Fatal Impeachment

By Wayne Beyea

Back Cover Text: A tenacious young State Police Investigator develops circumstantial evidence identifying a suspect in a rape/murder case. Incredibly, that suspect is the President of the United States. The murder was committed while he was a student in college and went unsolved for 25 years.
President Thurston Winslow is an extremely powerful and popular president, and when he realizes that State Police Investigator Ron Keston is investigating him, wields his power and has Keston assassinated. Lieutenant Richard Miranda, Kestons supervisor, commences an investigation and survives a diabolical attempt to destroy his career and, later, an attempt at assassination because of intuition, intelligence, skill and lots of luck.

Miranda utilizes his own brand of diabolical skill to develop prima facie evidence against the President, but is unable to cause his arrest and flounders in frustration. The President seems above the law and too powerful for prosecution. By fate or divine intervention, Miranda connects with the rape/murder victims brother and sister who, over the course of years since their sisters death, entered careers which provide them access to the President.

A race begins to destroy the most powerful man in the world before he destroys them. Who wins? The excitement mounts and climaxes in a crescendo of irony. Author Bio: Wayne Beyea is presently Juvenile Justice Coordinator, Clinton County, New York.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 4, 2000
• ISBN: 9781469780733

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Fatal Impeachment

All Rights Reserved © 2000 by Wayne E. Beyea

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

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ISBN: 0-595-09908-4

ISBN: 978-1-4697-8073-3 (ebook)

Contents

Epigraph

Prologue

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This book is dedicated to a family known as the New York State Police, and more specifically to those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the pursuit of justice.

Epigraph

It is a joy for the just to do justice. But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. Proverbs 21:15

Prologue

The attack was sudden and unexpected! She fought furiously, biting, clawing and kicking the beast who was defiling her body and snuffing out her life, but his strength and savagery of assault overwhelmed physical resistance, personal plea and prayer. Dear Jesus, Holy Mother, help me, she screamed but her scream was hardly a whisper as powerful hands crushed her larynx.

She had made a vow to the Blessed Virgin and her mother that she would remain chaste until marriage. She had not anticipated the possibility of forcible rape though her parents had warned her, Your beauty will ignite lust in men that will be difficult to extinguish. Her parents’ warnings had not gone unheeded and she was careful to avoid situations that were dangerous.

She had cast caution aside for this man because he was a respected student who came from a family of wealth, prominence, circumstance and good reputation. Also, he was handsome, intelligent, charming, attending school to obtain a law degree and seemed trustworthy. Given time, respect and affection, he could likely capture her heart and hand in marriage. Naively, she did not surmise that this charming young man was a sociopath, who visioned her as a beautiful toy to assuage his insatiable appetite for erotic sex.

How dare her slap his face for having merely placed his hand on her breast! She was an ice bitch! Mother had taught him about ice bitches and how they needed to experience pain to achieve orgasm. She had even played the role of ice bitch during some of her nightly tutoring sessions.

1

Trooper Ron Keston, was elated for after six years in the New York State Police, he had fulfilled a dream of becoming an Investigator in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Ron had aspired to become a police officer after listening to his uncle Joe—a retired New York City detective—relate exciting stories from his twenty year career in the NYPD. Ron’s dad was a New York City firefighter who had many exciting and harrowing experiences as well, and at one time, Ron thought he wanted to follow his father in fire service but opted for police, after his dad developed respiratory problems from smoke inhalation.

The Kestons sold their Bronx home and moved to Goshen, New York, when Ron was 12 years old. The move was made because the Big Apple was becoming rotten to the core, according to Ron’s dad, and he wanted his children in an environment free of crime and gang influence. The move proved wise because Ron graduated with honors from Goshen High and then with honors from Marist College, in Poughkeepsie, where he majored in Criminal Justice. Ron took the entrance exam for the State Police, while in his senior year at Marist, and became a New York State

Trooper on June 12, 1992. He loved being a Trooper and particularly enjoyed solving crime and aiding people in distress. After

brief assignments in Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck, located in Troop K Ron was stationed in Newburgh. His love for the State Police and excellent performance in all aspects of police work, earned his promotion to the BCI on June 20, 1998, with assignment at Troop F Headquarters, Middletown.

