Hi Don/Lois

I am one of the "Regulars" to the site and I just wonder something- What do YOU think really happened? There have been so many
opinions and well thought scenarios, I just wonder to what extent this site has pieced things together... I do understand that you are hesitant to post certian info, I just am curious as to what you and your family have come up with...

Response:We fluxuate between several possible scenarios. We feel certain that Kait was killed because she was a threat to criminal activity which she learned about from her boyfriend, and that this activity was protected by local law enforcement. But as for who actually pulled the trigger -- whether it was one of the principals,(and if so, which one), or somebody they hired -- we aren't certain. Everybody links to everybody else, and almost everybody -- Vietnamese suspects; Hispanic suspects; members of APD (some of whom have been convicted of felonies since Kait's murder); Sharon Smith; even Kait herself; link in one way or another to the Roadrunner Lounge on Kirtland AFB, to a nightclub called Beyond Ordinary (run by relatives of Sharon's), and to the auto body shop on Arno where the VW bug fled after the shooting. Our problem is not a lack of suspects.

Dear Arquette family, I'm new to the internet, but came across your daughters story, and I am very sorry for your loss. I am not a cop or a detective just a young woman starting her criminology degree in September of '99. And my opinion on your daughters case is that her boyfriend was very involved with the drug world and he hired his friend in the military to do the hit on her. Maybe he didn't carry out the act, but maybe he found somebody within in the military to do it.(maybe the first shirt knows, he was obviously covering up other things that were going on that he knew about). It's sad to think that the military would cover this up if they new what really happened to your daughter. It doesn't say to much for them, especially if these are the people we are supposed to trust our lives with.

I think Sharon was more involved thatn she says. Was it not discovered that Kait had problems in her Apartment with Dung? Didnt the Lanlords say there were some violent things that happened there and Kait used to crash out on their couch? Is there any police reports? I ask this because, if Kait had been followed on the way to Sharons (which may explain why she seemed real upset) she probably knew what was about to happen. Why on earth would she suddelny remember she had to, "Study for a test" and leave there. The point I am getting at is that if she would have crashed at a neighbors house when in danger, why wouldnt she have stayed at Sharons? I think the reality of it all hit her and she attempted to go home.

Dear Family: Do you ever have any contact with Mike Gallagher? Does he ever do any stories on this case for the Alburqueque paper? I see he still works at the paper from visiting their website.

Response:Mike can only do stories that his editor assigns him to. Evidently the Journal feels this is now "old news."

The two notes do not appear to be written by the same person. However when someone is upset or stressed their handwriting can change. I do not believe this to be true, in this case. It seems that her boyfiend had someone else to write the note or wrote the note himself. Also seems that the "new friend" was in on the killing of Kait. Also, why did Sharon (the new friend) run off to Mexico ? Why is she afraid for herself ? Maybe because she knows too much ?? Seems that pursuit of Sharon and what she knows and how she may be involved needs some attention.

She could not have arrived at her parents house around 6pm then arrived at Sharon's around 7pm after attending a 5pm movie near Sharon's home. She could however, have arrived at 7pm after leaving her parent's home. (saxy4life)

If Dung is married, his wife has to know or have to heard something about this whole situation, right?

Response:Not necessarily. His wife did not meet Dung until several years after Kait's death. Like Kait, she probably undoubtedly loves him and believes whatever he has told her.

Just a couple of questions that I have gained from reading other's comments from the previous months.

1. How well did the Arquette family know Dung? 2. Were Kait and Dung breaking up because of her old boyfriend? 3. If everyone in Kait's Army signed a petition somehow, would the police do something about this? 4. Has anyone that was/is new in any of the APD, FBI, etc. been updated on the case so they might want to check into it? 5. Has anyone questioned Dung on the hospital confession, or can't you because lack of evidence? 6. Did you or were you allowed to look at Kait's car after the shooting for your own information and questioning? 7. When Unsolved Mysteries aired the incident, how did they place what happened? 8. Is Dung still married, have children, or even care about this whole situation? 9. If someone (like myself) swore and voiced their opinion on how pissed off they are because no one will do anything on the case, will they get kicked off the site? 10. Thank you for answering my questions. I would like to see more pictures of Kait and/or her family and interests. I admire her from everything I've read about her personality and ambition in her short lived life. I wish I could have gotten the chance to meet her and her family.

My deepest regrets and sympathy.

Response:1. We saw a lot of Dung, because he was at the house all the time -- ate many of his meals there, watched our TV, etc. But we didn't truly KNOW him because his English was so poor that he didn't converse with us.

2. According to Kait's girlfriends, Kait was trying to end her relationship with Dung because she couldn't stand his lifestyle.

3. I've reached a point where I don't believe the police will "do something," no matter what. Our only hope is to get another agency to take over.

4. Everybody is constantly being updated on the case, whether they want to be or not.

5. APD Det. Gallegos did question Dung about the hospital confession. Dung denied having made it.

6. Kait's father saw Kait's car briefly in the salvage yard where he had to sign a form to allow it to be scrapped. But that was right after the shooting, when we thought the police were doing their job, and it didn't occur to him that there was any reason for us to inspect it. The salvage yard people warned him against looking inside it, because Kait's blood was all over the interior. Now, of course, we're kicking ourselves for not having done so.

7. Unsolved Mysteries did an even handed presentation and presented both our scenario and APD's random shooting scenario. They interviewed me, Det. Gallegos, and Albq. Journal's investigative reporter Mike Gallagher. Mike supported me.

8. Dung is furious that this hasn't died down and been forgotten. I believe he is married with children.

9. You couldn't say anything we haven't said ourselves (but not on this site). Kait's oldest sister, Robin, asked if I had any photos of Kait that I could send her that she didn't already have, so I sent her the faded proofs from the photo shoot for Kait's senior picture. I just received the following e-mail from Robin, which says it for us all:

"Thanks for the photos of Kait. She looks so beautiful. When I saw them I felt such a rush of pain and fury I had to put them away. I'll look at them again of course but it's so unfair. It feels like we should be able to undo it like on a computer and get her back. I hate Dung with all my being. I know that little xxx knows what happened to her and that he was involved in one way or another. The loss of Kate has left a hole in the universe."

I would seriously look into her new girlfriend's motive since she has more information leading to whoever has done this. As for a drive by shooting or hit man I honestly don't think that this is what happened. Maybe the new girlfriend was seeing the boyfriend and they wanted to get rid of her.

This is something to think about.

To All involved in the Photo Gallery:

I think this was a wonderful tribute to Kait. I also think the Hospital Picture was the best thing you could have posted. I dont want to sound sick, but maybe seeing the actual reality of this horrible crime will wake some people up!!! If it dosent, I would like all involved from APD, Dungs Cronies, and anyone else involved in this sick act to picture there loved one in the same setting as Kait!!! You picture your loved one drenched in blood, black eyed, machines supporting him or her! It is said Dung has a child now, gee, how would that Coward feel if this happened to his son/daughter! Everyone meets their maker!!!

JS- Orlando, FL

I also toured the gallery; I've been following this since I heard about the book on "Sightings".

What really jolted me were the last photos of Kait. Christmas, 1988, with Dung (she never knew!) and the one of Kait in the garden. That photo is beautiful. It's touching in that it's the last photo of her alive...and will stay in her family's heart (and take residence in mine) with the rest of the memories forever.

I truly hope that whoever did this unconscionable deed takes the tour of the gallery ... all the way through to the hospital photo. They took the life of a beautiful young woman, and shattered her family. I want them to think about what they have done.

The photo in Kait's "gallery" that gave me the chills was the from Kait's last Christmas, giggling and looking so happy, while her Vietnamese boyfriend was feeding her a candy or something. Little did she know that she had only seven more months to live. Where was that picture taken? They seem to be at some sort of dinner party.

Response:That was taken in our home. Dung Nguyen had Christmas dinner with us.

I am the person that did the Photo Gallery for Kait and her family. I want everyone to know that when I requested photos of kaitlyn from the Arquette family I was thrilled when the answer was yes. Using my scanner I saw Kaitlyn's little face come up so I could size the pictures for easy downloading. Her sweet little face was zoomed in staring me straight in the face. When I scanned in Kait's little booklet I could see where she had erased carefully and continued on with her coloring and writing. When you click on her words "that is nice" just remember that she once sat at her small desk at school and with great effort wrote those words. That is her handwriting, not mine.

I did Kait's site late at night, I thought that like any other project I could just scan in pictures and place words on the page but I have to tell you this; when I brought up the picture of Kait laying in the hospital I lost it! I cried so hard I couldn't make myself go on. In all honesty I had to take Mylanta to settle my stomach for I was reeling from the blantant reality of the color picture! Captured in that photo is the life draining out of a child! Then I got angry! When I get angry it's time to look out...my thoughts were "Show those bastards just what they did to this young woman!" Don't give her pity, give her justice! What kind of low life trash could pull the trigger on a child? What kind of police department could be so callous as to see this child first hand laying there dying and not be out pulling in every suspect and grilling them!

In all honesty I wanted to show the world who Kait was in life, a brillant young woman from the time of her birth. The last page? Some might say that this was added for shock value...well for those who say yes you are right on the money. If the last page of Kait's gallery doesn't shock the American public then I don't know what will. Also, I want the low life scum that pulled the trigger and all those who have first hand knowledge about Kaitlyn's death to see these pages and be haunted each and every minute of the day!

To those who know...don't give her pity...GIVE HER JUSTICE!

"Southerncross"

ANNOUNCMENT FROM THE ARQUETTE FAMILY:

A friend from the Internet, who wanted to do something special for Kait, has put together a gallery of photographs that follow her from babyhood all the way through to the night she was shot. You can visit this gallery by clicking on the link on Kait's home page, under the picture of the WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER? book jacket. (We strongly recommend that those who loved Kait discontinue this "tour" before they enter the last room of the gallery, which contains a photo of Kait in the hospital.)

it sounds to me like the police department has no idea what they are doing and they need to investigate this crime a little more because just reading these things the stories of her boyfriend do not match up and the story of her alleged girlfriend do not match up so something is going on here that needs to be done about the investigation part of the crime.

