From the News, In the Lens

Blogger's note: I go through and notice which posts get repeated hits and oddly this one keeps coming up. Is it Jessica's pretty face or the creepy story? I can't say, but it gets hits from all over the world.

According to a Dateline I saw, these type of threats are the TV industry's biggest hidden secret. Imagine how this poor gal feels after finding out about this.


http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/200705153

May 15, 2007

Man accused of making school threats

MADISON — A Boone County man is accused of threatening to shoot people at a school Thursday.

Roger Shabdue was arrested and charged with threats of terrorist acts after sending a letter to Channel 3 WSAZ-TV, said Boone County Sheriff Rodney Miller.

“He sent a letter to the television station making some demands that they get rid of a reporter there,” Miller said.

In making those demands, Shabdue raised the possibility that he could go into a school and begin killing students, Miller said. No specific school was mentioned, he said.

Shabdue, 54, had become infatuated with WSAZ news anchor Jessica Ralston [pictured], Miller said.

“In his mind ... there were some phrases used on the air that were offensive and directed personally at him, and that kind of sparked the letter,” Miller said. “I think it was more of an infatuation thing and he had decided that she was making comments that were directed specifically to him.”

According to family members, Shabdue has had issues with mental stability in the past, Miller said. [Not to be cruel, but "Do ya think?"]
The sheriff’s office learned of the letter Thursday around 6 p.m. and had Shabdue in custody by 11 p.m., he said. [That might be the swiftest incarceration in Boone County history.]

“We worked with school board officials up until we took him in custody,” Miller said. “In light of recent events, we didn’t want to take any chances.”

Miller said he didn’t feel that anyone was in any direct danger from Shabdue before he was in custody.
“I don’t know how parents feel about hearing about something like this. Having a spouse and kids in school myself, it is certainly something we take seriously,” he said.

Shabdue is incarcerated at the Southwest Regional Jail and bail is set at $20,000, Miller said.