Sunday, November 22, 2015

Mental Disturbance and Language


In studying the language of Davey Blackburn, husband of murder victim Amanda Blackburn, I have come to a conclusion about his use of pronouns and it is consistent with the principles of Statement Analysis.  

The change from "I" to "we" is a signal of guilt.  

That he makes this unusual change consistently affirms the principle.  

This leads to an unanswered question:

What is the source of the guilt?  


Topic:  Hospital Violence. 

Purpose: A view into the rarity of mental disturbance impacting pronouns.  


A mentally disabled patient went out of control with violence.  Lengthy history of assaulting hospital workers including serious injuries.  This time, he came out of the confrontation with hospital professionals with  injuries, claiming assault.  


The subject's mental disability was such that it was visible to the public before he spoke.  When he spoke, he spoke slowly, halting on some words, with "fantastical" language from the fantasy books, including religious writings, and was something he perseverated on all during the day, so much so that hospital employees knew which words to never use in his presence, lest he explode in anger.  


I:  Are you going to attack me?


This was my first question.  I was told to not ask questions while looking him right in the eye, but I have to also consider my own safety and looked slightly away while asking, but quickly right to his eyes for his answer.  


Although we must avoid introducing new language that can contaminate the interview, I have been assaulted and know that assailants will often reveal their intentions if asked.  In prison interviews with very violent, explosive impulse control type inmates, I have asked many times,


"Are you going to kill me?"  which often produced a comedic break in tension and allowed me to conduct the interview.  The times I have been assaulted have all come with some form of verbal warning that I knew to 'take a break' but ignored the warning.  


The principles of Analytical Interviewing are like the principles of Statement Analysis:  they guide us, but we are not slaves to them.  There comes a time where the exception may arise, and we consider the building blocks of Statement Analysis to be like firm clay:  strong, but still pliable.  The skill and experience of an investigator, including his training, but more importantly, his "on the fly" interviewing, thrives on training.  I liken it to a swords fight. 


The warrior is skillful in both offense and defense with the sword.  The training hones his sword with sharpness he never dreamed possible.  


In reviewing the subject's history, the word "attack" was in his personal dictionary quite often.  It was "his" word and the familiarity might assist me in lessening his defensiveness and overall discomfort. 


Subject:  "No.  You pose no evil threat to us. The doctor has informed us that you are here only to help us and to combat the forces of evil that are arrayed against us. She says you are good, a good man, Peter Hyatt, you are good, and not going to side against Gabriel and the forces of evil.  You would not be the type to think that you would stand against the mighty Gabriel who delivers the message of force that we must hear.  You are a good man, aren't you, Peter Hyatt and not among the forces of evil?"


I nodded my head in agreement but knew to avoid the very many 'normal' questions I would ask, specifically, exploring the relationship he has with the psychiatrist.  The unpredictability of his mental state precluded me following my normal protocol.  We must remain flexible. 


I:   "Tell me what happened?"


 This and "what happened, next?" are my "magic questions", which often leads to expressions of strong disappointment of the audience of investigators.  I ask them to "hang in there" and eventually reveal the keys to obtaining confessions, but they must learn to crawl before they sprint.  Those with Reid training do exceptionally well as these things come together and fall into place nicely for them.  


I noted the use of my name, in full, and this did not follow the 'law of economy' to "Peter" but remained the same throughout the interview.  When he was leaving to go back to his room (under the watchful eyes of two large attendants, he said, "thank you, Peter" with no affect.  The psychiatrist said she was shocked and that for whatever reason, he trusted me.  She said that in all the years of treatment, she, herself, was the only other person he had spoken to this way.  


The interview was surprisingly lengthy and I had a large table that provided me with a small sense of security as a barrier. The psychiatrist also stated that she was surprised how long he stayed with me, as mostly, after 15 or 20 minutes, he simply stands up and walks back to his room to read.  She also commented about how little I spoke.  In Analytical Interviewing, we say only 20% or less of the words spoken:  the subject has information that I seek and the more I talk the less I receive.  


Subject:   "We were gathered together against him with all our might and we knew his evil intentions and sorcery before it began. Demonic forces, such as Michelangelo painted were in full battle array"


I:  "What began?"


"it began" is passive and did not match the marred face before me, even though he had more than 24 hours for the swelling to begin to recede.  Sometimes with close up assaults, the victim is so acutely impacted by the assault that it 'continues' to impact him psychologically.  This is often the case of sexual assault.  It 'began' but it is not 'over.'  


In Analytical Interviewing we generally jump on each new word introduced for clarity, but in the case of mental illness, this would have been only a tangent, and may have actually provoked him.  If I were to ask about Allah, Buddha and Gabriel he could have even have seen this as challenging.  He read all day and all night.  


Subject:  "He punched me in the left leg.  He kicked me in the right upper leg.  We knew that evil was prevailing and that demons were laughing and Allah and Gabriel were not there to help us in this time, as a message did not get through to them by Lucifer's own hand. .  He punched me in the right cheek.  He held my hair back.  He punched me in the face.  He is a demon under Beelzebub and many demons have authority unknown to most but we know what authority comes from the holy books we read.   He sat on my chest punching my face. I could not breath. "


The subject was a mentally disabled male describing an assault that that taken place against him, while alone, as he was acutely beaten. 


Each short sentence about the assault matched the physical evidence.  The interview of the assailant, although it produced no admission, overwhelmed with detail, and justice obtained for the mentally ill victim.  This is a major element of Analytical Interviewing:  even without an admission, the truth comes out and persuades judges, juries, district attorneys, police, human resources, and those in some form of legal judgment.  The "Analytical Report" is written using Statement Analysis to reduce the document as truth is persuades the reader far more than persuasive language, which often weakens the assertion.  This is essential for investigators who want the assistant district attorneys to agree.  It is powerful protection for companies under fraudulent suits.  


 As to differing between mental illness and psychological, and everything in between, I must leave to others, but state something important:


Upon meeting the victim, mental disturbance is immediately discerned by all, as the handicap is obvious.  


The defense used the bizarre language to discredit the victim who had been severely beaten by those who were charged with caring for him.  The testimony of the short sentences, all without fantastical language was strong, and it allowed for the forensics of the case not only to be entered, but compared to the defendant's own statements.  


Because the defendant could not lie outright, he simply 'edited out' the critical information.  What remained was most always truthful and it was stitched together:


Side by Side with the victim's fantastical statement for a perfect fit. 


Then, the two statements were compared to the photographic evidence of the injuries.   Perfect. 


Lastly, 


The Defendant's statement was placed next to the Victim's, which was next to the photographs which was then placed next to the medical professional's testimony of the injuries suffered.  


Language is the verbalized perception of reality; not reality, itself. 

                 If you are able to picture this in your mind:



    A                                  B                          C                    D



Defendant                      Victim                  Photo                  Medical  

(affirmations of activity
to assist patient out of control)       (description of assault)       (actual injuries)                       (impact)


The defendant told the truth, line by line, in his written statement and was "deception indicated" in the suppressing of information. This was not a difficult analytical conclusion and is typical:  the remaining information is valuable for content.  


Next, I separated, in the transcript of the audio, the fantastical sentences that were very lengthy (emotion) from the short (logic, or intellect) statements.  


The defendant's description of the "intervention" matched the victim's description of the "assault."  Remember, language is the subject's own verbalized perception of reality but it is not reality, itself.  


              The photographic evidence matched both the defendant and the victim's assertion.  This is why a deceptive indicated written statement is so valuable and must be studied for content.  Statement Analysis 101 is "truth or deception" only and does not move to:


Content Analysis
Profiling
Anonymous Author Identification.  

Lastly, the medical doctor's findings, which included minute detail on force, location, impact, etc, tied up the entire case and justice, to some degree, was obtained for the victim.  


My superiors said that had it not been for the formal training I had received years earlier, even with the photographic evidence, the defense might have prevailed because:


a.  the victim was incapable of taking the stand  A single 'trigger' sentence would have caused him to literally attack the judge;


b.  the defense would have been able to discredit the entire testimony of the victim by keeping it as one.  As I separated it plainly, I spoke of percentages of likely being reliable and what research has shown with pronouns.  


Conclusions:  It is very rare that the intuitive nature of pronouns is disrupted in analysis.  


As readers consider this, they may listen to themselves and realize how powerful and reliable pronouns are. 


An Anonymous reader wrote: 

"Sometimes I use "we" in a cowardly way when it would be more honest to say "I". Here's when: Sometimes I call restaurants and say "We were wondering if you have vegetarian options on your lunch buffet today?" but there is no "we" b/c it's just me! I do it because I feel like I'm bothering them with my call, and saying "we" makes the call seem more worthwhile / less of an imposition.
November 22, 2015 at 8:56 AM  "


This is an astute and strongly self-aware comment.  Frequently, commentators do not realize how much of themselves they reveal in their comments, including a form of 'deception' using passive-aggressive language.  

Understanding oneself in language is an exciting journey.  Recall the "pronoun test" where you are incapable of remembering what you had for lunch two weeks ago, but can recall, without pre thought, whether to begin a 20+ year old story with "I" or "we", intuitively.  

In a study on leadership, an author concluded that "leaders do not use the pronoun "I."

I disagree. 

He studied hundreds of emails of CEO's and found that they most often did not use "I" in them.  One does not need imagination to consider how many 'future leaders' are now avoiding using the pronoun "I" in emails to others.  