Dear family my deepest thought to u all,. god i can not wonder how u feel lossing a daughther with no justice!!!! but keep faith the lord listens and keep hope stick together!!! her so called friends seems very shady... but if she does know of anything her concius is killing her. remember god has not forgotten u.. he knows... he listens.. as a parent i feel ure pain.u know that asian guy has to know but he just wants to save his(asdasdsdasd) but that okay becuase jesus will do his justice if its not done in earth.. may the lord bless u.and keep faith.

god bless

I read your book and would like to see that episode of unsolved mysteries, so you think that they reply the episode on the lifetime channel on cable?????

Response:The Lifetime Channel does replay it fairly often, but I have no idea how to predict when it's going to be on. PEOPLE Magazine ran an article on the case -- I think in November, 1997. That issue is probably archived at your public library.

is there any way that the note that was found (written by dung?) could have been written by kait or she was forced to write it somehow?

Response:A handwriting expert from the Vidocq Society has determined that the note that police reports state that Dung Nguyen said Kait left for him on the night she was shot was definitely not in Kait's handwriting.

have you had any visitors that had read the book or have heard of the story come to your house and talk to you about this whole thing?

would you mind it if they did?

Response:We're not there anymore. After my book came out, we received threats to the rest of the family, so we left Albuquerque.

if you don't mind my asking (and this has nothing to do with the questions of the crime): how long had kait and dung been together?

how long had kait and dung had an apartment together?

Response:Kait and Dung had been going together for about a year and a half. Kait got her own apartment in early May, and Dung moved in with her immediately. So they were living together for less than three months.

I recently visited your website and read all the information and evidence regarding Kait's murder. I recently graduated from the Police Academy and am still attending classes for Police Science. Last semester one of my professors gave us the crimescene website. I haven't visited it since then. I spoke with that professor today and told him about your website. I gave him a brief scenario on what happened and your thoughts. He informed me that he would visit the site on Friday. He is a retired officer and currently a practicing attorney who represents many police officers. He is a very down to earth and honest person. Hopefully he will be able to give you some "new" insight as to what happened to your daughter. I didn't have much time to sit and think about all the information I read, but plan on assisting you to any clues I can think of. Please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address [[email protected]] Remember: "There's no such thing as a failure who keeps trying..."

Response:We received your personal e-mail with specific questions and have responded by personal e-mail. Thank you for your interest.

I have just read some of the points of this case and send my condolences out to the Arquette family. While there is too much here to read in one night I would like to add some thoughts and questions to the already mentioned ones in previous text. First my thoughts. If all you say here is true then it is overwhelmingly obvious there is an extended coverup for different reasons in New Mexico. One with the police and the other with the AFB. The police are very corrupt and the Airforce base or at least part of it is involved in black market rackets.It could very well be that the two groups are linked together with a common bond of the Vietnamese. Now for my questions. I would like to have any and all, if possible, answered at my e-mail address. 1) The note: Has there been any samples of the boyfriend's, Khanh's, or An Quoc Le to see which one of them had written the letter? Has Sharon's handwriting been compared to the note too. I would venture to say that one of these people would be the author of the note.

2) Naturalization: The Vietnamese that are naturalized do they or do they not have a set of fingerprints on file somewhere and if so how accessable would it be to get ahold of such records? Could said record be compared to the person who is legally naturalized as An Quoc Le?

3) Feds vs Murder: Since the Feds wont come in on a local murder investigation, what about conspiracy, corruption, black marketing, drug smuggling, insurance fraud, and any other major charge that can be proven?

I do have other questions and comments, but I think that I'll hold off on those until I read the book and get more knowledge of the case and the facts of which there are proof. Once again my condolences to the Arquette family. If there is anything as a private citizen that I can do to help you gain closure to a very painful and ugly ordeal please let me know at my e-mail address.

[email protected]

Response:As per your request, we will send you that information by personal e-mail.

In regard to my book, please, remember it was published in spring of 1992, immediately after the police dropped off the case. Most of the information on Kait's web page was obtained after the book was published and private investigators, insurance fraud investigators, forensics experts, etc. became aware of the case and volunteered their help. So you won't find that information in the book. We take full responsibility for the validity of information we post on Kait's web page, but, of course, we can't do the same for information that tipsters post on this message board.

RE: the post: I think that Dung should be held in prison for the e-mail that he sent these people.

Personally, I think that's too good for him and I have my own ideas but that would make me no better than him and his 'friends'. Even if this case is never solved (and I believe it will be, one day...when enough time has passed that the main players will be safe) the Arquettes know that people care about them, about Kait, and are just as outraged at the injustice.

By the way, Unsolved Mysteries had another case profiled one night... took place in Albequerque... what does APD do there, anyway?

Response:What was that new case in Albuquerque that was on Unsolved Mysteries? We would very much like to know. Perhaps this victim's family can unite with us.

you can count me in on "Kait's Army!"

-someone else who cares

I think that Dung should be held in prison for the e-mail that he sent these people.

I went and got the book so I wouldn't be wasting your time with questions that have already been answered. I have just started it but the book has the friend's name as Susan not Sharon. Was she using the name Susan at the time and you later found out her name was really Sharon?

Response:If you'll notice, in the front of the book I say, "This is a true story. The facts are documented.... Several names have been changed to protect sources of information whose identities are not part of the public record."

One of the two names I changed was Sharon's. I changed her name to "Susan," because in 1991, when I wrote WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER?, I had no idea that she would turn out to be important to the case, and I wanted to protect her privacy. By 1996, when we put up this web page, we had started to wonder if Sharon might have played a more important role than we had realized. We decided that if we were going to ask the public to help us solve this case, every detail we placed on the web page had to be accurate.

(From: Sandra Carmona)

why would Kait tell her parents not to tell her boyfriend where she was if he called and then while at Sharon's call him in an attempt to ascertain his whereabouts? And why leave a note telling of her whereabouts when she doesnot want him to know where she is? It doesn't add up? Sharon Smith is the key.

I recently saw a Sightings video which had a segment on Kait's murder. I was really glad that you believed the psychics and learned lots of information. i truly believe with the psychics help and you not giving up, you will find those horrible people who murdered your beautiful daughter. never give up.

sincerely, Marcella L.

Response:Any port in a storm. We didn't take seriously any information given us by psychics until we had a private investigator follow up on it and verify it. We never tried to give it to law enforcement, and none of the information on Kait's web page came from psychics.

But, you're right, although there are many fake psychics out there praying on people made vulnerable by grief, those particular psychics were amazingly accurate.

I recently saw a Sightings video which had a segment on Kait's murder. I was really glad that you believed the psychics and learned lots of information. i truly believe with the psychics help and you not giving up, you will find those horrible people who murdered your beautiful daughter. never give up.

sincerely,
Marcella L.

Response:Any port in a storm. We didn't take seriously any information given us by psychics until we had a private investigator follow up on it and verify it. We never tried to give it to law enforcement, and none of the information on Kait's web page came from psychics.

But, you're right, although there are many fake psychics out there praying on people made vulnerable by grief, those particular psychics were amazingly accurate.

Have you heard anything else on the man named "Quoc?" I know someone gave you this man's name, did you find any leads on it? Anything that you can post on the message board?

Response:Yes, but the only thing we can post on this board is the fact that Quoc Nguyen seems to have some kind of strong control over certain members of APD. If any of you has information about this man and his relationship to the Albuquerque Police Department, please, contact us either on this board or by personal e-mail. (We guarantee that your names will be kept confidential.)

The Arquette Family -

A few questions for you if you have the time to answer:

1. You said that you were on shows like "Unsolved Mysteries" and things like that. When were these shows aired and are there still transcripts/copies of them available for interested people like me?

2. Where did the incident take place (the shooting)? If it was at a decent time at night and on a corner with some houses or a bar or something, why aren't there any other witnesses?

[email protected]

Response:"Larry King Live," "Good Morning, America," and a rash of other TV shows covered the story immediately after WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER? was published in hardcover in spring, 1992. UNSOLVED MYSTERIES was filmed after that, and I believe it aired in 1993, (I don't have any of these dates in front of me, so I'm guessing at all of them). The UNSOLVED MYSTERIES segment has gone into syndication and continues to be reshown every once in a while on the Living Channel.

The paperback edition of the book came out in 1994, and was featured on "Sally Jessy Raphael" and a few other shows at that time. Then, in November, 1997, PEOPLE Magazine ran an article about the case, and "Inside Edition" picked up on that and ran a piece on it.

The shooting occurred at about 10:45 p.m. on a Sunday night, when streets were deserted.

From reading the post from the Corporal below he knows where he's coming from. When he said "gunnery Sgt." I believe that he is a Marine. The first shirt at Kirtland at that time was Ed Disel, I know that OSI was called in on the attempted suicide (???) by Dung while in Khanh Pham's dorm room. I'm still trying to figure out this one. There should have been a "shirt" covering the scene that night and I know there has to be a log of that incident somewhere. I just wonder who the OSI agent was? A dorm room being used as a flop house for civilans is totally unheard of...they must have had easy access to the base and getting on without a I-D card. That's scary in it's self seeing how Kirtland has so many weapons and secrets.

How about it Marine? Wanna answer what you think?

