Orlando Magazine
Friday, April 22, 2011 at 8:36PM 
I have been following Casey Anthony’s every move for the past 2½ years, but I am no stalker. You can’t stalk someone who lives in jail and makes an occasional visit to the courthouse, where I go to see her in person. We have never spoken, though our eyes have met and I believe she knows who I am. Casey is a big part of my life, but probably not for much longer.
My immersion into the Anthony saga is not normal, I know. You’re probably sick of hearing about Casey Anthony, who is to go on trial this month, but her name is always on my mind. I’m 58 years old and take care of my elderly parents and two cats, working from home as a freelance Web designer. I would go stir crazy if not for outside interests that stimulate my mind and get me out of the house. I have a laptop and loads of free time. I love to write. I have a blog, marinadedave.com.
It was never my intention to become a crime blogger. Casey just happened to come along at the right time for me, when I was immersed in blogging about a passion of mine that, frankly, makes my fascination with the Anthony case seem normal.
You don’t get the moniker “Marinade Dave” for writing about a murder mystery; you get a nickname like that honestly. I used to make a marinade I sold in local markets, and in 2004 I started blogging about marinades and marinating tips. About 5,000 marinade lovers visited my site every month.
But there is only so far you can go with a blog on marinades, and I had reached my limit with it just as the story of the “Tot Mom” erupted into a national media frenzy in July 2008. That’s how CNN talk show host Nancy Grace referred to Casey during the early days of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Marie. In October 2008, Casey was indicted for first-degree murder while the search for Caylee continued.
The leap from blogging about marinades to blogging about the Anthony case does seem like a giant one, but it actually began as a small step. I just didn’t know at the time that I had put both feet in quicksand.
In November, while working as a videographer, I found myself in the vicinity of Jay Blanchard Park in east Orange County where a search operation was under way. I decided to stop by, and there I met an affable Leonard Padilla, the bounty hunter who had posted bail for Casey after she was first arrested on child-neglect charges, and members of a dive team searching the Econlockhatchee River.
I asked questions, took notes and shot video and a few photos, then went home to my computer. “The Search for Caylee takes a nose dive” was my first blog on the case, complete with visuals.
The blogosphere is not normal, either, and therefore, it is the perfect place for a guy like me. Through search engine optimization, key words and the power of Google, virtual unknowns like me can be read by thousands of people. My blog gives me some sense of legitimacy as a journalist, despite not working for a recognized media outlet. I’m on my own, but thanks to the Internet my voice is heard.
My first Anthony story brought me new traffic, exciting exchanges on my site’s forums and fresh inspiration. The next thing I knew, I was hip-deep in the quicksand.
On several occasions I drove to the home of Casey’s parents and to the nearby wooded area where the remains of Casey’s daughter were found in December 2008. At both places I shot videos and photos for my site. I attended the memorial for Caylee Marie at First Baptist Church of Orlando in February 2009, delivering hundreds of messages of condolences my readers asked me to pass along to the slain toddler’s grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony.
Since the beginning of the ordeal I have felt sorry for George and Cindy. They have lost a beautiful grandchild and have had to deal with the torment of not only knowing that she was murdered but that their daughter is on trial for that heinous crime and she could be executed for it.
Altogether I’ve written more than 200 posts on the Anthony case, covering everything from my thoughts on possible motivation that could have led Casey to kill her child (“Caylee’s Murder: Premeditated and pretty stupid, too”) to the irony I found in comments from some professed “good Christians” who wanted vigilante justice (“Casey Anthony must die!”) to the intricacies of various legal maneuvers in the trial (I have amassed a small library of law books).
Somewhere along the way my blog, which now attracts about 100,000 visitors a month, got the attention of the judge who originally oversaw the Anthony trial. I would have never known this had he not complimented my work, and I’m sure he wishes he now had kept that comment to himself.
While researching the media’s coverage of the Anthony murder case, Judge Stan Strickland read some blogs, including mine. He apparently thought mine was fairminded, and he told me so in his courtroom after a hearing—the first of about 30 I have attended in the case—in October 2009. That remark and a personal phone call to me while I was ill led Anthony’s attorneys to seek his removal from the trial, claiming Strickland was biased against their client.
