Writing Shotgun
DEATH VALLEY DAYS
You think it’s hot here? Shortly after 11 last night, the mercury was still north of 100 degrees at the Barker Ranch in Death Valley–one-time vacation destination of TV reality show stars the Munster family–where KNBC’s Patrick Healy brandished a thermometer the size of a dinner plate as proof.
Why was Healy out there? To cover the biggest Manson Family story in years: a real, live, search today through Thursday by Inyo County sheriff’s deputies and scientists aimed at either confirming or laying to rest rumors that “there are clandestine graves at a secluded ranch used as a hide-out by the Charles Manson clan after a 1969 killing rampage.”
That’s according to Los Angeles Times’ reporter Louis Sahagun, who also pointed out that the search team includes the chair of the Cal State Long Beach Department of Anthropology, Daniel O. Larson. There’s even a photo of Larson in today’s Times (he’s identified in the caption simply as “O. Larson”), brandishing a weird-looking instrument which resembles the weather station I made as a kid using foam drink cups.
It’s described in the Times as “cutting edge technology,” and Inyo County Sheriff Bill Lutze had this to say about that–in a prepared statement to the newspaper:
“Some of this equipment is so cutting edge that it does not exist in the marketplace,” said Lutze. “This case will dramatically alter how police agencies search outdoor crime scenes in the future.”
If he’s right, it will also dramatically alter how CSI: Miami searches outdoor crime scenes in future seasons.
I tried reaching Larson, the Anthropology Department chair, yesterday in hopes he’d invite me along to carry his sleeping bag. (It’s so rugged out there and hard to reach–in the southern end of Death Valley National Park–that I’ve heard the searchers are having to camp out. As I remember from reading John Gilmore and Ron Kenner’s excellent The Garbage People, even members of Manson’s group had a 12-mile hike back to where they’d left their dune buggies or black-painted school bus or what-have-you.)
The telephone message on his office voicemail says Larson is “away on sabbatical until Fall ‘06,” and according to CSULB’s Media Relations Director Rick Gloady, Larson is taking a vow of silence on the Manson dig and referring all media to Lutze and the Sheriff’s Department.
“Channel 4 called here last week,” said Gloady. And, apparently, they too were unsuccessful in reaching the anthropologist. These days, that’s almost newsworthy in and of itself; most people are only too eager to talk–including Manson, who had to be barred in court from representing himself as it would have, er, lengthened his trial significantly.
Tags: Barker Ranch, cal state long beach, Cal State Long Beach Department of Anthropology Chair D, Cal State Long Beach Media Relations Director Rick Gloa, California, charles manson, Death Valley National Park, Inyo County Sheriff Bill Lutze, KNBC, Long Beach, Louis Sahagun, Manson Family, Patrick Healy, Southern California, The District Weekly, the Munster family, Theo Douglas
UPCOMING EVENTS
-
Tuesday, December 2
-
Wednesday, December 3
-
Thursday, December 4
Join Our Mailing List!
DTV
If Video does not load, you might need to 
PREVIOUSLY ON DTV
CHARLTON LANCASTER› BUTTOCK CLEFT CONFIDENTIAL
› DTV BOOK CLUB: VOL. II
› MORE DTV VIDEOS
© 2007-2008 Seven Days Publishing LLC.
Add New Comment
Viewing 4 Comments
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment