Szostak’s father speaks out about bizarre discovery

There have been several people who have linked the article on the smiley face killers in comments here on my blog.  I just want to let you all know that Mr. Szostak is aware of the story and has been working with the 2 NYC detectives.  Here’s the most recent article and video of Mr. Szostak.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Josh Szostak’s father is speaking on camera for the first time since a second autopsy was conducted on his son — and there’s a new hook to the story that has fueled further speculation.

We met up with Bill Szostak at the Port of Albany, the place where Albany police believe Josh entered the water back in December.

Today at that site, Bill Szostak noticed a smiley face at that location for the very first time. The smiley face was found on a tree near the water, and it’s a similar marking found at multiple crime scenes investigated by two retired New York City detectives who believe there are connections to a number of “accidental drowning” cases involving college students around the country.

The investigation gained national attention this week when an accidental drowning case in Minnesota was re-opened and ruled a homicide.

At this point, there’s no word on the authenticity of the smiley face found at the Port of Albany.

Bill Szostak has asked Albany police to check the paint to see if they can determine how long it’s been there.

Albany police closed the case after it was determined from the first autopsy that Szostak likely died from an accidental drowning.

Today, renowned Forensic Pathologist Dr. Michael Baden released the results of his autopsy — the second one conducted on the body of Josh Szostak. He told us the findings were consistent with the initial autopsy conducted in Greene County where Josh’s body was found in the Hudson River last week.

http://capitalnews9.com/content/top_stories/115158/szostak-s-father-speaks-out-about-bizarre-discovery/Default.aspx

Justice for Jaliek Bake Sale

Justice for Jaliek Bake Sale ~ Thursday May 1st

Jonathan’s Pizza ~ 31 North Pearl Street ~ Albany, NY

11am – 4pm

It just keeps getting more convincing

Please read the article below and note the bold print.  It might be all circumstantial but little by little the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together. 

• Kerr was the last one to see Jaliek
• Kerr refuses to take a polygraph
• Kerr comes up with different scenario’s as new information comes out
• Kerr takes down Jaliek’s posters
• Kerr still refuses to take a polygraph
• Kerr refuses LE to search van thought to be caught on surveillance video
• Kerr moves to VT
• Kerr lied about his route home the night Jaliek disappeared, phone records prove that
• Kerr does not actively search for Jaliek
• Kerr does not raise funds to advertise his sons disappearance
• Kerr did not contact Texas EqquSearch
• Kerr has not helped in the search with Texas EqquSearch

If you read the article below then you know that sonar picked up an image in the Hudson River BEHIND JALIEK’S GRANDFATHER’S PLACE OF BUSINESS NEAR TROY.

Does any of this mean that Stephen Kerr was responsible for Jaliek’s disappearance?  No.  Will it help build a case against Stephen Kerr if Jaliek is found in the Hudson River behind Kerr’s father’s business?  You decide.

“Unusual” images picked up during search for Jaliek

CAPITAL REGION — The search party for Jaliek Rainwalker is taking the week off after finding two unusual images over the weekend.

The 12-year-old has been missing for nearly six months now.

The search for the Greenwich boy shifted downstream this weekend, with volunteers combing the Hudson from Troy to Albany.

Texas EquuSearch volunteers from Ohio brought in a side-scan sonar to search parts of the river that haven’t been combed over yet.

Jaliek’s former care taker Elaine Person — who is part of the search — said that two “unusual” images were picked up by the side-scan sonar during Sunday’s search.

A copy of the sonar reading has been sent to Greenwich police, but Chief George Bell said he’s not an expert so he has passed it along to State Police.

Police will then determine if they will send divers to check the bottom of the river based on those images.

One sonar reading was taken behind Jaliek’s grandfather’s place of business., near Troy behind Mooradians. The second sonar reading was taken right under the Hoosick Street Bridge.

No more searching is scheduled for this week. Friends and family are holding a bake sale Thursday on South Pearl Street to raise money for the search.

http://capitalnews9.com/content/top_stories/115034/-unusual–images-picked-up-during-search-for-jaliek/Default.aspx

America’s Most Wanted

National Group Searches For Missing Boy

National search group Equusearch and police in Greenwich, N.Y. have teamed up in the search for missing child Jaliek Rainwalker.

Equusearch founder Tim Miller tells AMW he is sending his full fleet of boats, planes and volunteers to aid in the search for the missing boy.

After months of searching with few clues to show for it, Jaliek’s grandmother Barbara Reeley reached out to Miller asking for help.

Miller says when he heard the young boy’s story, he was moved and then felt compelled to act.

“This is one of them heartbreaking stories.” Miller says.  “This little boy never had a chance from birth, and we can’t let him be just a throwaway kid.”

Starting Friday, Equusearch crews will begin canvassing Greenwich and Troy using drone planes, sonar scanners mounted on boats, and horses for ground searches.

http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=50696

A second look into Szostak case

Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael M. Baden said Sunday afternoon he will conduct a second autopsy on the body of 21-year-old Joshua Szostak in the next few days.

Baden, reached by phone in Manhattan on Sunday, said he wouldn’t discuss the case and referred questions to Szostak’s father, Bill.

Bill Szostak wouldn’t confirm Baden’s involvement in the case. But he repeated his belief that foul play was involved in the death of his son, whose body was found last week floating in the Hudson River in Coxsackie — four months after he was last seen leaving a bar in downtown Albany.

“I agree it’s not accidental,” Bill Szostak said, adding he may have more to say on Wednesday.

Joshua Szostak, Case NOT Closed

I don’t understand how the Albany Police could close Joshua’s case so quickly.  A second autopsy is being performed today by Michael Baden.  For those of you who think that Josh’s death was an accident please go to this site, your opinion might change.

Please don’t let the title of this post confuse you.  As far as the Albany Police are concerned the case is closed.  As far as the Szostak family is concerned, this case is far from closed. 

Sonar guides search for Rainwalker

ALBANY — A search volunteer using sonar equipment Sunday said he found two suspect places in the Hudson River where divers should take a closer look for missing Greenwich 12-year-old Jaliek Rainwalker.

John L. Sanders, director of the National Underwater Rescue & Recovery Institute in Circleville, Ohio, took a pontoon boat north up the Hudson Sunday looking for any sign that Rainwalker’s body might be at the bottom. Sanders used sonar equipment that reads objects on the bottom of the river.

Sanders, who does this work on a volunteer basis, sailed north from the Port of Albany and focused much of Sunday’s search in the Troy area. Cambridge-Greenwich Police have previously said that Rainwalker’s adoptive father, Stephen Kerr, received a cellphone call in South Troy the night before Rainwalker disappeared on Nov. 1. Cambridge-Greenwich Police have called Kerr a person of interest, but he has not been charged. Kerr has said Rainwalker ran away.

Volunteers continue search for Jaliek as six month anniversary approaches

ALBANY, N.Y. — The search for Jaliek continues as the half-year anniversary of his disappearance approaches. On Sunday, volunteers from Ohio came in to use their side-scan sonar to search areas of the Hudson River that haven’t been looked at yet.

“This is the way all things will be found underwater,” said John Sanders, a volunteer with Texas EquuSearch.

 

Sanders has 45 years of search and recovery experience under his belt. On Sunday, he took his skills to an area of the Hudson that police say Stephen Kerr was in — and making phone calls — the night Jaliek disappeared.

“There’s a particular area that hasn’t been searched and with the cell tower pings, we think it’s an area we should take a look at,” Sanders said.

Busy day in the Capital District

There’s a lot of news developing on two names we have become familiar with, Jaliek Rainwalker and Joshua Szostak.  I will do my best to keep you posted. 

Help needed …if anyone (Steve!!!) knows how to create seperate pages in wordpress could you leave a comment with directions.  There is so much going on with these two cases and I would like them to have their own page but I don’t know how to do it.  Thanks!