For those who missed it like I did, here is a link to the 20-20 piece regarding the Leah Freeman murder investigation and arrest of Nicholas McGuffin.
Pictured former Coquille PD chief Mike Reaves refuses to speak to interviewer. Reaves poor performance as a chief is highlighted and again it begs the question why the council and city manager who kept this man for so many years are still running the city.
Nick McGuffin during his arrest near his home.
@carol the woman you called Kathleen is Rebecca Reid not Kathleen.
Thanks for your reply Ms Mgx,
Are you confidant in circumstantial evidence convictions? Im wondering as you stated that Mr McGuffins family has prejudiced you because of their behavior at the hearing. How many others could be influenced, the same way you were..?
O’Connor’s tolerance of Reaves is a testament to the low regard both he and the city council hold for the people of Coquille. Keeping O’Connor, especially after the council has witnessed the glaring difference between one chief and the next, is just as perplexing…
Having worked for the former Chief of Police (Mike Reeves) I know he and the City Manager ( Terence O’Connor) had something working between them. I watched as Terence O’Connor swept allegatons of sexual harasment (against Mike Reeves) under the carpet. And I watched Mike Reeves and the City Manager conspire to unfairly and unjustly destroy a young officer’s carreer. I’ve spent years wondering why Terence O’Connor allowed Mike Reeves do what he did and get away with it. I was once told Mike Reeves had caught Terence O’Connor having an affair (before he divorced) which put him in a powerful place (which he took full advantage of). Mike Reeves destroyed the Coquille Police Department while he was there. I spoke with an officer that worked for Mike Reeves at his previous command, and was told he treated his officers unfairly there too.
Thank you, Carol, the earlier police chief unfortunately did such a bad job that circumstantial may be the only way to tie McGuffin to her murder. The cause of her death has not been released, but the ‘expert’ felt it was consistent with the capabilities of the suspect.
Nothing would be worse than convicting an innocent man. If McGuffin is guilty, let’s hope the evidence is sufficient to put him away for twenty five years.
I just read the latest article of the beating this guy took in jail. I remember this story too. I always thought she had been taken by a stranger. A passerby stranger seemed to be more fitting than her friends. Cant see kids having anything to do with it. It seemed to random, with her shoes at different locations, and being dumped in a ditch. I just watched the 20/20 show and holymoelly.. It was surprising to hear the chief talk about how the evidence was so messed up. I wonder who all had access to it..(some of the previous good ole boyz??)..Was any evidence ruined or lost. I also felt that the aired investigation was so sensationalized. Did anyone notice that it looked like the DA was in the interrogation room with Dannels? I found it strange after watching that girl (Kristen) vehemently denying any knowledge then it looked like many hours passed where she changed her story (while the DA apppeared to be sitting in there). It made me wonder why he was in there? I thought she looked believable in her denial, then the change showed her to look under major duress and so many hours later… Wonder if she had her own troubles and took a deal, to help things along…
Did I hear the chief say there was no hard evidence? Just circumstantial? If this is the case, it will be scary to see if he gets convicted. I wonder how 10 yrs of different stories, mixed up evidence, and a hellbent LE agency, who goes so far as to sensationalize this heinous crime on National TV. This could affect or influence local citizens. I thought the show reflected that Dannels worked hard, to cast doubt on this guy.. If I still lived in town, I would vote to have the trial moved. I remember all the rumours, and knew many of the residents believed so much hog wash.. I also wondered if her disappearance could have been the work of the Green River Killer… There was another disappearance about a decade ago where Kathleen Rebecca Reid was abducted from neighboring Eugene. I remember the sketch of the suspect, who took Kathleen and he looks just like the spittin image of Gary Ridgway. I always wondered if LE ever persued it. If Kathleens abductor was the Green River Killer, then it would place him within the same timeframe and the same area that Leah Freeman went missing. Seems like this crime was random. This crime seemed way out of the league of high school kids…
You are right, the best thing about the 20 20 piece is complete affirmation of the matters brought before the city council by Concerned Citizens of Coquille. The city council owes the entire town an apology, especially Dian Courtright. They should run the city manager out of town, or at least across the highway to Reave’s barbecue pit, and then all resign.
Almost anyone presented with evidence can make an impartial ruling in this case, except perhaps friends and families.
However, the bad behavior of Nick’s parents has already left me with a prejudice of sorts.
The 20/20 piece was interesting and certainly gave the residents of Coquille reason to be proud of their new police chief. However, it certainly did not damage a future jury pool. Any intelligent viewer learned that DA Frazier has always been fat. That the last police chief was in the wrong job. That Coquille is a 4,000 people community. That Coquille rolls up the sidewalks early. That it’s unbelieveable that there were more than 200 people interviewed and of those more than 2 were awake and witnessed anything on the night of Ms. Freemans disappearance. That the prior police department and chief blew any meaningful investigation. That there was nothing stated on 20/20 to cause a viwer to believe that Mr. McGuffin is guilty. Hopefully the police department has much more than suggested by 20/20. I would love to be called for this jury.