[Note: I keep updating the number of people represented in the title of this post to reflect the number of people who have joined the Facebook Justice For Molly group where case updates and support are posted daily.]

Molly had multiple bruises

and Richie Minton had

two fresh six inch scratches

on his side under his arm.

Beautiful drawing by Molly

Parents of Carbondale Dispatcher Richie Minton:

Richie Minton's supportive parents showed up quickly to Molly's death scene before Molly's family knew anything had happened and before the Illinios State Police arrived, Richie's dad and mom are: Franklin Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit Investigator and PSAP [Public Safety Answering Point] guru Richard “Flip” Minton and West Frankfort Police Department Dispatcher Kathy Minton. Not knowing whether it's relevant or not, here's some of what Richie's dad Flip has an expert reputation in:



[FRED] MINTON RECEIVES FORENSICS TRAINING, EQUIPMENT



YOUTUBE VIDEOS:



EARLIER ARTICLES:



MARCH 2012



STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING FATAL SHOOTING OF GIRL IN CARBONDALE

The Southern Illinoisan

March 26, 2012

Illinois State Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Carbondale after receiving a request from city police. Molly Marie Young, 21, died of an apparent gunshot wound at a residence in the 500 block of North Westridge Drive. ISP Trooper David Sneed said ISP Zone 7 investigations received the call for assistance at 9:05 a.m. Saturday. Young lived in the 5000 block of Springerton Road. Sneed said state police are working with the Jackson County State's Attorney's office and the county's coroner on the investigation. Sneed said the weapon believed to have been used in the shooting has been taken as evidence. [ LINK



MOLLY'S FAVORITE SCRIPTURE:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

~ John 14:27



REALITY CHECK WITH MONICA ZUKAS SPEAKS TO MOLLY YOUNG FAMILY

The family of this beautiful young lady, Molly Young, speaks about their belief that their daughter did not commit suicide but was murdered.

https://soundcloud.com/monizuke-1/reality-check-with-monica





~ John 14:27The family of this beautiful young lady, Molly Young, speaks about their belief that their daughter did not commit suicide but was murdered.

PROBE INTO YOUNG FATAL SHOOTING CONTINUES

The Southern Illinoisan

By D.W. Norris

March 29, 2012

[Excerpts] Illinois State Police are still conducting interviews about the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Molly Marie Young... Capt. Scott Rice of ISP Zone 7 investigations said DNA, fingerprint, firearm, trace and other evidence testing are being conducted at a state police crime lab. Rice said further information, including who has been interviewed by police, is not available to the public because the investigation remains open. Jackson County Coroner Dr. Thomas Kupferer said his office is awaiting an autopsy report from a forensic pathologist as well as results of a toxicology tests. Kupferer said some tests may establish the trajectory and angle of the bullet, as well as the cause of death... Carbondale Police Chief Jody O’Guinn said he had complete confidence in his department’s ability to handle the investigation, but he asked the state police to handle the case to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. [ LINK



...Minton, who had an attorney present before State Police investigators arrived, has declined to be interviewed by police...



...State Police officials began investigating the death as a homicide later that morning after “the dispatcher suspiciously lawyered up,” according to an incident synopsis written that morning by an ISP sergeant...



...No gunshot residue was found on the hands of either Minton or Young. According to an ISP forensic scientist cited in one of the reports, “If the victim shot the gun, there should have been residue on her hands”...





APRIL 2012





WOMAN FOUND SHOT AT HOME OF CITY POLICE EMPLOYEE

The Carbondale Times

Geoffrey Ritter

Sun, 04/08/2012





[Excerpts] Details remain sparse regarding the death of 21-year-old Molly Young, who was found two weeks ago shot in the head in the apartment of a Carbondale Police Department employee. Carbondale Police responded on the morning of March 24 to a residence in the 500 block of North Westridge Drive, where they discovered the body of Young, who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The Times has verified one of the apartment's residents as Richie Minton, who works as a police telecommunicator. Minton and Young had been dating off and on... The Illinois State Police assumed control of the investigation that same morning. No charges have been filed... Jackson County coroner's office says it could be six to eight weeks before a report is completed. The Carbondale Police Department did not return calls Friday... Lt. Stan Diggs of the Illinois State Police said only minutes passed between Carbondale's first response to the scene and the time when State Police investigators arrived to assume control. He said that when investigators arrived, Minton already had an attorney present. He also said Minton was allowed to change his clothing before going to the Carbondale Police Department for questioning. Young's father, Larry Young of Johnston City, said he does not believe his daughter's death was a suicide, noting her excitement at beginning a new job... Young also said he and his family were frustrated not to have been notified by authorities until hours after police first found his daughter's body. [ LINK