The study failed to consider context and human nature.  
 

They use "I" only when things are going well. 

When correcting, or delivering negative news, they use "we" most always, except when they drop the pronouns entirely. When it comes time to announce an increase in sales, or in something positive, the pronoun "I" appears.  It is human nature.  It is similar to 'hiding' in the pronoun 'we' from embarrassment, guilt, and can give the feeling of protection by being part of a crowd.  This is why guilt is often found in pronouns. 





In the Amanda Blackburn murder, the issue is this:

The principle of Statement Analysis remains.  

Guilt has caused a change in pronouns, but what is the source of guilt?

It will either be:

Guilt from an association with the killer; or

Guilt because he is glad to be freed from a marriage which did not bring him the anticipated "success" from his business. 

The "guilt of pronoun" tells us that it is one or the other.  

Each video performance has affirmed this principle, including:

a.  degradation of the victim, complaints, over talking, corrections and humiliation via embarrassing sexual detail;

b.  violence in language

c.  visual demonstration of violence in performance with gun

d.  Strong verbal warning that wives may hinder ministry

e.  Amanda's own testimony of unhappy marriage due to Davey's career obsession 

f.  Davey's obsession with success, evidenced by negatively comparing 'salvation' to numbers in attendance; 
Davey's quote of the numbers who attended memorial service via online access

g.  Davey's specific complaint, within marriage about pregnancy as trigger, while Amanda was pregnant while murdered. 

h.  Davey's refusal to say "I love Amanda" or "I loved Amanda" as well as his refusal to connect, linguistically, love to or from her to their child.  

i.  Davey's statement that Amanda died to advertise his work

j.  Davey's use of her death to repeatedly advertise his company or 'church'

k.  Davey's repeated pragmatism regarding his success:  he will do what it takes 

l.  Davey's priority revealed in language of his personal success, even using advertising slogans in his 'memorials' of his murdered ex wife.

m.  Davey's distancing language from the highly intrusive and personal murder of his wife. 

This list could continue but the linguistic evidence is conclusive:

Guilt. 

Davey Blackburn's language indicates powerful guilt in the murder of his wife.  It is the specific source of guilt that must be known.  

We all use the pronoun "we" when we feel the need to share, or the need to be part of a crowd, including embarrassment and guilt.  

I hope the 911 call is released.  

I have never come across a stranger use of the pronoun "we" by someone with Blackburn's intelligence.

   

Principle is established upon norm, not exception.  


The principle of "guilt" within the pronoun remains. 

 We must learn the source of guilt.  The Fox Interview allowed for Blackburn to deny association with the killer, but he did not avail himself.  The 911 call may help us answer the question:

"What is the source of guilt?"


****************************************************


If you wish to host a training seminar, or would like individual training, please see Hyatt Analysis Services and contact us.  







211 comments:

1 – 200 of 211   Newer›   Newest»
The Beckster said...

https://www.facebook.com/amber.b.wilkinson/posts/10207738097992201

Here is the link to Amanda's sister's recent post. Peter, I would be curious what you think of the language she uses here. It is also copied and pasted below.

I have FOUGHT the good fight || I have FINISHED the race || I have kept the FAITH (2 Timothy 4)

I ran my first marathon next to this amazing girl. All 26.2 miles. I laugh now thinking about how different Amanda and I do things - and how evident it was during this race. I started the race with overwhelming excitement and energy - wanting to run that first mile with everything I had inside of me (because let's be honest, that first mile feels amazing)! People were yelling and screaming and cheering, and I yelled and screamed and cheered with them! I tried so hard to stay at least one to two steps ahead of Amanda assuming she would catch my momentum and pick up the pace. But she didn't. She stayed focused (thank goodness!). She was sure, and steady, and strong. The COMPLETE opposite of me. I would get distracted by the people and the music and the excitement and waste so much energy talking and laughing and giving high fives! 🖐🏼 At one point she asked me (in a slightly annoyed, yet polite tone - as only she can) to stop talking for a while so she could concentrate. 🙊 She pushed through with complete endurance - determined to finish the race no matter what --- And determined to keep Davey and I on track with her. Davey and I ran beside her drawing strength from her each step of the way. I would look over at her every once in a while to try and get her to smile. She would just roll her eyes and grin.
😊
But she never broke pace. Whether we were running downhill, with the wind at our backs, after a water break and a vanilla bean goo, she wouldn't trust how good her body felt in that moment - instead, she would continue to do what she had trained months for - and that was to run at a steady 9 minute pace and FINISH. And finish strong. I could see the pain in her eyes at mile 22. This was the longest we had ever run, and we had no idea how our bodies were going to respond. But that didn't matter to Amanda. She never quit. She may have been uncertain, but it didn't hold her back. She said VERY FEW words during that 4 hours and 27 minutes (believe me, I even TRIED to get her to talk to me), but the ones she did say were only words that mattered, and words I will never, ever forget - "Come on guys. Don't give up! We can do this." The finish line was .2 miles out and Amanda pushed us into a full out sprint to the finish line. I didn't know I even had it in me, but she knew. She finished that race with unimaginable strength and endurance and rallied us with her as we all crossed the finish line together. And as we iced our legs, ate our bananas, and laughed about how we wouldn't be able to walk the next day (and we literally could NOT walk the next day), I just thanked her for helping me to be strong. And steady. And sure. I finished the race that day because of Amanda. And I watched her run this race of life in the exact same way. She finished WAY BEFORE I thought she should have, but it didn't matter. It didn't catch her off guard. It didn't change the way she lived. Because Amanda never lived by how she felt, but by what she knew to be TRUE - by what she trained her entire life for. She finished her race strong, steady, and SURE. Oh how I miss that girl. But oh how PROUD I am to call her my sister. I'm right around that 22 mile mark - in a lot of PAIN and uncertain as to how my body is going to respond to such loss - but I know that I'm NEVER going to give up. I'm not going to let this hold me back. I'm going to finish one day in a way that is sure and steady and strong.

As always, I love you Amanda Grace. ‪#‎nothingiswasted‬

GeekRad said...

I am also convinced his guilt is one or the other.

Anonymous said...

Websleuths just locked the thread for this case out of nowhere?!?!

Anonymous said...

Update in case anyone's interested: NewSpring Church streams their services live. I am interested in this case so I tuned into the service. Just a few minutes ago Pastor Perry Noble brought DB up on stage and asked the audience to pray for him. DB did not speak. Perry Noble put his arm around DB and they closed their eyes while Perry Noble said a prayer asking (I'm paraphrasing) for Jesus to give DB strength, and also for baby Weston.

Squeaky-clean said...

Peter, this is my favorite post yet. You concluded guilt on some level. From comments I've read not only on your blog has shown 98% of others see guilt in DB. We know there is something off/strange about this proclaimed man if God. I agree that's it's either his involvement or his relief of a burden (Amanda) removed from his life without effort and he us free to choose another.

Dano said...

Peter, where is the evidence for "degradation of the victim" and where can I find "Amanda's own testimony of unhappy marriage due to Davey's career obsession"?

Anonymous said...

This new age charismatic religion DB and both their families are involved in is creepy and cultish. It is as removed from God as a satirist. The are cold and living in a world without reality. I noticed no tears from her parents in interview. I've been around this sort of church goer before and they are on another dimension. Dancing through isles like faires while rock music plays... Crying.. Hands up to Jesus... Calling him Daddy while rebuking satin. Never went back.

John Mc Gowan said...

This article neatly packages the previous 4 or 5 articles into one bite size chunk.

Excellent!

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Peter, for all you do. I am new to SA and appreciate that your comments here give me confidence that you will treat my questions graciously even if they are naive. I would like to know if, hypothetically, you could eliminate from your analysis any of the church website videos, the changing pronouns, and his focus on building his business, would anything that remains be enough to support any SA conclusions? Specifically I wondered about his lack of a reliable denial, his lack of concern for present safety for himself, Weston, and the neighbors, his first statement not mentioning either that she is in Heaven or their preborn child, his softer language when talking about the murder and what he would like to say to anyone who had knowledge, and his answers to questions about the suspect photos and the gun that was found. Thank you again.

Anonymous said...

He called 911 and rushed her to a hospital. Is this true? Who would not call an ambulance? He took her to hospital? This is becoming more bizarre by the minute.

Anonymous said...

Why can it not be guilt he was gone and he wasn't able to protect his wife? Maybe they had a fight before he left? Maybe he had been away alot?
The funeral was not even held at his church. The attendance record wasn't his.
Where do they specifically say we have a bad marriage? Openly expressing honest problems doesn't always = a bad marriage. Marriages have problems and you can work thru them. Honey you work too much or I want more sex is not a new argument.
A Christian couple isn't exempt.
In the inside edition interview Blackburn 1. Begged for anyone with info to come forward. 2. Acknowledged the hardest thing was the realization Weston will be without his mother. 3. Referenced the unborn baby, how excited they were, and the impact of the loss. 4. Talked about his last moments with Amanda. 5. He used I prounouns to express his emotions even saying I feel alone.
If he were professing his undying love for her that would also be unexpected. Just like parents whose children are missing you don't have to convince if you loved someone it is understood.
Many pastors are caught up in ministry, they consider it their life. They also spend alot of time dealing with the burdens and problems of others sometimes while the validity or existance of their own goes unnoticed. Maybe he has been trying to be a strong leader to the detriment of any genuine expressions of grief.

