Interview with Officer Gatie re: Anonymous Informant & Henry
Oct 9, 2021 17:38:50 GMT
snoho17 likes this
Post by Hope on Oct 9, 2021 17:38:50 GMT
The above report summarized how Chuck, and then eventually, Henry came to be POI's. The interview below was conducted by Josh Hancock or a member of his team after the documentary. It was with a former Lassen County Sheriff's Deputy (Gatie) who discussed the man, Wally Ringer, who reported Henry Thompson's confession to him months after Chuck and Henry first became POI's.
by jhancock » Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:39 pm
Thanks to Mr. Gatie who answered these questions for us. Before his responses, Mr. Gatie added, "It's easy to Monday morning quarterback the mistakes or errors made. I have to believe that all involved were doing their best at the time to solve this crime. Not a lot of information sharing took place at the time. Investigators and Sheriff Thomas seemed to play their cards close to their chest and it was detrimental to the case. Very basic mistakes like not securing the scene instantly and not calling in the forensic pros (DOJ) right away could have caused some harm to the evidence collection process." How would Gatie know? Besides, Klement had the scene locked down by 8:20 and DOJ CSI's were there by noon.
1. In what capacity were you employed at the time of the Keddie Murders? Do you recall when you first were notified about them?
I was serving the Westwood area as a resident Deputy sheriff with the Lassen County Sheriff’s Dept at the time of the murders. Knew of the murders in short order can’t recall how I first learned of them. Most likely through an informational teletype sent by PCSO or discussions with the Deputies out of the Chester office.
2. What was the mood like in places like Keddie, Quincy, Chester, and Westwood after word of the murders got out? Were people talking about them? Did people feel like the murderers were still in their midst, or that they had moved on?
Deep concern by those area residents. People were talking about the murders (very small close knit communities); most expressed at the time a hope that the suspects were caught and brought to justice. This is still the case. Some expressed a healthy fear or concern about the murders.
People and law enforcement (me and my partners) didn’t know where the suspects were – that they could very much be amongst us. Heard everything from people thought the suspects were transients or bums off the railcars that passed through, druggies, domestic relationship that went awry ,etc.
Everything imaginable was said. What didn’t take place was there didn’t seem to be a lot of information that was shared with neighboring law enforcement about the investigation…. It may have been that (PCSO) had no need to share or seek area law enforcement assistance.
3. How did you first hear from Wally Ringer? Why did he contact you? What did Mr. Ringer have to say about the Keddie Murders?
Wally was an area resident (Westwood) and I happened to be on duty (early evening) at the Sheriff’s sub Station office when he walked in to report the Hank Thompson confession to him. (Didn’t know the suspect name until I viewed the DVD [Then why should we believe he "knows" ANYTHING else?])
I do recall Wally sharing information about some person or connection with a party out of Livermore, Ca. The DVD reminded me of this bit of info. Can’t be more specific, just that I recall Wally telling me that there was another party that left or fled to Livermore following the murders.
Rather than get a detailed statement from Mr. Ringer at the time, I called PCSO to report his information to them generally and told Mr Ringer that the PCSO investigators would be contacting him for a detailed statement. I recall that Mr Ringer reported to me that he was working with the susp.
on the railroad at the time. Wally shared with me that the susp, he and others were sleeping in a railroad sleeper car in the Little valley area when Wally shared that susp – Thompson woke him up reporting that he (Thompson) was having nightmares about the murders in Keddie. Wally stated to me that it was as if Thompson shared his involvement with Wally in an effort to ease his conscious about the crimes at the time.
4. After you reported Mr. Ringer's story to the PCSO, did you ever hear anything about a follow-up? Did you ever hear from Mr. Ringer again?
I do recall hearing from Wally and was told that he gave his detailed statement to the PCSO. I don’t recall ever hearing anything from PCSO about the Keddie murder investigation. The deputies from Chester and our office would meet from time to time to discuss issues in the area. The Chester guys
felt they were in the dark about the case at the time as well.
5. Why do you think the murders were never solved? Could they be solved today? If so, what might it take to make that happen (or to help make that happen?)
Don’t know! Wasn’t involved in the investigation closely enough to know why it wasn’t solved. Insufficient evidence would be the reason. The case could be solved today. New investigative techniques etc are available that were not readily used at the time ie DNA analysis etc. Cold case detc’s are solving cases all over this country; I don’t know why this case would be any different. The case is thirty years old and many witnesses etc may be deceased etc. This would be problematic. I think a fresh set of eyes teamed with some of the old investigators could rework the case and quite possibly solve it. Hagwood would have to dedicate a point person and commit some resources to thoroughly rework the case. They ( PCSO) could be doing so?? Your DVD piece indicated that the PCSO has fresh eyes looking at the case periodically. This is a good start. Small rural law enforcement agency investigators typically wear a lot of hats and don’t often have the time that this case would require. I think Hagwood could assemble some retired guys from his agency that are objective and passionate about solving the case and see that it gets the full time attention that it would require to rework the case in its entirety. Then and only then - will this case have a reasonable chance at getting solved.
