Adam Walsh: Blame It On The Dead Guy

( This is a rewrite of the op/ed posted earlier. New information surfaced that needed to be included)

Adam Walsh: Blame it on the Dead Guy

There is no proof that Jeffrey Dahmer was at a Hollywood, FL mall on July 27, 1981.
There is no proof that Ottis Toole was at this mall on July 27, 1981.
Most of all there is no proof that Adam Walsh was at the mall on the 27th of July, 1981. We do know that Adam was killed somewhere and by somebody.

A staged abduction at the mall would serve many purposes. Focus would be taken off the family. They would be viewed as victims. This public location offered a variety of scenarios and a wide assortment of possible suspects. In a private setting there are usually a small number of people directly tied to an incident. Let’s look at what we would have seen if public attention had been on the Walsh home.

John Walsh was a big man in a compact body. It appears that loving the females was proof of his masculinity as he made his way through college and went on to become a lifeguard on the beaches of Florida. He eventually decided his dangerous lifestyle would likely lead to an early death unless he got married. That is when he remembered Reve Drew from college.

Getting married does not always mean settling down. As he became a known figure he often made the tabloids with his choice of the day. It seems like morals have never been a requirement for being an expert on our kids. His own children were put through hell by sexual obsessions that have kept him captive for many years.

Being diagnosed as a sex addict was a revelation that he is the man he has spent years warning parents about. This is a condition that is very real and some of the symptoms are fantasy, masturbation, porn, seeking out multiple partners and an overwhelming feeling of regret once it was over. This tells us that we don’t know where he has been, where he is going next, the ages of those that have experienced the direct abuse. He is correct in saying it is an illness but this secret is also a betrayal of public trust. It is certainly possible to get the demons under control but his entire livelihood depends on sexual issues. It is not an environment in which to recover.

Now this is the same man who claimed to be a partner in a multi-million dollar hotel construction project in the Bahamas. It has an impressive sound and may be entirely true. However, the job he was reporting to and getting a paycheck from was in Bal Harbor where he arranged conventions for a hotel in the Bahamas. Salesman is a big step down from hotel magnate but it does help explain why his home went into foreclosure and his utilities had to be paid by others. Without a regular paycheck most of us would have the same experiences and there is no shame in needing help.

Let’s take another step back in time and look at Reve Walsh and her 4 year affair with James Campbell, friend of Walsh and godfather of Adam. After a 2 year stint as a house guest John kicked him out and there was an argument between the two men. But Campbell did not stay away. According to police reports he claims to have gone to the Walsh home on the very day that Adam was reported as missing. His visit took place after John had gone off to work at his sales job and James says he was closer to Adam than than his biological father. This appreciative guest wanted more than was offered.

This is the story that Campbell told more than once while attached to a lie detector. On the other side of the coin John Walsh has stated that Campbell was still living in the home when Adam disappeared. It can’t be that difficult to know who was living in the household. Either way there are still all of the ingredients of a dysfunctional family and disaster.

Police checked and rechecked this entire situation. It led nowhere. They checked and rechecked every lead concerning the mall. There was nothing to indicate that it was the scene of abduction. Over the years all sorts of speculation have been thrown into the mix but no concrete evidence has surfaced. It was a shock when a man that had been a rotting corpse for 10 years was named as the murderer and the case was closed. This has the makings of a cliffhanger and an opening is available for a sequel.

When Walsh dies he may find Toole waiting on the other side with a piece of lead pipe. In life this man did not have the opportunity to face his accusers or speak in his own defense so it was a slam-dunk for Walsh. Blaming a dead guy is a lot less messy and a timetable based on political expediency was possible.Toole had been silent for 10 years so the case was closed based on speculation.

Closing a 27 year old case would have been a great relief to those that were investigated and scrutinized over the years. A stumble by any of them could have swayed the whimsical public. A closed case would likely be reopened only with hard evidence such as a valid confession or an eye witness with inside information.

Losing a child does not make one an expert in saving them. In many cases it does not even make them better parents. Living with any kind of addict can be a huge burden. Living with one that has so much power must be a nightmare. But the dishonesty and sexual escapades speak for who we are as a nation. Morals are not a requirement for being a spokesman for our children.

Parents must show some common sense. Media teaches our children all of the details of illegal acts. We are all aware of the copycat incidents that give these actions momentum. Criminals our our creation.

Concrete answers concerning Adam would be a blessing for this entire nation. Papa John should take his rage and leave the world stage. Society should insist. The public view of an addict is someone who is weak, diseased, despised and disgraced so an inner turmoil is fierce and constant. Self-loathing is also a part of addiction. It must be very frustrating to want normal and find it is so elusive.
Angel McDade
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0307/15/lkl.00.html
http://www.wisn.com/news/10903529/detail.html
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118782905698506010.html
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960317&slug=2319536
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