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Teen kills mom of 11

Solace

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A teen was charged as an adult after killing a mother of 11 children in coldblood. Notice how he is grinning as the police take him away.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Authorities on Tuesday charged a Minnesota teenager with murdering two convenience store clerks at separate stores in northern Iowa.

Michael Richard Swanson, a 17-year-old from St. Louis Park, Minn., was charged as an adult with two counts each of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in slayings in Kossuth and Humboldt counties.

Swanson appeared in a Kossuth County courtroom and was ordered held on $1 million cash bond. He was assigned an attorney from the state Public Defender's office in Fort Dodge, but officials from the office declined to comment.

Ski mask
Kossuth County Attorney Todd Holmes said during a news conference in Algona that Swanson walked into the Crossroads Gas Station on U.S. Highway 18 in Algona just after 9 p.m. Monday wearing a ski mask and demanded cash and cigarettes from the clerk, 47-year-old Vicky Bowman-Hall. Holmes said Swanson shot her even though she complied with the request.

About an hour later, Swanson walked into a Kum and Go convenience store in Humboldt, about 30 miles south of Algona and shot and killed Sheila Myers, 61, who died at the scene, Holmes said.

The teen said he shot both clerks intentionally so that they would not call authorities or identify him, the Des Moines Register reported, citing an affidavit filed in Kossuth and Humboldt counties.

Holmes said it appears Swanson acted alone and that no link was found between the stores where the shootings occurred. He declined to disclose some details about the shootings, including whether others were in the stores at the time or why Swanson was in Iowa.

Swanson, who was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee, was arrested at a McDonald's in Webster City, about 60 miles from where the first shooting occurred. While authorities did not say how the teen got the Jeep, Minnesota records show a 2002 Jeep registered to his mother, Kathleen Swanson, the Des Moines Register reported.

'Senseless act'
Lisa Abens, director of operations for Wessles Oil Company, which owns the Algona gas station, said in a written statement that Bowman-Hall, an assistant manager, followed company policy when confronted.

"She did everything correctly but was still the victim of a senseless act," Abens said.

Bowman-Hall's daughter, Julia Krug, 24, said her mother had 11 children, ranging in age from 5 to 27. She said her mom was the "rock" of the family, working 60 or more hours a week.

"She never asked for anything from anybody," Krug said.

She also said her mom was a wonderful grandmother to seven grandchildren.

"She would have them over at her house on weekends and make them pancakes in the middle of the night if they wanted them," Krug said.

Krug said she made it to the hospital before her mother died, making the decision to take her off life-support.

The court complaint, published on The Des Moines Register website, says Swanson told police he shot the clerks so they could not call police or identify him. Officers recovered the stolen money and cigarettes as well as a handgun when they arrested Swanson, the affidavit said.

A phone message seeking comment left Tuesday at Myers' home was not immediately returned.

Calls to Swanson's parents' home number rang unanswered. The Associated Press also submitted a request to speak to Swanson with the Kossuth County sheriff, who oversees the jail.

Swanson pleaded guilty in July to motor vehicle theft for a crime that happened when he was 16, Hennepin County attorney's office spokesman Santo Cruz said. Information about that case is public because the charge was a felony, though other details about Swanson's record aren't public because of his age, Cruz said. St. Louis Park is in the county.
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'Kid has a lot of problems'
Swanson has just been released from the Hennepin County Home School after serving more than 100 days for the theft, said county spokeswoman Carolyn Marinan. She said probation officials received a call Monday from St. Louis Park police that Swanson was missing.

Wendy Sulzer, a neighbor of the Swansons, said she was "a little shocked" but not surprised that the teen would be accused of the killings.

"This summer I said this kid has a lot of problems," Sulzer said Tuesday. "It's kind of freaky. It doesn't surprise me that he's in trouble."

If convicted of the first-degree murder, Swanson would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Source: Cops: Teen kills mom of 11, 61-year-old woman - U.S. news - Crime & courts - msnbc.com
 
Would someone explain why this individual should be allowed to continue breathing if found guilty?

It is a much more fitting punishment for him to serve a "life" sentence being someone's "bitch" than for him to spend the next 30 years in a private cell on death row as the virtually endless appeals process grinds on. Daily ass-raping and abuse is a much better punishment for this little turd.

It is also much cheaper to house him in general pop than on death row.
 
It is a much more fitting punishment for him to serve a "life" sentence being someone's "bitch" than for him to spend the next 30 years in a private cell on death row as the virtually endless appeals process grinds on. Daily ass-raping and abuse is a much better punishment for this little turd.

It is also much cheaper to house him in general pop than on death row.

General population is a great idea for child molesters because they get to be either killed of regularly beaten half to death.

I would like to see reform of the death penalty. No not some Liberal namby pampy reform that allows the murderer hang around in prison for years.