I'm not accusing Chuck or Henry of anything. My hope is that people can read old reports available to us (that seem to have been conveniently forgotten over the years) and remember that Marty Smartt was not the only person who had a "confession" or that the police were looking at. And we must remember that we have never seen a real report on Marty's confession or a follow up by the DOJ (and I'd just about bet the DOJ interviewed Marty Smartt after his "confession" was reported - just as Henry was re interviewed by police after his confession was reported).
by jhancock » Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:39 pm
Thanks to Mr. Gatie who answered these questions for us. Before his responses, Mr. Gatie added, "It's easy to Monday morning quarterback the mistakes or errors made. I have to believe that all involved were doing their best at the time to solve this crime. Not a lot of information sharing took place at the time. Investigators and Sheriff Thomas seemed to play their cards close to their chest and it was detrimental to the case. Very basic mistakes like not securing the scene instantly and not calling in the forensic pros (DOJ) right away could have caused some harm to the evidence collection process." How would Gatie know? Besides, Klement had the scene locked down by 8:20 and DOJ CSI's were there by noon.
1. In what capacity were you employed at the time of the Keddie Murders? Do you recall when you first were notified about them?
I was serving the Westwood area as a resident Deputy sheriff with the Lassen County Sheriff’s Dept at the time of the murders. Knew of the murders in short order can’t recall how I first learned of them. Most likely through an informational teletype sent by PCSO or discussions with the Deputies out of the Chester office.
2. What was the mood like in places like Keddie, Quincy, Chester, and Westwood after word of the murders got out? Were people talking about them? Did people feel like the murderers were still in their midst, or that they had moved on?
Deep concern by those area residents. People were talking about the murders (very small close knit communities); most expressed at the time a hope that the suspects were caught and brought to justice. This is still the case. Some expressed a healthy fear or concern about the murders.
People and law enforcement (me and my partners) didn’t know where the suspects were – that they could very much be amongst us. Heard everything from people thought the suspects were transients or bums off the railcars that passed through, druggies, domestic relationship that went awry ,etc.
Everything imaginable was said. What didn’t take place was there didn’t seem to be a lot of information that was shared with neighboring law enforcement about the investigation…. It may have been that (PCSO) had no need to share or seek area law enforcement assistance.
3. How did you first hear from Wally Ringer? Why did he contact you? What did Mr. Ringer have to say about the Keddie Murders?
Wally was an area resident (Westwood) and I happened to be on duty (early evening) at the Sheriff’s sub Station office when he walked in to report the Hank Thompson confession to him. (Didn’t know the suspect name until I viewed the DVD [Then why should we believe he "knows" ANYTHING else?])
I do recall Wally sharing information about some person or connection with a party out of Livermore, Ca. The DVD reminded me of this bit of info. Can’t be more specific, just that I recall Wally telling me that there was another party that left or fled to Livermore following the murders.
Rather than get a detailed statement from Mr. Ringer at the time, I called PCSO to report his information to them generally and told Mr Ringer that the PCSO investigators would be contacting him for a detailed statement. I recall that Mr Ringer reported to me that he was working with the susp.
on the railroad at the time. Wally shared with me that the susp, he and others were sleeping in a railroad sleeper car in the Little valley area when Wally shared that susp – Thompson woke him up reporting that he (Thompson) was having nightmares about the murders in Keddie. Wally stated to me that it was as if Thompson shared his involvement with Wally in an effort to ease his conscious about the crimes at the time.
4. After you reported Mr. Ringer's story to the PCSO, did you ever hear anything about a follow-up? Did you ever hear from Mr. Ringer again?
I do recall hearing from Wally and was told that he gave his detailed statement to the PCSO. I don’t recall ever hearing anything from PCSO about the Keddie murder investigation. The deputies from Chester and our office would meet from time to time to discuss issues in the area. The Chester guys
felt they were in the dark about the case at the time as well.
5. Why do you think the murders were never solved? Could they be solved today? If so, what might it take to make that happen (or to help make that happen?)
Don’t know! Wasn’t involved in the investigation closely enough to know why it wasn’t solved. Insufficient evidence would be the reason. The case could be solved today. New investigative techniques etc are available that were not readily used at the time ie DNA analysis etc. Cold case detc’s are solving cases all over this country; I don’t know why this case would be any different. The case is thirty years old and many witnesses etc may be deceased etc. This would be problematic. I think a fresh set of eyes teamed with some of the old investigators could rework the case and quite possibly solve it. Hagwood would have to dedicate a point person and commit some resources to thoroughly rework the case. They ( PCSO) could be doing so?? Your DVD piece indicated that the PCSO has fresh eyes looking at the case periodically. This is a good start. Small rural law enforcement agency investigators typically wear a lot of hats and don’t often have the time that this case would require. I think Hagwood could assemble some retired guys from his agency that are objective and passionate about solving the case and see that it gets the full time attention that it would require to rework the case in its entirety. Then and only then - will this case have a reasonable chance at getting solved.
I'm not accusing Chuck or Henry of anything. My hope is that people can read old reports available to us (that seem to have been conveniently forgotten over the years) and remember that Marty Smartt was not the only person who had a "confession" or that the police were looking at. And we must remember that we have never seen a real report on Marty's confession or a follow up by the DOJ (and I'd just about bet the DOJ interviewed Marty Smartt after his "confession" was reported - just as Henry was re interviewed by police after his confession was reported).