case did the psychic's information lead to the arrest.

 

[Beady]

Try this page: http://www.nancyorlenweber.com/references.html

In my professional life, I would reject this page as a self-serving testimonial. The only way I would accept the individual letters quoted on the page would be in the original, accompanied by notarized copies of the authors' credentials. I would also demand a letter and credentials from at least two individuals per incident being sworn to. Mind you, this is just to accept the letter into evidence, not to believe it. As standard operating procedure, since we're talking about arrests and such, I would request notarized copies of the police reports and of the court transcripts where the officers stated under oath what led them to make the arrests.

Now, that's what I would do for something fairly mundane, such as Weber trying to document that she had materially assisted police by, say, making a citizen's arrest. Given the nature of how she actually claims to have helped, I think I would also seek additional evidence, although I'd have to think long and hard about exactly what to ask for.