Response:Cliff Bond was the OSI Agent who investigated the stabbing. Sergeant Fernando Villa Franca, SRA Alcazar, and FSGT Vesely, are listed as the medical technicians who treated Dung at the scene. According to the APD report, at 4:25 a.m. on July 21, Air Force Communications contacted Homicide Det. Steve Gallegos, (the detective in charge of Kait's case), to tell him that Dung Nguyen had attempted suicide by stabbing himself in Khanh Pham's dorm room on Kirtland AFB. Gallegos went to the base, where OSI Agent Cliff Bond took him to view the room. Gallegos observed two bunk beds in the corner of the room, with blood stains on the mattress of the bottom bunk. Bloodstained sheets were rolled up and lying on the floor next to the bed, and there was a 4 inch folding knife next to the bed. Gallegos took the knife and bloody sheets into evidence. Among the questions we have: WHY WOULD THE OSI CONTACT THE APD HOMICIDE DEPARTMENT IF THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS A SUICIDE ATTEMPT? WHY WOULD THE APD HOMICIDE DEPT. CHECK THE KNIFE AND SHEETS INTO "EVIDENCE" IF THEY BELIEVED NO CRIME HAD BEEN COMMITTED? According to Gallegos's report, on July 25, Agent Bond came to the main police station to deliver photographs taken of the dorm room on the night of the stabbing. Bond told Gallegos that Khanh Pham had spoken to an Air Force attorney who had told him he didn't have to talk to APD, and if he did, he had a right to have his attorney present. Khanh Pham decided not to talk to APD, and so was never interviewed. WHY WOULD KHANH PHAM NEED AN AIR FORCE ATTORNEY IF HE WAS NOT A SUSPECT IN THE STABBING? WHY WAS KHANH PHAM SO THREATENED BY THE THOUGHT OF TALKING TO APD ABOUT HIS FRIEND'S "SUICIDE ATTEMPT," THAT HE WOULD REFUSE TO DO SO EVEN WITH HIS ATTORNEY PRESENT?

Why didn't the police ever look for Kait's fingerprints on the letter? The wording sounds like that of a person with broken English, so it seems odd to think that she could have written it. It seems to me that there should only be 2 sets of prints on it. . .IF kait even had anything to do with it.

Response:The police apparently never doubted Dung's word. We (Kait's parents) weren't allowed to even see the note until a year later, when we finally got access to the case file, and immediately informed APD it was not in Kait's handwriting.

The police never spoke to us again.

It is standard for all barracks to have a 24 hour duty. This duty receives all calls and complaints from people living in the barracks and then are annotated into a log book. The Staff Duty, which is the higher ranking duty that oversees the immediate duty for the barracks, makes routine stops at the duty post and reads the logbook. Usually, unless the trouble in the barracks is extremely out of control and the Staff Duty has to be brought into it, the barracks duty will handle it. Unfortunately, the duty changes either daily or weekly, depending on the Command, manpower and working schedules, but every base keeps records of rosters for who had the duty on what day, so that's a place to look. As far as the night of the incident though, that still would (or should), have gone to the higher ups. Whoever was the equivalent of what we refer to as the Company Gunnery Sergeant and was in charge of the barracks, would have a great deal of information. Of course, the person who had the duty that night and would have been the first on the scene would have the most information and most vivid account of what occured. Try to gain access to the duty rosters for that month.

Cpl Eckerfield

Response:On April 18, 1997, we wrote to the Privacy Act Officer, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, with a Federal Freedom of Information Act Request to review the OSI report of Dung Nguyen's alleged suicide attempt in Khanh Pham's dorm room. We were informed that all information about this incident has been purged from Kirtland files. Would these be different records? (I'm sorry to sound so dumb, but we know nothing about military procedures.)

Police identified a witness who saw Kait being followed from her apartment by a VW bug. When did the witness see this?

Response:He said it was between 5:30 and 6 p.m. on the night of the shooting. This fits perfectly with what we know about the time Kait left her apartment, since she arrived at our house at 6 p.m. (We're certain about that because "60 Minutes" was just starting.) Her apartment was about a 7 minute drive from our house, and she had stopped en route to return a video.

I still cant shake the feeling that Kait was shot after her car stopped!!! Lois, is it a possibility that the unaccountable bullet was the one that hit the post of the window and maybe richocheted and thats how the drivers window was shattered? That may explain the glass
all over the place! From what I remember of the coroners report, the condition that Kait was found in just dosent sound like the car was in motion!!! If the car was traveling at a high rate of speed, dont you think it would have been all over the place, not a single 719 feet
straight uphill? Also, there was rear end damage to her car? How was that explained? Did Paul ever indicate that he personally knew Kait? This next question may be hard, but do you think it was a possibility tha Kait was working with police? Its not uncommon. In the Psychic reading didnt it indicate that " there will be those whom she trusted"? I think this whole Web idea was great!! I follow it everyday and will continue to keep Kait in my mind until those bastards are caugght!! Also, when may expect anymore updates to the Bulletian or the Web page?

Response:There seems to be no question about the fact that two bullets were fired into Kait's rolled up window, shattering the glass and entering her head. A third bullet hit the post of the window, making a good size hole. That bullet was never found. Witnesses reported hearing a fourth shot, but that bullet was never accounted for.

No one has ever attempted to explain the rearend damage to the car.

The police never questioned Paul Apodaca, only our P.I. did that. He did not indicate that he knew Kait.

It has been suggested to us that Kait may have taken her information about criminal activities to "the wrong cop" -- a cop she met at the Roadrunner or at the automotive body shop -- who was protecting the very activities she was trying to expose. If anybody out there who knew Kait has any knowledge of her having had a personal friendship with any particular police officer, please, contact us. That information could be very important.

The ignition was running but the car was in "park" - that makes it seem as if she stopped on her own for some reason. Maybe they hit her from behind first or stopped suddenly in front of her (one of these phony "accidents")to make her stop in the first place.

Hi Lois,
I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about Kait and appalled that
the case was handled in such a manner by the people we are supposed to
trust to keep us all protected. I have a question, though; is it possible
that Kait had stopped the car and was talking to Paul through the driver's
side, possibly about her knowledge of the crime ring, and at that point
someone else came up and shot her? I'm sorry, I know it's a hard question
I was just introducing that possibility.
I was your biggest fan as a kid, and you are one of two writers who made
me want to be a writer myself. I am now 20 and on my way there. Again,
I'm so, so sorry that all this has happened. Please have faith and don't
give up.

Response:Crime scene reconstruction experts believe that Kait's car was in motion and she was shot by a skilled gunman in a car that paced itself along side her as she drove.

At the same time there's the question of the rearend damage to Kait's car, which to us (Kait's family) suggests that Kait's car may have been stopped when she was shot and then rammed from behind to set it in motion and make it appear that this was a driveby. Although forensics experts don't agree with that, they can't explain the damage to her bumper.

Ms. Duncan,

I am the Marine serving in Saudi Arabia who wrote you a few months ago. I don't know how much info you've gotten on military life in dorm rooms, I've seen that several people in the military have been writing you. But a First Sergeant would have very little knowledge about what goes on in the barracks unless it is brought to his attention. Though you are correct about other people not being able to live or reside, or even spend the night in a barracks room, it happens all the time. It's who you know and how good you are about covering it up. I'm not sure about how it works in the Air Force, but in the Marine Corps, it is ususlly the Company Gunnery Sergeant and Platoon Sergeant that have direct contact with barracks life. Find out who was in charge of the barracks at that time during the assault. They perhaps would not have been the first on the scene, but they definitely would have been the first called to handle the situation.

Cpl Eckerfield

Response:Thank you. We're continually learning new things from the posts here and from the e-mail we receive from people in the military, especially those who were stationed at Kirtland. Does anyone know who was in charge of that barracks in 1989?

According to one of Khanh Pham's dormmates, there were many complaints from residents of that dorm about the fact that Khanh's room had become "a Vietnamese crash pad." Who would have received those complaints?

Dear Lois
I have read messages posted to your board, and it is heartwarming that there are so many people who really do care about your daughter's murder. I can not offer any tips, etc., but I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Shirley

Has anything more been found about about the gentleman named Quoc?
This whole thing is unbelieveable -- how can the Federal Government -- who comes down hard if WE private citizens do anything as small as forget to declare taxes, allow this to go on?!

Response:The last thing we ever anticipated was a mess like this. All we ever wanted was for APD to investigate the possibility that Kait's shooting wasn't "random."

(From Someone Who Knows!)

I am a USAF member and I've been helping Lois and the Arquette family for a couple of years now. I have gone before OSI and asked about the list of names including Khanh Pham. First of all Khanh Pham got out of the Air Force on 2/16/98, he is living in the San Jose area. This man worked the Joint Task Force in Viet Nam to recover POW/MIA's. That gives you a clue there as to why Bolling AFB, OSI HQ wouldn't give any answers about this man. How in the hell Khanh Pham ran under a SSN that belonged to so many others beats me. I do believe that somewhere along the line there has been a lot of fraud using his SSN and military I-D cards (my own personal thoughts). For all you good readers that think the military checks out every little bit of information you are dead wrong. To get a military I-D card one just needs the SSN, as all Vietnamese look alike who is going to question this when a man walks in and rattles off his SSN number saying he lost his I-D card...the camera flashes and all info is added from a computer and within 5 minutes a person walks out the door with a card that aloows them access to ANY military base in the world. Does that scare you? It should. What should scare the American public even more is the fact that Pham's dorm room was allowed to be used as a flop house for his Vietnamese buddies running a Interstate Insurance Scam. Pham's dorm room was located at Kirtland Air Force Base...NUKES! Monzanto Mountain! Get it? Sandia Labs! Get it! A military installation with nuclear weapons, aircraft with NO tail markings...CIA? Aircraft with no markings at all! How did Pham's buddies get on this base? Did Pham bring them on? Here's a really big question, why didn't Pham go out with 15 years retirement? He already had in 12 years. Has the postings from Kait's board given the USAF a clue as to Pham's status? Why is this little weasel living the good life here in the states? When Pham entered the military his home of record shows that he came from Virginia...no big surprise there. I would say that Pham came from the Arlington area or better known as Little Viet Nam. The list of names that I asked OSI about popped up in their computer....that means something. That something is the hard cold fact that their names are on the list for investigation...of what? Could it be National Security? I don't know for this wasn't answerd for me, just confirmed that these names are on the list. There is nothing that one does on a base or fort that doesn't fall under a SSN, we don't have names just a number, the almighty SSN...the last 4 of the SSN. Did you all know that? Just who is helping these people such as Pham keep their status here in the states after knowing that this group has been involved in Interstate Fraud? I'm mad as hell knowing that I pay insurance every six months with a letter enclosed telling me that my rates have gone up because of so much insurance fraud. It's not just me that is paying out the nose for insurance fraud! It's each and everyone of you that signs those checks, licks the envelopes placing your check in the mailbox so you are covered in the event of a REAL accident. This group of people have made tons of money ripping off OUR insurance compaines...and as the old saying goes...S**t rolls down hill so therefore we the good people are picking up the tab for these crimes.