Investigator Keston resembled his father. He was tall, lean and because of his lean angular face, was not considered handsome. Yet, Ron had large blue eyes that emanated warmth and sincerity. Those eyes and his soft spoken, easy going mannerly behavior were a great asset in gaining everyone’s trust and confidence including crime suspects. He kept his reddish blonde hair short and a high forehead, continually growing higher, indicated Ron, like his father, would go bald at an early age.

Against his mother’s wishes, Ron shared an apartment with Trooper Melissa Hanchet, and they were considering marriage but for the time being, their busy careers came first.

On welcoming Ron into the Middletown BCI squad, Lieutenant Richard Miranda, squad supervisor, placed a large box on Ron’s desk. Congratulations Ron, he said. You have just inherited your first homicide case. It is twenty five years old and growing moss. See what you can do on this and I expect a supplemental report every three months. Yes sir! Ron replied, and thank you. His first murder case! Even though it was an old case, committed when he was just two years old, Ron was excited to have the privilege of case investigator for the crime of murder.

Review the report carefully, Miranda continued, "and we will discuss what direction to go with it. I inherited the case from my predecessor and several Investigators have worked it without turning up a suspect. It was a vicious, brutal murder that especially frustrates me because, I went to school with the victim’s brother.

Never knew her, but as you will see, she was a beautiful young woman. The animal who did this is still out there and I want him bad. I am assigning this case to you because I know you are ambitious and will do your best to develop a lead."

Ron examined the box and removed the case report which was approximately 3 inches thick. The original report fascinated him as it was typewritten; probably on an old manual Underwood typewriter. The format consisted of a cover page and synopsis of investigation, followed by precise details. Each event was reported in paragraphs which were in chronological order, earliest date first. This report format was introduced by Superintendent Arthur Cornelius, a former FBI Agent, who was appointed Superintendent by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. On assuming command of the State Police, Cornelius introduced the FBI report format for use by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Ron examined the cover page and read, Title: MARY ROSE O’SHAUGNESSY/Deceased. Character of Case: Murder 2nd Degree. Case Status: Pending (Investigation). Below the case status he read, Autopsy findings: This white female, late teens-early twenties, in excellent physical condition. Bruising on inner thighs and legs. Bruises on upper and lower arms. Abrasions on knuckles of all fingers right hand. Bruises on neck and petechial hemorrhage in both pupils consistent with manual strangulation. Matching gold earrings pinned to nipples of both breasts. Word ice printed in red lipstick on right breast and word bitch" printed in red lipstick on left breast. Torn hymen and vaginal trauma consistent with forced sexual intercourse. Semen found in vaginal cavity and secured in evidence. Fingernail scrapings contain human dermal tissue and blood. Cause of death: Asphyxiation by manual strangulation.

Ron re-read the autopsy findings and pondered how Mary valiantly fought the animal who attacked her and lost her life in the process. He turned to the initial page of the report and read, Synopsis: On 4/27/73, the nude body of a white female, found in a brushy area approximately twenty (20) feet off the North shoulder of Route 84, Town of Goshen, Orange County. Autopsy revealed death caused by manual strangulation and victim raped prior to death. Words Ice Bitch" printed in red lipstick on victim’s breasts and gold, pierced ear type earrings, Irish claddaugh design, affixed to each nipple. Earrings appear to have been removed from victim’s ears.

Investigation identified the victim as MARY ROSE O’SHAUG-NESSY, W-F, age 20, home address, 2127 Route 213, Stone Ridge, New York; attending Albertus Magnus University, New Haven, Connecticut, at time of death. Evidence consisting of: one(1) pair of yellow gold earrings, fingernail scrapings, victim’s blood and hair specimen’s, male spermatozoa secured.

No suspect(s) developed and case remains open pending investigation."