OPN said...

It's likely that Amanda was brain dead, but she didn't die until Davey surrendered her body for her organs to be removed. As Amanda's husband, he could have protested the harvesting of Amanda's organs which would have meant her body could have remained alive for days/weeks/months/years longer with various life support machines. He obviously didn't do that. (I wouldn't either knowing that she could arrest at any time and this would negatively affect the health of her organs which were desperately needed by critically ill patients.)

Maybe some members of Amanda's family hadn't accepted that she was brain dead at the time Davey had to make the painful decision to allow transplant surgeons to remove her organs.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:10 clearly your affiliated with the family or blind deaf and dumb

mom2many said...

I find the continual reference to Amanda not living according to her feelings, but instead her knowledge of what is true, by both her husband and her sister. Why would there be such a dichotomy between the two in her life? I wonder whether her intuition was trying to alert her to something that she rejected? This is another alarming example of what is wrong with certain brands of Christianity. While we (Christians) should not live in turmoil because of our emotions, we should not abandon them either. God created our emotions and our intellect, and should be used jointly to assess our world and make decisions. I will be even more saddened if it turns out that Amanda's rejection of her emotions concerned her relationship with her husband and ultimately contributed to her death.

momofmany said...

Anonymous @ 2:10, If DB had those feelings of guilt over those situations, I think it would be expected that he would have expressed them by talking about the last time they talked, the regret about spending so much time at work, etc... I'm baffled by your sympathies to him as much as I am also as stumped as to why people listen to him "preach".

Anonymous said...

anon 2:18 PM

Is that type of demeaning and insulting language necessary?

This site should have a better moderator.

Anonymous said...

@ momofmanny -- I'm with you. I'm thinking DBs got his "fans"/worshipers scouting this site. I bet his ego is taking a beating.

Anonymous said...

Hi again Peter, I am Anon 1:50 with another question regarding the narrative Perry Noble told about how he learned of this tragedy. It begins around 38:35 on the memorial service video. He says that he received a text this past Tuesday asking for prayer for Amanda and Davey because she had a head wound. Perry assumed she may have fallen. Approximately an hour later he learned that Amanda had been shot "and killed." I am very interested in anything that SA reveals about this plus his conversation with DB afterward. Thank you again

John Mc Gowan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Mc Gowan said...

Anon @22, 2015 at 2:10 PM

Hi,

If memory serves me correct, it was only when prompted did he express those feelings.

Anonymous said...

I had posted in the other comments section with this theory.

Is it possible that LE is telling the public Amanda was sexually assaulted to see what CD does?

If in face he did hire someone to murder her, surely he didn't want her being raped as well.
Perhaps LE floated that story to see what CD's next move would be? IE- contact the hitman?

Also, I wouldn't think a church dedicated to young hipsters would be all that profitable.
I'm not convinced Cd was all that smart, business wise.

Anonymous said...

momofmany The fact that he did not say I feel guilty because I was not there does not negate it, if it's in his mind.
I am not sympathizing. I was ascribing a different set of facts to facts to the same situation.

OPN said...

Families Haunted by End of Life Decisions
“They feel like they’re being asked to be the AGENT OF THE DEMISE of someone they really care about,” Wendler said.  “Not surprisingly, that’s really stressful and hard.”
One respondent said: “I don’t want to kill. That’s the part that I agonized over a lot.”
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/02/families-haunted-by-end-of-life-decisions/

It’s normal to feel a burden if you have to decide whether to remove life support. You may also feel GUILTY, sad, or afraid.
https://www.fairview.org/HealthLibrary/Article/82990

Anonymous said...

It is more likely the "journalists" are tell the public she was sexually assaulted so they can bash them for not letting other women know a rapist was in the mist.

Anonymous said...

John if you have a specific. I did not hear him parrot anything. His responses may have been to questions but he expressed his emotions. The separation I feel, it doesn't feel real.

MemphisPat said...

Knowing DB is in SC with the other LifeSpring "pastors", it will not surprise me if we see more and more of them here expressing their surprise that we see anything amiss in the Davey/Amanda marriage videos. They may truly believe this since they were all trained at the feet of Noble or they may be directed to publicly defend DB by Noble himself. Look for lots of this!

OPN said...

Families may believe they are causing the patient’s death by agreeing to withdraw life support.
https://www.med.illinois.edu/FacultyDev/ClinicalEnviron/CulturalCompetence/WithrawingLifeSupport.pdf

Surviving with the Guilt of Living
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/24/health/survivor-guilt-ptsd/

rjb said...

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

I have seen this verse used over and over again to keep Christians from relying on their instincts and emotions, instead reminding them that the only guidance they need in their life is to follow the Word of God. It is a control tactic, a form of brainwashing, and enormously successful in convincing people to divorce their own instincts in favour of what the Bible says... because the Bible says their own hearts are untrustworthy.

rjb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Anom 2:26 Thank you
Anom 2:18 I am none of the above. Unless simply bringing up a different point of view than yours makes me so.

JJBB said...

Ed Stetzer posted "Pray for Davey and the church" on his Twitter Nov 17. Interestingly, Mr. Stetzer "transitions declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. https://twitter.com/edstetzer/status/665991279751340032

Maybe Stetzer was "transitioning" DB's declining church. Maybe there was a problem with the viability of DB's church and it wasn't bringing in enough cash. So far, I've read nothing about life insurance values's on Amanda's life insurance policy. I'm sure LE is looking into that? Not really sure about anything this LE group does at this point.

Anonymous said...

I have seen Jeremiah used when relying on special powers that do not be, two. Like phychic ability.

Anonymous said...

RJB re your 11:23 comment in previous thread:

"Is it possible that any of DB's linguistic choices could be due to his feeling a sense of culpability in his wife's death due to the fact that he was the one who would have made the decision to remove her from life support? In my experience with the Evangelical church, brain death is not often accepted as a valid diagnosis, and the decision to remove supportive measures is frequently viewed as being akin to murder (only God has the right to end someone's life, God could miraculously revive the brain dead individual, other reasoning placing the ultimate power over the physical death of the brain dead person in God's hands & God's hands alone.)"
----
I think the decision to keep someone alive by machines in the first place is going against God/nature. How does your church resolve that?

Statement Analysis Blog said...

I think DB may emerge from SC with fresh new perspectives:


"I love Amanda!" and "Amanda was my best friend and she loved me" and "Weston misses Amanda" and
"Amanda was so much more important to me than anything, including my ministry..."

and corrections of all the offensive and bizarre statements.

We may even see a 'toned down' performer on video, and perhaps, some video taken down.

Davey Blackburn is very intelligent. He has a strong intellect and likely a high IQ.

Peter

Anonymous said...

Is there not such a thing as delayed grief?
"It is common for some individuals to deny themselves the opportunity to grieve because of their beliefs about what it means to grieve. For example, some individuals may deny themselves the opportunity to experience the full extent of their grief because they may fear losing control or may perceive such intense emotional expression as “weak”

JMTO said...

Actually, he this is what he said about acknowledging Weston growing up without his mom.....

"Every time I think about Weston growing up without his mom it um, that's probably the thing that uh, I don't know if I'd say it hurts the most, but that's the thing that always hurts."

JMTO

Dano said...

Peter, I hate to be a pest, but can you point me to evidence for "degradation of the victim" and "Amanda's own testimony of unhappy marriage due to Davey's career obsession"?

JJBB said...

Peter,
Good points on DB's changing perspective. I agree. I was thinking that since these are Noble's churches, he will want to protect them and keep them out of the line of fire. He will want to make sure Davey boy presents himself with more humility and grace if he speaks in public again--and he WILL speak in public again. He has to, so that he can try to correct all the insensitivity he spewed initially.

Why do you think DB has a high IQ? He sounds like a clown, IMO. He hasn't even been able to memorize most scripture correctly and he certainly doesn't know enough to have bought the Cliff Notes. I observe average IQ, at best--just smart enough to get out of the paper bag as long as it's wet. What characteristics make him appear to have high IQ in your opinion? Will this help him manipulate the situation if he's guilty-even as far as manipulating LE?

Dano said...

This is what I said on the previous thread re: grief and its different manifestations:

Among possible reactions to trauma are denial, depersonalization, and dissociation -- all part of post-traumatic shock. These reactions can last for quite some time, shielding the person from pain and possible psychic disintegration. They would make him (or her) appear strangely or even inappropriately detached.

They seem abnormal to outsiders, but they are part and parcel of the self-protective mechanisms developed by our minds.

And with narcissists like Davey, normal emotional rules do not apply anyway. Their emotional lives are shallow and self-centered, so their grief -- if there is any -- after a loss of a loved one, even a spouse, will not look like that of an emotionally normal person.

I also agree with JJBB about Davey's intelligence. It is not that high. Above average, yes, but he is not an intellectually gifted person (= with a very superior IQ).

It does not take very superior intelligence to do what he does (quite the contrary, I'd say).

JMTO said...

Someone mentioned this earlier on a previous comment thread, but here it is....

From GMA interview:

"I read Amanda's journal entry just a few days before- she journaled every day of her life - just a few days before she was killed, she put something in there that just spoke volumes to us that we're deriving strength from, she said "We don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future."

Ok.

Why was he reading her journal a few days before she was killed?

