Brian Carrick

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Family’s reaction to conviction in decade-old cold-case with no body

Dear family, friends and followers:

I wrote a story in the Chicago Tribune today about reactions of the families in the aftermath of Mario Casciaro’s conviction in the murder and disappearance of Brian Carrick.

Brian, a 17-year-old boy, described as small, skinny, sweet and funny,  was last seen on Dec. 20, 2002 running up the stairs to his bedroom in his family’s large, white farmhouse where he was raised with his large, Irish Catholic family – with 13 siblings.

He was last seen by co-workers in the grocery store where he worked as a stock boy, located right across the street from his home, at the back of a produce cooler arguing with known felon Shane Lamb, described as “the muscle” – “the intimidator” of a small rural town drug ring.

Again I say there are no winners. This is a sad story all around about youth and poor choices. I have followed this case for many years. I have come to know the families on both sides of this case and they are very nice people who love their sons and brothers.

I welcome your comments and questions. It is a confusing case to understand. But prosecutors say they did what they had to in order to hold someone accountable for the loss the Carricks have suffered. Prosecutors say they will continue to investigate where the 17-year-old stock boy’s body is.

For more background search my blog. There are several stories posted from the trial that ended Tuesday. Until next time, love each other.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-guilty-verdict-20130404-15,0,3812487.story

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Mario Casciaro guilty in 10-year-old cold case

I have followed this story for years. I covered both trials. I have met and come to like the family members of both the defendant and the victim, the young boy whose body has never been found. There are no winners here. There is no joy.

One young man, who could have had a wonderful, happy, successful future is facing 20 to 60 years in prison, and another will never come home. His family will never really know what happened to him – or his body. Read link  to Chicago Tribune story below.

Share, like, comment, let me know you stopped by. And until next time, PLEASE love each other….Too much sadness in the world.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-verdict-20130403,0,4742818.story

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Brian Carrick cold-case murder and disappearance: both sides rest. Who is telling the truth? Case goes to jury today.

UPDATE LINK BELOW: COULD BE A VERDICT TODAY

Dear friends, family and followers: here is how I spent my Spring Break. I’ve been hold up in a McHenry County courtroom. But I believe in all things there is a lesson to be learned.

My take away? Always tell the truth, know who your friends are and who your friends’ friends are and who your kids’ friends are. Be mindful of your words and actions. Humans are complicated.

Please click or paste link below. THERE IS A SECOND LINK ADDED

Soon I’ll update this blog post with an end of the day recap from today/Monday in court. Remember there has never been a body found. This is the tragedy in this twisted, lie-ridden tale of sin and redemption. Tomorrow each lawyer will give their final closing arguments to jurors. Then the jurors will deliberate. Mario Casciaro’s fate will finally be determined – after more than 10 years since Brian’s disappearance, one perjury trial that ended in an acquittal, one murder trial that ended in a mistrial.  Mario, 29, faces 20 to 60 years in prison.

The Carricks will never know what really happened to Brian. One of 14 children in this large, Irish Catholic family. Very sweet, kind people. They will forever have a hole in their hearts, an empty chair at their Christmas table. They will also always have an empty chair where mom, Terry, would sit. Brian’s mom died months before seeing an arrest in her son’s murder.

I welcome your input. Like, share and comment. Until next time, love each other…..

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-brian-carrick-murder-mario-casciaro-trial,0,1136188.story

UPDATE: COULD BE A VERDICT TODAY (link below)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-trial-0402-20130402,0,7892950.story

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Drug dealer says defendant tells him “I make people disappear.”

Hi friends, family and followers:

Another day in the Mario Casciaro first-degree murder trial.

At the end of the day the whole situation is just so sad. Everyone involved in this tale were just teenagers when all of this calamity was put into motion.

If anything good comes of this sad sordid tale, let it be  a reminder that we really need to pay attention to who our kids are hanging out with.

We need to know at all times what they are doing.

Also a reminder that the teen years, the years of experimentation, can result in long-lasting problems. Our kids need to know that decisions they are making now, if not good choices, can follow them around for the rest of their lives.

