Incoming tips from rifle press release...

Here is a recent article published by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. (Just updated information, nothing substantial in the news at this point)...

DOZENS OF TIPS IN JENNER RIFLE ALERT

Published on September 16, 2004

By DEREK J. MOORE
Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Authorities said about 30 people phoned in Wednesday with tips about a rifle that may have been used to kill two campers on a Jenner beach, but so far none has led to the weapon or a suspect.

Some people reported that they hadn't checked guns stored in closets or other out-of-the-way places in years, and that when they went to look found the weapons missing, Sheriff's Lt. Roger Rude said.

But none was a .45-caliber Marlin rifle, the weapon investigators have connected to the slayings of Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen, a young Ohio couple whose bodies were discovered Aug. 18, two days after they failed to show up for work at an El Dorado County camp.

Since the description of the rifle was released by the Sheriff's Department on Tuesday, speculation has run high as to who might own such a rifle and what use they might have for it.

Theories range from ranchers to commercial fishermen, to gun enthusiasts who dress up like cowboys and participate in target shooting competitions.

But sheriff's officials caution that they aren't necessarily looking at one particular group of people in their search for Cutshall and Allen's killer.

"The individual who is responsible for this may not be the individual who legally bought the weapon," Rude said. "We don't know."

Detectives said ballistic evidence revealed that one of two .45-caliber rifles manufactured by the Marlin Firearms Co. in North Haven, Conn., was likely used to kill Cutshall, 22, and Allen, 26.

The rifles are a lever-action type known as the Model 1894 and the Model 45, which is semiautomatic and more commonly referred to as a "camp carbine."

Bill Bohan, who grows grapes and raises cattle on a 1,000-acre ranch near Jenner, said he lay awake the night the rifle descriptions were released thinking about who might have one of the guns.

"That whole thing just got me shook up," Bohan said of the killings. "My girlfriend keeps her horse in Jenner and has to go down there at night to feed her. It makes me nervous. Someone is still out there."

Sheriff's officials said the Marlin rifle is popular with ranchers. But Bohan, 41, said he's never owned one and doesn't know anyone who does, adding that a .45-caliber rifle is too much gun for hunting pigs or keeping coyotes at bay on his ranch.

"It's a relatively oddball gun," he said.

Others have speculated that commercial fishermen might use a Marlin rifle to shoot sea lions that steal their catch.

But Chuck Wise, president of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, said a Marlin, which can cost as much as $600, is basically too nice a gun to expose to the elements.

"You just don't put anything like that on a boat because it immediately turns to a pile of rust, no matter how good you take care of them," he said.

Roy Torres, a special agent for the National Marine Fisheries Service, said he's never had a case where an animal was shot with a .45-caliber weapon.

"I've never seen a Marlin rifle on a boat," said Torres, whose territory spans Half Moon Bay to Santa Barbara. "I have seen shotguns or .22-caliber rifles."

Rude said investigators have ruled out the possibility that the couple, who were found zippered in separate sleeping bags, might have been mistaken for marine animals and shot from the high bluff overlooking Fish Head Beach. He said the fatal shots were fired at close range.

Investigators haven't revealed what kind of ballistic evidence they found at the beach.

Some gun enthusiasts said they were baffled as to why two rifle models are being sought, as the weapons normally use different ammunition -- Automatic Colt Pistol, or ACP, in the case of the semiautomatic, and Long Colt in the case of the lever-action model.

The Long Colt was introduced in 1873 along with the single-action army revolver. Both the gun and cartridge are popular with "cowboy action shooters" as they hearken back to the Old West.

The ACP was originally introduced in the early 1900s for Colt's Model 1911 semiautomatic pistol that was carried by U.S. armed forces for more than 75 years.

Dan Bergmen, a Ukiah resident and member of the gun club there, said the only way the two rifles can share the same cartridge is if they are hand-loaded by someone who makes his or her own ammunition.

"If they're looking at both guns, they're somehow suggesting that they don't know about the bullet that was used in the murders," he said. "Typically, they would be able to narrow it down."

