john walsh sons muder finally closed after 27 years

Case Closed for John Walsh's sons Murder After 27 years

America's Most Wanted host Jon Walsh can finally rest easier in his son murder after 27 years, Ottis Toole abducted and killed Adam Walsh in 1981. Ottis died in prison in 1996. Ottis confessed to the crime but later retracted his confession then died before justice prevailed.

Police simply took another look at 27 years of tips, psychic revelations, often-botched police work and a serial killer's chilling admissions and decided it was time. Time to ease the suffering of the Walsh family and time to point the finger at the man Hollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner said had been the prime suspect all along: Ottis Toole.

"This is a process that is long overdue," Wagner told an audience that included Adam's parents, John and Reve Walsh.

Wagner acknowledged that not much had changed since 1996, when Toole died in prison while serving a sentence for an unrelated murder.

He had twice confessed to killing Adam and twice recanted.

"We could have charged him back then," Wagner said. "I've taken cases much weaker than this to the state attorney's office."

Wagner acknowledged that evidence was destroyed or overlooked and apologized to the Walshes for investigative mistakes.

Among the problems: Police lost a bloody carpet from Toole's 1971 Cadillac, then lost the car. They also missed leads, took poor investigative notes and didn't properly document evidence.The Walshes also lobbied for stronger laws before Congress and at the White House. John Walsh's television show, "America's Most Wanted," is credited with helping to solve hundreds of crimes.

"We can now move forward knowing positively who killed our little boy," John Walsh said. "I believe wherever Toole is, he's paying and being held accountable for his actions."

The lack of new evidence and the inability of Toole to defend himself won't quiet critics who said police got it wrong, Wagner said.

"If you're looking for that magic wand, that one piece of evidence, it's not there," Wagner said.

Although it will never bring their little boy back, they can finally find closer in knowing who did this horrific tragedy and move on. 

But I couldn't help but become enraged with the shotty Police work in this investigation, perhaps if everyone did their job correctly, the Walsh family wouldn't have had to wait 27 years for closer in this case.

Source
Author: christin Posted: 12/17/2008
Tags: dead  John Walsh