The Franklin Files

Mariah · Senior Member

The Case of When At First You Don't Succeed.....

Mariah · Senior Member

We have to look at this case for what it is:

A Cold Case - unsolved - missing male

The investigation: is on the investigation, and evidence given;

When one starts to work on a Cold Case file the best place to start
is at the beginning-

Lets see what we can find about Johnny Gosch and his abduction:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/160dmia.html

Case File 160DMIA Recheck - Possible - Dimple/Cleft Chin

John David Gosch
Missing since September 5, 1982 from West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.
Classification: Non-Family Abduction

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance
Gosch disappeared while conducting his newspaper route in West Des Moines, Iowa on September 5, 1982. He was tailed by his dachshund, Gretchen. Gosch was seen speaking to a male suspect while working his paper route on 42nd Street and Marcourt Lane. Gretchen returned home without her master. Because of the Gosch case, Iowa passed a law requiring immediate investigations of missing children.
Gosch disappeared from the same vicinity as Eugene Wade Martin did in October of 1984 and Marc James-Warren Allen in March of 1986. Martin also vanished while working his newspaper route; It has not been proven that these three cases are related in any way, but it is worth noting the similarities.
Gosch's mother claimed that her son is alive and that he visited her in 1997. She announced her revelations during a 1999 pedophile crime organization trial in Nebraska. Gosch's mother said that he came to her Iowa apartment in March 1997 with an unidentified male friend. She claims that Gosch told her he was abducted by members of a pedophile crime organization and he escaped from the group at an undetermined time. Gosch's mother also said that her son was in fear of repercussions from the group and that was the reason he chose to remain "underground." She stated that she has had no further contact with her son since his 1997 visit and that she remained silent about the event until called as a witness in court because she fears for Gosch's safety.

Date Of Birth: November 12, 1969 Age at Time of Disappearance: 12 years old Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'7; 140 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Light brown, short hair; blue eyes. Marks, Scars: Gosch has facial freckles. He has a horseshoe-shaped scar on his tongue and a birthmark on his left cheek. Clothing: A white sweatshirt with Kim's Academy imprinted on the back, warm-up pants and blue rubber thong sandals. Dentals: There is a gap between his front teeth. Nickname: Johnny

-- Edited by Mariah on Saturday 24th of October 2009 07:49:50 AM

Mariah · Senior Member

That was fast....now we have some information to start compiling notes for
our plan of action for this case....but, before we jump into the Database
missing report, we have to make a preliminary list of how we will follow
the reported leads:

First off...

This is the internet and well searching brings a pleathera of info, so
without contaminating our efforts how will we want to move forward-

Do we just take the first seach url that comes forward
Do we want to start at the very beginning and get as much background
on the victim and family as we can
Do we want to interview others that have already worked on the case
Do we want to start from the current junction of last known evidence and
work our way back (I can tell you right now; without any bias that beginning
or current statis we are going to need a shovel no...BullDoser to screen
through what has been collected)
First and formost we have empathy for the victim, so we want to try and
use the best info available

With any Cold Case we ar going to run into those that have already
formed their own opinions, evidence, and conclusions to the case-

As we investigate we will uncover how many people have been named
in the case and level of involvement-

We will also have to decide where and when we want to follow the leads
since a near 30yrs old cold case will be like an octopus with its info
branches-

And most importantly we need to understand and decern those that
maybe be considered hostile witnesses- (The Pro and Con Camps)

Now that we have a few notes for our outline to follow and we have
our first evidence report are we ready to start-

Is one official missing report enough?

We need a feel for the search so lets see if we can find anymore
Cold Case Data before we break it down......

-- Edited by Mariah on Saturday 24th of October 2009 05:26:02 PM

Mariah · Senior Member

This article is more an update and gives clues as to events over the years

Johnny Gosch

Missing:
12 YOA at time of disappearance
West Des Moines, Iowa
September 5, 1982

Latest News: August 28, 2009, KCCI: Missing Iowa Boy's Mother Holds Out Hope: Johnny Gosch Missing Nearly 27 Years

It's a story that catapulted Iowa into the national spotlight, changed state law and continues to draw awareness to human trafficking. It's a recurring nightmare for parents across the nation... and a living nightmare for Noreen Gosch that has unwillingly launched her into a life of public service.

On September 5, 1982, Johnny Gosch left his home to work his Des Moines Register paper route. What happened after that has been the subject of speculation. Five witnesses saw and spoke to a man who they say approached and kidnapped the boy.