One Bodega Bay man whose Marlin semiautomatic rifle and .45-caliber Model 1911 pistol were tested by detectives said he was asked if he owned a hand-loading device. He doesn't, and the weapons eventually were returned to him after they were cleaned, the man said.

Bergmen said a hand-loaded shell casing would have tell-tale signs. Both rifles eject the casings, but detectives haven't said whether they recovered any at the beach, raising the possibility that the killer took them with him.

Weapon identified...

A new Press Release by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department reveals the murder weapon in question. This news is particularly disturbing to me, because that weapon is a weapon used for hunting... and it brings back the tragic reality of how sick and twisted this murderer is... and that he/she/they are still on the loose! Whoever did this has ice in their veins. The "unknowns" about much of this tragedy is what is so heartbreaking... It's hard to live without justice having been done. But to keep things in perspective, I have to realize that the killer(s) will one day stand before God and have to testify for what they did...

Press Release:
Summary of Press Conference on weapon used in Cutshall/Allen murders

Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 5:22, PM

This is a summary of the information that was released at today’s press conference concerning the investigation into the murders of Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen.

We are releasing firearms information on this case. Ballistics information indicates that the weapon used was most likely a .45 caliber Marlin rifle. There are two specific models that match what we are looking for:

Marlin Model 1894 rifle, lever action, .45 long Colt caliber

Marlin Model 45, semi-automatic/camp carbine, .45 ACP caliber

Photographs are attached to this press release.

These weapons would commonly be used as sporting or hunting rifles. They are comparatively unique in that the caliber is not as common in rifles, and there were comparatively fewer of these rifles manufactured than many other sporting or hunting rifles.

We are asking for assistance from the public. We would like to speak with anyone who has any information about the ownership of such weapons. Anyone with information should call the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department at (707) 565-2185.

We also reported that the timeframe for the deaths is believed to be from Saturday night, August 14, to early Monday morning (August 16, 2004).

Prepared by Lt. Dave Edmonds, Investigations Bureau Manager
Reference CR# 040818-034

Click on photo for larger view!

News from one week ago...

I never before have seen this article. I'm not sure how I missed it, but I thought I would include it anyway. This article was released last week Friday, September 3, 2004:

Last days of murder victims filled with anticipation...

Jason Allen of Zeeland, fiancee were planning for upcoming wedding.

By DEREK J. MOORE
Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall were winding down their California adventure with another ride on the American River in an inflatable raft filled with screaming kids.

The young rafting guides, who were looking forward to going to Cutshall's home in Fresno, Ohio, and getting married, were weary by the time they met up with other guides for a mandatory safety debriefing at the Rock-N-Water Christian youth camp in Coloma, Calif.

It was Friday the 13th, an ominous day on the calendar. It would be the last time any of the camp's staff would see Cutshall, 22, and Allen, 26, of Zeeland, alive.

A memorial service for the two is scheduled for Saturday in Coshocton, Ohio.

"We were all really wiped out," said Craig Lomax, 37, the camp's director. "It was the end of summer, the end of a hot week being physical."

Nearly three weeks since that last rafting trip, Sonoma County sheriff's investigators still are trying to recreate Cutshall and Allen's final days, searching for anything that might help them catch whomever killed them.

Their bodies were found, shot to death and zipped in separate sleeping bags on a Jenner beach, five days after the raft trip.

Investigators haven't revealed whether they know where the couple was or what they did before their deaths, other than a few isolated details. But through interviews with the camp's director, a gas station clerk and residents of a small town near the murder site, a more complete picture can be drawn.

After the debriefing, the camp's staff noticed Cutshall and Allen sitting on the back of his beat-up Ford Tempo, the one he drove to California from Ohio at the start of summer.

They were planning some sort of getaway, saying they were going to visit friends, which sounded strange to some as neither really knew anybody outside the confines of the camp.

Cutshall filled a small cooler with ice and packed leftover food from the camp's refrigerator. Lomax said they left sometime between 6 and 8 p.m.