FROM COMMENTS:

... He was "allowed" to change his clothes?? WTF people?? WHO allowed him to do so?? Something stinks here...

...I hope the people involved in this investigation are more concerned with finding the truth than protecting their own. My prayers for the family who have lost this young lady in such a violent and sudden way...

...Thank you for covering this story. Please continue to give it attention...

...Why hasn't this information been reported in the Southern, or on any of the local television stations. Something is not right here. Is it true that Mr. Minton's father is also in Law Enforcement?...

...there needs to be an update to this story...

...FYI, his Dad is Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy Richard "Flip" Minton



EVIDENCE LOST IN POLICE RESPONSE TO YOUNG'S DEATH

Carbondale Times

Geoffrey Ritter

Thu, 04/12/2012





[Excerpts] State Police are awaiting test results that will “turn on the lights” regarding the March shooting death of Molly Young, the case’s principal investigator says, and those results could determine whether the case moves forward as a suicide or homicide investigation. Illinois State Police Lt. Stan Diggs says some potential evidence, however, will never be part of the investigation after Carbondale Police, who were first to respond to the March 24 scene at an apartment on North Westridge Drive, allowed Young’s on-and-off boyfriend - both a resident of the apartment and a telecommunicator for the Carbondale Police Department - to wash his hands and change his clothing before State Police arrived. Diggs says police are awaiting phone records and blood-spatter test results on clothing before determining how to proceed in the death of Young, 21, a Marion High School graduate who was found the morning of Saturday, March 24 in the apartment after having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Those results should arrive within the next week or two, Diggs said. State Police continue to treat the incident as a suspicious death, and authorities have made no arrests or filed any charges. An assistant to Jackson County Coroner Thomas Kupferer said it still could be several weeks before a complete report on Young’s death is available. “It’s going to turn on the lights,” Diggs said of the blood testing currently being done... Diggs said Carbondale telecommunicator Richie Minton, son of a longtime Franklin County Sheriff’s deputy, already had an attorney present when State Police investigators arrived that morning. Diggs also said the Carbondale Police Department “was allowing him some latitudes” by letting Minton go to the bathroom and wash his hands before State Police arrived to assume command of the investigation. Diggs said that precluded investigators from conducting a gunshot-residue test on Minton’s hands... Diggs said State Police have spent several hours interviewing Minton’s roommate, whose identity has not been verified by the Times, but Minton is “not being real accommodating with us.” As of Monday, Minton had not agreed to sit for an interview with investigators, Diggs said. An attempt by the Times Tuesday morning to reach out to Minton and identify his attorney was unsuccessful. Also, the Carbondale Police Department has declined to comment... Young’s father, Larry Young, told the Times last week that he and the rest of Molly Young’s family was disappointed that several hours passed between his daughter’s death and the time when family first was notified. Diggs said the process of obtaining a warrant to enter the apartment slowed the early investigation. Larry Young also said he does not believe his daughter’s death was a suicide, citing her excitement at having recently started a new job and the fact that she had made plans to go shopping on the weekend when her body was found... [ LINK

FROM COMMENTS:

...I'm glad that your paper is covering this side of the story BC no other press is...

...Apparently, the Carbondale Police Department do not follow protocol. The clothes should ALL have been kept for evidence and allowing this "man" to wash his hands is, in my opinion, just ridiculous... I find it very suspicious that he had a lawyer already there, too. I'd also like to know what the roomate has to say...

...Molly and I were best friends. Molly would not kill herself. Richie had been threatening and emotionally abusive for a long time. We had went out the night prior to her death and made plans to spend time together soon. The unhappiness in her life was CAUSED by Richie Minton. She told me she would be going to retrieve some things from him soon and we both agreed he was better off a part of her past. Molly knew her best days were ahead...