Instead of fighting the claim, Strickland stepped down in April 2010 to avoid giving the defense ammo for an appeal. While the recusal was good for marinadedave.com, bringing to it thousands of new visitors, it also torqued the lunatic fringe that follows the Anthony case.
I have a small group of haters watching my site, but what a loud and rowdy crowd it is. They are of the mindset that Casey and her whole family should be taken out and shot, with their bodies left to the vultures. And if you don’t agree, or you believe in due process, or you keep them from posting their Jerry Springer-esque tirades on your forums, like I do, well, they get nasty.
The vitriol my haters have directed at me is of the cheap-shot variety: I have AIDS, I’m gay, I hate gays, I’m into child porn, my teeth are rotten and I smell bad. If only their harassment ended at name-calling. My home address has been posted on various Anthony related comment fields on the Internet, an oblique suggestion to do me harm, I believe. Posts on other blogs about the Anthony case make it quite clear that I’m being watched when I attend courthouse hearings. Last year an animal control officer stopped by my house, saying an anonymous e-mail had accused me of hoarding pets. (My cats would never stand for it.) My personal e-mail accounts and blog have been hacked.
Normal people would not do such things, but the blogosphere is kind of like the wild, wild West, only worse. There are no rules or codes of conduct. Hiding behind screen names and avatars, blog readers are emboldened by their anonymity to sling virtual mud in the comment forums.
But there’s no better place to throw something out there to see if it’ll stick. Between myself, my contributors and people on other blogs and forums, we have come up with some interesting theories in the Anthony case. For example, back in 2008 the last two houses on Hopespring Drive, where George and Cindy live, were occupied by a woman whose first name is Zenaida and a man whose last name is Gonzales. Put those two names together and you get the phantom nanny (with a “z” at the end of the last name) Casey accused of running off with Caylee. The backyard property lines that separate the two homes point directly to the spot where Caylee’s remains were found. If you type 8905 Suburban Drive in Google Maps, it takes you to the same spot, though there isn’t a house at that location. It’s all woods along that street.
Why 8905 as a street address? August 9, 2005, or 8-9-05, is Caylee’s birth date.
I don’t buy into such theories that suggest the plot to kill Caylee involved such intricate planning as expropriating neighbors’ names and using a birth date as some sort of code.
Still, it’s the bizarre that makes this case so engrossing to my readers and me.
But it will end, sometime in the next month or two probably, and when it does, I will have to move on. I imagine many of my readers will, too. I don’t see myself going back to writing about marinades, though.
That wouldn’t be normal for me anymore.
LEGAL NOTICE
©David B. Knechel. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this site can be reproduced in it's entirety or in part without expressed written permission by the owner/administrator of this site in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Section 512(c)(3) of the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §512(c)(3). The charges against defendants are mere accusations and the subjects are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
Reader Comments (60)
Am I seeing things or is this "The Thinker"! I love the "Casey and Me" ! Very well done Dave, I know it is all true because I have been following you from your very beginning like (in the womb of things)
Thank you, New Puppy. I've been so busy lately, I've neglected to answer comments. Now, I'm ready for bed, but I do want to respond. Yes, you (and Newbie) have been with me a long time. It's been a great ride, hasn't it?
Dave,
This is a very good beginning for people that have never met you or read any of your posts. It also has things in there that some of us regular readers did not know. It is an excellent way to "introduce" yourself to the new readers that will come to follow and depend on your articles.
You are a bona fide writer and I predict that after the trial is over and all of your Casey Anthony articles have been written that you will continue to write for a much larger readership than you could ever concieve of!
We, your diehard readers, will be able to brag, "we knew him when"!!!
And, the photo is a very good one!!!
Hi Carole - I like to think of my myself as a bona fide writer, and this does seem to validate me, I think. I hope, anyway, but you're right, this is a good way to introduce myself to new readers. Thank you very much for believing in me.