I read the post from a young woman claiming to have known Kait and had married a crew chief there at Kirtland. She dropped names such as Holland, a Colonel. He was a lush! Not until AFMC command took over Kirtland Air Force base did the place start to straighten up. For the young lady who claims she knew Kait please come forward with more names. You dropped a mighty big hint with Colonel Holland's name and the New Mexico Air National Guard club there on base that wasn't that far from the Roadrunner (aka Laser Lounge). That base there in Albuquerque is the life's blood of that city. The politicans that jockey to keep that base there are many for without it the city would just be another tourist trap selling Indian jewlery. Get the big clue there? Will any government agency help the Arquettes when the city's life blood would have to answer? Get a clue. I really hopes this helps clear up a few questions as to why the Arquettes aren't getting any help from the government there. Money talks and Bullshit walks...federal dollars do a lot of talking! Kirtland is under a good command now...I just wish that was true back in 1989.

What I meant when I said you should notify Social Security and the Internal Revenue Service is that you should point out to these authorities things like there are 9 people besides Khan Pham that have the same social security number. A lot of criminals have been brought to justice through fraud or tax evasion when all else failed.

The FBI and AFOSI should have been called in on this, if they were not, why not? Have you called your Congressmen or Senators, or the President (Reno's boss/FBI's boss), because if everything points to an employee of the Federal government (Airman Khanh Pham), he should have been retained while the investigation ensued, has he become a fugative?

Response:All information on this web page (and a lot more that is too sensitive to be posted) has been given to the FBI and the AFOSI. Nobody has any interest.

When we submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the AFOSI for information about Dung Nguyen's stabbing (allegedly a suicide attempt) in Khanh Pham's dorm room following Kait's funeral, our request was turned down because to provide information about that incident would "be an invasion of Mr. Nguyen's privacy."

I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but I went to school with a Tony Le, and from what I've read of the comments and information, An Le had something to do with this whole thing.

-M.W. WI

Response:Thank you for offering this, but it's very unlikely that your classmate has any connection. There are only about eleven Vietnamese names, which are used interchangeably as first, middle and last names. Le is one of those. So there are literally millions of "Le"s, most of whom are honest, good people.

Who owns the auto body shop and has he (or she) ever made any statements about this case?

Response:The body shop, A&A Unlimited, (at the time of Kait's death it was called Rocky Mountain Radiator), at 824 Arno NE, is/was owned by Frank Arellano, his wife Shirley, and son Michael. As far as we know, Arellano has never been questioned about Kait's case. However, he did tell one of his employees that he knew her.

Information about an individual named in one of the posts below is on its way to you by regular mail. Pass it on to the feds. And suggest that they query Khanh Pham about this person.

In the book "Who killed my daughter" there is a man named Ron who Kait might be romantically involved with, has anything been found about him?
(Troy [email protected])

Response:Yes. He contacted us after reading the book. He was in no way involved in the murder, but he did start secretly seeing Kait again (for coffee or a movie) shortly before the murder. She told him she would be breaking up with Dung that coming weekend and would then start dating him openly and "bring him home to meet the family." She didn't last that long.

I'm sorry for your loss...keep her name alive~
The guilty will pay..one way or another...and so will the ones that cover it up!

dj
albuq,nm

To Kait's family,

I am so sorry for your loss. Since Tom Udall (former Atty General) didn't want to touch the case, have you tried the new Atty General? Also, I take it D.A.Bob Schwartz would not touch the case, what about the new D.A.Jeff Romero? Both these offices have investigators and vast resources, and I believe they should be made available to the public.

Melissa S.

Response:Neither the new D.A. nor the new Attorney General wants anything to do with this case.

Turn in the social security number information to the Social Security Office and to the IRS.

Response:The problem is that these people have multiple Social Security numbers. TRW Social Security Search shows at least nine persons with the same SSN as Khanh Pham. It makes you wonder how he got into the Air Force. Don't they check such things?

How long did Sharon work at the stand near Pier One? Was she "planted" there specifically to meet Kait?

Response:According to the property manager, Sharon and her husband, Blake Smith rented space at Fair Plaza for Sharon's snow cone business in spring of 1989, saying they were financing the business with money Sharon had inherited from her parents. The couple was adamant about the importance of having the cart at this particular location. (We have since determined that Sharon's parents are both alive, and from the property manager's description, the man who represented himself as Sharon's husband does not sound like Blake Smith).

Immediately after Kait was shot, Sharon closed down her snow cone business.

i am not sure but if u didn't know that the letter is fake well it is u can tell the i's aren't dotted the same the s's aren't the same u should hire a privite investigator or a siecick(a person who can contact the dead or see what happened a certain place) they have worked before why did the boyfriend write a fake noteand who is that friend she was going to meet is she dead or alive nowdid u write the book before or after she diedwas that guy known as the "ninja something" on the case investigating it u should be able to sue the police for not investigating it what are the newests leads u have? ??????

Response:The newest leads that we can publicize are at the top of the Update section of Kait's web site. We have recently received other information from tipsters who have asked us not to post it. We have passed that information on to federal authorities.

Dear Mr and Mrs Arquette,
I have so much to say,its hard to know where to begin. I was a classmate of Kaits and graduated with her. My heart aches for you in so many ways. I did'nt know her well,but,her death really "hit home" with me. I only had one class with Kait, Psychology-during our senior year. We had a few mutual friends, Pamela Falk and Colleen White. I'm wondering if you have contacted any of her classmates? Kait was a popular girl and surely she must have had atleast one friend that she confided in.
I lived at KAFB during this time period, and I remember wondering why there were so many APD cars near the roadrunner lounge and that part of the base, I know that many of these officers were in the Air National Guard. I also know a DJ who worked both at the club and in the Air Force, he was a crew cheif. His name is JB Brown, (short for James,) he is a black gentleman in his forties who is no longer in the AF, he attends the UNM business school. While attending UNM I saw him on campus on an everyday basis, he parks behind Zimmerman Library in handicapped parking, he is chubby and wears glasses. I attended UNM until 1997. I also know of a few higher-up Air Force officers, though I will have to write back to give you their names,I will have to sit down and really think for a few days in order to recollect and remember,as it was so long ago. I can only remember a few names: Colonel James Holland and Colonel Pyatt, I will write back when I remember. My husband, who I married in July of 1989 was in the Air Force and worked as a C-130 crew cheif. I will ask him tomorrow for any names that he can recall.
I am more sorry than I can ever tell you. I remember the night that Kait's shooting was reported on the news as if it were yesterday and I remember the shock and terror I felt. It hit so close to home. What a waste of precious life. I just recently lost someone very close to me, I know your pain and I empathize in a most passionate way. I have come to the conclusion that these things hppen for a reason and choose to take a religious stance when it comes to death. You will one day be reunited with beautiful Kait. Though I will never will understand what, if any, good can come out of loosing a loved one. I guess I am just trying to tell you that I know your pain and how hard it is to cope with the death of a loved one.
For a long time after Kait's death I was terrified to even just get into my car at night. Albuquerque is an extremely dangerous and crime-ridden place. I have relocated and will never consider living there again, which is sad, because that's where my family resides.
I read your book the week it hit book stores. I read it all in one night and I'll tell you, it sent shivers down my spine and gave me chills. I was and am so very shocked by the behavior of APD, what Blasphemy!!!
I also wanted to tell you that she was a beautiful person, and it was obvious to all that she was above average intelligence.
God Bless You,

A Classmate of Kait's

PS: I will write more very soon with the names I promised.

Response:What a lovely tribute to Kait from one of her classmates! Thank you so much for writing. One of the names you mention is of particular interest to us, and I'd like to ask a question, but not on this message board. Please, contact us by private e-mail. Again -- thank you.

Dear Mr and Mrs Arquette,
I have so much to say,its hard to know where to begin. I was a classmate of Kaits and graduated with her. My heart aches for you in so many ways. I did'nt know her well,but,her death really "hit home" with me. I only had one class with Kait, Psychology-during our senior year. We had a few mutual friends, Pamela Falk and Colleen White. I'm wondering if you have contacted any of her classmates? Kait was a popular girl and surely she must have had atleast one friend that she confided in.
I lived at KAFB during this time period, and I remember wondering why there were so many APD cars near the roadrunner lounge and that part of the base, I know that many of these officers were in the Air National Guard. I also know a DJ who worked both at the club and in the Air Force, he was a crew cheif. His name is JB Brown, (short for James,) he is a black gentleman in his forties who is no longer in the AF, he attends the UNM business school. While attending UNM I saw him on campus on an everyday basis, he parks behind Zimmerman Library in handicapped parking, he is chubby and wears glasses. I attended UNM until 1997. I also know of a few higher-up Air Force officers, though I will have to write back to give you their names,I will have to sit down and really think for a few days in order to recollect and remember,as it was so long ago. I can only remember a few names: Colonel James Holland and Colonel Pyatt, I will write back when I remember. My husband, who I married in July of 1989 was in the Air Force and worked as a C-130 crew cheif. I will ask him tomorrow for any names that he can recall.
I am more sorry than I can ever tell you. I remember the night that Kait's shooting was reported on the news as if it were yesterday and I remember the shock and terror I felt. It hit so close to home. What a waste of precious life. I just recently lost someone very close to me, I know your pain and I empathize in a most passionate way. For a long time I was terrified to even just get into my car at night. Albuquerque is an extremely dangerous and crime-ridden place. I have relocated and will never consider living there again, which is sad, because that's where my family resides.
I read your book the week it hit book stores. I read it all in one night and I'll tell you, it sent shivers down my spine and gave me chills. I was and am so very shocked by the behavior of APD, what Blasphemy!!!
God Bless You,

A Classmate of Kait's

PS: I will write more very soon with the names I promised.