I am a friend of Molly's family and I am appalled at the way Richie's friends are treating this poor family that is in mourning. By saying cruel and untrue things about this beautiful young girl, you are doing exactly what you are asking them not to do, judge without knowing all the facts...

...3 people were at the scene. Molly, Ritchie and other. Now before calling police (Ritchie called daddy, you bet) he calls a lawyer. Now we have a violated crime scene if the attorney is there before police arrive. Attorney should be charged with interferring and corrupting a crime scene...

..."Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the opposite point of view and keep the best arguments for themselves, for aggressors are always quick to attack those who have no means of defense"...





FAMILY HOPES WEBSITES WILL HELP BRING IN TIPS ABOUT MOLLY YOUNG'S DEATH

KFVS

Carly O'Keefe

Posted: Apr 14, 2012





[Excerpts] The family of a Carbondale woman who died from a gunshot wound last month has created a Facebook page to try to get new information on what may have lead to her death. Molly Young's sister created the Facebook group Justice for Molly to help friends and family cope with the loss and begin to heal. Another Facebook page, Angels for Molly was created by an anonymous person... "We hope that the truth comes out," said [Molly's father] Larry Young. "We hope that someone remembers seeing activity in the parking lot, or hearing a shot in the middle of the night, or anything that would help this case"... Illinois State Police took over the investigation immediately after the death was reported to police because Young's ex-boyfriend is employed as a Carbondale Police Dispatcher. Since Young's death, questions have arisen over who pulled the trigger, and whether her death was suicide or murder... Jackson County Coroner has yet to classify the death. Coroner Dr. Thomas Kupferer's office says the autopsy is not yet finalized pending toxicology reports. ISP investigators say they're also waiting on tests to come back from the crime lab... [ LINK

MINTON



Excerpts from:

WE WANT TRUTH, JUSTICE

Opinion/Voice of the Reader

The Southern Illinoisan

April 22, 2012 1:00 am

To the Editor:

She was only 21, but wise beyond her years, as one in the family said. Her life on this earth ended on March 24, 2012. She was in the apartment of a Carbondale police dispatcher, and her name is Mollie Marie Young. I appreciate The Southern Illinoisan’s commitment to the truth and know they search for the truth in this case, as does the family. The Illinois State Police are actively investigating and there is high confidence and trust in that agency. It is very unfortunate the immediate next-of-kin (father and mother) were never properly notified by the local agency. This could have been done without any interference whatsoever with proper investigative techniques.... I would like to ask, no, plead, with anyone who may have information pertinent to this open death investigation to please contact the Illinois State Police and provide that information to them. All the family is seeking is truth and justice.

She was my niece.

Charlie Lamont

Retired Mount Vernon City Police Captain

Mount Vernon [LINK]







JUNE 2012



STATE’S ATTORNEY HAS POLICE REPORTS IN YOUNG SHOOTING DEATH

The Southern Illinoisan

By D.W. Norris

June 04, 2012

[Excerpts] It’s been more than two months since Molly Marie Young was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound at a residence in Carbondale... Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec said he has reports on the shooting death, but he would not put a timetable on when or if charges would be filed. “I have received reports from the Illinois State Police, and I am currently reviewing them,” said Wepsiec on Friday. “They are quite voluminous.” Young’s body was found March 24 in the residence of Richie Minton, a Carbondale police dispatcher described by Young’s family as her ex-boyfriend... In an April 13 article, state police investigator Lt. Stan Diggs said Minton had spoken to police through his attorney... Young was 21 years old when she died... Carbondale police got the initial call on the shooting but handed the investigation off to Illinois State Police almost immediately, said Diggs in a previous article. The call for state police assistance was made at 9:05 a.m. March 24... One media outlet reported Minton was given special treatment at the scene by Carbondale police, a charge Diggs denied... Diggs said what Minton did before Carbondale police officers arrived “is a mystery.” [





FAMILY OFFERS REWARD FOR TIPS IN YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH

WPSD Local 6

Kendall Downing

Mon Jun 4, 2012

[Excerpts] The family of a woman found dead in a Carbondale residence back in March is now offering a reward in the case. The investigation started March 24 when police found 21-year-old Molly Young dead after a shooting inside a Carbondale apartment. Richie Minton, the man who lived there, is a dispatcher with Carbondale Police... Now, more than two months later, reports from that agency have made their way to Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Wepsiec's office. Wepsiec confirmed his office received the 200-page police report late last week. Family members are hopeful justice could be near. "It's the worst thing anyone can imagine," said Kathy Spiller, Molly Young's mother. "Our family is devastated. Our hearts are broken... Even though we know in our hearts, we feel like what happened, we just want some answers... The love that we have for her and that they have for her, it's been pretty overwhelming... This waiting is even more torture, wondering every day when this is going to come to a conclusion," she said. That grueling wait is the reason behind the $5,000 reward the family is offering. They hope it could bring in new information about the hours before and after Molly's death. "We want the truth to come out," Spiller said... [





JULY 2012



NEW EVIDENCE OBTAINED IN YOUNG DEATH INVESTIGATION

Carbondale Times

Fri, 07/06/2012

[Excerpts] Investigators have gathered new evidence related to the mysterious death of a Carbondale woman in March, but there is no timeline on how the case will move forward. Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec said last week that lab work and tests still are being conducted on evidence obtained following the March 24 death of Molly Young, a Marion High School graduate who was found shot in the head that morning in the apartment of her on-and-off boyfriend, Richie Minton. Wepsiec declined to discuss the case or evidence further, citing ethical concerns. According to audio archives obtained by the Times, emergency responders that morning believed they were heading to the scene of an overdose... but instead found Young, 21, with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. According to Young’s father, Larry Young, information he received from Coroner Thomas Kupferer allegedly indicated Young had died three to four hours before the 911 call was placed. The Times has been unsuccessful in contacting Kupferer. When State Police arrived on the scene, Minton already had an attorney present... As of last week, investigators still had not interviewed Minton, State Police Lt. Stan Diggs said. [







CORONER: INQUEST LIKELY IN YOUNG CASE

Carbondale Times

Geoffrey Ritter

Thu, 07/26/2012

[Excerpts] The unexplained death of Molly Young four months ago in a Carbondale police dispatcher’s apartment likely will go before a coroner’s jury, which would review evidence and make a formal determination regarding how the 21-year-old woman died, the county coroner says. Jackson County Coroner Thomas Kupferer said Monday that since some evidence still is being processed at the state crime lab, he could not yet release an autopsy report or make any formal comments about Young... Both [State’s Attorney Mike] Wepsiec and State Police Lt. Stan Diggs have cited a deep backlog of investigations at the lab as the reason for the apparent delay... According to radio archives obtained by the Times, emergency responders that morning were dispatched to 500 N. Westridge Drive in response to an apparent drug overdose but instead found the body of Young with a fatal bullet wound to her head. Minton, who had an attorney present before State Police investigators arrived, has declined to be interviewed by police... The unknown circumstances surrounding Young’s death have garnered growing attention... [



FROM COMMENTS:

...Seeking the truth, seeking justice. No more, no less.

Why would anyone not cooperate ?...

...Come on already!!! The police look like idiots! Dooooo something already! Justice for Molly!!!!...