Only logical explanation I can come up with was if he read it after he came back from her being shot and at the hospital.

But that would be no good- bc chances are LE would have that journal in their possession when they closed off the house.

So that tells me he read it before she was attacked. And if that is indeed the case, she didn't know what the future would hold.

That could be anything but it speaks of one thing in all arguments.

Uncertainty about her future.

JMTO

Juliet said...

Or Davey might be sent forth into the wilderness with a bucket of cash, never to utter the name of Perry Noble e'er again. It will be interesting to see what happens next, as it was only Amanda who made Davey acceptable (stable?) enough to be entrusted with his own church-plant. What might be going on in Noble's mind now that Amanda has been murdered, and he has before him that boy 'who is just not right' - except now he's a man and even less right, at least if his non-reaction to his 'circumstances' is anything to go by. Davy reflects on Noble and it's not looking good.

Juliet said...

Dano - the evidence is in the videos on the Resonate Church website - you can't miss it.

momofmany said...

Juliet, I agree...and I worry for Weston if CD loses his position and platform.

Anonymous said...

He didn't say Winston growing up without his mom. He said Weston growing up without 'A" mom. Big difference

Statement Analysis Blog said...

RE: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

I have seen this used in Statement Analysis in an attempt to get investigators to learn human nature specifically:

---Denial

---Projection

__ Passive Aggressive statements

. Instinct can be sharpened through experience and instruction, as strengthened with repetition and confirmed with investigations.

Denial and projection are close cousins.

Passive aggressive statements are the offspring of this union.

Currently, I am dealing with an example of this in life, that could have life altering consequences concerning a Ivy leauge trained professional.

Her traumatic past has now coupled with her inability to accept that an ideology that she does not hold to, can actually be the center of another's personality.

He was raised a certain way, professes this certain way, speaks consistently in this manner, but is not being believed due to the vast difference between his ideology and hers, including the way she was raised,her ideology and her experiences.

She projects her own way of thinking on to him subsequently, putting herself in a harm's way and, regrettably, due to the high level of education, and hesitation to speak up due to social pressure, those closest to her support her via silence.

What would be clear to one is a big yawn to another.

I hate to see lessons learned the hard way by adults in life. It is very sad.

When formally trained, analysts move from deception detection to content, but then, move on to profiling.

Profiling is to identify personalty type and predict potential for violence, for example, using the subject's words only . When I am later told,"the analysis was right", it is always very sad. It means the negative prediction came to pass. It may be violence, or it may be theft, false claim, fraud, etc. The analysis showed the propensity for it, but for whatever reason, it was ignored. For in theft, as an example, the time is measured in weeks, not months.

In disruptive personalities, months. This is usually met with an incident (drama) a soothing over, all better, a month or two passes, another minor incident, addressed, it goes away, a few more months, more drama, but this time, employee morale is down...and so on.

In fraudulent claims, a few months.

With those who are being leaned upon to learn human nature in analysis, it comes down to:

LISTEN TO HIS WORDS
BELIEVE HIM

If someone says, "if I were you I would not trust me either, but let me tell you..."

I always say: BELIEVE HIM. Take his advice.

Peter

Anonymous said...

Dano good points. The life support points were also interesting to read.
JMTO She wrote it a few days before she was killed.

Dano said...

What denomination does Davey's church represent? I couldn't find that anywhere, including the church's own own website.

And who is that Noble person? How does he fit in here? Can someone please clue the clueless, who knows very little about American Christianity, in?

Google is of very limited help in those questions, unfortunately.

Anonymous said...

Peter, yep, agree that soon he'll be using the "l" word. They're probably doing role plays as I type.

But I also think this is coming pronto: "at the wise advice of family and friends, I have been persuaded to engage an attorney and s/he has advised me not to discuss..."

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
He didn't say Winston growing up without his mom. He said Weston growing up without 'A" mom. Big difference

November 22, 2015 at 3:35 PM Delete



Very good.

To one, this will be dismissed as a 'minor point' while the analyst knows:

No, it is a reflection of reality and life and this child will be impacted by it.

Very good listening skill.

Choose a name.

Peter

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Anonymous 3:37
you mention "role playing"

I think that makes you a fly on the wall ---as if you know how they operate!

very good.

Peter

Statement Analysis Blog said...

If interested, I will post a live chat room...

Dano said...

Thanks, Juliet. There are so many videos there I wouldn't know where to start. Which ones do you recommend, specifically?

Anonymous said...

The phone number to advance pay $25 min. for a pay phone credit to Jalen Watson is 1-800-483-8314. Indiana is a one party recording state. A possible question after establishing rapport and friendliness might be: "Jalen, is it possible that, a long time ago, you might have met the Rev. once and forgotten all about it at a time when you were working hard to get your life back on track as a Christian".

Anonymous said...

Addendum- He is in "Jail #1" in Marion county, Indianapolis jail.

momofmany said...

Dano,
T
he order isn't as important as having a barf bag beside you as you watch. Love Song #6 is as bad as any.

Anonymous said...

“The hardest part is for me in this whole process is thinking about him growing up without his mom.”

Anonymous said...

I know this was discussed previously but it really offended me for Amanda that the obituary didn't even acknowledge her career/job as a stay-at-home mom caring for Weston and her small business refinishing furniture. Instead it listed *DB* and that he was a pastor. Wtf??!! It's her obituary dude and you can't even give her credit or mention for the important job of caring for her family? And maybe the little business didn't make a lot of money but it was clearly something she enjoyed. to me, this is just total lack of respect for her and so sad. I can't imagine how her family must feel knowing that he chose not to acknowledge her important role as a stay at home mom. What a slap in the face! Amanda, bravo to you for being such a wonderful mom to your beautiful son. And I've seen some of your refinished furniture online. Just beautiful- you were so talented!!

Anonymous said...

It took 4 months to arrest scott Peterson. He ran away from hom too. Modesto to San diego. Just like DB. Crazy Dave is in hiding now. He didn't exoect the backlash he would receive from the public interviews.

Anonymous said...

I have read all of your posts and have been following this case closely. I have watched several of the interview videos as well as several of DB's videos from his youtube page and the church page. His behavior as a "pastor" is shocking and immature. His wife Amanda seemed to be much more mature and grounded than DB. He was beneath her maturity level.

The largest red flag I have seen revolves around his not making any statements along the lines of: "I wish I had not gone to the gym that morning, or I should have been home during the attack, or why couldn't I have been there to protect my wife..." Those are things I would expect to hear from a young husband who's wife was just murdered.

Another observation is, DB seemed to look at other women in the audience while answering questions or making comments about sex and not his wife. I would think a husband would be more focused on his wife in that context. There is never any hand holding or affection shown between the two in any of the videos I watched. Even during his wedding, It seemed that DB was not totally focused on his bride... and BTW pictures on Amanda's FB page show that DB and Amanda were married in a "dual" wedding with Amanda's sister and her husband. The four of them were married in the same ceremony by the girls' father.

I saw someone post that DB usually was at the gym at 5:30 but the day of the murder he arrived at the gym at 6:11. I would like to see more information on this. What happened in those 41 extra minutes. The closest LA Fitness gym to their house is 12 minutes away by vehicle. What happened in that lost 29 minutes? Again this leads me to the earlier statement that I would have thought he would say "Why didn't I go to the gym at my usual time... Then the burglar would have noticed me leaving my house and targeted my family."

Very interesting. I am waiting for more information from the LE on Monday.

JJBB said...

"But I also think this is coming pronto: "at the wise advice of family and friends, I have been persuaded to engage an attorney and s/he has advised me not to discuss..."

Anonymous 3:37:
Yup. I think you got that right!

What do you think--by Wednesday?:-)

Dano said...

momofmany:

LOL, thanks.

Anonymous said...

Very clearly says his mom

Anonymous said...

“Gosh, I go to the gym every single morning and half the time I'm there at the gym and like I'm, like I can't even look around, I'm looking at the floor the whole time. Because I'm, because I'm seeing things, I'm seeing women dressed scantily, like they're not, like they're not trying to go work out, they're trying to be worked out, do you know what I mean?”

- Words of wisdom from Pastor Davey Blackburn.

It doesn't take a deep understanding of SA to “hear” what Blackburn is saying in this statement. We don't have to say it for him, he said it for himself. Regardless of whether or not he is involved in Amanda's murder this man has no business “teaching” this kind of misogynistic message about women to church members, especially the young people.

His dislike of women is very troubling.

Juliet said...

Dano - the Q'& A session with Amanda and Davey - I don't know what it was called offhand, is a good a place as any to start. if you read Peter's articles on Amanda and Davey you will find them helpful in highlighting the problems made apparent by Amanda and Davey, especially his complaints, humiliation and dissatisfaction with their sex life. Just generally, though, his aggression is apparent.

Anonymous said...

JJBB, that's pretty darn good! Perhaps you should include it in your manual on how to behave and what to say during times of tragedy.

phoenixstormshadow said...

Along with this blog, I have been reading background on NewSpring from Pajamapages blog. One post in particular I found interesting. The title, NewSpring gets it's catholic vibe on with its veneration of the saints this Easter . It outlines a page from their playbook using a death of a former staffer in 2009.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 3:48. He did 2 or 3 interviews. One of them he said "a" mom and one he said "his" mom. Same question was asked at both. He answered them differently at both

Anonymous said...