P.S. Dave, can you put up a video of you typing? You put out so much work, would love to see your fingers fly.
Shhhhh! That would give away my secret that I am a two finger typist.
Boy, I got quite emotional while reading this post. Well, it actually started when I saw your picture. Quite different than the picture of the half-head peaking over a banner.
Dignity Dave. Your blog has reflected dignity in a very ugly case. Other thoughts come to my mind like classy, comical, heart-felt, honest, caring, painful at times yet the strongest I feel is Dignity in the worst of circumstances.
I would care to add that the bonds that have been formed between commenters and helpers is special. I don't see ever having such an experience again. Not like this.
You're one great writer and person !!!!!
Wow, Newbie... them there's some mighty powerful words! I'm not without fault, but I do try to maintain a decent blog. I'm fair to everyone as long as they are fair to all of us. I have always felt that friendships trump everything else. I am so happy that bonds have formed between many of us and that there is always room for more. The world would be a much better place if we build personal and trusting relationships with all we come into contact with. Everyone here is equal. We have gone beyond the mundane. We have built honest to goodness friendships with each other and it's all good.
Thank you. Your comment is a testament to our strengths as friends. After the trial is over, all that will change is simply that we move on to something else. As friends who really do care.
Amen Newbie!
Yes, New Puppy, what an incredible thing to say!
Dear Dave,
Great photo, and article! You are off to a terrific start! You truly have "fantastic way with words"! I wish you continued success.
Mary B.
Hi MB! Thank you very much. I hope that I can blow the socks off the magazine's readers. Time will tell, but with your support and encouragement, we can make that happen.
Dave Knechel~~reading your article made me travel through time with you all over again. I echo what Newbie just wrote. We have met many challenges along the way. By using the term 'we', I am referring to you, me, and all of your contributors. The first few months were a period of adjustment in the blogosphere but we stood steadfast and today, I can say that I am damn proud of you, Dave. You taught me so much that I was able to strike out on my own. For some strange reason, I keep coming back and it is because of the great folks here along with your writing ability and friendship.
Once your articles appear in the Orlando Magazine, folks can judge for themselves who the real Dave Knechel is and not judge you by the hate mail that the Anonymous naysayers are flooding OM with.
PS... I love that pic but that first paragraph was kind of scarey. Did you really write that? I study writing styles for a passtime and that first para had me scratching my head. LOL
Hi Snoopy - Yes, it's been a good 2+ years and we've gone through many ups and downs, yet we remain intact. What Newbie said was right. We have forged valuable friendships and I am just as proud to know you as you are me. Everyone is a friend here until they show cause. I hope we can make new friends on the OM site, not just for us, but for the magazine, as well.
As for the first paragraph, I felt it was necessary to humble myself first. Then, on with the show!
Thanks for all of your help and support. I couldn't have done it without you.
Oh my! Too funny! You being investigated by animal control as an animal hoarder! Your cats wouldn't like that! LOL!
Is this an article to appear in next month's Orlando magazine? It sure is a nice write-up. By the time you get your book published you will have quite an impressive resume for the About the Author page. ⎝ᄽ⏝⏠⎠
We've been through alot together since your first Anthony post, so your success is our joy~
Hi Sherry - Yes, animal control stopped by one Saturday. I still have the documentation. Go figure... I'm too broke to pay for gas to drive down to the courthouse, but I can afford 100 lbs. of cat food a week? I am gay, yet I am a gay basher? I have AIDS and steal my mother's medications? What? She has AIDS, too?
This article is published in the May issue (hard copy) of the magazine. The editor told me to write about myself and how Casey has impacted me. That's why it's titled "Casey & Me". On the Website, I will strictly write about the trial from my perspective.
You bet, we've been through a lot together. Thank you for your support. My success is yours, too, because I wouldn't be where I am without you.
Speaking of Marinade, I cant get a flank steak tender to save my life, or casey's LOL what on earth do cafe's do to this boot tough cut of meat? Im about to give up and just buy the already cooked stuff if I cant find some way to tenderize this meat.Grrrrrrrrr
Please tell me why i can do to solve this problem...
