A woman had been attacked at knifepoint, tied up, and raped in her home in Golden, Colorado. Armstrongs appearance at Elliott Bay Book Company provided some insight into how this remarkable piece came to be. Mr. Blynn began his career as a Crime Scene Investigator/Latent Fingerprint Examiner with the Miami Dade Public Safety Department in Florida. We believe in compensating all of our contributors (even though it is probably modest, compared to larger websites and magazines). Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Oh, and were on Instagram too. In the final episode of Unbelievable, we learn that the incredible police work conducted by Detective Stacy Galbraith ('Karen Duvall' in Unbelievable, played by Merritt Wever) and Detective Edna Hendershot (AKA 'Grace Rasmussen', played by Toni Collette) resulted in an arrest. One person they didn't talk to was one of the two officers who were tasked with investigating the case, Detective Jerry Rittgarn, who looks to have scrubbed almost everything off of his LinkedIn . It broke me, she said of the doubt she was raped and its repercussions. NEXT: Top 10 BBC Drama Shows Available On Netflix Spring 2020 (According To IMDb), Netflix's Unbelievable: 5 Things They Based On The True Story (& 5 Things They Changed), 10 Things In Netflix's Unbelievable That Were Shockingly Real, Toni Collette: 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes, 10 Weird True Crime Stories Netflix Should Cover In A Documentary Next, 10 Best Netflix Original Scary Movies (According To IMDb), Top 10 BBC Drama Shows Available On Netflix Spring 2020 (According To IMDb). An internal review found that the second interview conducted by Mason and Rittgarn was "designed to elicit a confession of false reporting" from Marie and that a call from her foster mother unduly swayed Mason's judgement. Ken Armstrong, a former reporter with the Seattle Times, came by Elliott Bay Book Company on Wednesday evening to read from, and talk about, his new book. Hendershot also knew of a 2009 case that occurred in Aurorathe attackers methods were identical. The Most Iconic Celebrity Best Friendships, The Most Iconic Old Hollywood Engagement Rings, The Most Iconic Oscar Dresses of All Time, Christie Brinkley Honors 69th Birthday in New IG. According to the Pro Publica article titled 'An Unbelievable Story of Rape', Lynnwood Police Chief Steven Jensen requested an outside review of his department. The real cop is named Jerry Rittgarn, who at the time of Maries attack had been a detective for eleven years, but with a background in helicopters and the aerospace industry. What is alarming, though, is that it is easy to imagine something like this happening inside any police department, not just ones that are hilariously inept (like Bellevue). Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The doubt that Marie confronted, on the other hand, leaves no trail of did he or didnt he. Coloma, MI Marie herself also found some peace of sorts as she ventured off to start a new life with $150,000 awarded to her by the state after settling a lawsuit out of court. Miller and Armstrong point out a pattern in Lynnwood. Today, Rittgarn is retired from the force and working as a private investigator. Marie (Kaitlyn Dever) is questioned by Detective Parker (Eric Lange) and Detective Pruitt (Bill Fagerbakke). Her co-star Danielle Macdonald also revealed what she thought of Marie's investigation. It would be several years later before we would all learn that she was telling the truth. Facebook gives people the power. He is a member of the state and federal bars of Wisconsin, and he is a licensed professional investigator in the State of Michigan. Steve Rider, the commander of Lynnwoods Criminal Investigations Division, also called Maries case a major failing. Still, no one in the Lynnwood Police Department faced disciplinary action. The sight titillated 5-year-old Marc, who later said hed imprinted on fear and humiliation like a young animal bonding to the first creature it sees.. The next paragraph in Armstrong and Williams book notes Det. If the actual rapist hadnt moved to Colorado and resumed his activities outside of Lynnwood PDs jurisdiction, its very possible we might never have learned what really happened. Mr. Alexander retired from the FBI after over 30 years. After claiming that she'd actually made the attack up in her head, the police then charged Marie with filing a false report, and once news got out about what she'd said, her reputation was ruined. Others were less willing to engage publicly in such self-reflection. Read the story here. What happens next is of monumental importance, and I hope the right people take the right lessons from this book. The following article contains discussion of sexual assault that some readers may find upsetting. He is a licensed professional investigator in the State of Michigan. In hindsight, it was my job to get to the bottom of it and I didnt.". Because I feel that if I would have shut my mouth, she said. Even though Armstrong and Miller are two men reporting on a crime that overwhelmingly affects women, he said during the Q&A that there was a lot of input from editors, copy editors, and early readers that were women and that had a big impact in crafting the story. The Bureau Group is the premier private investigative firm in West Michigan. Mr. Alexander has been involved in numerous FBI investigations to include white collar crimes, violent crimes, crimes against children and the elderly, crimes against corporations, and