I want it reformed so that if someone confesses or is proven through DNA or some sure fire way they are taken from the Court House to a place of execution where at sunrise you will be hanged bu the neck until dead.

This would make the death penalty a deterrent again. Today in California you can kill a whole bus load of 1rst graders after raping them boys and girls then going to their houses and kill the rest of their families and even if found guilty or confess there is little chance you will be put to death, and once Jerry (the clown) Brown is sworn in their will be no executions.

This kid needs to die for what he did, period.

As do all terrorists, only they need to know that there body's will be buried in an unmarked grave in a pig pin.

Is this hateful? HELL NO it's called a deterrent, or fighting fire with fire, or what ever. Anything that that stops or slows down the murders, and the terrorists is a plus in my book.
 
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General population is a great idea for child molesters because they get to be either killed of regularly beaten half to death.

I would like to see reform of the death penalty. No not some Liberal namby pampy reform that allows the murderer hang around in prison for years.

I want it reformed so that if someone confesses or is proven through DNA or some sure fire way they are taken from the Court House to a place of execution where at sunrise you will be hanged bu the neck until dead.

This would make the death penalty a deterrent again. Today in California you can kill a whole bus load of 1rst graders after raping them boys and girls then going to their houses and kill the rest of their families and even if found guilty or confess there is little chance you will be put to death, and once Jerry (the clown) Brown is sworn in their will be no executions.

This kid needs to die for what he did, period.

As do all terrorists, only they need to know that there body's will be buried in an unmarked grave in a pig pin.

Is this hateful? HELL NO it's called a deterrent, or fighting fire with fire, or what ever. Anything that that stops or slows down the murders, and the terrorists is a plus in my book.

Texas is still dealing with a case in which they put an innocent man to death (yet again). They had DNA evidence too. Problem is, it wasn't from him. It was from the victim, and mistakenly tested to be his.

Believe me, if the death penalty were foolproof, I would not only support execution, but would support death by slow torture for scumbags like this. But there is a problem. The death penalty is NOT foolproof. Innocent people are occasionally put to death. I would rather see scumbags spend the rest of their lives in prison than allowing even one innocent person to be murdered by the state. And murder is exactly what it is, when it applies to someone who is innocent.
 
Why was the title of the OP "Teen kills mom of 11"

It suggested this kid went looking for a mom of 11 kids and killed her.
 
Why was the title of the OP "Teen kills mom of 11"

It suggested this kid went looking for a mom of 11 kids and killed her.

that's how the media reported the story. it is more sensational to say "teen kills mom of 11" than it is to say "teen kills some random 7/11 clerk"
 
It is a much more fitting punishment for him to serve a "life" sentence being someone's "bitch" than for him to spend the next 30 years in a private cell on death row as the virtually endless appeals process grinds on. Daily ass-raping and abuse is a much better punishment for this little turd.

Are we all rapists then, to condone this as a regular and desirable part of our "corrections" system? Is that who we are, as a nation?
 
Are we all rapists then, to condone this as a regular and desirable part of our "corrections" system? Is that who we are, as a nation?

who said anything about it being condoned or desireable...it's just the way it is and this scumbag deserves to enjoy every minute of it.

The only way to avoid it would be to keep all inmates in solitary confinement 24/7 and then someone would whine and cry about that being cruel and unusual punishment. tis a no win situation.
 
If there was justice in the world, he would be taken out behind the courthouse and shot 15 minutes after being found guilty.

Holmes said Swanson shot her even though she complied with the request.

That's the dangerous thing about younger criminals--they decide to kill the witnesses even if they comply.
 
who said anything about it being condoned or desireable...it's just the way it is and this scumbag deserves to enjoy every minute of it.

You did. You condone it when you call it "fitting punishment" and you condone it when you say the scumbag "deserves" it.

The only way to avoid it would be to keep all inmates in solitary confinement 24/7 and then someone would whine and cry about that being cruel and unusual punishment. tis a no win situation.

There's a better solution. Abolish the prisons. Criminals get categorized according to the severity of their crimes and likelihood of recidivism into one of two groups: "To Be Repaired" and "To Be Buried". These groups have no contact with one another and are held in entirely separate facilities-- and anyone who commits a violent act while assigned to the first category is immediately reassigned to the second.
 
While I certainly understand the need to remove this individual from society, I do not understand the anger associated with that need. Kid is screwed up...no doubt...but he was also conscious and aware of his actions. he took steps to cover his crimes. He reasoned out his actions (unreasonable as they are). He is certainly mentally connected. So...he should be tried and if found guilty...life in a supermax prison would be fitting.

The sad thing is this kind of thing happens every day.
 
While I certainly understand the need to remove this individual from society, I do not understand the anger associated with that need.

The man killed two people for almost no reason at all, one of them a mother with young children. That doesn't piss you off, just a little bit?
 
