99. The States Attorney Calls Me

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My day was a pretty normal day.  That all changed around 3 PM.  The states attorney, Jenica, called me. It was then my day went from calm to hyper stressful.

Jenica started the conversation with some very pointed and puzzling questions:

Jenica: "Are you and your husband still getting divorced?"
Me: (I laughed out loud) - "Yes?!?"

Jenica: "Could you give me the name of your divorce attorney and his phone number and address?"

Me: I gave her the info.

Jenica: "Have you talked to Mark, or has he contacted you?"

Me: "No. I haven't spoken a word to him since February 24th."

Jenica: "Do you and Mark still have joint checking/savings accounts or credit cards that he has access to?"

Me: "Um, no?" Why?

Jenica: "Mark has hired a private attorney.  I just spoke to her.  She informed me that Mark told her that you and Mark are reconciling."

Me: (I laughed out loud again). "Umm.. this is news to me.  I have no idea why he would say that. Maybe he dreamed it."

Jenica: "Well, his attorney is requesting a bail hearing.  It will be within the next two weeks. I am going to need you and your employees to testify at that hearing.  I also need you to give me any information that would be helpful to us for that hearing:"

1. Any information related to his brother's murder suicide
2. Who diagnosed him as bipolar in 2003 and what drugs he took
3. His current psychiatrist name and phone and the drugs he was prescribed
4. Anything else related to the case

I gave Jenica Dr. Agresti's information right then and the meds that were prescribed, Seroquel.  I told her I had no idea what the drugs he was on back in 2003/4. That was a decade ago.  I told her I would try to find out, but wasn't sure how I could do that.  I also told her that Mark had a newspaper article from 1996 he had in our safe about the murder/suicide.

During the conversation she could tell I had become very stressed.  She told me just to do what I could and send it to her by Monday.

After we hung up I talked to the guys at the shop and told them I didn't think I could get into the safe.  That article had always been in the safe.  But, after I left, Mark changed the safe combination.  Chris told me just to go to my house and they would call the safe company and talk me through how to do an electric combination reset.

So, I left the shop and raced out to my house.  When I got to the safe I called Chris (my son-in-law).  He asked me for the serial number.  I gave it to him.  He told me he would call me right back after he spoke to the safe company. We hung up, but then I realized the serial number I gave him was for the safe and not the lock.  So, I called him back.  The lock was hanging off to the side.  He told me to turn it over.  I did, but no serial numbers were on it.  He told me I was out of luck.  It appeared that Mark made sure no one could get in the safe.

I was incredibly stress at this point.

Then I ran into my home office.  I turned on the computer and emailed Mark's brother, Bruce.  I asked him his mother's birthday in the email.  I had remembered at one time Mark had used that number for another safe.  I had hoped it would be the same.  I also asked him what the name of the local Delaware paper would have been at the time Grant killed Susan and himself.  Bruce emailed me back a few minutes later with the information.  The birthday did not work.

Next, I Googled the name of the newspaper.  The News Journal.  I found it.  I looked and they had archives.  I got excited. But, about 30 seconds later that excitement turned to dismay.  The archives only went back to 1999.  

I decided to call the paper.  I explained to the lady that answered what I was looking for and also explained why.  I hoped if she understood the severity of the situation she would help. She was very nice, but unfortunately there was nothing she could do.  She said the paper had changed hands before 1999 and anything before that would be in the archives at Delaware University.

Mark stands a good chance of getting bail if I cannot get substantiation to Jenica,  I started to cry.

I decided it was worth a shot to call the University of Delaware archives.  It was already 4:30 PM and I knew they probably closed at 5.  The man that answered was very nice.  He listened to my story while I tried not to cry, but it was impossible.  He explained that the archive people would have to find it, because it would now be stored in the archives on microfiche.  He asked me the exact date it happened, their names, town, etc.  Then he asked for my FAX number and email address.  Finally, he said he would see if there was anything he could do.

When we hung up my heart sank.  It was now 4:45.  I knew my chances were slim to none to be able to get the article.  I decided to call the Newark, DE police.  Once again I explained what was going on.  The officer told me that the state attorney would have to be the one to request the information, because I was not the victim in that case.

I know you might think it pathetic, but I started to sob.  All I could think was, "He's going to get out."  I cannot get the information the states attorney needs to keep him in jail - at least until his trial.

Just as I was thinking that an email popped up from the University of Delaware:

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William (the guy at the University of Delware) obviously realized the urgency, or just has a kind soul and went himself and found the article and emailed it to me.  I immediately emailed him back and thanked him profusely.

The article certainly backs up my claims as to a history of family mental illness.  It also helps to justify my fear that all of this death threats are real.

Obviously I will not know until Tuesday if the article helps, but I am sure glad I was able to find it. I am terrified he will be granted bail.