There are some men who.are terrible motivators. For example telling a woman she is fat won't help her loose weight. Blackburn may have been one, using his platform to passively motivate his wife to be what he wanted her to be. While you
you can inspire change in a better way, It's a leap from that to I'm glad she's dead it wasn't working out and another big hop and jump to I had her taken out because she wasn't my slinghot. I agree with the statement analysis of guilt in language. Peter must know that Blackburn has some real culpability in this to let the speculation go like this based on the evidentiary facts as we know them today.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. The original ref was from the inside edition interview. In that interview he said his mom.

rjb said...

The argument for keeping someone on life support is primarily based on a firm belief in the sanctity of life and the necessity to preserve it. Unless one belongs to a denomination that believes that the use of any and all medical interventions shows a lack of faith (parents refusing the use of insulin for their diabetic children is an example of this,) the use of extraordinary measures to preserve a beating heart and breathing lungs in someone who has been determined to be brain dead is considered the righteous thing to do.

Families don't generally get a say on whether or not their incapacitated loved one is placed on life support, unless the loved one has a DNR or living will on file when they come in to the hospital that specifically states that they do not want to be put on a ventilator, have their heart beat normalized with a defibrillator, etc. If there is no documentation of the patient's wishes, medical staff are legally obligated to use extraordinary measures.

Anonymous said...

In the Inside Edition interview he is quoted as saying "the hardest part for me, in this whole process, is thinking about him growing up without his mom,"

Anonymous said...

Is it bad we are possibly coaching, here, someone guilty of murder-for-hire? Or is that just the world we live in now.

Anonymous said...

The public interviews and vast public reaction elsewhere (all over) the internet actually is the world we live in now. That gives law enforcement all the more material to work with.

rjb said...

I am assuming that DB's church is "non-denominational Evangelical." In non-church terms, non-denominational is kind of like a privately owned fast-food joint vs. McDonald's; they both provide the same basic menu, but all McDonald's have corporate regulations to follow so that when you go into any McDonald's, you are basically getting the identical experience.

Evangelical means that they take the "Great Commission" of Jesus to go into the world and preach the gospel to everyone very seriously and outreach with a goal of conversion is a major focus of the church. That's why Resonate has (had?) ridiculous giveaways as an incentive to get people in the door: Wiis, motorcycles, and other expensive toys.

Resonate is what is known as a "church plant." Perry Noble's church sent DB to Indianapolis explicitly to create a congregation and supplied the money to start this project. This is very common in church planting, the pastor of the new church is supported financially by the commissioning church until either the church plant is self-supporting or simply doesn't take off after a certain period of time.

The pastors chosen to begin church plants are typically young men (married and with young children is a plus) who are considered dynamic speakers & charismatic enough to get buns in seats and keep them coming back.

Hope this helped!

Anonymous said...

This is from the Resonate Church website:
Amanda Grace Blackburn was a beautiful, gracious, loving woman of God. During a home invasion on November 10, 2015, Amanda suffered a gunshot wound and was left critically injured. The next day Amanda and her unborn daughter, Everette “Evie” Grace Blackburn, passed away as a result of her injuries.

She "suffered a gunshot wound"? That seems to be watering down the fact that she was assaulted and murdered. I just find the wording to be curious.

Dano said...

Thanks, Juliet.

Well... I can't even.

I don't think I can stomach the entire video. Davey is one sick puppy, and Amanda his enabler; but what's really horrific is that these beliefs and behaviors are considered normal in this or any other church. And yes, they are the golden standard of the patriarchal male-female relationships, even though it is usually not expressed with such smug, "hip" crassness.

Anonymous said...

I think this story is one that would have been overly-covered on CNN, etc., were it not for the timing of the Paris attacks. Now it seems almost forgotten (by the news).

Amy Smith said...

@dschndl: Great to see @daveyblackburn back at @newspring today. Excited for what's to come in Indy. Shout out to @resonateindy. #nothingwasted

Amy Smith said...

@dschndl: @watchkeep To be clear, no one is excited about an execution. But very excited about new life.

Shannon In CA said...

OT:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/us/kentucky-girl-killed/?iid=ob_homepage_NewsAndBuzz_pool&iref=obnetwork

Peter, did you see this? A little girl was killed in Kentucky and this is what the guy who was arrested said:

"I've done nothing wrong," he said. "I'm a very innocent man. They can ask anybody that knows me."

Meaning HE doesn't think he did anything wrong, right? After reading you SA for a few months now, I assume this guy guilty from this statement.

Anonymous said...

Just saw this news report on youtube. It shows pictures from inside the 1st home that was robbed. In the pics, one of the robbers has that two-toned hoodie on, but the second person in the light colored hoodie looks white. His hands are white. Am I wrong? Does anyone else see this?

Anonymous said...

here is the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IFhOttMkD0

Fooldfeedonfolly said...

Anonymous @3:50 p.m.

Excellent point! Most obituaries where I live tell the basics: DOB; place lived; date of death; family relations; and something about the person (their faith/their profession, as well as their hobbies, causes important to them, special pets,etc.).

I found her obituary to be plain vanilla. I agree with you- where was her value to Weston mentioned, her love of Christmas decorating, her close relationship with her family (double wedding, married by Dad, beloved Auntie to [name the nieces and nephews]), annual marathon runner, etc.?

It just added to the overall sense that Amanda didn't matter or count as a person, only in relation to Davey. I think she wasn't quite as compliant (i.e. submissive) as Davey expected. IMO, she was likely a straight shooter with her faith, whereas he was more foot lose.

Just as aside, I've known several pastors of differing denominations and none would have listed "pastor of [insert name of Church]" in their wife's obituary because family, friends, congregation members, and people who knew them well enough to come to the funeral would have known that already.

Anonymous said...

Bullying Amanda's and Davey's friends on Facebook and Twitter is EVIL. This is almost as evil as REPEATEDLY calling potential sexual abuse victims and unprofessionally interviewing them hoping you can find another victim for your portfolio. Repeatedly interviewing potential sexual abuse victims can create false memories. False memories harm the individual and the accused.

Anonymous said...

Amy Smith@5.32pm

Absolutely unbelievable. These people are all sick.

less than 2 weeks out from an absolutely horrific murder they continue on as if nothing has happened.

Huge respect for you partners of Stan keeping the pressure up on these guys - if CD has any involvement they have serious explaining to do.

Would be interested in some SA on Newspring - do we have any opportunity to observe free editing in their comments on this case?

Excited. WTF.

Max DeAngelis said...

Anon 6:05 - thx for the YouTube link! The guy on the right matches the initial description we heard. What's weird is neither of these guys' clothing matches the official LE photo release. That is very strange and indicates to me that maybe LE don't think these two crimes are connected?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous message at 6:18 is not directed at Peter Hyatt. It's directed to Amy Smith.

Buckley said...

That wording sounds like a suicide that you don't want publicly stated.

Anonymous said...

That photo in the youtube link is not from the other house that was robbed in the Blackburn's neighborhood. That photo was from a burglary in a townhouse in an apartment complex in another part of the city. I think the reports were that it was about 10 miles away from the Blackburn's neighborhood and that burglary happened at roughly the same time as the burglary in the unoccupied house in the Blackburn's neighborhood. I don't think LE believes the crimes are connected.

Anonymous said...

Oh, ok. Thanks for the clarification.

Buckley said...

Unexpected pic above. Well done but troubling.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @ 3:50

I had had those exact thoughts about her obituary. Assuming it was written by Davey, it just seems like he didn't value her like she deserved.

Amy Smith said...

Hello http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2015/01/mega-manifesto-on-behalf-of-prestonwood.html?m=1

Anonymous said...

Guilty of what? Guilty of an association with the killer? Or guilty of being happy to be freed from a marriage that did not bring him the anticipated "success" of his business? I am not sure! If I were guilty of only being happy about the accidental death of my spouse who dragged me & my business down, I think I would be super honest & open in talking to cops about it, b/c nothing to hide, including the truth about my feelings... in fact I'm sure I'd be very open about my feelings.

Anonymous said...

I hope when I die no one judges my grieving husbands admirattion for me by how well he squeezed into 3 newspaper paragraphs the totality of my life.

Anonymous said...

WHY would I be so open to cops about my joy of spouses death? Because I didn't do it!!! I'd sit down an yak at length, and I'd have so many questions for THEM!! I would have the confidence that comes from TRUTH and honesty!!

Anonymous said...

When you're innocent of whatever at hand, you don't "edit" yourself, and "monitor" your speech, do you? If you're innocent, you have the wonderful ability to speak freely.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have experience with LE when it comes to this type of investigation? I am so confused by:

- the utter lack of information coming from them
- the leak then denial of sexual assault
- the quick assumption that DB is 100% cleared
- the release of that ridiculously unhelpful photo
- if DB is a poi, why let him leave the state? Wouldn't he need to be there for questioning, etc?
- "we know who you are" was said in the original presser. ??! Apparently, you do not.

I'm just so confused....wondering if there's anyone out there with experience.

Also, it appears we here are more interested in catching Amanda's killer than DB, no?

Anonymous said...

My gut feeling is that it's donning on LE that they've botched things badly. I say that without even having a firm belief in Davey's guilt. I don't know why, but I just have a feeling they're screwing this up. I hope I'm wrong.

Anonymous said...

make that, *dawning on

Amy Smith said...