Where they stayed that night remains a mystery.

"We attempted to talk to kids who were on their boats that Friday thinking perhaps they might have mentioned where they were headed," Lomax said. "Frankly, I don't know that they (Cutshall and Allen) knew until they got back (from rafting) and talked about it."

Normally, the couple would have invited friends to go with them. But this was to be Cutshall's final weekend in California before going home ahead of her fiance and planning their Sept. 11 wedding.

"They could be on their own," Lomax said, "but they enjoyed being on staff and being a part of that. They were a couple who didn't isolate themselves."

They had started working at the camp in early June after an intense two-week application process. The trainers spoke glowingly of their rafting skills, but Lomax said he was looking for something more, telling his staff they had the luxury of hiring "from the heart."

"These guys have the heart," Lomax said the trainers reported back to him.

He said the couple went on to exemplify the camp's stated mission of "infecting youth with the adventure and joy of God's living word."

A few days after their deaths were discovered, Lomax said he received a letter from a former camper and opened it with permission from the family. It was from a girl, thanking Cutshall for sending pictures and inspiring her.

"The first paragraph made me bawl," Lomax said.

He is convinced Cutshall and Allen didn't stay in a hotel room after leaving the camp that Friday and heading south. He said the couple, who met in Bible college and had taken a vow of celibacy before marriage, wouldn't have wanted to give even the appearance of impropriety.

He said the camp's staff literally laughed out loud after hearing conflicting reports that the couple may have tried to rent a motel room in Jenner, Calif.

"All the stuff about them being moral and careful about their chastity is totally right on," he said. "That's not an exaggeration. That's real stuff."

He also doubts they could have made it all the way to San Francisco that night, given their long day on the river. A credit card receipt revealed they had made it to the city by Saturday.

Cutshall spent about $9 at the California Gourmet Market on Fisherman's Wharf to buy miniature bottles of Tabasco sauce, which friends think might have been intended as a gift for her father, pastor of a church in Ohio's Amish country.

Photos that were developed from a camera found with the slain couple revealed they stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Dustin Gooler, a cashier at River Gas in the Northern California town of Guerneville, said he remembers Allen coming into the store later that afternoon.

"I remember his sideburns," Gooler said. "I have sideburns. It's a subconscious thing."

Gooler can't recall what Allen bought or whether there was anyone besides his fiancee with him. But he said Allen was "rude" and "snooty," attributes that seem to go against the portrait painted by others. ---

Note: I have a VERY hard time believing that this gas station cashier is speaking of Jason. He may very easily be mistaken. I have heard from several sources that the Jenner area has a great population of "hippie-ish" types of people... which would indicate to me that sideburns might be a common feature among men in that area. I just cannot imagine Jason being rude and snooty to anyone. He has always been very kind, light-hearted, and easy-going.

--- Gooler said investigators confiscated the store's surveillance tapes. Other tapes have been reviewed as well, but authorities so far have declined to say what they found on them.

Cutshall and Allen arrived in Jenner to find the small coastal town in a celebratory mood.

That Friday -- the same night the couple left Coloma -- Jenner residents gathered at a community club for an annual barbecue and pot-luck dinner. Dozens turned out for the event.

"It was a real celebration, and a particularly nice one," said Elinor Twohy, who has lived in Jenner for four decades.

Twohy's home, which overlooks the mouth of the Russian River, is the farthest north in town, and the closest to Fish Head Beach where the couple's bodies were discovered.

But she can't see the beach from her home and doesn't remember hearing gunshots. While calling violent crimes "few and far between," she admitted to being unnerved one night last week by the sight of a sheriff's helicopter hovering outside her window.

Helicopter crews are using thermal imaging and night vision technology to scan the coastline and adjoining areas for possible hideouts and encampments in case someone might be lurking there.

Lomax and two other camp staffers never thought to look in Jenner after starting to search for the couple that Monday, the day after they failed to return for a staff meeting.