(link below)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-trial-0329-20130329,0,5660141.story

I welcome any and all comments.

Until next time…

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Decade old, cold-case trial: Day 2, Why didn’t key witness just tell the truth the first time? Who failed him?

Life is just easier when people tell the truth the first time.

And if this trial teaches us anything it is just that: No matter how much trouble you think you are going to get in, tell the truth anyway. (link to today’s story below)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-brian-carrick-trial-20130328,0,5353309.story

I believe this is one of the first lessons parents should teach their children about life. It is pretty simple actually. Isn’t it?

And when you tell the truth it is so much easier then trying to remember what you said to who.  So just tell the truth.

There is so much that came out this week about the state’s key witness, Shane Lamb.  Lamb is the guy who actually, now admits, he threw the punch that killed Brian Carrick. His testimony is that he did this in response to another man telling him to scare Brian Carrick for drug money he owed.

This is the second time I have watched Shane Lamb testify as to what he did to Brian Carrick.

People see him as a thug. True, he is huge, bald and has intensely angry dark brown eyes. At just 28 years old, he has been in prison five times for drugs and aggravated batteries.

In court this week it came out that the first serious trouble he found himself in was when he was  just 14 years old. He was charged with attempted murder.

When asked where he went to high school, his response was that he had spent most of his high school years in juvenile prison.

Someone somewhere failed this kid miserably. I cannot help but feel sorry for him — and angry toward his parents.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I feel so deeply sad for the family of Brian Carrick. It breaks my heart seeing his elderly dad sit in the courtroom hunched over, coughing. He looks just so sad, heartbroken really.

What I mean is that Shane Lamb didn’t have a chance and nobody that gets in his way has a chance of escaping his anger and rage. Anger and rage that I am convinced is not even meant for his victims, yet they are the one’s feeling his impact. We are all paying for his rage, for what his parents didn’t do.

Today he is a 28-year-old convicted felon, getting into fights in bars (since released from prison on unrelated drug charges he has been in a bar fight with two guys, a violation of his parole, charges still pending) and produce coolers (that is if he is telling the truth this time), making deals with prosecutors for lesser charges on serious drug charges.  He claims to have murdered a young boy then walk away and not even care if he was dead or not when he left him lying there on a cold floor.

What happened here?

Please read, share, “like” let me now you stopped by.

Until next time love each other

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Decade old cold-case, retrial underway, still no body

 

In this retrial all parties are present. Brian Carrick has not been seen for more than 10 years, Mario Casciaro accused of putting into motion the fateful twists and turns that led to the young boy’s death. Carrick a good boy but a bad drug dealer, says the prosecutor. Defense says Casciaro had nothing to do with his death.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-johnsburg-murder-retrial-20130326,0,3253869.story?fb_action_ids=10200262694903791&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=s%3DshowShareBarUI%3Ap%3Dfacebook-like&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

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Small Midwest town, young boy, decade old mystery – no body

Well I spent a wonderful weekend with my girls thanks to my wonderful husband! Abby is doing great and I thank you all for your prayers.

We seem to be slowly returning back to normal…Abby’s next doctor’s appointment is April 3. Will update.

Back to work for me this week, while Tony stays home to keep an eye on the girls.  I am looking forward to covering this murder trial, for a second time. The justice system is fascinating and this story is something I’d watch on Investigative Discovery. People in these two families and this small rural Midwest town are still hanging on to see it all conclude.

After more than 10 years, a trial that ended in a mistrial with a hung jury, dozens of rumors, a perjury trial, the death of the missing boy’s mother and the lead investigator, this story continues.  People fight for justice. But even more so I see how being young and impulsive and being in the wrong place at the wrong time can destroy lives and a community, and magnify its love. I’d love to hear your feedback on this story. If interested I will continue to post updates from court for the next two weeks.

My pre-trial story below.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-brian-carrick-murder-trial-20130324,0,6812344.story

Until next time, love each other.

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