August 2011
29 posts
5 tags
What I learned in Homicide School
After taking a two-day course taught by Global Training Institute, I was overwhelmed with information on law enforcement and the officers fighting crime in Southern California. Here are a few things I learned that I think all crime writers should know:
California Penal Codes - Granted these can be looked up on the internet nowadays (I even have a hard copy of the California Penal Code, but...
True Crime Report →
Interested in actual crime stories almost too unbelievable to be true? Even a creative writer couldn’t come up with this stuff…
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War on Cops?
I remember a time, when it was rare to hear a peace officer had been shot. Now it’s on the news every night. The official numbers are on the rise, making some believe there is a ‘war on cops’. For the past two years, officers shot on and off duty have risen dramatically.
In fact there have been at least five in Southern California alone this year that I can recall (two...
“Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable,...”
–
Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.
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Homicide School
Today, I am headed to Homicide School. No, unfortunately, I won’t be learning how to kill people. I am taking a two-day course taught by Global Training Institute.
A real homicide detective will discuss everything from crime scene investigation, search warrants and other legal issues, blood spatter interpretation, evidence collecting, forensic dentistry, and case presentation and...
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"Clan" Labs
Known simply as “Clan Labs,” clandestine drug facilities or chemical labs where methamphetamine or other drugs are manufactured have seen a slight decrease in several US States according to the DEA. But not all states are seeing a decrease. And many people would be surprised on which states are leading the pack.
Based on the most current map of Meth lab incidents above, the...
Melissa M. Garcia is on Good Reads →
Become a Fan of Melissa M. Garcia on Good Reads
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Got a Kindle?
If you have a Kindle, then you have probably already checked out the KindleBoards. If you haven’t checked it out, now is the time. The Kindle Boards web site has a plethora of information. You can find reviews and opinions on any of the Kindle accessories. You can discuss your favorite novels or non-fiction titles at the Book Corner. There are Book Klubs to join and you can even interact...
“Everyone must leave something in the room or left behind when he dies, my...”
–
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
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Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury
In honor of Ray Bradbury’s 91st birthday, I thought I’d share some of my favorite quotes from one of the most celebrated American writers of our time. (As an author, Fahrenheit 451 still disturbs me.)
I’ll start with my favorite quote ever:
There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.
Americans are far more remarkable than we give ourselves...
Falling Angels only $2.99 at Smashwords.com →
E-book FALLING ANGELS, by author Melissa M. Garcia is on sale at Smashwords for $2.99 for all e-reader devices.
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Only a Crime Writer...
Only a crime writer would Google “hotel murder mystery” when staying alone in a strange hotel. After checking into a small town hotel this evening, I thought I’d get some writing done. I had recently heard about the Severs Hotel Murder Mystery that happened on April 26, 1930 at the Severs Hotel in Muskogee. With a quiet night alone with my laptop in a hotel, what better time to...
“The best men are not consistent in good-why should the worst men be consistent...”
–
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Crime Lab Project →
Raising Awareness of Public Forensic Science Needs and Challenges.
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Homeless and Mentall Ill...
It’s time to stop ignoring the mentally ill in our society. It is unsafe for our mentally ill to be wandering the streets unsupervised and un-medicated. With the recent death of Kelly Thomas in Fullerton, California, now is the best time to fully enact Laura’s Law.
Kelly Thomas should never have been on the streets. Whether the police knew how to handle a Schizophrenic patient or...
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Why would you break into prison?
I’ve heard of people trying to escape Folsom Prison, but this is a first.
Marvin Lane Ussery was arrested last week for being on prison grounds, two years after he was paroled from New Folsom Prison in Folsom, California for serving time for a robbery charge.
Why would an inmate break into prison? Authorities say this is a growing trend. Released inmates often sneak back onto the prison...
“He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”
–
Victor Hugo
I'm a Member of CrimeSpace. Check out my profile. →
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Justice vs Vengeance
An Ohio jury this week recommended the death penalty for convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell. He showed no reaction at the sentence and he left the courtroom to applause from the audience for the sentence.
Sowell killed 11 woman and presented no defense in his trial. During the sentencing phase he explained his actions were due to being abused physically and sexually as a child.
Those that...
“They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream...”
–
Eleonora by Edgar Allan Poe
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Ripped from the Headlines...
According to the LA Times, the Baltimore home of Edgar Allan Poe is experiencing major financial hardships that may force it to close as the Poe Museum. Poe lived in the house at 203 Amity St. from 1833 until 1835 and wrote several short stories and poems while living there.
But Edgar Allan Poe’s reputation is about to make a comeback. The Raven, starring John Cusak is set to be released...
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WatchWhen Alex Delgado was released from prison, she expected a quiet existence far from LA and the ghosts of her past. But a dead body in room 110 and a suspicious detective have her fighting for her life.
Amazon Author Page for Crime Author, Melissa M.... →
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WatchThis action-packed mystery pits one man against the strength of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to save the ones he loves from an unknown killer.
“It takes two to make an accident.”
–
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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Ripped from the Headlines...
The Sacramento Bee reported that Chue Vue, a prisoner at a Sacramento jail tried to hide metal shanks in a chocolate-frosted cake and requested a deputy to take it to his younger brother, Gary, who was being held in another part of the jail. The pieces of metal apparently came from a missing cookie sheet from the kitchen.
Chue has already been convicted for arranging the murder of Steve Lo at his...
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Picture your Grandparents
Now picture your grandparents living homeless on the streets
Most of the elderly living in America today are dependent on pension and social security checks, but over 4 million of our elderly citizens do not have a roof over their head. Some elderly people have experienced homelessness throughout their lives, while others have become homeless, for the first time, later in life.
The homeless...
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Photos of Melissa M. Garcia →
Check out Melissa’s Flickr account for photos of recent events
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The Perfect Crime or an Unusual Death?
The DB Cooper Heist has made the news again. It’s time to start the speculating…
On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a man by the name of Dan Cooper purchased a one way ticket from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. After ordering a drink, he explained to a flight attendant that he had a bomb in his briefcase. He requested 4 parachutes and $200,000 in twenty dollar bills in...