They first searched in the Auburn area of the Sierra Nevada foothills where the couple liked to camp, but on Wednesday, went to San Francisco after Cutshall's family obtained the receipt showing she had been on the wharf.

After a frustrating day handing out fliers, Lomax said they got a call around midnight alerting them that two bodies had been found on the Sonoma coast by sheriff's deputies. Their worst fears were confirmed later Thursday.

Since then, the mystery surrounding the couple's deaths has only seemed to deepen. Investigators say they have no motive and have ruled out robbery or sexual assault. A weapon has yet to be found.

The Rock-N-Water camp, in the meantime, closed a few days early this summer to allow people time to grieve.

Lomax said he didn't mind that investigators interviewed all of his staff.

"If the police weren't seriously looking at my staff, I would have seriously looked at police, like, 'How good are you?' Not because I'm worried about my staff," he said.

Authorities since have ruled out any staff members as having any connection with the killings.

Asked if he has any theory as to why the couple were killed, Lomax paused briefly before answering.

"The only thing I know is that somebody is really sick," he said. "This is someone else's sickness subjected upon them."

Lindsay's birthday...

Today is Lindsay's birthday. She would have been 23 today. Please pray for Lindsay's family right now as they live this day without her for the first time.

Do Not Let Your Hearts be Troubled (Encouragement From John 14) Music and Words Arranged by Greg Wright Do not let your hearts be troubled; Trust in God and trust in Me. Though for now we must be parted, Soon together we will be. For within My Father's house are Many rooms -- there's one for you. Soon I'll come back here to get you, So keep heaven in your view. Be assured that all I've promised That I faithfully will do. Do not let your hearts be troubled: Peace I leave you; peace I give. Not the fleeting peace the world gives, You'll have peace because I live. For I'm going to My Father, And because of this you're sad. But if You would truly love Me, Then this news should make you glad. For to be there with My Father, Is the best that I could have. Do not let your hearts be troubled; Soon the Counselor will come. Though right now the Spirit's with you, He'll be in you when He comes. He'll abide with you forever, And because of Him you'll see, I'm abiding with My Father, And the Father lives in Me. And within you We'll be living In a blessed unity. Do not let your hearts be troubled; Heed the words our Savior said. Let His promises sustain you, While you rest upon your bed. When the wicked world confronts you Let His doctrine keep you sane. Meditate upon Him often, For He faithful will remain. He will lead you through all sorrow And make heaven soon your gain.

Very touching article...

I found this article (PDF) online, in which Jason and Lindsay's friends and family reflect on memories of their lives. It is very sweet and especially dear to me. Much of what people said about Jason reminded me of so many fun memories I have of Jason from growing up with him. In this article, Jason's dad recalls how Jason practically lived off of macaroni & cheese and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. That made me laugh because Jason was like that even when we were kids. His mom makes the BEST macaroni & cheese... I always wanted to eat over at his house when his mom would make it. So it isn't any wonder to me why Jason still loved it. :) His mom also used to make us peanut butter & jelly sandwiches all the time and we would put our lunches in Jason's sister's toy picnic basket and hoist it up to the top of a tree in Jason's front yard. He called it the "tippy top" of the tree. We would both climb as high as we could get and eat our lunches up there. It's a fun memory. We did that ALL the time. :) We also used to play a lot of games with other neighborhood kids, many of whom I still am friends with. We played games like, "I Spy," "Red Rover," "Ghost in the Graveyard," etc... and we would make "haunted houses" in my basement and forts in my back yard. We had such a blast. I have awesome memories of my childhood with Jason and everyone else in my neighborhood. It breaks my heart that his life ended the way it did. He and Lindsay both had their whole lives ahead of them. I have so many unanswered questions and that stirs up so much anger and sadness. But I can't help but realize that God has always known, even before we each took our first breath, how long our lives would last. Our days here on earth are counted. We really need to take advantage of the time we have here and do what we can to make ourselves right with God. And Jason and Lindsay clearly did that. They lived their lives for God. They enjoyed God's Creation more than anyone else I know. They lived to enjoy what God gave us... and they were well aware that the beauty of this earth was from Him, and Him alone. Yet, this tragedy still cuts deep. I can't imagine what his family is going through. But they are able to make it through because of God. I don't think there would be any hope left if these people didn't have faith. God is clearly holding them all together right now.