Why don't you leave a comment on my blog?

Amy Smith said...

@daveyblackburn: I'm really thankful for the hope of heaven in Jesus Christ #NothingIsWasted

Amy Smith said...

New DB tweet

Anonymous said...

I live in Indianapolis and have some familiarity with the police department and how they operate and recently the department have made some effective collars in drug and gang related home invasions,murders resulting in arrests and convictions so they may have a handle on it. As a previous poster remarked, a few o the statements made by police were veiled. And we all know the police are allowed to lie to get the results they want. Undercover officers live the lie so just maybe Davey boy is still the prime suspect and he is getting just enough rope to hang himself. Indianapolis doesn't have as modern conveniences as other large cities I'm sure. I know they don't have the gunshot locators used by larger departments like ShotSpotter gun shot detection and locator service. People here are not very sophisticated inho. Very evangelical and church filled of all denominations too boot so that old be the hold up. The chief of police isn't a Hooiser so I think he will pick up the pace once the crime lab,which is probably not up to par either has results

JJBB said...

"@daveyblackburn: I'm really thankful for the hope of heaven in Jesus Christ #NothingIsWasted"

This was just posted by Amy Smith? Is this a reference to him thinking about committing suicide? Someone mentioned suicide a few posts up too. Can you update me? Is this what you're all referring to?

Anonymous said...

Also why let your left hand know what your right hand is doing as my nana always said.so the police after leaks are remaining tight lipped. As far as letting him travel to his hometown, he isn't a danger to the general public only himself and his child at this point. I keep a gun on me at all times so I'm safe here but I would say Indianapolis is crime ridden to a large extent home invasions happen either in wealthier nepoor drug infested hoods by rival drug dealers and gangs or in wealthier homes with a bigger haul.Also many of the homicides that occur here are between people with criminal records ie; gang related. I thought the poster who theorized someone came in to burglarize and stumbled into a murder makes sense. Maybe that is where the young man in jail comes into the picture. When I look at his picture i noticed he was wearing that same tight fitted type tee shirt along with Capri pants? I have never seen a straight man in capris so could their be a love connection there? Or is he just a victim of circumstance how I don't know. Once the police have legitimate results from forensics I'm have confidence they will make an arrest hopefully it will be the guilty party

MemphisPat said...

Bet the Indy police are getting lots of advice from fellow departments. I'm holding out hope that this will turn out right. I don't understand why Nancy Grace isn't all over this. Davey and the family must be refusing to go on air.

TodayIsGood said...

Peter, your analysis of DB when talking about Weston is spot on -- and I found it so well illustrated in this clip from the widower of a Paris victim. His 17 month old son is now without a mother. The language he uses in speaking of her and their son directly illustrates everything you are saying, but in reverse -- he speaks the way a grieving man in a good, loving relationship would relate to his murdered wife and son:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/16/europe/husband-facebook-post-paris-attacks/index.html

Anon said...

I just watched the video where he dances to the whip nae nae song on stage durine a sermine. I've changed my mind about him. He seems quite grounded.

Anon said...

I just watched the video where he dances to the whip nae nae song on stage durine a sermine. I've changed my mind about him. He seems quite grounded.

Anonymous said...

Nancy Grace is not interested in this case Pat. She has already made that clear. Why? You'd have to ask her. I think she is originally from S.C. Maybe she is familiar with Nobel's church or certain family members? I have no idea, but I do know that Nancy Grace is not the crème'DE grau she thinks she is. She's actually more a waste of time than anything else... Several cases she has damaged terribly. AND wrongly. I think she is going to have her own accounting to do before the Almighty one day. ABB

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:51 - by grounded do you mean that he does an impressive whip and nae nae? (Totally jk)

Anonymous said...

Davey was not proud of his wife's pregnancy #2. He made this very clear. He slammed her in every way, why not her pregnancy too?

Amanda was only three months pregnant; possibly he didn't consider this pregnancy anything more than a fetus at this point. Maybe he had tried to get her to get rid of it and she refused? Who can say?

Figure it out for yourselves, like I have. Warning: to think along these lines can lead to some wild speculation, but a definite possibility. ABB

Anonymous said...

@anon 6:58

Re: obituary. No one said Davey had to write a detailed novel of "admiration" in her obituary but the fact remains:

1. He didn't even list her job- that of a stay-at-home mom to their child. Being a stay-at-home mom is a calling, and often requires huge personal sacrifice, and can be a thankless job. Come on, he can't even give it a mention? Nope. He does see fit to mention his job though. He's the lead pastor of whatever church in Indy. Who gives a f***? It's not about you Davey. Not your obit.
2. He didn't list the fact that she had her own small business. In reading about her business, Weathered Willow, it was clear that money she earned contributed to the family finances which helped her stay home with her son. helped her to be a stay-at-home mom. I think that's something to be proud of. I would hope he would have been proud of her. But nope, no mention.
3. Davey went on to ramble more about his role in Indy, his career at the church. Really? Is this an advertisement for his church or an obit for his wife?

Again, no no one is asking that he write some lovely prose of admiration or squeeze every detail of her life in 3 paragraphs but FFS, write about her, not you Davey. Oh, and how hard would it have been to include a pic of just her? Funeral home pic included Davey. Just like the memorial service. Seriously??? Davey can't bear to give up the spotlight.

eddie emmons said...

Stupid comments by some that Davey is gay.Makes so much sense that he's gay and insults his wife for not giving him more sex....Exactly what every gay man wants,right?More straight sex from a woman.....Duh!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Clearly Eddie has never met a closeted person.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I think he's gay and despises women. I think he was sent to Indy as a last-ditch effort by daddy to appear like a straight couple (they were married 7 years before they had a child). Methinks he protests too much, and all his talk of sex--he's trying to talk himself into/fool others that's what he wants (women) -- "man + wife for life" is what he preached, but he didn't want that. I'm guessing hours spent at the gym were to be around men, his porn problem... And where is her secret journal--not the one she 'let' him read.... As for smart? I don't see it--looking past the brainwashed church-speak, he's immature, ridiculous, and dumb.

Anonymous said...

It is possible to misinterpret narcissism for homosexuality. Either way, CD appears to love himself far more than his wife and child.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I think he's gay and despises women. I think he was sent to Indy as a last-ditch effort by daddy to appear like a straight couple (they were married 7 years before they had a child). Methinks he protests too much, and all his talk of sex--he's trying to talk himself into/fool others that's what he wants (women) -- "man + wife for life" is what he preached, but he didn't want that. I'm guessing hours spent at the gym were to be around men, his porn problem... And where is her secret journal--not the one she 'let' him read.... As for smart? I don't see it--looking past the brainwashed church-speak, he's immature, ridiculous, and dumb.

eddie emmons said...

lol....I'm gay....I might have better perception skills when it comes to the subject than some of you.He's straight.He's an obnoxious straight man.Deal with it.

Anonymous said...

And one more thing that really bugs me. I am a Christian. I live in the U.S. And interact with Christians in a variety of situations- work, school, hobbies, hexk there are even a good number of Christian movies out now. Just exactly how does Davey talking about his wife's faith on national TV bring someone to Christ? It's not as if we live in a remote country that hasn't heard the gospel or the Bible hasn't been translated into our languafe. Unbelievers interact with Christians all the time and i find it hard to believe that all the cliches spouted from Davey about the "best is yet to come", or nothing is "wasted" are greatly impacting unbelievers.

There are many good blogs out there written by authentic people dealing with the death of a child or spouse. Try reading "An Inch of Gray" or "One Fit Widow" and then we can talk about someone's "story" reaching people for Christ.

Oh, and if I see one more comment from a Christian saying "God needed Amanda and Evie" in heaven I'm going to throw up. God doesn't need us. Yes, God desires to have a relationship with us but doesn't need us. God did not need them to be brutally murdered so they could do some job for Him in heaven. *we* need God not vice versa. Stop trying to sugarcoat this horrible tragedy. What happened to Amanda and Evie was really shitty. God didn't cause it. And don't try to spin it like it's this great thing. A young woman and her child were brutally murdered and lived out their final moments in absolute terror and were left alone in pain to die. I'm praying for Amanda's family, friends and especially sweet Weston.

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I think he's narcissistic and homosexual. I think the Indy stint was to prove to family they were a straight couple. He preached wife submission and man and wife for life, but it sure seems he was trying to talk himself into this and fool others. For being together 7 years, they didn't seem to even know each other very well, and the child came into the marriage in the 6th year. In every picture she is clinging to him. For the camera, for outward appearances, they looked happy. Where is her real journal? (Not the decoy he read...) There has to be a lot more to this than anyone could ever speculate. As for smart? He's not. Not at all. And he's clearly had coaching for the Inside Edition interview, wear a sweater that makes you look older, wiser, and frown and twist your wedding ring--deliberately. He's an actor, but a bad one.

Anonymous said...

Interesting article here "Narcissistic heterosexual men target their hostility primarily at heterosexual women, the objects of their desires, study finds"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121329.htm

MemphisPat said...

Where was Amanda in the house when Davey "found" her?
Was there a chase inside the house or just a confined crime scene area?
Have these facts been revealed?

I know LE sometimes doesn't release details so they can rule out the nutheads who try to confess to everything. Could that perhaps be true here?

Seems like she would have been shot in the stomach first, then in the back of the head? So she turned to run and was finished off? It sure doesn't sound like a surprised burglar's actions, does it? Sounds very personal or like a hired gun with instructions.