SEPTEMBER 2012

YOUNG FAMILY SEARCHES FOR CLOSURE The Carbondale Times Geoffrey Ritter Thu, 09/20/2012 [Excerpts] ...“I was awake, and I just felt like Molly was saying to me, ‘Mom, I’m alright. I’m OK. Stop weeping over me so much. I’m OK. I’m happy... I don’t feel your pain, but I’m just allowed to see your weeping, to come to help you be better.’” Kathy continues. “I said, ‘If this is really you, Molly, let there be a feather on your grave when I go.’” Maybe she had just imagined it, but Kathy rushed in the morning to look for the blackbird feather hiding in the dry grass at Molly’s grave. She found nothing. “I was just so devastated,” she said. “I wanted so much for there to be a feather”... Dead from a mysterious bullet wound to her head, Molly left behind a wake of unresolved questions and vast, untended grief, the circumstances clouded by uncertainty but the violence sudden and shockingly obvious... An ambulance responded the morning of Saturday, March 24 to the Carbondale apartment of Molly’s on-and-off boyfriend, Richie Minton. Because Minton works as a dispatcher for the Carbondale Police Department, the Illinois State Police assumed command of the investigation just minutes after it was reported. The death has not been publicly ruled a suicide or homicide. Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec, who has an open file on the Young death, has been waiting since spring on additional evidence to return from the State Police crime lab — some of which the family reports came back just this week. Coroner Thomas Kupferer said in July he expected Young’s death to eventually be the focus of an inquest. For those who knew her, Molly Young is now forever 21, locked in memory as what family and friends describe as, first and foremost, an artist — the only thing she ever really wanted to be... Molly was “just a funny girl with a really messy apartment,” her friend Cullen Stout says. She enjoyed music and movies and walked with a smooth, relaxed gait... “She was never fake just to fit in,” says her sister, Holly Powell. “She didn’t do things to impress others. I respected her for that so much. She had her own style, was a very honest person … She was a logical thinker rather than an irrational thinker”... Holly Young says her sister broke up with Minton shortly before her death and was looking to move on. Holly saw her sister for the last time a few evenings before Molly died... Molly spoke of reconnecting with old friends and working to improve her life... Her [cemetary] plot remains unmarked aside from the flowers and trinkets that have accumulated. The agony of her passing has been so blinding that her family says it has yet to decide what words to carve on a tombstone. Their grief has been accompanied by frustratingly slow progress in the death investigation. Molly’s father, Larry Young, spent so much time on the phone with investigators that it severely affected his work. Little information has come easily. Through it all, they have harbored deep suspicion of Minton, who had a lawyer present the morning of Young's death. Also with him that morning were his parents, both law enforcement professionals from Franklin County. For now, the truth of what really happened when Molly made her early-morning trip to Minton’s apartment remains unclear. Previous attempts by the Times to contact Minton have been unsuccessful... That lack of answers has made the healing harder, Molly’s family says. Even with answers, however, they don’t expect the wounds to completely heal. The loss has been too sudden and the cost far too high... [Kathy Young] was heartbroken when she didn’t find the feather she was certain Molly would send, and she pleaded that evening for solace. “That night I said, ‘God, please just give me peace that Molly’s alright,’” she says. The next morning, she woke at about 7 a.m. and sat on her porch. There, just a couple of feet away, was a feather. She rushed to her feet. “I got it and took it in, and it matched the same color as the blackbird she painted on the headboard on top of the cherry tree that I have by my bed. It matches it perfect,” Kathy says. “I just knew that it was real.” She placed the feather delicately on the headboard, and there she has kept it as a reminder... [Full article here Minton



CARBONDALE POLICE EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH DUI Carbondale Times Geoffrey Ritter Fri, 09/28/2012 - 18:55





Full Name MINTON, RICHARD L Date of Birth 10/13/19** Criminal Case Type - Subtype DT - DUI

[Excerpts] A Carbondale Police Department employee faces a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol after an Illinois State Police trooper arrested him earlier this month... Minton was booked into the Jackson County Jail on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane usage. He was released the same day... Carbondale City Manager Kevin Baity said Thursday that Minton remains an active employee with the city... [Full article here NOVEMBER 2012 POLICE EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO DUI CHARGE

Carbondale Times

Mon, 11/12/2012

[Excerpts] CARBONDALE — A Carbondale Police Department employee pleaded guilty this week to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Carbondale Police radio dispatcher Richard L. Minton, 24, entered the plea Nov. 7 in Jackson County circuit court and received a sentence of 12 months court supervision and 100 hours public service. He also was ordered to pay fines totaling $2,145 and attend alcohol treatment... [Full article