I am thirteen years old. I can tell from the evidence that this is an obvious police coverup. Come on people! It is so obvious! I find it ridiculous and I'd really like to know what they do with their time.

Hello,
I am Paul, an avid studier of the forensic sciences, and a notoriously bad speller and grammatcian. Please pardon me if I make any terrible spelling or grammer mistakes.
Is it a federal crime to either be incompetent in ones duties as a police officer, to be involved with criminal activities while a police officer, or to engage in cover-ups. I know that it is a federal crime for a state or local police officer to kill or mortally wound a person in the event of either premeditated murder or manslaughter that is not justifiable.
Also, have you considered contacting any of the many numerous forensic and criminal investigation television shows ranging from the fbi files to unsolved mysteries to the new detectives.
Last but not least, have you ever tried passing legislation that would make gross police incompitence a federal crime. It may not help you solve this case, but it will help many families who lost loved ones because police could not or would not investigate.
Sincerly,
Paul

Response:From what we've been told, there is nothing illegal about a police department being incompetent. Or not continuing to investigate a case once they have lost interest. Or to edit their reports to leave out information they don't want to have known, in order to shape a case to look like something other than it is. In other words, police departments have total control over the investigation of cases that come under their jurisdiction.

Why was Paul Apodoca not questioned immediately? Shouldn't he be considered a witness?

Response:Good question.

Possibly significant -- when our private investigator visited Paul Apodaca in prison, to question him about his presence at the scene of the shooting, (APD didn't know how to locate him, but our P.I. found him), Apodaca explained that he was there to buy drugs from Lee Padilla, the brother of APD undercover narcotics cop, Chris Padilla.

How could the off-duty officer who arrived at the scene not realize that there was someone in the vehicle before leaving and then returning???

Response:Good question.

Since there is such neglegence in the case, you may be able to file a sort of complaint to higher authorities. At that point, all records could be confiscated and properly viewed. The FBI may want to get involved since there are clear indication of obstruction of justice & evidence tampering. Being in the military and a MP, there is a cover up on the part of the Air Force to keep things quiet. The 1st Sgt, if he wasn't involved, would never have let the "flopping" happen. This may go to the Company or Battalion level. Also, there would probably be pressure from the higher ups on the AF part to silence the local authorities. There is no doubt of a cover up, but it's more than just the police. This would have to extend to at least the former company commander.

Response:We will pursue this. You sound very knowledgable, and if you are willing to further advise us as we proceed with this process, please, send us a private e-mail. As with everyone who is courageous enough to become personally involved in helping us, we guarantee that your identity will be kept confidential.

Meanwhile, if there is anyone out there who can identify the "higher ups" at Kirtland AFB during the time period that bracketed 1989, please, either post that information on this board or send it to us by e-mail.

In my last post I forgot to mention my purpose for writing. We should not have a system that gives all these rights to the criminal, but rather to the victim. It's the victim and his/her family who deserves the RIGHT to see all paperwork pertaining to the case. I want to know their shoe size, social security number, and mothers maiden name. I'm the law abiding citizen - I won't do anything with that information once I do know it!!!! Will the criminal?

~Shauna

Response:Here is another example of "criminal rights":

A man named Paul Apodaca was standing next to Kait's car when the first officer arrived at the scene of the shooting and was allowed to leave without anyone even getting his address. Our private investigator checked Apodaca's criminal records in metro and district court and discovered a history of such things as abducting a woman, binding her hands, and striking her repeatedly on the head with a base ball bat; negligent use of a .22 caliber handgun (the same caliber that killed Kait); criminal sexual assault; and shooting a victim from the VW bug, (the same make car seen following Kait from her apartment on the night of her shooting).

It seemed to us that this man's history made him a possible suspect, so we asked the detective in charge of Kait's case to question Apodaca about his presence at the scene. The detective told us he can't do that because Apodaca, (who is currently serving 20 years for raping his 14-yr-old sister), doesn't wish to talk to him.

To the Arquette Family,

I am sorry for your loss. I just finished reading your book about this case, and I too am floored at our justice system. My thought is that we should be able to change these laws that rule for the criminals. We live in a country where the law abiding citizen (who is the victim of a crime)IS NOT entitled to information. However, if you commit a crime you have the RIGHT to see all documents. These criminals are entitled to see who files a complaint,who has given witness statements, the entire case file! Do you know what else is on these documents?!?! Your name, address, phone number, etc. Where is the sense in this? These are the laws we need to change. Although someone is innocent until proven guilty in this country, we don't need to share with them - the victims shoe size, social security number, and mother's maiden name!!

I know this won't help with this investigation for Kait, however, maybe it could make a difference for someone else. Have you had the opportunity (I know you've been busy for the last 10 years) to make these suggestions to your Congressman? Maybe if there were enough of us who voiced our thoughts on this to our local Congressman, we could make some changes in this system. I think it's time to take the power from criminals and give it back to the victims.

Thank you for your time.
~Shauna Winters
[email protected]

Hi Don and Lois


I just want to say that I think you two are the most courageous people I have come across. I have been at this site alot, and I think it will be settled!!! I want to thank you for always answering my questions and always being informative. I had a real bad Boyfriend who had someone "Shoot at my Car". I feel I can walk in Kaits shoes. I am the same age as Kait would have been. God will help you prevail!!!!! JS

Dear Lois and Don,

I've been reading the information on your website and am, as I have been for a long time, absolutely appalled at the mismanagement of Kait's case. I think about you often and have bookmarked this site to keep updated. I've lived in Albuquerque all my life and, like Kait, was very naive about trusting authority. Stories like Kait's are real eye-openers.

I'm ashamed to live in a society where money (whether earned honestly or illegally) seems to be so much more important than human life and the Golden Rule. My prayers will always be with you. and with Kait.

Love from your friend at Southwest Writers Workshop,

Peggy Keller
([email protected])

just wondering. have you hired a private detective to see if they can find anything out. Maybe they can question people or check alibis.

Response:More than one private detective is working on this case. That's where most of the information in the update section of Kait's web page came from.

Hi Don/Lois

Regarding the recent WMAIl from Dung, didnt he actually say that to your family at one time? I think I read a post saying he did. I am comfused, you had speculated that the person who sent the EMAIL
didnt realize that his/her name and adress would appear. Does this indicate that it was not Dung and they just put his name? I ask this because I would hate to think someone could be so cruel is to do this to you. Whoever sent that mail had to have been following this site.
Thanks

Response:The person who wrote this did not sign his name. But the e-mail address on the header had Dung Nguyen's name on it. And, of course, we have had people follow up on that.

I don't get this. Dung Nguyen sends you an e-mail that says "BIG DEAL MY FRIENDS BLEW HER BRAINS OUT!" and you're not doing one damned thing about this???!!!

Response:As private citizens, we are not legally able to do anything. Not ANYTHING!

We have given this e-mail over to Sgt. Sandoval, Violent Crimes Unit, APD, who has given it to the homicide detective in charge of Kait's case. We have given it to the FBI. We have given it to the Special Drug Task Force that is looking at the "friends" who have been identified in Dung's e-mail as Kait's killers, and to the people connected to them, who have been identified as other participants in this huge cobweb of interstate/international crime.

If there is something else we should be doing, we certainly hope that somebody out there with connections to "the right people" will tell us what that is.

There sadly is a cover up, no doubt. The APD is a major problem factor here it is plain to see that they are very involved in the killing of Kait.Sincerely,

Tammi Johnson in Mississippi

Were the phone records of sharon smith ever taken into consideration?
Also any one from America with open thoughts and good english could
recognize that the fake note was indeed written by a foreigner and I also think it could have been a female foreigner.
and the self stabbing on the day of the funeral of Kait, why is it that he ,the vietnamese boyfriend, happened to be in the company of his tight group of friends maybe one of those friends did the stabbing because the boyfriend was threatening to talk. in any case I feel that he and his friends are all in on the death (killing)of your daughter. sincerely ,Tammi Johnson in Mississippi.

Response:The phone company told us that they don't keep records of local calls. And since Sharon's phone number was unlisted, it would have taken a court order to get the records of long distance calls. Only the police could do that, and they didn't.

Private citizens cannot obtain information, even if they generate it themselves. When I appeared on the Sally Jessy Raphael show in 1994, we paid $1,200 to WE-TIP for the use of their phone staff and 800 number so listeners could call in tips. They received over 1,000 phone calls. But, we were not allowed to read the tips, because we are private citizens. The tips could only be released to law enforcement, and APD did not want them. So, there they sit -- still unclaimed and unread five years later.

RE: the Dec. 7th post about Kirtland "wondering comments".

It seems that the person who wrote it was there at the same time as Khanh Pham -- how else would he know about goings-on and names of superiors?

Does he know more than he's telling? Maybe he'll have more to say...

There's a bit of a resentful tone in the post -- along the lines of he had tried have friends stay over (as Khanh did) but was caught, while Khanh got away with it.

[AngelFire]

Don/Lois

After Kait was shot, you had Dung stay with you for awhile. What happened? How did you stumble over all this info regarding his real age, the car wreck scams, drugs etc. I am wondering exactly when/why he decided to detatch himself from your family? It has been years since I read the book (thank God for this site) so I dont remember alot . It just seemed that everyone was so close and Dung was really liked by everyone. How long had he been coming around? When was the last time you had any contact with him???? Also, can we expect any new updates, pics, etc on Kaits Web site?