crimes against federal/local governments. Rittgarn left the police department before Marie's rapist was caught in 2011, while Manson simply moved back to his position at narcotics. One example, he noted, was using the word groped instead of fondled because groped is more likely to be read as non-consensual. Anyone can read what you share. The co-author of A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle (206-624-6600 or elliottbaybook.com). So, what really happened during Maries case? And that moving phone call between Marie and Duvall at the end of the series? The John Grisham-worthy twist comes from the investigation of three rapes 1,300 miles away, in two suburbs and a city outside of Denver. After hours of questioning Marie, Detective Parker calls in some backup. Dahmer's LGBTQ+ controversy and backlash explained. You can also visit online.rainn.org to receive support via confidential online chat. Its an important and instructive book that has the potential to improve policing across the country, and contrasts good and bad policing. The other, Detective Jerry Rittgarn, left the department of his own accord. You can read the full award-winning article An Unbelievable Story of Rape here. The implicit bias against sexual assault victims is a national embarrassment that extends far beyond the Lynnwood borders. What's more, of the sexual violence crimes not reported to police from 2005 to 2010, 13% believed the police would not do anything to help, according to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Instead of being treated like the victim she was, Marie was questioned repeatedly by the two male detectives in charge of her case who began to poke and prod at inconsistencies in her story. Crying, said she was "pretty positive" the rape occurred, and that wasn't affirmative enough for the cops. The Bureau Group is the premier private investigative firm in West Michigan. How can these cops not believe her? He holds FBI certifications as a Police Instructor, SWAT Operator, Tactical Instructor, and Firearms Instructor. Her hobbies include perpetual coffee sipping and pretending to be a Chopped contestant while cooking. Another detective in Aurora explains how he learned that there is no right way for a survivor to respond to an assault. Ph: 269-217-6668 Jeffrey Mason and Jerry Rittgarn. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}'WoF' Fans Say This Is the Biggest Choke on Show, Mayim Bialik and Her Boyfriend Post Powerful IG, Jennifer Love Hewitt Got Honest About Aging on IG, Jenna Ortega Wore an Epic Leather Corset Dress, Sarah Michelle Gellar Wore a See-Through Bra on IG. When Cunningham received a call from a crying Marie, she recounted that it sounded like a lot of drama.. Join to connect "I'm watching #Unbelievable and the differences of approach in questioning rape victims by male and female cops is incredibly alarming. Sgt. Our pictures and experiences are listed on our website because we believe our experience levels and our expertise are what set us far apart from other investigative agencies. It sounds clich, I guess, but its really kind of an actual Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in real life, OLeary said at his own trial. His investigative experience includes major crimes, fraud, larceny, internal investigations, and vehicle identification. Youll love our magazine! At 25, she is raw but also resilient. She jumped from her bedroom window before she was raped in her home in Lakewood. They remained truthful to the details and the investigation, but out of respect for all of the women, they changed their names. And to make matters worse, she received a letter stating that she was wanted in court and being charged with false reporting, punishable by up to a year in jail. They moved from looking exclusively at unsolved rape cases to looking at home invasions as well, and they found an interesting case. The aforementioned Pro Publica article mentions that Mason had only investigated one rape before he was put in charge of Marie's case as lead investigator. Ken Armstrong said early in his talk that there had been some physical evidence that would corroborate Marie, but when presented with some doubt by people close to the victim, the police changed strategy and bullied Marie into confessing to inventing the crime. In these units, Mr. Neil became well-schooled in the areas of both overt and covert surveillances and high level white collar crimes. Most of what we see in Netflix's adaptation is true to what happened in real life, and you can read more about that right here. Additionally, Mr. Crumb was responsible for pre-employment screening and the investigations of threats directed toward Amway, as well as workplace violence training. martyvandervliet@thebureaugroup.com. Thomas Jefferson writing to James Madison in 1786. Manson has publicly and privately apologized to Marie for the way he handled this case and has since moved back to the narcotics division. View the profiles of people named Jerry Rittgarn. What I cannot escape is the cruelty built into our criminal justice system when the powerful arbitrarily decide they dont want to believe someone. jerry rittgarn (194414335)'s profile on Myspace, the place where people come to connect, discover, and share. The full award-winning article an Unbelievable Story of Rape here in some backup of 2009! Before we would all learn that she was telling the truth book notes Det, fraud, larceny, investigations... 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