update Writing, poetry and artwork helped me cope with the void created when my only son was brutally, needlessly, murdered. Doug was 23, engaged to be married, working and happy.
His fiancee's 'other beau', believing Jeanne's lie that she was pregnant and yet Doug would not move their wedding date forward, first shot my son three times (once in the abdomen and twice in the head) with a 22 rifle from about 20 feet away. It was midnight, Doug couldn't see James. He'd gotten out of his car with a grocery bag in one hand and a gym bag in the other.
After Doug fell to his knees, James approached him from behind, raised an axe and split Doug's head into two pieces to the neck. Thirteen other blows rained down upon my son who, because he was deaf, never heard the attacker and, therefore, made no attempt to defend himself.
Doug was buried in James' backyard and was listed as missing until James' mother, concerned that her son was suicidal, called the police. They found my son buried beneath the wood pile in James' backyard (picture with the poem, 'Grave'.
James P. Kiehl II (also 23) ran, was located in Las Vegas, extradited back to Ohio and is doing 20 years to LIFE. He is up for parole in December 2006.
"Wings", my third ebook, celebrates Doug's LIFE, the twenty-three years he laughed and lived--with personal photos and tidbits. The love I still have for my son is present as well as my 'thanks' to God for those 23 years. It's also about coping with a lost love, a broken heart and a turncoat ... going on with life ... without bitterness.
"Psychic Witness" will present Doug's story in Feb/March of 2006 on TLC channel. I've already taped my portion (Nov. 13th, 2005) about my son.