Response:We've just posted a new update about an e-mail we've received: Subject: "GET OVER IT -- I KILLED HER!" The e-mail address implicates Dung Nguyen, and he says, among other things, "So big deal (my friends) blew the fuck out of her brains. Get over it. She a ugly girl." We've shared this with law enforcement at both the local and federal level.

As for your other questions, Kait had been dating Dung for a year and a half, and he spent a lot of time in our home, eating meals with us and watching TV with Kait, etc. We were sorry for him, as one of the Vietnamese boat kids, a foreigner in a strange land, so we went all out to make him feel welcome. However, his English was so poor that it was impossible to really talk to him, so we didn't know him well as a person. The facts we found out later came from friends that Kait had confided in; insurance fraud investigators in Southern California; private investigators we hired or who volunteered their services pro bono: an investigative reporter for the Albuquerque Journal; and public records.

About a year ago my mother bought your book "Who Killed My Daughter?" for me. I read the whole book at one sitting because I could not put it down. By the time I reached the end, I was practically sobbing. I was even more distraught when I found out that it was a true story about a crime that was committed in the city in which I live. I knew that Albuquerque wasn't the safest city in the world, but I was apalled at the corruption and the lack of cooperation on the part of the police. My family has friends in the police department and I was considering joining the police academy, but when I read Kait's story, I started asking questions and had first-hand experiences with the corruption and cover-ups. I just wanted to say that I hope you find the killers and put the APD to shame.
Kimberly Sanchez ([email protected])

Dear Family,

You have been waiting on someone that cares about the case that is going to be a FBI agent. So I'm glad that something going right for a change. Well I thought I would tell you that. N.P. I want to say thanks for your help. They need someone in there like you. Good poeple for a change.

Someone that cares!

Response:I wish you weren't just "going to be an FBI agent." I wish you were one RIGHT NOW and were working Kait's case!!!!

Dear Arquette family,
I just read about your daughters case for the first time. I am apalled to learn about all the flaws involved in the murder investigation. Has the police questioned her boyfriend in reference to his sad alibi (which is obviously involved) as well as his vietnamese friends? The police dept of Albuquerque are obviously covering up for which seems to me like a vietnamese crime ring wich Kait found out about. There has to be some organization out there to investigate the way the APD investigated this case. This was a really touching story and from reading this site I am going to buy the book. I am currently attending school to become an FBI agent maybe in a year or so i can piece together this puzzle.
sincerely
N.P

Response:Thank you. We will be waiting eagerly for an FBI agent like you to come into our lives.

Dear Arquette family,
I just read about your daughters case for the first time. I am apalled to learn about all the flaws involved in the murder investigation. Has the police questioned her boyfriend in reference to his sad alibi (which is obviously involved) as well as his vietnamese friends? The police dept of Albuquerque are obviously covering up for which seems to me like a vietnamese crime ring wich Kait found out about. There has to be some organization out there to investigate the way the APD investigated this case. This was a really touching story and from reading this site I am going to buy the book. I am currently attending school to become an FBI agent maybe in a year or so i can piece together this puzzle.
sincerely
N.P

Hi Lois

If the EMT's confirmed that they pulled up to an abandoned accident, how the hell does APD account for Paul Apadoca? It was said in an earlier post that there was evidence of Blood and Vomit onthe ground by the passenger door. Where would vomit come from? How was her car in park? I tend to believe one of your earlier statements about her being "shot at a stand still". This case is 9 yrs old now. Hasnt ANYONE from the APD either moved up in the ranks or any new blood come around that would side with you? How about Seargent Lowe and Steve Gallegos? What ever become of them? Also, Id like to catch the case on Unsolved Mysteries. Do you have any idea how I can go about getting a copy of the segment? Thanks

Response:You ask good questions. The only one that I can answer is about the vomit -- the EMTs say Kait was vomiting when they removed her from the car, so it probably spilled out then.

Detective Gallegos left the homicide department and transferred over to burglary. I believe that Sgt. Lowe is now at a substation. Det. Merriman is no longer with APD; he either retired or was forced out, I'm not sure which. So there has been some reshuffling, but the "new blood" has bought the party line, that it was a "random driveby shooting by drunk Mexicans," and since all the information that indicates otherwise has been edited out of the case file, they have no reason to believe otherwise. It's our word against the word of THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

Dear Arquette Family,

I am a 16 year old female and I must say I am appalled at the way professinal Investigators handled your daughter's case!
I cannot nor want to imagine the unbearable pain your family is suffering.
My family and I extend our deepest sympathies.
I was wondering if there was anything you could do,legally, to get the police or FBI to do a better investigation?
I wondered if you ever thought of having a protest against the way your daughter's case was handled?
I'm sorry, I do not know much about the legal system of USA, fopr I am from Canada. [[email protected]]

Response:We've looked into that and have been told by attorneys that there is nothing illegal about police not doing a good job.

please try sylvia browne, she is a very well known physic,she has helped countless of families,and the police departments have been known to aske for her help...to know more about sylvia go to her website, www.sylvia.org

this woman will give you more than what you ask for.
thank-you
Renee

Lois/Don

I visit this site everyday, I have been following the case since the book. I guess all my questions pertain to the Crime Scene.
1) What was APD's theory for the "Womans Shoe" out side of Kaits car? 2) In one response it said that the "OMI" was never called. What is that and do you think that if things were done correctly, Kait would had a chance? 3) The extent of her injuries- Did the police ever photograph Kait in the car? I ask this because I find it so hard to believe that, if the Tempo was "Traveling at a high rate of speed", that the car was not raveged and the path of blood found on the body was too concise. I apoligize, I know these questions are hard for you to answer. It sound like alot of corruption. I cant remember, but, did her injuries kill her or was it a decision on the familys part? Also, can you tell us a little about Kait? We'd l;ike to kinda know about the person weve been reading about for so long? Will you ever be posting more pictures of her?

Response:1. Nobody had any comment to make about the shoe.

2. OMI is the Office of the Medical Investigator. No, with her brain destroyed, I don't think Kait would have had a chance to survive as anything but a vegetable.

No, the police did not photograph Kait in her car. Actually, it's possible they never even SAW her in her car. One thing that bewilders us is the fact that the police reports say the first officer at the scene, Det. Ronald Merriman, phoned in a report, called for medical help, and stayed with "the victim" until the ambulance arrived. Yet the ambulance people contend that when they arrived at the scene NO POLICE WERE THERE. They say the scene was totally deserted, just Kait alone in her car. So -- where did Det. Merriman GO??? And WHY?

4.Kait was smart and funny and headstrong and thought she could handle anything. She was a risk taker and didn't use good judgment about trusting people, (she was the type who would pick up hitchhikers). She was a humanitarian who dreamed of becoming a doctor, and she was an organ doner. She was an honor student and worked as clothing manager for Pier One Imports. She didn't do drugs. She was never in trouble with the law. But she was young, and she made a mistake and fell in love with the wrong man.

[FROM ROGER] sorry about the typo in my last letter.I wanted to suggest that you call your states investigative dept, like here in florida were i live the fla. dept. of lawenforcment,"FDLE",IS OVER THE LOCAL DEPTS.it seems to me that you have two investigations to contend with;1-kaits murder;2-the cover up of the police.someone is going to get scared and comeforward.it seems to be too many people involved;lots of little peopleand acouple of big ones! Please keep me informed.Thank You!!

I was wondering if any of the guns that were confiscated from the raid on the body shop were tested by ballistics to see if any of them matched the one that killed Kait?
I don't know if you can answer this or not but, would it be possible to get a court order in secret, without the knowledge of the Air Force, to get the records of the night Dung was stabbed and the file on that Khan guy?
Also, have you talked to those former officers again? They might be a little bitter about being taken off the force and maybe a little loose lipped now.
I'd also like to say that I'm very sorry for your loss.

Response:No comparison was made, because (1) The police have never investigated anything about that body shop in regard to Kait's case, and (2) no bullets exist in Kait's case. The two bullets that struck her shattered in her head, and the one that struck the car door frame was never accounted for.

[from roger]To the family of kait; first let me say that i am sorry for your loss. I would never be able to handle this kind of tragedy as brave and whole heartedly as you have. I have just a few questions. 1. Where is kaits car now? Does it have any damage to rear bumper? Is it still in police impound where it should be? 2.Where there any shell casings found at crime scene? If so where they examined to see if it had been used in any other crimes? Iwould think that it might have been concidering the violent nature of this group of people!3.Has far as the shots in close pattern this could be due to 3 rapid shots so close that there is little movement of weapon.

Just a few more words.Try
to contact APD`s Internal Affairs Dept.Give APD bad local publicity to pressure them,also check with state investigaters acall.I also think that Dung will realize that he is in danger and come forward.Please let me know if any of this helps!I am new to this site and will keep following it. KEEP THE FAITH!

PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [email protected]

Response:1. Police did not place any evidence hold on Kait's car. It was towed to a salvage yard. God only knows where it is now. Photos show rear end damage.

No casings were found at the scene.<3>I think there may be a typo in your message. Could you, please, clarify the suggestion about contacting "state investigators acall?" Thanks.

Greetings:

I have sent you an email (Sallie) with some suggestions, but I have just thought of another. If they will hear your case, try to consulate for the country that Dung is from. They may be interested in this case and may pursue it from a 'comraderie' aspect as the Asian community gets bad publicity as it is. They can also get through the 'red' tape that you have encountered?

Blessed be

Dear Family,

Hi. I just want to let you know that alot of people can be invole but I just want you know that I think the boyfriend is invole. And the girlfriend that she left the house from she call the guys to let them know that she left. So they can kill her. I'm so glad that alot of people want to help with you. I'm like most people that write in I can't give any information about the crime because I don't know any thing about anything. I think if you know anything write in because it will help this family alot. Well got to go bye.

Good luck with your investagtion!!