Maybe Monday will be the big day when we learn more.

Anonymous said...

I think the Indy plant was to get CD far away from the head church.

Anonymous said...

The *itches bullying Amanda's friends on Twitter and Facebook named themselves Partners of Stan? Seriously? What are you? Demonic 6th graders?

Amy Smith said...

Oh you think we named ourselves? Ha! Good one. We've been called "partner with Satan" and sometimes those who do so commit word crimes (Satin or Stan.)

JMTO said...

If I am wrong, forgive me- wasn't the quote I gave from his very first interview in his hometown before the GMA interview?
The Inside Edition interview came much later (few days) if I am correct?

JMTO said...

I concur!!

JMTO said...

Yes- but he says he READ it just a few days before she was killed.
I want to know:

Before the shooting or

Before life support was removed

Anonymous said...

He says her death is "baffling" and a "conundrum"; it's so unnatural to speak in terms that denote distant from the emotion of a marital relationship & the nature of the crime. And in the latest interview he twists his wedding ring twice--almost like he is toying with removing it or maybe a signal to a lover--'it won't be long now before this is gone and we are together.'

Two still shots of a possible suspect on surveillance video were released, but why not show the moving video??? Does it show too much and would tip her husband they are closing in on him?

I'm beginning to think the killer is some love struck teenage girl from the church or gym who would do anything for "Davey". That's where I think the source of the guilt can be found.

Anonymous said...

I'm not the "Anonymous" previously posting; call me A2.

JMTO said...

Agreed again, ABB.

Except I don't think he wanted her to get rid of the baby- he probably never asked her that at all knowing that Amanda would never have even thought twice about it, but I do believe from the minute DB found out she was pregnant with baby #2 the countdown was on.

I believe he needed her to be gone ASAP before the baby would be able to live and be viable on its own (some as early as 25 weeks) - an early enough that Drs wouldn't keep her alive for the sake of keeping the baby alive and to term.

I believe her clock was ticking as soon as she found out.

Of course it was all her fault- DB wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with her getting pregnant!!

sidenote:

It is very possible that since 6 years went by before they got pregnant with Weston, that they possibly had some help getting pregnant.

After they had Weston he might have thought that she wouldn't get pregnant again without that extra help (invitro, etc) but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

She probably looked at this as a complete blessing, him, since his favorite thing about Weston is he sleeps a lot, not so much.

(what 15 mth old sleeps a lot?)

MemphisPat said...

Anon at 12:14, maybe not a teenager but the babysitter, Meg Griffith, who was once his intern. Perhaps he groomed her to do his bidding since she moved to Indy at his request a few months ago. She lived with Davey and Amanda when she got there. Strange, huh?

Amy Smith said...

@JennieWTHR: #BREAKING MORE: 18y/o Larry Taylor, arrested on murder charges for Amanda Blackburn's death, is one of 4 men questioned in her killing.#WTHR

Ellie said...

I agree-my 1st boyfriend was gay& the same way. After he came out he was much nicer. The real question is why I was attracted to a misogynistic gay man in the 1st place.

Skeptic said...

A new reality show is starting on Oxygen this week. It's about a young evangelical pastor starting his own church! The title is Rich in Faith. Can you believe it? The timing is weird.

MemphisPat said...

JMTO, I never saw a 15 month old who slept 12 hours at night and then napped for 2+. They just don't require that much sleep, in my experience.

MemphisPat said...

Skeptic, sounds like Oprah's folks saw how much attention this case was getting and rushed something along.

MemphisPat said...

Oh, I think Oxygen is not Oprah! Sorry.

Anonymous said...

One of those questioned has been charged with murder:
http://www.wthr.com/story/30582162/man-questioned-in-amanda-blackburn-case-arrested-for-murder

Unknown said...

ARREST : Larry Taylor - http://www.wthr.com/story/30582162/man-questioned-in-amanda-blackburn-case-arrested-for-murder

Anonymous said...

And when I say love struck; I mean to say there is an active affair between the girl and Davey.

A2

Skeptic said...

Not a lot of details given yet. I wonder why it took a couple of days to make the arrest. I bet those detectives have really given this their all.

Anonymous said...

Yes very strange, inappropriate! And Amanda "submitted".

A2

Anonymous said...

Davey could have hired him.

A2

Anonymous said...

Will 18 year old Larry Taylor, arrested for her murder, rat out pastor with muder-for-hire plot?


Tick, tick, tick....

Shannon In CA said...

I agree with you. I don't think he's gay at all.

Sus said...

http://fox59.com/2015/11/23/impd-makes-arrests-in-amanda-blackburn-case/

This explains it all, and it's pretty awful to read. Poor Amanda.

I should have relied more on DB being mentally ill in his language.

Anonymous said...

Here's a link to the FB of one of the suspects arrested... SCARY
https://www.facebook.com/RIP.LIL.NUK

MemphisPat said...

I went and left the FB page quickly, Anon. Hard to unseen that stuff!

MemphisPat said...

unsee

Anonymous said...

It's heartbreaking to think that she had to fight against that and others.

olivinchi the alien said...

Still think there's something hugely off about db. Still think he is involved in some way. Everything about it from "conundrum" the "we" , avoiding straight answers...

MemphisPat said...

olivinchi, I feel certain he's involved, maybe with the babysitter as a go-between, and one of the three is going to tell.

Anonymous said...

So convenient that the door was unlocked.

MemphisPat said...

What man wouldn't be double-checking all the doors when he left in the dark with his wife and baby home? Especially since there was lots of talk of break-ins in the area. If DB didn't make this happen, I'll be stunned!

Anonymous said...

I saw an interview a day or so after this happened, of a neighbor that said the house that was robbed first was the home of a woman who was out of town a lot for work and this was well known in the neighborhood. Did the suspects just happen to pick that home? Or were they told to go there?

John Mc Gowan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda said...

Amanda was the one who said a couple who mentored them gave her the advice of having sex before they went to dinner. She seemed fine with it and indicated it worked.

Amanda said...

They made an arrest

Donna said...

I keep thinking about DB and AB's last trip to Chicago in late October. Did something happen while they were there? Was it an enjoyable trip? Presumably, the house would have been empty... house broken into and AB shot just a couple weeks later. Is it a coincidence?

Anonymous said...

It is not only amazing but astounding that these four suspects, three arrested and one charged in Amanda's murder, were all over that neighborhood so early in the morning and seen(?) by neighbors but no one called 911 to report their activities.

They were all over that cul de sac, robbing a neighborhood home first, with three on to the Blackburn home. Two were on exterior video, plus at least one mysterious auto; gunshots were HEARD presumably after Davey was seen leaving home approx 40 minutes later than usual that morning, yet no one called 911 to report any of these suspicious activities, even though they had a neighborhood watch in place and supposedly on the lookout with neighbors awake, up and about.

From whatever time the gunshots were heard until Davey returned home at approx. 8:30 am, found Amanda and called 911 is how long she laid there in unbelievably excruciating pain and dying.

This is a horrible horrible thing. Poor Amanda, words fail me for what she must have gone through. If one can be found, the moral; don't ever rely on your neighbors or anyone else to lift a finger or look out for your safety and don't trust your dog to help deter break-ins either. Get a burglar alarm system for whatever measure of help that may be. Installation and monitoring doesn't even cost that much and might help more than trusting someone else.

As for Davey Blackburn; he had a pregnant wife and young child at home in a high crime area and should have been there. All the neighbors knew there was repeated crime in their neighborhood, including him. He had no business being at the gym that time of the morning, who gives a crap about his body beautiful; he should have been at home helping his pregnant wife where he was needed.

Whether he had anything to do with Amanda's ghastly rape and murder or not, and it's starting to look like he didn't, (even though I'm still not so sure he didn't leave the door open); I'm calling false prophesy low-life POS on Davey Blackburn since that's what he is; rejoicing at and being glad he is relieved of his pregnant wife he did not love.

As to his so-called intelligence; he has exceeded The Peter Principal. Anyone who is familiar with the Peter Principal will understand the outer limits of his limited intelligence which capacity he has already exceeded. ABB

Anonymous said...

Beginning to wonder if DB is experiencing Post Traumatic Strress and that could account for the strange Behavior??? I cant imagine walking into my home finding my wife in that condition. He was saying she would forgive them. I would expect a spouse would still be begging for justice for his wife who died a violent death.

Amanda said...

ABB knowing there had been crime in the area and the door being left unlocked would produce a lot of guilt in a husband who left his wife alone to go work out and she was raped and murdered.

Anonymous said...

A man arrested and CHARGED for her murder, 18 year old Larry Taylor.No mention of rape in these set of articles.

Lots of men do nothing when neighborhoods experience crime. "What do you want me to do about it?" is what pours out of their mouths while shrugging shoulders.
When women are the target, even less is done. In fact, they are more often inclined to blame the women for the crime.

Typically the police will do nothing either even when there are several and they live nearby.

Anonymous said...

P.S... I still think he was cheating on her, or at the least keeping himself on sensual exhibition luring in other bed partners, making it clear Amanda could not 'satisfy' him in bed. God, I despise married men like him.

I hope his next wife drinks and beats him. And that his in-laws take little Weston away from him. It's what he deserves. He had a good wife and mother, one who loved him and was devoted to his ministry, she was caring and intelligent and worked hard; he did not appreciate her, insulting, humbling and humiliating her at every turn.