YOUNG INQUEST REVEALS MUCH BUT ANSWERS LITTLE

The Carbondale Times

Geoffrey Ritter

Mon, 02/04/2013

[Excerpts] The circumstances that led a 21-year-old woman to die from a gunshot wound to the head 10 months ago are as unclear as ever following an inquest performed this week, and what the next turn will be in the high-profile and mysterious case remains just as elusive. Following about 45 minutes of deliberations Thursday, Jan. 31, a coroner’s jury ruled the cause of death of Marion High School graduate Molly Young undetermined due to a lack of evidence... Trooper Daniel Glover testified that when ISP investigators arrived, they found Young’s body on the floor between Minton’s bed and the north wall of his small bedroom, her blood spattered on the floor and a nearby closet door. Investigators also found traces of blood on Minton’s bed comforter, the muzzle of the .45-caliber pistol belonging to him and a pair of his pajama pants found in the bathroom... Carbondale Police secured the scene and told Deputy Coroner Jeff Wisely when he arrived at 9:50 a.m. that it was a crime scene and he could not enter; he wasn’t able to for about seven hours. Minton already had retained a lawyer, Terry Green, by the time ISP investigators arrived at the Carbondale Police Department to interview him, and Minton has not spoken to police in the 10 months since Young’s death occurred. His parents also were at the Police Department that morning. Young’s parents did not learn of their daughter’s death for several more hours. The Times also obtained a copy of Young’s autopsy report, which says the bullet entered Young’s head 2.25 inches above her left ear, 1.5 inches above the left eyebrow and 2.5 inches from the midline. The track of the bullet was backward and “slightly downwards.” The jury on Thursday questioned whether the right-handed Young would have shot herself with the left hand, especially given the downward trajectory... Charles Lamont, who spoke on behalf of the family at the inquest, noted that investigators had reviewed some of Young’s social-media postings but asked whether they had seen a Son of Sam reference Minton had posted not long before Young’s death that read, “And huge drops of lead poured down upon her head until she was dead.” Cooper said they were aware of that March 3 posting to social network Tumblr. The family also asked questions about the time of death, what Minton was doing in the bathroom when Carbondale Police arrived and about the location of the wound on her head. The family was allowed just three questions during the inquest. On Friday, Young’s father, Larry Young, posted in a Facebook group following the case that the inquest had provided an incomplete survey of the evidence. “During the inquest not all of the forensics and facts in the case were told to the jury,” Young wrote... Following the jury’s determination this week, what happens next remains unclear, although the decision of whether or not to prosecute the case, or bring it before a grand jury, rests with Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Carr. Carr could not be reached for comment Friday but previously told the Times the case “warrants attention from me” and that he is likely to make a determination sometime next month. [



FROM THOUGHT PROVOKING COMMENTS:

...If this was supposed to be a truthful inquiry then why was the spokesman for the family of Molly Young stifled at being able to ask only three questions? They should have been able to ask as many questions as needed for the jury to hear more evidence that the coroner and ISP failed to provide. Why?...

...The text messages don't match the toxicology reports of no abnormal drugs in Molly's system and BAC of 0 in Richie Minton the next day. Could they [the text messages] have been fabricated in the four to five hours that Richie had access to Molly's phone?

... Molly's journal, talked about in this article, was from high school and the last entry was in 2011, almost a year before...

Could the text, "I think I'm going to shoot myself in the head" be something she was forced to do?...

...Why was there no residue on her hands? It's not like she would have had time to run to the bathroom and clean them off... so many unanswered questions, yet the person with the voice will not use it...

...Did they test for fingerprints on Molly's phone? If not, it is quite possible that she did not even send those texts. The story also states that Minton was exiting his bathroom when Carbondale Police arrived. Is it possible that it was at this time, he washed his hands? I agree with what Mr. Lamont stated on the news. They did do a very good job investigating Molly, but I also think it is time they do just as good a job of investigating Minton...

