Leakin Park murder: Conviction for Facebook "friend"

[Jeebus]

January 3, 2013 -- A Baltimore City Circuit Court jury convicted Kenneth Todd Brunetti for murdering Lois Jean Vance Smyth in 2011, stealing her car and bank card, and leaving her for dead in a park.

On May 29, 2011, the victim left her Anne Arundel County home at roughly 2:30 p.m. to drive to Baltimore City to meet Kenneth Todd Brunetti, purportedly to attend a cookout together. In January of the same year, the two found each other on Facebook and rekindled a friendship that had begun in high school.

Less than four hours later, at 6:19 p.m., the victim's body was discovered in Leakin Park by a woman jogging along the Gwynns Falls Trail. She had been shot one time in the head and killed.

Two days later, the police arrested Brunetti at a motel in the 5800 block of Reisterstown Road, where he was observed getting into the victim's missing car. He also was in possession of the victim's stolen bank card.

Maryland Criminal History of Kenneth Todd Brunetti, born 05/30/1971

[sigmalady]

Its good that her killer was found and convicted. Too many murders go unsolved. May she rest in peace. I wonder whether she was aware of his criminal history.

[yuca]

Wow... Some "friend" he was. Sad story.

While much of the violence in Baltimore is thug-on-thug, we must never forget cases like this, where innocent people also become victims.

[Gopher]

Interesting. Another prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Unfortunately, he used that firearm to commit a murder.

As a result of his conviction for robbery, attempted murder, assault, etc. in 1989 in Anne Arundel County (Strike One), he was a prohibited person in possession when he was found guilty of armed carjacking in 2004 in Baltimore City (Strike 2). He was sentenced to 20 years w/ 11 years suspended. He was later arrested in 2010 for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license. Since it’s not likely he was operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license while in prison, he actually only served about six years for the armed carjacking and being a prohibited person in possession.

Nine months later in May of 2011, when one could reasonably argue that he should have still been in prison, Ms. Smyth is dead. Murdered by a twice previously convicted violent prohibited person in possession of a firearm (Strike 3). Obviously the criminal `justice system responsible for enforcing the laws that already exist must have assumed that his constitutional right to walk freely amongst us was more important than Ms. Smyth’s right to live.

If convicted, how many more chances do you think we should give this guy? If we are not going to enforce the laws aimed at violent convicted felons in possession of firearms then why not just repeal them? Seems rather pointless to have them.

[sigmalady]

Interesting. Another prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Unfortunately, he used that firearm to commit a murder.

As a result of his conviction for robbery, attempted murder, assault, etc. in 1989 in Anne Arundel County (Strike One), he was a prohibited person in possession when he was found guilty of armed carjacking in 2004 in Baltimore City (Strike 2). He was sentenced to 20 years w/ 11 years suspended. He was later arrested in 2010 for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license. Since it’s not likely he was operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license while in prison, he actually only served about six years for the armed carjacking and being a prohibited person in possession.

Nine months later in May of 2011, when one could reasonably argue that he should have still been in prison, Ms. Smyth is dead. Murdered by a twice previously convicted violent prohibited person in possession of a firearm (Strike 3). Obviously the criminal `justice system responsible for enforcing the laws that already exist must have assumed that his constitutional right to walk freely amongst us was more important than Ms. Smyth’s right to live.

If convicted, how many more chances do you think we should give this guy? If we are not going to enforce the laws aimed at violent convicted felons in possession of firearms then why not just repeal them? Seems rather pointless to have them.

You make some good points. Unfortunately, too often the severity of the penalty is based on the social standing of the victim.

[Marshan Man]

January 3, 2013 -- A Baltimore City Circuit Court jury convicted Kenneth Todd Brunetti for murdering Lois Jean Vance Smyth in 2011, stealing her car and bank card, and leaving her for dead in a park.



Maryland Criminal History of Kenneth Todd Brunetti, born 05/30/1971

That's a weird, but interesting site. I spent wmy whole lunch break reading through all the Leakin Park/Gwynns Falls stuff...

[Gopher]

Unfortunately, too often the severity of the penalty is based on the social standing of the victim.

And the social standing of the perpetrator as well.

[musicmd]

Wow... Some "friend" he was. Sad story.

While much of the violence in Baltimore is thug-on-thug, we must never forget cases like this, where innocent people also become victims.