Course, his home church pastor and board of deacons will stand by him no matter what. They would, even should he be charged in her murder; they'll even shell out big legal fees to represent him. They always do. ABB

Anonymous said...

A Pastor is comforting to families during their time of loss. I believe it is too difficult for Davey to dwell on his wife's final moments and therefore assumed the plural statements as his role as pastor. They also have a very close family so he is most likely speaking on behalf as them as well. I personally cannot fault him for getting away to stay with family with the suspects were still on the loose. I would imagine it would be very difficult to go back in that home.

Chuck Cheesehead said...

LARRY TAYLOR 5'8" 150 lbs. DOB 2/10/1997 http://inmateinfo.indy.gov/IML

Anonymous said...

I have friends and family who never lock their doors and also leave their garage doors open during the day. I am the other extreme and lock the door while I let my dog outside for 5 minutes.
Do we know for sure that DB the door unlocked or could one of the suspects have come to the door saying he was broke down and needed to use a phone. The way Amanda was described as loving the unlovable, is it possible she opened the door to hand him her phone?

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 6:48, hate to tell ya, but I'm all out of pity for Davey's supposed Post Traumatic Stress, that is, if he has any. WHICH, I don't believe he has any anyhow. I don't even care how he alluded to 'she would forgive them'. I doubt she was thinking 'forgiveness' in her pain and dying last breathes.

It wouldn't matter what he thinks she would feel anyhow, it's not about him; what matters is that we have laws in this land and they have to be adhered too. Justice must be sought and the guilty punished to the death. Jesus himself admonished us all that our laws be adhered too and obeyed. F'ck Davey Blackburn. Forgiveness in the taking of another life belongs to Jesus. ABB

Anonymous said...

If nothing else he is guilty of leaving the door unlocked. He DID NOT protect his family by doing that. So he is guilty. I would even go as far to say he left the door open...opportunity for the burglars he KNEW were in the neighborhood. He's guilty and should feel terrible beyond measure knowing that had he locked the damn door she might still be alive. His carelessness caused this. He shows no remorse or care that he has lost his wife. In some way he is connected and responsible.

These are my views, thoughts and conclusions. I own them. Not looking for debate and will not be persuaded otherwise.

Anonymous said...

@ anon 7:17 i agree

Amanda said...

I have these thoughts. He also has a solid support system to speak to.

Anonymous said...

You are so right, Anon @ 6:57. It's a real shame, but true.

As for you, Anon @7:17, that is not entirely true. But if you think your rude and insulting "FALSE" accusation of me will cause me to back down in my opinion of Davey Blackburn, you couldn't be more wrong. I have no bleeding heart for any man who has treated their wife in the manner Davey Blackburn has. He deserves every evil thing that comes upon him. We all do.

Do you think that I do not sit here and realize that I deserve every evil thing that falls upon me since I lost my husband more than 25 years ago, wishing I had loved him more then? Well I do, and thanking God that my punishment for not doing better myself is on me now and not in the judgment. Recently I lost our beautiful son too, whom I loved so dearly; but I have no anger or questions to ask God in taking him home. BLESSED is what we are when God loves us enough that He gives us another chance to repent and this includes Davey Blackburn. ABB

Anonymous said...

How do you determine the level of evil people deserve?

Anonymous said...


Anon @ 7:25, I agree with both you and Anon's second post @ 7:17. Both, very good, share my own opinions. ABB

Anonymous said...

I don't really, Anon @7:42, not my judgment call to make. Just thinking, speculating, knowing there are punishments we all suffer, one way or another. It comes back to, when you hear someone say; "what did I ever do to deserve this?" I'm usually thinking PLENTY. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, who can say? But I do know this; you cannot trample all over a beautiful gift God gave to you and not expect to pay for it. ABB

Anonymous said...

Anon at 7:50 ?

Juliet said...

There may be further arrests, the report said. Did I hear the lady presenter say Amanda's ATM card was used the night before the home invasion? I can't find the clip again -if she did say that, it may have been misinformation. Is it too early to be apologising to Davey? - there may be a connection. I cannot get over his smiling demeanour in the interviews - the absence of anything like an expected reaction to this horrible crime.

Larry will be crying for his mother by now - his family will all be saying, that's not my baby - he's a good boy, had a few problems, ran with the wrong crowd, but he was turning his life round..,barf.

Anonymous said...

I don't think he could sell a Mercedes...people who buy those are already living the dream." Man, I'm smokin' what yer sellin'" wouldn't be an expected response in that demographic.

Anonymous said...

He damned sure couldn't sell me one. ABB

Anonymous said...

Maybe DB's "we" and "us" speak is related to having left a door unlocked?

Very sad that she suffered this way. RIP Amanda.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

That the killer is 18 yo makes sense; young brutal and likely gang member with the others.

Let us hope that in the interview process there is no connection to Davey; such as having been to the church, gym, or the school where Davey was and that Davey's guilt is his freedom for his career.

The age of the killer may make the interview process less resistant and may cause him to give up information more readily...

We shall see.

interesting that the 21 year old is not considered the shooter; was he outside? part of the gang??


Peter

Statement Analysis Blog said...

I still think we is him and his business...

The we is produced at the most sensitve moments running from commitment.

The "we" is guilt.

We only need to learn the source of the guilt.

Anonymous said...

Not interesting, Peter. This is how they work...teams. You say gang, some say team. Guess it depends on the dress code, race, etc.

Juliet said...

http://wishtv.com/2015/11/23/impd-arrest-made-in-amanda-blackburn-murder/

Davey's statement about the arrest

Anonymous said...

Most likely he was parked nearby awaiting word from the younger to pick up the goods. Technology makes them more efficient and effective. It is part of the process, process, process.

My World said...

If Davey has no connection to the murder I would be surprised, but if so at least the family will have done relief. However, I feel his ministry is dangerous and not biblical. He made himself look guilty and it still does not add up. Who are the 4 men being questioned? I thought there were only 3.

trustmeigetit said...

Not sure who wrote the statement. says Davey AND family. I would then expect more "we" but lots of "I"


Amanda’s husband and family released the following statement Monday morning:

Though it does not undo the pain we are feeling, I was extremely relieved to get the news of the arrest made last night of Amanda’s killer. The investigators have assured me they have a solidly-built case to ensure justice is levied and the process is expedited. The family and I couldn’t be more thankful for the level of compassion and professionalism the IMPD and investigators have shown us through the last couple of weeks. My hope is for 3 things in the weeks and months to come:

(1) That the court system would have wisdom on how to prosecute this man, so that no one else endures the pain Amanda and our family have had to endure because of his actions.

(2) That through all of this and although there will be great consequences for his actions, he would become truly sorry for what he has done and would even begin to experience the life-transforming power of the Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ.

(3) That Jesus would give me and our family a heart of forgiveness.

Though everything inside of me wants to hate, be angry, and slip into despair I choose the route of forgiveness, grace and hope. If there is one thing I’ve learned from Amanda in the 10 years we were together, it’s this: Choosing to let my emotions drive my decisions is recipe for a hopeless and fruitless life. Today I am deciding to love, not hate. Today I am deciding to extend forgiveness, not bitterness. Today I am deciding to hope, not despair. By Jesus’ power at work within us, the best is STILL yet to come. Even when I don’t see it, I believe it to be true.

lynda said...

Let the games begin. I just watched the FOX coverage and they said ALL THREE men entered the home (if they had them on video, why did they say 3 guys entered the home instead of one?) they also said that one of the boys is "cooperating". This should be interesting.

Unknown said...

I went to this link and its for some Dloc restinpeacelittlenukandchris.... is he one of the suspects?

Unknown said...

I went to this link and its for some Dloc restinpeacelittlenukandchris.... is he one of the suspects?

Amy Smith said...

I've heard that Davey drove Amanda to the hospital. Did he call 911 before or on the way? Is there a 911 call? Has it been reported that there is a 911 call?

Anonymous said...

One thing I've learned when something is posted twice is it is most likely a journalist whose ego is such it thinks everyone should supply it with news.

Amy Smith said...

Don't know that he drove her just that I've been told that's what others have said. Has that been reported?

Anonymous said...

Amy, I've never heard one way or the other, whether Davey drove Amanda to the hospital or whether EMT's took her. Actually, I'm still in a mystery as to why he was so late leaving home that morning, then gone from the home for over two hours if the timeline that was given is correct. Something here is just not right. ABB

MzOpinion8d said...

DB leaving "late" that morning was only a rumor by a troll on a news media page. No one reputable reported that to be true. The troll was quite successful planting that rumor though, because I've seen it reported as fact on every site I've read.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the number of times a rumor is reported is the deciding factor before bumping it up to known fact.?

Anonymous said...

I would hope that at least Amanda's family knows now what kind of deceitful, nasty person and belittling temperament their son-in-law had towards their beloved daughter, and will be in a position to help train her little boy differently and with more respect towards women and particularly for a wife.

As for their religious teachings and feel-good religion, the Bible clearly warns us that false prophets will abound in the last days, having tingling ears, blind leaders of the blind; some even claiming to be Jesus, or like Jesus, not to go there, not to look upon them. They already claim He is our elder brother, making Him like us. Don't expect this to change, only to get worse. ABB

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 211   Newer› Newest»