I share your grief about your daughter, as my daughter, aged 20 was murdered in 1993 and I have good reason to suspect that she had information too about crime in her city, (unfortunately for us, not in the same area of the country as yours) and that that was the reason she was killed. Police not only botched a simple investigation, including not taking fingerprints on the one door to her apartment, on light switches etc. When they couldnt find any fingerprints on the balcony rail at all, didn't ask how she would have gotten over it without leaving her own hand, finger prints to drop 13 stories with out ever having touched it. The police never asked witnesses if her lights were on, or off, when they were turned on, why all of the screaming prior to her falling and let a suspect go, who was actually in her apartment within seconds of her "fall", and then believed his story which was without the slightest doubt, a lie. Instead of watching him they closed the case, quite quickly with very few questions or a real investigation, then accused her of suicide, an impossible projection on their part. At the very least it was a lazy way for them to handle the case, at the worst, it was a coverup. I believe the officials covered it up to protect her killer, who is known by many of the young people in the area to be a successful drug dealer.
My reason for writing to you is to give you support to continue your fight against the injustice you have had. I was unfortunately not able to continue the fight, my health, from severe traumatization rendered me helpless with many physical side affects, preventing me from working, and pretty well out of my mind with grief over my dear daughters death, not to mention the grief of my other daughter, who blames herself.

God bless you in your efforts.

Response:What a dreadful story! My heart breaks for you all.

i am writing to say that this case is definetly a cover-up of some sort. i was looking at the handwritting samples after i read the insert by the hand writting professional guy and he is definetly right. the h's that the americans make (in cursive) go from left to right then back over to the left. go ahead and try making a cursive h. in the affectionate letter it goes from the right to the left then back right. that is way too awkward for us americans to do. i am so sorry for the family's loss. but i feel that the boyfriend has something to do with the murder. you never know, since he probably didn't know of kait wanting to leave him he probably wrote the note to make it look like she came home to make everythink ok with him. but when she came home he wasn't there so she just forgot all about it. all those questions after the inserts are the same questions i had. i feel the police should put more umph in to this case. the police are here to help the world not have so much crime in it but if every town and state in the world had a police department like that there would be no world at all everyone in it would be at war and killing each other and only bad people would be left. thank you for taking the time to read what i have written. i apologize again for the family's loss. i can't say anything to make everthing better but as in the oldtime saying," things will get worse before they get better". i hope you go on remembering her in her happiest moments. thanks again. [from:angel_17]

I have 3 questions:
A. What precisely is it about this shooting that sets it apart from a random drive by. Now, according to the photo of the car, I'd guess that some type of object must have been "thrown" at the car window-due to the fact that there is seemingly no other damage (except maybe to the front, which was not shown). In an accident, I'd expect side damage.

B. Could this possibly be viewd as a Civil Rights Violation case? If what you're saying about APD is correct, then this has either got to be extreme negligence (or incompetence) on the part of APD, or blatant denial of presented facts in an attempt to deceive. Police officers work for the government-the People-the Constitution. It seems that by refusing to thoroughly examine the evidence, they are denying Kate (and her family) her basic civil rights. Does a deceased person still have rights?

C. Has the FBI looked into this case? Are there any plans to?

D. This is just an ethical comment. I am not Vietnamese. However, in comment to a statement that the Vietnamese are violent, I must say that such a statement is very broad, and though I'm quite sure no one means that the Vietnamese people are violent, people do tend to read statements like that and make generalizations... and this is what leads to racial confrontations.

Response:According to the forensics expert who did crime scene reconstruction, the strongest evidence that this was not "random" was the accuracy of the three shots, fired from a moving vehicle at a moving target.

But apart from such physical evidence, we have such things as the fact that Kait's neighbor told police that he saw her followed from her apartment by a VW bug, (the same make car other witnesses saw fleeing the crime scene), and that Kait's boyfriend, Dung Nguyen, was phoning people to tell them about the shooting three hours before police "woke him up" to inform him.

To Lois and her family:

I've been thinking. Once you started going on TV to tell the story, more people came out with information. As hard as it would be, purhaps making a movie about it would encourage people to come out. The right people (such as congressman and even Janet Reno) would realize that the APD is doing nothing about it and hopefully change that. Just a though.

[[email protected]]
Marcia

Response:I've been reluctant to do that, because once an author lets go of the film rights, she/he loses all control of what happens to the story. (I learned that the hard way when my young adult novel, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, which didn't contain a single murder, was turned into an appalling slasher film.) I couldn't bear to see such a thing happen to WHO KILLED MY DAUGHTER?, and I wouldn't be able to prevent it.

i feel so bad for your family
i know if someone in my family was killed i would be heartbroken
Don't give up.
If you do than you have given the murderers what they want
you life
what they did is terrible
Don't lose faith
Kait will always be with you
God Bless You!!

Response:We are grateful for this post -- and the many others -- that encourage us not to give up. We don't intend to. We have come to believe that this mission extends far beyond solving the murder of one teenage girl.

Not only do we feel a personal need to give our daughter's life a truthful ending, but since installing this web page, we've been contacted by over a dozen OTHER families in Albuquerque who believe that the deaths of their young adult children have been misrepresented as "random shootings," suicides, and "shootings in self defense," when, in fact, they were cold blooded murders.

One mother, whose son was shot to death in January, 1998, (allegedly in self-defense), tells us that the statement APD released to the media was that her boy was found dead in the street with a shotgun lying beside him; however, when she finally got to read the police log, she discovered that he was found dead in the hallway of an apartment in another part of town, and there's no mention of his having a gun. (There is also no mention of who owns that apartment.)

This is the THIRD of this woman's children to be murdered. WHAT IS GOING ON!!!

to family of Kait
from Paul Blackwell

i stronly encourage you not to give up on this case.
it may seem as though you will never solve it and justice
will not be served, but take heed, it will be solved.
look into the girlfriend of your daughter, she had to
know much more or she would never had fled. there is an
investigator in santa ana, ca by the name of william holland
he is good and can get in the street. he knows alot
of people of oriental character. he is oriental. try it.
you need someone who can get real close in to solve this
case.i feel the girlfriend and boyfriend is definately
in together on this one. have you attempted to contact
the state attorney general to launch an internal investigation
into the officers? keep pushing. persistence pays!
if i can do anything. contact me at e-rack @bellsouth.net
your family is in my prayers.

Response:Thank you for your good wishes.

Yes, we have contacted the attorney general. He doesn't want anything to do with the case.

It is extremely difficult to hit a moving target from a nearby vehicle which is also moving, much less put two rounds on such a close group. The shooter has done this before. Try filling out a report to VICAP (division of FBI). They don't usually deal with gangland stuff, but they DO pursue multiple murders. Perhaps this MO can be linked to other killing(s).
[reveyeball]

Response:Good suggestion. Thank you.

Have you tried to elicit Federal help on this case? Possibly from the FBI? If organized crime is a factor the FBI may already have files on some of these people. If drugs were involved, the DEA may have some stake in the case, as well as the BATF.
[[email protected]]

Response:The FBI does have files on some of these people, but they will not share information with us, and have no interest in Kait's murder, as homicide is not a federal crime.

To the Supposed Psycic:


Please do not try to solicit any of your so called powers on this web site! Kaits family have fought too long and hard to try to bring this all together. They have sought the paranormal connections already and you seem to be WAY off base. Do not take offense, but this is a real story and so far has no ending. Please do not bother these people!

My name is Tom Muttera, my sister Monica died on April 5, 1998. The circumstances surrounding her death invoke concern of foul play according to the autopsy report. The police refuse to see this and I feel they are covering up their negligence and incopetence. Who has authority over local police depts? My E-mail address is [email protected], I would appreciate any info or suggestions to help expose the truth and to bring the person responsible to justice.

Arquette Family,
Sympathy!
I have not read all you website, from the first page I had a voice, it was her boyfriend. I see a red jacket, tall, slender. Ball cap. Shades (glasses) thick black with green lenses. Could be asian but not the boyfrined. She was beaten. I don't know why I get this but I feel she was in (typed in, meant behind) a dumpster than moved.
That is all I wish to put here. Can't really get more.
I was actually looking for places to advertise my psychic gift, but feel this is not the place. I will watch for more and see what happens. Please let me know if any of this is confirmed here!
From reading about 10 or so posts I gather many people with desires to help, but none with ability. My family would not be safe if I revealed myself so I'll decline to identify or email as I have young children and would be devistated if something were to happen to them.
This seems (feels) more like a disgruntled boyfriend more than anything else!
Maybe not beaten to look like a beating, but shot to look like a cover up. A bell, clang clang clang! Feels close to a train yard or several tracks....
I was interupted by the phone.
I'll book mark this site and come back in a day or two to see your response. If there is another way to contact you I will try but my family comes first and anonymity remains the for seen route of action.
Many Blessing

The correct spelling is Colonel Sabow not (Salbow) sorry for the first error.

Mrs. Arquette,
I sent the info on Colonel Sabow via E-mail. I hope it helps.
God speed. And please let me know what you find out. Be safe.

Response:We received it. Thank you.

I find a big coincident between your case and one in Calf. You may
already know of it (Colonel James E. Salbow). A decorated combat pilot
and cheif of staff for Marine Aircraft operations. He was found shot in his quarters, Military investigators claim suicide,(contradicted by medical records), His family claim murder. Allegations that he used militry aircraft to send personal items to his son(stereo speaks) a relatively minor infraction and were being closed without formal charges at the time of his death. It was said that the colonel about
to come forward with information about the other pilots whom for years had been bringing drugs into this country and details on the operation (was silenced). You may want to contact the family. I have the E-mail.
Let me know through comments if you need it. All of a sudden I'm having a lot of computor problems.(I wonder why)!!!!

Response:Yes, please, send it. Our e-mail envelope is on the web site.

We have had computer problems too, since we first started placing information about the military on Kait's web site. And the special investigator, who was checking out military information for us, had a hacker break into the computer system and fry the modem in the process. After that, the house was broken into, files stolen, and the family dog was never seen again.

Is this a Fictional story?