...it has been reported that the gun had no prints on it. How does a recently shot pistol have no prints? Or no residue?... The Carbondale TimesGeoffrey RitterMon, 02/04/2013[Excerpts] The circumstances that led a 21-year-old woman to die from a gunshot wound to the head 10 months ago are as unclear as ever following an inquest performed this week, and what the next turn will be in the high-profile and mysterious case remains just as elusive. Following about 45 minutes of deliberations Thursday, Jan. 31, a coroner’s jury ruled the cause of death of Marion High School graduate Molly Young undetermined due to a lack of evidence... Trooper Daniel Glover testified that when ISP investigators arrived, they found Young’s body on the floor between Minton’s bed and the north wall of his small bedroom, her blood spattered on the floor and a nearby closet door. Investigators also found traces of blood on Minton’s bed comforter, the muzzle of the .45-caliber pistol belonging to him and a pair of his pajama pants found in the bathroom... Carbondale Police secured the scene and told Deputy Coroner Jeff Wisely when he arrived at 9:50 a.m. that it was a crime scene and he could not enter; he wasn’t able to for about seven hours. Minton already had retained a lawyer, Terry Green, by the time ISP investigators arrived at the Carbondale Police Department to interview him, and Minton has not spoken to police in the 10 months since Young’s death occurred. His parents also were at the Police Department that morning. Young’s parents did not learn of their daughter’s death for several more hours. The Times also obtained a copy of Young’s autopsy report, which says the bullet entered Young’s head 2.25 inches above her left ear, 1.5 inches above the left eyebrow and 2.5 inches from the midline. The track of the bullet was backward and “slightly downwards.” The jury on Thursday questioned whether the right-handed Young would have shot herself with the left hand, especially given the downward trajectory... Charles Lamont, who spoke on behalf of the family at the inquest, noted that investigators had reviewed some of Young’s social-media postings but asked whether they had seen a Son of Sam reference Minton had posted not long before Young’s death that read, “And huge drops of lead poured down upon her head until she was dead.” Cooper said they were aware of that March 3 posting to social network Tumblr. The family also asked questions about the time of death, what Minton was doing in the bathroom when Carbondale Police arrived and about the location of the wound on her head. The family was allowed just three questions during the inquest. On Friday, Young’s father, Larry Young, posted in a Facebook group following the case that the inquest had provided an incomplete survey of the evidence. “During the inquest not all of the forensics and facts in the case were told to the jury,” Young wrote... Following the jury’s determination this week, what happens next remains unclear, although the decision of whether or not to prosecute the case, or bring it before a grand jury, rests with Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Carr. Carr could not be reached for comment Friday but previously told the Times the case “warrants attention from me” and that he is likely to make a determination sometime next month. [ LINK ISP SAYS MORE INVESTIGATION ‘LIKELY’ IN YOUNG CASE Submitted by Carbondale Times on Mon, 04/08/2013 - 09:43 Geoffrey Ritter Weekend Times [Excerpts] There likely will be further investigation into the 2012 death of Molly Young by the Illinois State Police, according to a letter received by the Times. The letter, written March 25 by Lt. Steve Lyddon, the State Police’s Freedom of Information Act officer, came in response to a FOIA request submitted earlier this month seeking State Police reports related to Young’s March 24, 2012 death... The nature of Young’s death, caused by a gunshot wound to the head, has garnered considerable speculation in the 12 months since her death... Investigators say they identified no fingerprints on Minton’s pistol that fired the shot... [Full article here

Carbondale TimesMon, 11/12/2012[Excerpts] CARBONDALE — A Carbondale Police Department employee pleaded guilty this week to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Carbondale Police radio dispatcher Richard L. Minton, 24, entered the plea Nov. 7 in Jackson County circuit court and received a sentence of 12 months court supervision and 100 hours public service. He also was ordered to pay fines totaling $2,145 and attend alcohol treatment... [Full article here IF ANYONE SAW ACTIVITY