You find cases like this all over the USA, guess what some even involve rich people who act like you. Try watching ID on cable. The first known murder of a victim met online was in 1996. Depending on the venue used, other terms used in the media are Internet chat room killer, Craigslist killer, Facebook serial killer. Internet homicide can also be part of an Internet suicide pact or consensual homicide. Some commentators believe that reports on these homicides have overemphasized their connection to the Internet. In 1996, a Maryland internet entrepreneur named Sharon Lopatka arranged for her own torture and strangulation over the Internet. The man who killed her was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. A murderer who found victims via suicide chat rooms and/or web sites was the Japanese serial killer Hiroshi Maeue. One internet killer, Lisa M. Montgomery, met her victim in a rat terrier fancier's chatroom called "Ratter Chatte.
The first known murder of a victim met online was in 1996. Depending on the venue used, other terms used in the media are Internet chat room killer, Craigslist killer, Facebook serial killer. Internet homicide can also be part of an Internet suicide pact or consensual homicide. Some commentators believe that reports on these homicides have overemphasized their connection to the Internet.
In 1996, a Maryland internet entrepreneur named Sharon Lopatka arranged for her own torture and strangulation over the Internet. The man who killed her was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. A murderer who found victims via suicide chat rooms and/or web sites was the Japanese serial killer Hiroshi Maeue. One internet killer, Lisa M. Montgomery, met her victim in a rat terrier fancier's chatroom called "Ratter Chatte
The consensual murder of Bernd Jürgen Brandes by the so-called "Internet cannibal" Armin Meiwes; the two met at a web site called The Cannibal Cafe, where people described their fantasies of cannibalism, and where Meiwes openly advertised for a willing victim.[3][35]
Michael John Anderson was convicted of murdering Katherine Olson in Minnesota in October 2007. According to an article in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, "The 19-year-old Savage man used craigslist to lure Katherine Ann Olson to his home for a fictitious baby-sitting job, then shot her in the back
In 1998, Chris Dean, a truck driver from Indiana, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 17-year-old Chris Marquis from Vermont. Marquis operated a scam in which he would pose as the 27-year-old proprietor of a fictional shop called the CB Shack, and offer to trade merchandise with people online. When people sent Marquis their goods, he would either not send anything back or would send something old or broken. Dean fell victim to this, built a pipe bomb and mailed it to Marquis, killing him and injuring his mother.[36]
David Russell, a UK McDonald's worker, impersonated Bring Me The Horizon singer Oliver Sykes to seduce a California woman he met on Facebook before slitting her throat and repeatedly stabbing her. Russell, 20, has been jailed for life after admitting to the kidnap and attempted murder of Maricar Benedicto, 19, who he met online in 2010.[37]
Robert Frederick Glass, a computer analyst from North Carolina killed Sharon Lopatka by torture and strangulation in a case of apparent consensual homicide on October 16, 1996. Lopatka used the Internet, where she also advertised pornography related to unusual sexual fetishes, to locate Glass, who was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter for the crime.[19][38]
Christian Grotheer, known as "Germany's First Internet Killer," confessed he admitted to
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/murder.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/ny...ngle.html?_r=0


You are such a drama queen.

[musicmd]

And the social standing of the perpetrator as well.

Yuca just proved your point.

[musicmd]

Interesting. Another prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Unfortunately, he used that firearm to commit a murder.

As a result of his conviction for robbery, attempted murder, assault, etc. in 1989 in Anne Arundel County (Strike One), he was a prohibited person in possession when he was found guilty of armed carjacking in 2004 in Baltimore City (Strike 2). He was sentenced to 20 years w/ 11 years suspended. He was later arrested in 2010 for operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license. Since it’s not likely he was operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license while in prison, he actually only served about six years for the armed carjacking and being a prohibited person in possession.

Nine months later in May of 2011, when one could reasonably argue that he should have still been in prison, Ms. Smyth is dead. Murdered by a twice previously convicted violent prohibited person in possession of a firearm (Strike 3). Obviously the criminal `justice system responsible for enforcing the laws that already exist must have assumed that his constitutional right to walk freely amongst us was more important than Ms. Smyth’s right to live.

If convicted, how many more chances do you think we should give this guy? If we are not going to enforce the laws aimed at violent convicted felons in possession of firearms then why not just repeal them? Seems rather pointless to have them.

Ask the baltimore's new SA.

[musicmd]

That's a weird, but interesting site. I spent wmy whole lunch break reading through all the Leakin Park/Gwynns Falls stuff...

Just think if the perp was white, you just may spent your lunch break reading about a lake in columbia.(posted by spot) jeebus still has the upper hand, her threads are not merged.

[sigmalady]

Wow... Some "friend" he was. Sad story.

While much of the violence in Baltimore is thug-on-thug, we must never forget cases like this, where innocent people also become victims.

I agree with you. These two people were high school friends/ acquaintances, not a pair of random strangers. I just hope he never spends another day as a free man.

[sigmalady]

That's a weird, but interesting site. I spent wmy whole lunch break reading through all the Leakin Park/Gwynns Falls stuff...

One of the victims was a very good friend of mine.

[Marshan Man]

Sorry to hear that. I grew up and still live in that area. I frequent the GFT in warmer weather...love exploring those trails, but always afraid of what I might find.

Of course my job has me "exploring" wooded areas throughout the state, and finding something awful is always in the back of my mind.

[sigmalady]

The really sad thing is that the OP doesn't really care about the victim, only the races of the victim and the murderer.

[Jeebus]

The really sad thing is that the OP doesn't really care about the victim, only the races of the victim and the murderer.

I am always happy to share good news about a murdering thug getting convicted, regardless of race. Thugs are thugs. Lock 'em up.

Perhaps if the courts weren't so lenient when he was charged with all those crimes before, the woman might still be alive.

Quite a rap sheet.

[musicmd]

I am always happy to share good news about a murdering thug getting convicted, regardless of race. Thugs are thugs. Lock 'em up.

Perhaps if the courts weren't so lenient when he was charged with all those crimes before, the woman might still be alive.

Quite a rap sheet.

You only start threads concerning black perps.

[musicmd]

The really sad thing is that the OP doesn't really care about the victim, only the races of the victim and the murderer.

I agree.

[demopublican]

I wonder whether she was aware of his criminal history.

That is a great question. There is no need to wonder anymore. If you meet a new friend or reconnect with an old friend it is a good idea to check them out online. Of course this only helps if it is socially or morally unacceptable to hang around with criminals.
Far too many people find criminals to be acceptable in our society.

[Jeebus]

You only start threads concerning black perps.

And you excuse them and/or apologize for them, castigating the reporting of the crime, but not the criminal.

Of course.

Back to the Mystical Knights of The Sea Lodge for you.