Response:No. We wish that it were.

DEAR ARQUETTE FAMILY,

Isn't there another way the FBI can get involve. I just can't believe they would not just step in take over the invesgation. There is proably away they can without permission from APD isn't there? I think is great that someone is trying to help you solve it. I mean that club or someting. I will keep reading about whats happening in the bulliten.

Sincerely, Someone that cares!

Wouldn't, all this expose about police, call the attention of the FBI to investigate?
Cristy

Response:The FBI can't get involved without the permission of APD. Which APD will not give.

Dear Ms. Duncan,
I am 12 years old. I read your article in the READ magazine that my school gives out every month. I saw that your daughter had been killed and then the murder was covered up, so I came to check out the website. I know that you must be very busy with all the mail you must get, so I'll make this short. I was sorry to her about Kait's death, and I think it's awful that your book, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER was made into a movie that didn't even follow the book's plot! I didn't see the movie and I don't intend to now that I heard that. I just hope that someday you will know what really happened to Kait on that horrible night. If you get a chance, can you please e-mail me at [email protected]
Thanks a lot!
A 12 year old girl.

Could she have been picked up after she lefted Sharons house then used then shot?

maybe it was a conspericy.

[email protected]

I am so sorry! I was shocked when I read your book, Who Killed My Daughter? The information from the physics amazed me. I am now starting to contemplate the idea of living again on Eath after death. I wish you,and every family who is going through the same ordeal, the best of luck!
[from:a friend in SD]

Lois, I read your book when it was first published and came across this web site several months ago. I often wondered through the years if the case was solved. I am sorry to know that it hasnt been. I recently read Psychic Connections, and enjoyed it very much. I have just read the latest updates and I am wondering if the vidocq society has any authority to prosecute criminals. I visited their web site, but couldnt get my question answered there. If they do come up with solid evidence and solve this crime, can they bring the offenders to justice?
[from: Mary]

Response:No, the Vidocq Society does not have the authority to make arrests and prosecute criminals. They generally work with the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction in the matter they are investigating. As they state on their web page, "For local law enforcement agencies, the Vidocq Society is the best forensic bargain in the world: a team of experts whose consultative skills and talents are available for free."

So, depending upon what they come up with, I assume their first step will be to offer their findings to whichever agency seems appropriate -- APD, FBI, DEA, etc. If that agency doesn't follow up, the Vidocq membership includes attorneys who will advise us about what to do next.

SHAME on the APD! SHAME on the STATE of N.M .....
SHAME ON JANET RENO!!!!!!!!!!! This is why the general public has NO FAITH in our officials. The APD must think we are stupid. They will be judge one day! You have my sympathy, as well as my outrage.
Monica

To answer the person who posted a question about why the Vietnmese are protected by APD. In a previous post I said a man named Quoc, who owns an Albq. jewelry business and is a friend of Kait Arquette's boyfriend, works as a confidential informant (snitch) for for APD. Quoc calls the shots as far as who in the Vietnamese community gets arrested.

I am not a member of APD myself, but I know people that are. That's where this info came from.

Hi
I have just become aware of this murder. I have not read the book yet but will do so soon. I just have a little bit to say. I understand that orientals usually rob ,kill and deal with their own kind . They hire another race to do the hits on the people who cross them. Just to take the heat off of them selves. I live in an area that has changed to seventy five percent oriental and the police dept were operating about the same way. I have noticed we are getting more oriental police officers and I understand it's because the communication was zero untill they started hiring oriental policemen. That could be part of the reason they have totaly been withholding the information and seem to be corrupted. Good luck to you and your family and don't ever give up finding the killer.
P.S. My friend had a daughter who was kidnapped and killed out of a fox photo booth in Dallas 23 years ago and we are still searching for her killer.
C.J Dallas, Texas

Response:Those are interesting observations. Thank you for sharing them.

I am so sorry about your friend's daughter. The amount of violent crime that is going on in this country is beyond belief.

Dear Don and Lois,

I would say that the boyfriend was in on it some what.

question was kate and sharon really close?

If you didnt know of this girl she could of probally set it up.

A. The boyfriend could of been in that VW bug
B. He could of escaped somewhere that night wich means he was in on it.
C. I think that the VW bug was just a diversion to get kate to go were they wanted her to go.
D. Kate probally got kind of scared and paniked and went were they wanted her to go.
E. Consider the posibility that there was a sniper in a very high place were he could get a shot out. that went through kates scull.
F. For the drug trafficing people now that they have her out of the way the buisness could go as usaul.
G. And the boyfriend could be living it large somewhere because he probaly followed kate to her freinds house.
H. Or you could take in the possibilitty that her friend was in on it to. And someone came up to her from the drug ring and told her that he would pay her xx amount of dollars to tell them when her freind left her house.
I. There is also a possibillity that the people were blackmailing her friend to get her to do what they wanted.

Also consider the fact that Kate was going somewhere to expose the drug ring. Because she was fed up with it and doing so they got a hitman to shoot her.

Question were there trees on the road that she was shot on?

Please send a reply to me at.

[email protected]

Response:Kait had only known Sharon for a couple of months.

No, there were no trees, and the shots were not fired from above, so I don't think it could have been a sniper. Either the killer fired at her from the passenger side of a car that pulled up opposite her, or her car was forced to stop, and the killer approached on foot from the side and shot her.

Dear Lois and family,

This is VSL, here again; In answer to your response from my posting on Dec. 4, in regards to were the hispanics fit into the whole cover-up. I'm sorry, I which I could say that my hunch stems from more then pure supposition, but it doesn't. Mysteries have always intriqued me, especially when their true ones, and more especially when it's a senseless murder that happens to an obviously wonderful person (your daughter) and family like yours. However, I do feel that my speculation and the one from which it stems from is right on track, and I hope that it somehow helps to bring this whole injustice to a close.

I have two boys of my own, 17 and 22 years old, and a grandaughter of 4 years old. I could only imagine how devastated I would be if anything happened to any of them, especially something as horrific as what happened to your daughter. JUSTICE MUST COME TO THOSE WHO COMMIT THESE KINDS OF CRIMES!! With God's help and your commitment in keeping "Kait's Army" marching in full force, justice will prevail. God bless you and your family, and again, keep up the good work.

VSL

To: The Arquettes
From: M. Wolk - just recieved Lois Duncan's letter of 12/08/98.

I have a couple of questions.

1. Are the Vietnamese ever arrested or punished for any crimes taht they commit if the APD says that they (viet.) are "off limits?"
2. What if there was solid proof or evidence to Kait's case about her killer or how it happened? Would the APD do anything to further the case?
3. Are Kait's possessions (from her desk or anywhere)still held in as evidence?
4. Has Kait tried to contact you in any way to try to send you messages?
5. Has anyone got a clue of Dung's whereabouts, and if so, has he or his friends confessed to anything? Are they still doing the insurance frauds?
6. Suppose caucasian men committed Kait's murder. Would APD do something about her case then?

If my questions may be answered, my e-mail address is:
[email protected]

Thank you

Response:1.There's no way for us to know.

2.We don't know that either.

3. Yes, Kait's possessions from her desk are still held in evidence. (Evidence of a "random drive-by shooting"? APD will not return them to us. <4> I believe that Kait has been guiding us throughout our entire investigation.<5> The last we heard, Dung was still in Albuquerque, although most of his group have moved to California. We have no way of knowing if they continue to be involved in insurance fraud. Dung Nguyen has told our family, "So what if my friends blew the fuck out of her brains? Get over it! She was a ugly girl." But he will not make that statement to the police.

6. APD wants the public to believe that the shooting was done by Hispanics. We don't refute that possibility. But, if so, we believe they were hired; (some of Dung's "friends" were Hispanic).

Dear Lois,
I am very sorry about your daughter.What I want to know is why the police have not started to do anything even yet, almost ten years after Kaitlyn's death.If they have started, what are they doing to help you out.I hope that they are doing everything that they can to help your family to find this guy who take Kait away from you.I understand how you must feel.I lost a best friend a month ago in a car accident because someone was driving carelessly.I really hope that you can move on from this.Even if they don't find her killer, at least you know that their are people out there who care about your family and they probably are waiting for him/her to come forward or be found too.

Response:I am so sorry about the death of your friend.

To answer your question, the police will not do ANYTHING, no matter how much information we provide. The Vietnamese community appears to be off limits for APD investigation. When our private investigator attempted to give APD homicide Detective Stave Gallegos (in charge of Kait's case) a notarized statement from a person that Kait's boyfriend, Dung Nguyen, phoned to inform about Kait's shooting THREE HOURS BEFORE POLICE "WOKE DUNG UP" TO TELL HIM ABOUT IT, Detective Gallegos said, "This department will not accept any information about the Vietnamese."

After reading the post from the Marine doing time in Saudi I have to come forward and place a few "wondering comments".

During the time frame when Kaitlyn was murdered her boyfriend's (Dung)closest friend, Khang Pham was stationed at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico and lived in the Airmen's dorms. Khanh Pham's dorm room was little more than a flop house for his V/N buddies, they shacked up in his room at the taxpayers expense. Now for all of us who have served in the military we know that anyone other than the person assigned to the dorm room isn't allowed to live, reside or use the facilities meant for housing of unmarried enlisted troops. Where was the first shirt? (first sergeant?) At that time the first shirt was Ed Disel, he would have had knowledge of all activity going on in the dorms, that's something that can't be kept secret. When Dung tried to kill himself in Pham's dorm room why wasn't there an investigation into the civilan V/N using the dorm room for a flop house? The first shirt is now retired but if anybody out there knew Disel could they shed some light on why a first shirt allowed one of his troops to be involved with drugs, interstate insurance fraud and fraud waste and abuse of housing units for enlisted troops? Saying that the first shirt wouldn't have any knowledge of this is utter BS, enough complaints were filed about Pham and all his V/N buddies using the dorm for a residence. How about it readers, for all you folks who have served what do you think?