The funeral service, a Celebration of Life...

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend Jason and Lindsay's funeral service in Ohio. I desperately wanted to go, but couldn't find anyone who was willing to drive 7 hours to go to their funeral with me... and I wasn't comfortable driving there on my own. But the local newspaper in Coshocton, Ohio had a very good review of the service:

Celebrating Godly Lives... Family, friends gather for service of slain camp counselors. By ANDREW HIRSCH Staff Writer Chris Cutshall presides over the memorial service for Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen, her fiancé, at First Church of the Nazarene in Coshocton. Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen were found dead in their sleeping bags on a remote beach in Northern California last month. (Photo credit: MATTHEW LEASURE/Tribune)   COSHOCTON -- A modern memorial service tries to be as much a celebration of life as it is part of the grieving process for the departed. In the case of Saturday evening service for the late Lindsay Cutshall, 22 and Jason Allen, 26, laughter and smiles had a prominent place alongside the tears. The young engaged couple, whose wedding was scheduled for Sept. 11, were both found dead just over two weeks ago on an isolated beach in northern California. Detectives say they had been shot as they slept in their sleeping bags, but as yet have no suspect or motive for the double murder. The service was held at the Coshocton Church of the Nazarene, which granted its large sanctuary for the purposes of the service, attended as it was by several hundred people. Speakers at the service wanted to emphasize many things, but two in particular -- that the two young people made faith the centerpiece in their lives, and that the rest of us should follow their example and do the same. Fellow counselors from the Rock-N-Water Christian adventure camp in California recounted the selfless nature of Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall. Aaron Daly said that, despite the grueling physical nature of the work counselors had to perform all day, every day, Lindsay did even more. Daly said there was one particularly disturbed girl who came from a grim family situation. Lindsay, he said, would stay up with the girl often past midnight attempting to comfort the crying girl, and as a result Lindsay could get little sleep herself. And yet, Daly said, Lindsay had little doubt as to what her duty was. "She knew it was important, and what's important is not sleep," Daly said. "This earth is but a vapor." He also remembered Jason Allen as one who loved God, Lindsay and nature "with a passion." Curt Phillips, a member of the worship team at Fresno Bible Church, said no one should be afraid to sing for the glorification of Jesus. "Jason and Lindsay are singing better than we could ever sing here," he said. Alyn Goossen, a friend of the family's from Immanuel Baptist Church in Holland, Michigan, said he actually looked up to Jason Allen even though he was younger. "I've admired him from the day I first met him," he said. "He understood that ministry is not just a vocation but a life." It was Chris Cutshall who said the most in remembrance of his daughter and would-be son-in-law. He spent far less time focusing on his grief or anger at the early passing of the young couple, than he did in thanking God that the two lived a life of selflessness and piety. "We thank You for loving our kids and taking them home," Cutshall said. "God uses evil for good, and good will prevail." He thanked Jason's parents, Bob and Delores Allen, for bringing up their son as they did, calling them "Godly people." He noted that Jason expressed a desire to be a Christian missionary at age 5 and Lindsay at 10. They were to meet as students at Appalachian Bible College in West Virginia. Cutshall said Jason had been resigned to a single life. After all, what woman would be interested in a man living the Spartan life of a missionary in poor places? He said Jason knew very soon that Lindsay was the woman for him. "A beautiful young woman who could live in a tent!" Cutshall said of his daughter. After only six weeks Jason asked her father for her hand in marriage. It was too early to give an answer either way, Cutshall said, but it soon became apparent to him that God had meant this young man for his daughter. "He didn't need a lot to be happy, and he found a girl who didn't need a lot to be happy," Cutshall said. He shared some of the writings of the young departed missionaries. Lindsey wrote that she needed to live a less materialistic life and devote more of her life to fulfilling the will of God. "Live for things in heaven and not on earth," Lindsay wrote. When the two were on the beach which would be their final living destination on earth, they wrote of those things for which they were thankful. "I look around and see (God's) Creation all around me," Lindsey wrote. Jason, too, believed himself to be blessed. "God gives me the privilege in life and he has given me a wonderful woman to enjoy it with," he wrote. Much could be said for the way in which Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall contributed in their short time on earth, for which Cutshall wanted to express his gratitude. "Thank you for the testimony of these two lives," he said.

