LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: DAUGHTER SEEKS NEW PROSECUTOR IN MOTHER'S CASE

To the editor:

On July 26 my mother, Willie Mae Vasquez of Scott City, was brutally murdered. I first discovered my mother missing from her residence when I went to check on her, but I didn't become concerned at that time because Mother always took walks into town.

The afternoon of July 27 I went to the Scott City Police Department to report my mother missing. On Aug. 4, my husband and I hired a private investigator, Jerry Wolsey, to investigate the disappearance of my mother because we were not happy with the way the Scott City Police Department was handling the case.

On Aug. 7, Deputy Jerry Bledsoe of the Scott County Sheriff's Department joined in on the investigation with Mr. Wolsey. Both Mr. Wolsey and Deputy Bledsoe are experienced criminal investigators, and I was very impressed by the way they were handling my mother's case.

By Aug. 9, these two men had two suspects in custody regarding the disappearance of my mother. By that evening, Mr. Wolsey and Deputy Bledsoe had recovered my mother's body northeast of Scott City near the Mississippi River. I was advised by Mr. Wolsey and Deputy Bobby Sullivan that my mother had been murdered. I learned also that one of the suspects had confessed. The suspect also implicated his cousin in the death of my mother.

On the afternoon of Aug. 10, first-degree murder warrants were issued against Gary Biggs and Christopher Scott Biggs of Scott City. On Aug. 15, both were arraigned before Judge David C. Mann.

On Aug. 25, I learned that the Scott County prosecutor, Christy Baker Neel, had amended the first-degree murder charges on both of these individuals down to second-degree murder. I know the evidence that Sheriff Bill Ferrell, Deputy Bledsoe and Mr. Wolsey collected and presented to the prosecutor's office, and I can tell you it is a very solid first-degree murder case. I was outraged when I learned what Mrs. Neel had done to my mother's case.

I want the people of Scott County to know what type of prosecutor they have, because I want to prevent this from happening to someone else. Mrs. Neel has no business at all handling major capital cases such as the one involving the death of my mother. I feel that Mrs. Neel is making every attempt to avoid a criminal trial in my mother's case. I'm requesting that Mrs. Neel step aside and a special prosecutor be appoint who had experience in prosecuting capital cases such as this one.

I'm also requesting that the presiding circuit judge of the 33rd Judicial Circuit convene a grand jury regarding my mother's case.

I had faith in our justice system up until now. I see now how victim's families feel when the justice system fails them. There is no doubt in my mind the murder of my mother was premeditated. Those facts have been presented to the prosecutor's office in a very strong fashion. If Mrs. Neel wants to be a prosecutor representing the people, then she should act like one. If not, she should step aside and let someone who will.

The past four weeks have been extremely hard on me and my family. Mrs. Neel's actions have made it that much more difficult. I miss my mother each day, and I want justice for her. I will not let the recent actions of the Scott County prosecutor rest. I will continue to fight to make sure my mother gets the justice she deserves.

SUSAN STEEL

Commerce, Mo.