Killer's sordid plan sharpens Amish pain
Wednesday Oct 4 06:16 AEST
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=149462Excerpts:
The truck driver who slaughtered five Amish schoolgirls meant to molest them first and confessed to sexually preying on young relatives 20 years ago, according to police.
Suicidal killer Charles Roberts, 32, was also "angry with God," hated himself over the death of his premature infant daughter nine years ago and dreamed of molesting again, State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said.
With meticulous planning, Roberts took wood, latches and a lubricant to the one-room Pennsylvania schoolhouse, indicating intent to restrain and molest the schoolgirls before killing them, Miller said.
"With the kind of wood and I-bolts and flex cuffs and KY jelly and other things, ... it's very possible that he intended to victimize these children in many ways prior to executing them and killing himself," said the police chief.
"The KY jelly has no exact reason other than the potential for a sexual assault."
Roberts confessed to the past sexual assaults in a mobile phone call to his wife minutes before the slaughter, Miller said.
"He said 'I am not coming home,' and he states 'I molested some minor family members that were three or four years old, 20 years ago'," Miller said.
Roberts would have about 12 at the time.
"It's unknown what type of molestation whether it was fondling, or inappropriate touching or sexual assault or if anything occurred, we don't know."
"In his suicide note, he mentioned he was having dreams of molesting again," Miller said.
There was no evidence schoolhouse victims were molested before they were cut down in a hail of bullets which ended when Roberts turned the gun on himself.
The killer's wife said he was also traumatized by the loss of an infant daughter who lived for just 20 minutes after birth nine years ago.
"Roberts was angry with God for taking (her) as outlined in the suicide note," Miller said.
The tragic roll-call of the dead includes; Naomi Rose Eversole, 7; Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12; Marian Fisher, 13; Mary Liz Miller, 8; and her sister Lina Miller, 7.
Three girls, aged eight, 10 and 12, underwent surgery for gunshot wounds at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, and remained in critical condition.
President George W. Bush said in California he and wife Laura were "saddened and deeply concerned" like other Americans over a string of school shootings in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Wisconsin.
"We grieve with the parents and we share the concerns of those who worry about safety in schools," he said and said his government was planning talks on school safety next week.
Roberts ordered the 15 boys aged six to 13 and their teacher, who summoned the police, to leave, keeping behind 10 girls.
Police said Roberts nailed lumber across the inside of doors of the school. The girls were bound with wire and plastic cord and lined up against the blackboard.