 

One of the last photos taken by Jason & Lindsay
(of themselves) on their last day...

 
Local news coverage in West Michigan:

Wood TV8

WZZM 13 (Video link, best viewed with a cable modem)

Carelessness of the media...

This information really frightens me. Last night, I saw on the news that the investigators (in Jason and Lindsay's murder case) were questioning locals and were doing ballistics (and other) testing on their weapons. I was immediately startled because it struck me as incredibly illogical to release this information to the public... seeing as how the murderer could see this in/on the news and destroy the murder weapon(s). This ruins the investigators' ability to find the murder weapon... if the murderer is at all paying attention to the news. I couldn't understand why this news would be made public. But then I read up on the Press Releases from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and discovered that this information SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC! I am very upset with the media responsible for doing this. Anyone who purposefully stands in the way of a criminal investigation... much less a MURDER investigation that still has no clear suspect in view... is using very poor judgement and should be held responsible for their lack of common sense. I am incredibly disappointed by this news. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. There is just no excuse:

Press Release:
Public safety statement regarding Cutshall/Allen murder investigation...

Friday, September 3, 2004 at 5:32, PM

As the Sheriff of Sonoma County, I have the duty to safeguard the public to the best of my abilities. I have been a peace officer in this county for 29 years, and my history shows that, no matter the competing interest, public safety is and always will be where I "draw the line." It is for this very reason that I must speak publicly to a matter that is of grave concern to me, and to the detectives and other personnel who work for both me and for the public.

I believe that the Santa Rosa Press Democrat’s reporting on the murders of Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen has been irresponsible, and has compromised not only our efforts and hope for a successful investigation, but also, the public’s safety. Twice in this investigation at the request of my detectives, I have contacted management of the Press Democrat and asked that they not reveal information that they were able to glean from various sources. I made these requests because of the potential harm not only to our success, but also to public safety. On both of these instances, my requests were denied, and information was published that was detrimental to solving this case.

I am not naïve to the adage, "one should never pick a fight with a person who buys ink by the barrel," and I also realize that it will be difficult for me and my organization to publicly have the last word on this issue. However, I feel strongly that the public’s safety requires my stance here. Since I have not been able to persuade the Press Democrat’s cooperation for the safety of our community, I am hoping that this disclosure to the Press Democrat’s readership will.

The simple truth is that we are trying to locate and capture a murderer who may very well still be walking free inside this very community. This case is problematic enough on its own without purposeful compromises. This latest release of our efforts to identify the owner of the weapon used to commit this murder is a great hindrance to us. When contrasted with whatever value that the Press Democrat may receive from reporting this information, the best choice is and was clear: give the Sheriff’s Office the best chance for success.

There is no defensible reason for the Press Democrat’s disclosure of our efforts specifically related to finding the murder weapon. We may have had to eventually ask for the public’s help in this area, but we always need to first avail ourselves to every chance to locate evidence by our own means. Of course, law-abiding citizens who read the Press Democrat will be cooperative with our efforts to find evidence. Our concern is that offenders also use the media’s information to avoid capture and destroy evidence.

I have weighed the consequences of making this issue a public one, however, I feel that doing so is my duty. Obviously, we do not want to be counter-productive to our investigative efforts on this case, but we feel certain that at this point, the damage has been done. My hope is that by making this issue publicly known, the Press Democrat will come to realize that their efforts and motives are harming the community, and law enforcement’s efforts to protect the public. I am asking for the public’s support in helping us in this investigation, and in this particular matter. Despite this setback, the public can be assured that the Sheriff’s Department will continue to make every effort to solve this tragic crime.

