I believe that the mystery lovers in our midst will like this story sent to me by Baby Sis. I enjoyed it, but then I always like stories dealing with the ironic!
For the mystery fans...
Better than Agatha Christie
Anyone want to take a shot at the odds of this ever happening again?
For those who have served on a jury, this one is something to think about. Just when you think you have heard everything!
Do you like to read a good murder mystery?
Not even Law and Order would attempt to capture this mess.
This is an unbelievable twist of fate!
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science (AAFS), President Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death.
Here is the story:
On March 23, 1994, the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus, and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head.
Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide. He left a note to that effect indicating his despondency.
As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window, which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the deceased was aware that a safety net had been installed just below the eighth floor level to protect some building workers, and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.
The room on the ninth floor, where the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun! The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife, and the pellets went through the window, striking Mr. Opus.
When one intends to kill subject 'A' but kills subject 'B' in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject 'B.'
When confronted with the murder charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant, and both said that they thought the shotgun was not loaded. The old man said it was a long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun.
He had no intention to murder her. Therefore the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, assuming the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident.
It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother.
Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was guilty of the murder even though he didn't actually pull the trigger. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.
Now comes the exquisite twist...
Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten-story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window. The son, Ronald Opus, had actually murdered himself. So the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
A true story from Associated Press.
I would say that this is the ultimate story of irony, wouldn't you? I mean, who could make this stuff up?
Coffee out on the patio this morning. Fresh cantaloupe on the side.
12 comments:
I didn't see that one coming. Good story!
Too early for coffee, back to bed, I think. Sometimes the best way to start the day.
That would have made a good tale for the "Twilight Zone"! Fresh cantaloupe is always a nice treat.
I love this story...as you said...no one could make that up....patio n cantaloupe sound good :))
That is one terrific story. I loved it; great one for Freaky Friday!! Fresh cantaloupe sounds good. Have a great weekend.
Getting good reviews, Bubba - hope you have a quiet weekend in anticipation of the next.
Big hugs ~ Baby Sis
Now that was a good story. Yes it sure did have a twist.
Nice morning for sitting out drinking coffee I better get a move on before the heat gets started climbing.
Good one, again.
Hey Sixbears...
I sure can't argue with that reasoning!
Thanks for coming over this morning!
Hey Phyllis...
Guess that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
Thanks for coming over today!
Hey Mamahen...
Sometimes the truth makes for a good story.
Thanks for coming over this morning!
Hey Linda M...
This is the kind of story that Freaky Friday was made for!
Thanks for the visit today!
Hey Sis...
I knew that it would be perfect for today! Thanks for sharing it.
I appreciate you coming over today!
Hey Jo...
I'm sure glad that you liked it. Seemed like a good one for today.
Thanks, sweetie, for dropping in this morning!
Hey John...
Certainly glad that you liked the story.
Thanks also for stopping by today!
OMG!! that is astounding. Thanks for sharing.
Oh wow!! What more can I add. That was a great one HJ.
Hey Annie...
Certainly my pleasure...and I'm glad that you liked it.
Many thanks for coming by today!
Hey Dizzy...
I figured you might like this one. Fits in the freaky catagory, don't you think?
Thanks for dropping by today!
That was a great story! Thanks for sharing.
Hugs
~Fel~
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