Thanks
charlee
Hi charlee - You can use any marinade you like on a flank steak, but just make sure of two things. (1) You want to marinate it for at least 1 day in a low sodium, low fat marinade with some sort of acid, like red wine vinegar. Add herbs and spices, and if you use soy sauce, make sure it's low sodium. Do it in a plastic bag and keep it in the refrigerator, flipping it occasionally. (2) After cooking, preferably on the grill, make sure you slice it on the bias. In other words, against the grain. That's a mistake that people make with tougher cuts of meat; they don't follow that very important rule. Remember... against the grain!
Sherry~~I like that, Dave's success is our joy. I got all misty eyed when I first viewed the article.
I'm going to respond to comments tomorrow. I'm having problems keeping my eyes open. I will be back in the morning. Thank you!
Charlee..I can't find good flank steak in our rural NC area. It was a family staple in SoCal. I used both a good steak marinade (Lowry's, and a homemade concoction with fruit juices(ala Pollo Loco) We hade homestyle jerk pork tonight, and I am brining chickens to rub and smoke in the morning..love my marinades!
Dave, I love the pic and title. And the content, of course. Look forward to reading your trial editions!
You know, a flank steak was used for London Broil many years ago, but over the years the name has been applied to almost any cut of beef that isn't tender. Some use top round, while others use bottom round. Whatever, it's a lean cut of beef. One other solution to toughness is to slice it along the grain before cooking and to then grill each slice individually.
Hey, dadgum, thanks for loving the pic and title. That was the magazine's idea, not mine. Please do read my posts once they are published online.
Hello Dave & Friends,
That is a faaaabulous photograph of you Dave, and "Casey & Me", I like that. A lot.
Somewhat nostalgic, I too remember the first Nancy Grace show that aired the now infamous "Tot Mom" back in 2008 which compelled me to investigate the internet further on this heartrending story. There you were, gleaming as a golden nugget with the lure of the motherlode, and man, you have delivered with your uncanny ablility to remain unbiased while offering the facts of this case.
I've witnessed "it" all, and have to say it's been a real pleasure to get to know the personalities behind the screen names and ocassionally interact with the very fine folk who gather here because of you and your dedicaton. I read at a lot of blogs, but this is considered home. Perhaps when Caylee finally gets justice you would consider keeping the blog going for other missing, murdered and abused children who are in dire need of a dignified voice? *Smiling
OM has made the wise decision by having you cover this trial as their correspondent. I am so proud of you and know in my heart that this is the beginning of new and exciting road along your journey. Stay well, and give 'em all you got Mr.!
Hi Redrelaxed. Here is how I started the first post I ever wrote about the case. It was published on Nov. 13, 2008:
I drove down to spend Labor Day weekend with my best friend, Stewart Bacheler, and his wife, An. They live south of Sarasota, on the west coast of Florida. I arrived late Friday afternoon and early in the evening, An started to ask me about the top mom. Top mom, I wondered. "Who is the top mom?" I asked her over and over again.
"You must know about the top mom. It's all over the news and you live there. You can't tell me you don't know about the top mom!"
"No, I've never heard of the top mom."
"That's all that's been on Nancy Grace."
"I never watch Nancy Grace." I sensed she was getting exasperated. "I guess that means we're going to watch her tonight?"
Stewart butted in. "Oh, yeah. That's all she ever watches at night. She's obsessed."
Later that evening, she put CNN on to watch the show. Right from the start, it was like a cross between the New York Post and the National Enquirer, but there it was plastered in a banner across the bottom of the screen: TOT MOM CASEY ANTHONY!!!
"Oh. You mean the Casey Anthony story. Sure, I know all about it. I thought you were saying top mom."
"No! No! TOT MOM!"
I don't think there's a person in the country, let alone the entire world, who doesn't know about Caylee Anthony, her mother, Casey, and her grandparents, George and Cindy. Poor George. Poor us. In the Orlando area, for months, that's all we ever heard on the news until the presidential election kicked into high gear. Then, all we heard about was the election and Casey, Caylee, George & Cindy.
