On Monday evening, Texas Rangers/Sheriff deputies arrived at my sister Sharon's home, to tell her that a decomposed body found in a wooded area just north of Palestine, is believed to be the body of her youngest daughter, Deborah! What!?
As a single mother, Deborah, 34, had recently moved back to Texas from Oregon, with her 3 children, ages 3yr.,7yr.,13yr., and was staying with her Mom, Sharon; while her 3 children were living with Kerrie, (Deborah's older sister). Sharon and Kerrie were helping Deborah make "a new start" in her life.
Around noon on Wednesday, Oct.10, Deborah left Sharon's house, walked to a corner store to meet a friend who was picking her up. Sharon never heard from Deborah again! Deborah wasn't answering her cell phone or returning any text messages that Sharon was sending her. (We now know that all activity ceased on her cell phone on Wednesday evening around 5:00p.m.)
We find our blessings where we can. We feel very blessed that a landowner (a retired Dallas county sheriff deputy) was walking about his property on Sunday afternoon and discovered what he believed to be human remains in a wooded section, and immediately reported it by calling 911, and knew not to disturb the scene, keeping it pristine for law enforcement officials, thereby helping them look for important clues, to find out what exactly happened to Deborah. If the landowner had not found her remains when he did, there probably would not have been anything at all left of her body, we would have never known what happened to Deborah, we would never have had closure.
Deborah was brutally murdered! Thankfully, Sharon was not required to view Deborah's mutilated remains! Instead, Sharon and Kerrie both provided DNA samples, and Deborah's partial denture(which she had left at home), and a recent photo of Deborah showing her small "ankle tatoo", all in an effort to establish positive identification of the severely ravaged and decomposed body. This is just awful! Absolutely no human being should ever have to die such a trajic and horrific death!
Fortunately, Deborah's killer did not know that her cell phone was still in her front pants pocket! Hopefully, her recent cell phone activity will lead law enforcement to identify who perpetrated this despicable act upon Deborah. We pray for the officers as they investigate this crime, to bring these criminal/criminals to justice. We pray for strength and grace to help each of us cope with this unbelievable tragedy.
We see and hear about tragedies like this on the TV News, and it seems so far removed from our own lives. However, it is quite different when something like this happens to someone we know and care about! Veritably earth-shattering! We are understandably still in shock and disbelief that this could happen in our very own family. Thanks to God for my large family; loving siblings, loving Mom, loving neices and nephews, loving children and grandchildren, who all come together to love and support one another thru both good and bad times in our lives. Not to mention, all of our many friends and acquaintances whose love and outpouring of prayers and support mean everything to us.
It is an awful "waiting game"! An autopsy was performed on Tuesday, however we have not been told any results yet. The investigating officers are not telling us anything as they search for Deborah's killer. We are accustomed to seeing murders solved, autopsy results shown, criminals brought to jail, all in a one-two hour episode on TV. However, that is not at all like it happens in real life!
I would like to honor Deborah and her children in the following photos.
Justice across the table)
May God bless and keep these children in his loving care for the rest of their lives. We, as a family, will surely do our part.
Here is a picture of my Mom with most of her great-grandkids on August 19,2012!
Flame,
ReplyDeleteWe are shocked and saddened by your news. To lose a daughter, niece, young mother in such a brutal way is so horrible. Our hearts ache for you and your family. You are in our thoughts and prayers. We are praying that God will grant you His abundant grace to see you and your family through this sad time. We love you guys...