Keston looked at before and after death photographs of Mary Rose, and re-read the synopsis. He envisioned the terror felt by this young, beautiful woman as she fought her attacker(s). He shuddered when envisioning the brutality inflicted on her by the sadistic animal(s). He then pored over the hundreds of paragraphs, reported in the continuing details and was continually drawn to the photograph furnished by Mary’s family, in which a beautiful, smiling, dark haired angel, radiated a look of love and innocence into the camera. Ron placed this photo beside the death mask photo taken at autopsy; the same beautiful face, etched in sadness and pain.

Ron studied every detail of the investigation conducted by many police investigators who dedicated hundreds of hours to identify and apprehend the killer(s) and felt their frustration in failure. He committed to memory every important aspect of the report and made a silent pledge to Mary Rose, ‘I will do everything in my power to bring your killer or killers to justice beautiful lady.’

In the initial investigation, a team of investigators went to New Haven and their interviews of numerous students and faculty at Albertus Magnus, developed very little information. They learned Mary was a third year student, majoring in Child Psychology. All who knew Mary, described her as a quiet, intelligent woman who concentrated on her studies. Mary did not drink or smoke and though not participating in any school sports program, kept in good physical condition through daily exercise and daily walks. Mary rarely dated and had no known love interests. She was known to be the eldest of five children in the O’Shaughnessy family and seemed to have a close relationship with her siblings. Susan Martinsen, Mary’s college roommate, told investigators that Mary was sought after by numerous male students but, paid little attention to any of them. Mary told her that while in college she just wanted to study hard, maintain good grades and after settling into a career, would consider serious dating and marriage. Susan had related that Mary loved to read and spent a great deal of time in the school library and various book stores. Susan also indicated Mary loved her family dearly and all semester breaks and holidays were spent at home. Susan had visited the O’Shaugnessys home and after experiencing the O’Shaughnessy happiness and closeness, felt sad that her own family lacked the same depth of familial love. Susan also indicated that Mary’s younger brother Timothy, is very good looking and if he was just a little older, I would pursue him.

The search of Mary’s dorm room did not produce any solid leads except for a crumpled sheet of ruled notebook paper bearing the note, Yesterday, I had the good fortune of meeting a mortal who’s beauty pales Aphrodite. How rare that a woman so beautiful also possesses the intelligence of Einstein and wisdom of Solomon. You are truly remarkable and your qualities assure you a bright, rewarding future. Permit me the pleasure of opening doors for you which lead to fortune and fame which ironically require fortune and fame to open. I will explain how I can accomplish this when I see you at the book store. Eagerly yours, Z.

The note was not dated and it was assumed by investigators bookstore alluded to the campus book store, which according to Susan, Mary frequented.

Mary had not mentioned the note or Z to Susan, which convinced Susan that Mary must have met Z around the time she disappeared. She last saw and spoke with Mary the morning of April 25, while both rushed about getting ready for class. Susan left the campus at around noon that day, driving home to spend a long weekend with her boyfriend. She returned to the dorm late Sunday evening and Mary was not in. Mary had not left a note for her, which was her custom, and the following morning, Mary was still absent. While getting ready for class, Susan received a telephone call from Mrs. O’Shaugnessy, looking for Mary. She learned that Mary had not gone home that weekend and the O’Shaughnessy’s had not heard from her.

The New Haven investigation team canvassed the college book store, classmates of Mary, Professors and Deans, conducting 187 interviews with negative results. No one knew where Mary might have gone and no one knew the identity of Z. They interviewed all male students whose first or last name began with Z and could not connect any of them to Mary or the note.

An investigative team canvassed the O’Shaughnessy neighborhood and conducted in depth interviews of her family and friends. Rose Erin O’Shaughnessy, Mary’s mother a sparkly eyed, petite woman with gray hair kept in a bun and having a bit of an Irish brogue, collapsed when informed of her daughter’s death but soon summoned inner strength and rallied the O’Shaughnessy family around her. Mary was the eldest of five children and-probably because she was the eldest—had a very close, loving relationship with her mother. Mary had never given her cause for concern, practiced being a