*********************************
Thank you very much for letting me (and the rest of us) know how you feel about this blog and our friendships. I would encourage everyone to write e-mails to the magazine because it is being inundated by e-mails from trolls spreading lies. It's absolutely disgusting. I hope the magazine learns the truth. You wouldn't believe it if I told you.
Wonderful post, Dave! You are a brilliant journalist!
Take care of yourself.
Thank you, Nanna Frances. You are very kind. My main concern is my health. This is going to be a major undertaking and I've got to remain strong. Believe me, your words help.
Great Article! Great Picture!
E-mail coming your way :)
Thank you, katfish, I got your e-mail and I will respond later today. There's much to tell you, as you will soon learn.
Dave, when you first annouced leaving here and going to Orlando Mag. I was pissed (selfish). But, like I've told you before, my husband can talk about Bill O'Reilly and I look at him with a blank stare. he looks at the computer and says your actually more interested in CA and this bald man from the internet? I really do wish you great success.
I will really absolutely miss you. If you have time, while writing for the mag, can you repost or shoot new video from the various locations from the area, to keep everything fresh in our minds? Thats how I found you, from the Hinky Meter with a link to videos.
Friend always in Cleveland.
Hi Annie! I'm not going anywhere, and your husband has nothing to worry about from the bald man. I'm sure if he knew me, he'd see I am no threat.
You don't have to miss me. Just follow me to Orlando magazine until this trial is over. It's very simple. I will leave comments open on at this blog and you can discuss the case wherever you feel comfortable, here or there. At your request, I will repost links to my various videos. You could also go to my YouTube channel,
Marinade Dave's YouTube Channel
During the trial, I will try to shoot video footage from the courthouse and surrounding areas, like across the street where the media will be broadcasting, but I will be very busy, that's for sure.
Thank you for supporting me and wishing me success. Just remember to tell your husband how harmless the goofy looking bald guy really is.
I think George is going to drop a bomb when he is on the stand
My goodness, Beast, passing gas will not be appreciated in the courtroom. I hope he takes Beano beforehand.
Beast- Jose softened the earth for interesting future disclosures, didn't he? But I'm thinking it just might be a 5th Amendment bomb- to leave the jury with some kind of doubt.
Great post, Dave, and I eagerly await your contributions to OM. Nice pic too.
Thanks, Karen. I eagerly await it, too. It will be a ton of work.
Wonderful article. I am so proud of you. This is your true calling. You have given me inspiration to follow my photography dream. We can achieve things even as we get older. Your writing is a true inspiration. The new photo is fabulous and very professional. I really hope the judge makes his decisions and the trial goes forth. All of us who have come to know you, will look forward to your take on the trial. I feel we have all become good friends on this blog and hope that continues for years to come.
Thank you so much, Marsha. You helped me tremendously, you know. A lot of people have, and that's the joy of this. We have become friends - many of us.
You are a very talented photographer and that means you are quite creative. It's an honor and a privilege to know you feel the way you do about me and my work as a writer. For sure, that helps inspire me.
When I went to the magazine for the photo shoot, it was the photographer's idea, I'm sure, to photograph me the way she did, and I agree with you, she did a fantastic job of making me look good. That's tough to do. No makeup, either.
Trust me, the trial will go on as scheduled, and it will be very interesting to write about. Thank you, again. This blog should be around for a long time. There will always be something for me to write about.
This is why OM picked you. Great post. I feel like a proud mama. I am grateful that I found you and all of my other friends here. Also Thank God you did not quit writing about Casey. Most of us will remember this case because of you and your amazing skills. I bet your parents are proud!
Thank you, Laurali. It was a bit tricky to write because I don't like to toot my own horn. Trust me, I am extremely grateful I found you, too, and everyone else, as well. We have become a nice group of friends, all of us.