"Last September I received a packet of photographs," Gosch said during a May 2007 abuse prevention conference in Cedar Rapids. The image of a young boy, hog-tied and wearing only his underpants and socks illuminated the wall beside her. "This is my son Johnny near the time when he was kidnapped. His is still 12 years old in this picture."

Gasps and sobs filled the hotel conference room on that day in May, but Gosch stood in quiet testimony to what she believed happened to her son 25 years ago.

"I knew immediately it was my son and it has also been confirmed by forensic specialists at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who have examined and compared [the photos] with existing pictures I had," she said.

"My hope is that the latest report saying you are still alive is true and that one day we will be able to see each other again," Gosch wrote in a personal note to her son on a website she created in his honor.

She also posted a list of the things she knows 25 years after her son was kidnapped. She begins the list with noting how it all feels "like it was yesterday."

Gosch believes her son was taken for the purpose of satisfying pedophiles, that he was sold into a human trafficking network. She's had reports that he is alive and living in fear his life will be ended by those who wish to silence his knowledge of the trafficking network. And, of course, that the photos sent to her are of her son and were taken shortly after he was kidnapped.

A month after Johnny was taken, Noreen founded The Johnny Gosch Foundation and developed a program called "In Defense of Children." She has toured the nation, providing nearly 1,000 personal appearances on missing children, law enforcement, human trafficking and overall awareness. On July 1, 1984 a bill she authored -- the Johnny Gosch Bill -- was passed into Iowa law. It mandates immediate police involvement when a child is missing. It has since been adopted by eight additional states.

That same year, she traveled to Washington, D.C. and testified before Congress as a part of hearings on organized crime. Her testimony led to death threats and also, in part, the eventual establishment of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She was invited by Pres. Ronald Reagan to the opening and dedication of the center.

She has also worked on two documentaries, one for HBO and another for the State Department. Her story and Johnny's story was the focus of a book, Why Johnny Can't Come Home, originally published in 2000.

Sources and References:

America's Most Wanted: John "Johnny" David Gosch
The Johnny Gosch Foundation
Point Blank: by Tim Schmitt
Portland Independent Media Center
Educate-Yourself
What Happened to Johnny Gosch?
FOX News
Conspiracy of Silence

Mariah · Senior Member

So we have searched for Cold Cases Re: Johnny Gosch

80,000 + options gives us the overview that very little has to do
with Cold Case of Johnny - For the ease of not jumping in without
testing the water we will be satisifed with the above reports:

Lets break them down so we have data to work with; and as we collect
more reports we need to remember what the "original facts" to the
case are:

Fact: Abduction Case - Cold Case

Fact: Name - John David Gosch - Referred to as Johnny

Fact: Birth Date - November 12, 1969

Fact: Abducted September 5, 1982

Fact: Age 12yrs

Fact: Location - West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Secondary:

Height: 5'7

Weight: 140lbs

Clothing: A White T-Shirt w/Kim's Academy imprinted on the back,

warm-up pants, and blue rubber thong sandals.

Race: Caucasian

Hair: Short - Light Brown

Eyes: Blue

Distinguishing: Facial Freckles - Horsehoe scar on tongue - Birthmark on Left Cheek - Dimple.Cleft Chin - Gap in front teeth

Parents: Mother - Noreen Gosch, Father - John "Leonard" Gosch

Circumstances:

Johnny went missing while conducting his "Des Moines Register" newpaper route in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Witnesses - 5 - spoke to a male suspect in a car

This might not seem like much to start with but this is the info that we will use as a gauge when reading reports...

Now that we have facts we can step out and start getting a few additional details:

Already we can see that thier are some statements that we should look into:

Most important is the statement by Noreen Gosch that she has reported that Johnny is alive and visited her at her Iowa Apartment in March 1997 with an unidentified male friend. - Johnny Gosch is no longer a missing person and is alive.

It is stated that she told no one until 1999? or termed announced to the world

It is stated that Johnny was abducted by a pedophile crime organization and escaped?

And she remained silent for Johnny's saftey?

It is stated that numerous photographs of Johnny showed up in September 2006?

It is stated that she has a public life - established a foundation - testifed - traveled - and worked with media - published a book....she also has a website.

As a point of note: 2 additional Cold Cases of Male Abduction victims has been mentioned:

Gosch disappeared from the same vicinity as Eugene Wade Martin did in October of 1984 and Marc James-Warren Allen in March of 1986. Martin also vanished while working his newspaper route; It has not been proven that these three cases are related in any way, but it is worth noting the similarities

-- Edited by Mariah on Saturday 24th of October 2009 05:33:48 PM