As your Sheriff, you have my complete commitment to your safety and well-being. I will never waiver on this issue, no matter the cost. I am always ready and willing to work with the needs of any media source, so long as our investigative efforts are not compromised. Our public’s safety requires it.

Sheriff Bill Cogbill

NEW MINISTRY!

GREAT NEWS!!! Family and friends of Jason and Lindsay have founded a new non-profit organization to continue the dream that Jason and Lindsay began. Kids in Creation will be providing opportunities in at least some of the following ways:

Scholarships for deserving youth to participate in qualified outdoor programs.

Training for outdoor leaders in the form of scholarships or KIC courses.

Funding for new outdoor programs or existing programs needing assistance.

KIC Adventure Trips designed for inner city and/or deserving youth.

Kids In Creation is founded with the same passion Jason Allen and Lindsay Cutshall had for reaching youth with the outdoors. They knew that experiencing nature has always been a necessary means of understanding the Creator. They also believed that this one and only loving God sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to save us all from sin. Jason and Lindsay had dedicated their lives to showing youth the beauty and power of nature. They desired to give others more than just brief visits to observe nature. They had become highly skilled outdoor leaders who gave others intimate encounters with Creation. The kinds of experiences they strove to give were not only peaceful, but also ones filled with challenge and excitement. These kinds of encounters are often life changing, sending us closer to our design and more aware of our Designer. In Romans 1:19-20 the apostle Paul explained how encounters with nature are vital: "...since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the Creation of the world, God's invisible qualities -- His eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Are we the first humans who may have an "excuse"? Is it so easy now to avoid nature, its dangers, and its inconveniences that our children will have even less understanding of God than we do? Kids In Creation is devoted to seeing that our youth have the opportunity of encountering nature in intimate ways so that they might also see "God's invisible qualities -- His eternal power and divine nature".

New developments?

Possible new development in the murder case of Jason and Lindsay. It is great that the police/investigators are getting so many tips... however, I hardly dare to get my hopes up about this. I got MUCH too excited about the initial "major" development regarding Nicholas Scarseth, but since he was cleared of any involvement, I am much more cautious about how I react to such news.

Right now, investigators are...

...searching for a dark-colored sedan with tinted windows that appeared to be a 1980s or early '90s model. The rear window may have a black-and-white decal of a "crescent-shaped pollywog-like creature with legs, such as something that could perhaps be referring to evolutionary theory," according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.

Press Release

Click on photo for larger view!


Click on photo for larger view!

America's Most Wanted...

Apparently, Jason and Lindsay's murder case was featured on "America's Most Wanted" this past Saturday, August 28. Read the Press Release from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office:

This is an update on the Lindsay Cutshall/Jason Allen murder investigation.

The television program “America’s Most Wanted” is scheduled to air a segment on this murder case tonight. This program has assisted local law enforcement in capturing over eight hundred wanted persons. Our hope is that useful information might develop through coverage by this popular television program. Tips will first come in through Washington D.C., and then be forwarded to Sonoma County Sheriff’s detectives, who will be standing by to evaluate them and then react as needed.

In the effort to solve this case, we have been afforded full assistance and cooperation throughout the law enforcement community. At all levels of law enforcement, we have both sought and been offered useful help by many different agencies and resources. This includes the FBI, which is aiding us through the use of specialized software that catalogs and sorts investigative leads and tips. This software has sophisticated capabilities for querying and correlating information that comes to us from many different sources. Also, agencies such as the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Science have been assisting us in evidence evaluation and processing.

We continue to receive assistance from other agencies as well. These include California State Parks, the Santa Rosa Police Department, and the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. Numerous outlying agencies have provided assistance by facilitating our detectives’ investigative work in their jurisdiction, etc.

We continue to commit our full resources into this investigation.

Prepared by Lt. Dave Edmonds, Investigations Bureau manager -- Reference CR# 040818-034