Facebook >Larry Young >Justice For Molly

"The Coroner estimated the time of death at between 4:20 A.M. and 5:30 A.M. on March 24,2012. According to the States Attorney Richie Minton's roommate Wesley Romack called 911 at approximately 8:58 A.M. We are appealing to anyone who might have seen suspicious activity in this parking lot between 3:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. to call State Police at 618-542-2171 and talk to Aaron Cooper. If anyone knows someone that lives in these apartments behind Carbondale Clinic at 500 Westridge Drive please tell them about the time frame because to our knowledge it has never been released to the media. — at Apartment 2A Westhill Circle 500 Westridge drive." [ The Southern IllinoisanBy D.W. NorrisJune 04, 2012[Excerpts] It’s been more than two months since Molly Marie Young was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound at a residence in Carbondale... Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec said he has reports on the shooting death, but he would not put a timetable on when or if charges would be filed. “I have received reports from the Illinois State Police, and I am currently reviewing them,” said Wepsiec on Friday. “They are quite voluminous.” Young’s body was found March 24 in the residence of Richie Minton, a Carbondale police dispatcher described by Young’s family as her ex-boyfriend... In an April 13 article, state police investigator Lt. Stan Diggs said Minton had spoken to police through his attorney... Young was 21 years old when she died... Carbondale police got the initial call on the shooting but handed the investigation off to Illinois State Police almost immediately, said Diggs in a previous article. The call for state police assistance was made at 9:05 a.m. March 24... One media outlet reported Minton was given special treatment at the scene by Carbondale police, a charge Diggs denied... Diggs said what Minton did before Carbondale police officers arrived “is a mystery.” [ LINK WPSD Local 6Kendall DowningMon Jun 4, 2012[Excerpts] The family of a woman found dead in a Carbondale residence back in March is now offering a reward in the case. The investigation started March 24 when police found 21-year-old Molly Young dead after a shooting inside a Carbondale apartment. Richie Minton, the man who lived there, is a dispatcher with Carbondale Police... Now, more than two months later, reports from that agency have made their way to Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Wepsiec's office. Wepsiec confirmed his office received the 200-page police report late last week. Family members are hopeful justice could be near. "It's the worst thing anyone can imagine," said Kathy Spiller, Molly Young's mother. "Our family is devastated. Our hearts are broken... Even though we know in our hearts, we feel like what happened, we just want some answers... The love that we have for her and that they have for her, it's been pretty overwhelming... This waiting is even more torture, wondering every day when this is going to come to a conclusion," she said. That grueling wait is the reason behind the $5,000 reward the family is offering. They hope it could bring in new information about the hours before and after Molly's death. "We want the truth to come out," Spiller said... [ LINK Carbondale TimesFri, 07/06/2012[Excerpts] Investigators have gathered new evidence related to the mysterious death of a Carbondale woman in March, but there is no timeline on how the case will move forward. Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec said last week that lab work and tests still are being conducted on evidence obtained following the March 24 death of Molly Young, a Marion High School graduate who was found shot in the head that morning in the apartment of her on-and-off boyfriend, Richie Minton. Wepsiec declined to discuss the case or evidence further, citing ethical concerns. According to audio archives obtained by the Times, emergency responders that morning believed they were heading to the scene of an overdose... but instead found Young, 21, with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. According to Young’s father, Larry Young, information he received from Coroner Thomas Kupferer allegedly indicated Young had died three to four hours before the 911 call was placed. The Times has been unsuccessful in contacting Kupferer. When State Police arrived on the scene, Minton already had an attorney present... As of last week, investigators still had not interviewed Minton, State Police Lt. Stan Diggs said. [ LINK Carbondale TimesGeoffrey RitterThu, 07/26/2012[Excerpts] The unexplained death of Molly Young four months ago in a Carbondale police dispatcher’s apartment likely will go before a coroner’s jury, which would review evidence and make a formal determination regarding how the 21-year-old woman died, the county coroner says. Jackson County Coroner Thomas Kupferer said Monday that since some evidence still is being processed at the state crime lab, he could not yet release an autopsy report or make any formal comments about Young... Both [State’s Attorney Mike] Wepsiec and State Police Lt. Stan Diggs have cited a deep backlog of investigations at the lab as the reason for the apparent delay... According to radio archives obtained by the Times, emergency responders that morning were dispatched to 500 N. Westridge Drive in response to an apparent drug overdose but instead found the body of Young with a fatal bullet wound to her head. Minton, who had an attorney present before State Police investigators arrived, has declined to be interviewed by police... The unknown circumstances surrounding Young’s death have garnered growing attention... [ LINK Facebook >Larry Young >Justice For Molly"The Coroner estimated the time of death at between 4:20 A.M. and 5:30 A.M. on March 24,2012. According to the States Attorney Richie Minton's roommate Wesley Romack called 911 at approximately 8:58 A.M. We are appealing to anyone who might have seen suspicious activity in this parking lot between 3:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. to call State Police at 618-542-2171 and talk to Aaron Cooper. If anyone knows someone that lives in these apartments behind Carbondale Clinic at 500 Westridge Drive please tell them about the time frame because to our knowledge it has never been released to the media. — at Apartment 2A Westhill Circle 500 Westridge drive." [ LINK