The man killed two people for almost no reason at all, one of them a mother with young children. That doesn't piss you off, just a little bit?

Frankly? No. It makes me sad for the families involved...but angry? Why? Its not like this doesnt occur every day...in every state...and probably in every country.
 
Frankly? No. It makes me sad for the families involved...but angry? Why? Its not like this doesnt occur every day...in every state...and probably in every country.

Just because the world sucks all over doesn't mean that we shouldn't be angry about the fact that it sucks.
 
It is a much more fitting punishment for him to serve a "life" sentence being someone's "bitch" than for him to spend the next 30 years in a private cell on death row as the virtually endless appeals process grinds on. Daily ass-raping and abuse is a much better punishment for this little turd.

It is also much cheaper to house him in general pop than on death row.

If you truly believe that being anally raped and beaten daily should be the punishment for crimes like these, then you should advocate for the law to be changed so that that is the legal punishment. Hoping that other prisoners will do it is cowardly.
 
If you truly believe that being anally raped and beaten daily should be the punishment for crimes like these, then you should advocate for the law to be changed so that that is the legal punishment. Hoping that other prisoners will do it is cowardly.

get over yourself. that is not what I said or meant. knowing what will happen to him (I've been around the prison system enough to know) and thinking he deserves it is a far cry from advocating daily anal rapes as a legal punishment. and how is hoping he gets what he deserves "cowardly" in any way?
 
Just because the world sucks all over doesn't mean that we shouldn't be angry about the fact that it sucks.

I'm angry that violence like this is common place. I'm angry that people are so desensitized by violent acts that their eyelids barely twitch when they read about or watch the news reports on the worst human nature has to offer... and then go about eating their Ben and Jerry's Phish Food as if they just saw a commercial for floor cleaner.

Every day, I lose more and more faith in humanity.

THAT'S what I'm angry about.
 
get over yourself. that is not what I said or meant. knowing what will happen to him (I've been around the prison system enough to know) and thinking he deserves it is a far cry from advocating daily anal rapes as a legal punishment.

How is saying 'He deserves to be treated that way and I'm glad he will be' different from advocating it? Do you not know what advocate means?

and how is hoping he gets what he deserves "cowardly" in any way?

Because you clearly feel that that's how he should be punished, but you aren't willing to sound like a wackjob by coming out and advocating for the punishment to be changed. If you really feel that that's how criminals should be punished (which is pretty clear to me based on your posts in this thread), then it should be done legitimately. Letting other prisoners carry out justice rather than the government doing it is wrong.
 
How is saying 'He deserves to be treated that way and I'm glad he will be' different from advocating it? Do you not know what advocate means?



Because you clearly feel that that's how he should be punished, but you aren't willing to sound like a wackjob by coming out and advocating for the punishment to be changed. If you really feel that that's how criminals should be punished (which is pretty clear to me based on your posts in this thread), then it should be done legitimately. Letting other prisoners carry out justice rather than the government doing it is wrong.

actually, if the govt would let me. I'd be more than happy to take care of scum like this personally. with my own two hands. how's that for "cowardly"
 
Texas is still dealing with a case in which they put an innocent man to death (yet again). They had DNA evidence too. Problem is, it wasn't from him. It was from the victim, and mistakenly tested to be his.

Believe me, if the death penalty were foolproof, I would not only support execution, but would support death by slow torture for scumbags like this. But there is a problem. The death penalty is NOT foolproof. Innocent people are occasionally put to death. I would rather see scumbags spend the rest of their lives in prison than allowing even one innocent person to be murdered by the state. And murder is exactly what it is, when it applies to someone who is innocent.

Dan that is not true. They never proved he was innocent of the crime.
 
Dan that is not true. They never proved he was innocent of the crime.

true, proof that the DNA evidence did not come from him is not, in and of itself, proof that he was innocent. it does put his guilt in question, but it doesn't prove he was innocent.
 
true, proof that the DNA evidence did not come from him is not, in and of itself, proof that he was innocent. it does put his guilt in question, but it doesn't prove he was innocent.

I agree with the second part but not the first. I don't see how this puts his guilt in question. He was a carrear criminal. One piece of evidence not applied to him to me doesn't make him any less guilty imo.
 
I'm angry that violence like this is common place. I'm angry that people are so desensitized by violent acts that their eyelids barely twitch when they read about or watch the news reports on the worst human nature has to offer... and then go about eating their Ben and Jerry's Phish Food as if they just saw a commercial for floor cleaner.

Every day, I lose more and more faith in humanity.

THAT'S what I'm angry about.

I absolutely agree that it we are seeing parts of society devolve...getting a little more ugly every day. But I think that also serves to make certain others shine just a little more. And when you see people who go through incredible **** and survive, and even grow and thrive...there is inspiration in that as well.
 
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