By Emerson Drake
1/12/11
After interviewing Rita Elias' father several times including Wednesday on the Morning Mayor Show it has become apparent the SO knows more about this than they are admitting.The Sheriff's Office has alleged it was about back rent or an attempted eviction that went wrong, but that isn't anywhere near the truth.
In fact it's come to our attention that James Abbey had Rita's father's cell phone number and had used it in the past since Luis had paid rent for his daughter before.
We've learned that James Abbey, Kari's father went to Rita's door first and after receiving little or no satisfaction he returned to the car where his daughter, an off-duty Sheriff's Detective, was armed and waiting with her two children.
Then Kari Abbey, packing her weapon went to the Elias' door, not to collect rent as has been suggested but to intimidate Rita regarding a personal issue that had existed for quite some time between them.
According to a witness, the argument lasted close to an hour, became very heated and animated and very personal words were exchanged.
Allegedly Abbey instigated a physical confrontation that lasted for several minutes. When Abbey was first asked to leave and then finally told to leave, she refused. According to what we were told,
Abbey continued to be confrontational and intimidating.The witness did not see Rita return with any kind of a weapon and since she was aware that Abbey was a gun carrying member of law enforcement despite being off duty, it has been suggested that Elias would not have brought a gun to the door.Abbey proceeded to shoot Elias four to six times in the chest and head area.
Allegedly Abbey fired at least once after Rita was on the ground.Despite the fact that Luis Elias has called the SO every two weeks trying to get a police report and an autopsy report, he keeps getting stonewalled by officials there who seem to be taking advantage of Luis, who can speak English but isn't fluent.Will there be justice for the family af Rita Elias?
Or will her murder be covered up by the Sheriff's Department?Is there justice in Stanislaus County for the average citizen when a member of the SO is involved?
Justice denied to one of us is justice denied to all of us.
To listen to the interview with Luis Elias go to www.blogtalkradio.com/Morning-Mayor choose the episode from 1/12/11