You have no idea how many times I came close to quitting, but to be truthful, I am not a quitter. Believe me, when this case passes, we will live on. We will remain friends, but we will never forget what transpired here, and it will last forever. Yes, my parents are proud. They really like my writing, believe it or not.
Dave, Superb article today. You are so accurate in your reporting. I can hardly believe jury selection will begin in a little more than two weeks. Reading through your post today was a journey through the last several years. In two more months it will be three years that Caylee is gone. Without a doubt, your excursion through this case has been challenging. The inequitable comments by malicious individuals’ only shows that they are envious of your talent. I am thankful that you did not let them prevent you from continuing your work. I will be following your writing in the Orlando magazine on the trial. May God Bless you with good health, and keep you in his care.
Thank you, Rob. Yes, it has been a long journey and there have been some bumps in the road. There still are by those malicious individuals who have no idea who I really am. Whether it's envy or pure hatred, they are disgusting examples of the human race. It's a sick obsession.
Thanks for supporting me through this. Soon, it will end, and I will move onto other things to write about. I am always open for suggestions, too, so please keep that in mind.
Dave,
Thinking back to when I first dropped in at Marinade Dave to read about Casey Anthony, I remember lurking for hours, waiting for the next comment to come through. I never wrote. I just read. And then I read some more. I was astounded on the little family that formed online. Kind of like the Lotus flower that rises from the murky waters to reach towards the sun and sky. We came to read about the tragedy that was Caylee Anthony and received so much more.
It wasn't until I read about your illness and how diabetes had affected your life that I decided to write. And write I did. It was therapuetic. I felt like I was getting out alot of baggage I had been lugging around since my father's death. I hurt for so long and all of a sudden I was feeling sooo much better spilling my guts to perfect strangers and yet I felt right at home. There was you Dave, who made us all feel like we belonged. Snoopysleuth who has always been right there by our side and explained things in a way I could understand. Feathers, ecossie possie, Peggy222, boxcar bob who passed from time to time with his wonderful wit.
I am writing now to say thankyou to all of you. Life is good and so are all of you. I am glad and feel so lucky that I was a small part of all of this. Dave??? You are headed in one of the best directions...right toward the sun and sky! You are right where you are supposed to be!!!! I thank all of you for just being you! You made a huge difference in my life and how lucky I have been!!!!
See you all at Orlando Magazine. David Knechel............writer,videographer, friend.
SageMom (Holly)
Wow, SageMom, what a testimony! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are right, this is like a family, and I love to see us grow. I'm glad you contribute here. This is what makes the blog a success. I have said all along that I am only a part of the blog. Everyone else makes it whole. When people stop by, they know they can join right in.
When this case is over, I will go back to blogging and I do hope it takes me higher, but don't ever forget, this blog is about everyone, and alone, I would be nowhere.
If I go toward the sun, I'd better wear a hat. I peel easily. Thank you, Holly!!!
Dave, that is a great picture of you. I love the article. It is very well written and will be a good introduction to the readers of the OM that don't know you yet. The way that you wrote this lets the readers know a little about you and the story about how you got involved with this case and it also gives them information on Casey which is a great way to start if this is the first time they are reading anything about her. This is a great first article for the magazine out of the many that you will be writing. I am so proud of you and look forward to reading your next OM article!
Well, Mary Jo, pictures can be deceiving, but the article said it like it is. It is what it is. I sure hope that readers get to know me and the upcoming trial from this article. I'm very pleased you like it, too. As for you being proud of me, I am extremely proud to know you. You are a true friend. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
congrats on your new project. yes, you have been thru a lot of insults, false accusations and now its your time to set the record straight my friend! sometimes things happen for a reason and if the negative was not there initially- some may never have taken time to read the actual facts you write so good. so- all your efforts will pay off as what goes around comes around. as one said - the irony is rich-lol. many have read your blogs and have info they would never have known, keep writing and stay proud ! i laughed when i asked you if bloggers or ones who attend court can be on jury--i would at least like to do the interviews of those they pick.
I am still living a life of hell from those trolls, and it will never stop. You wouldn't believe what they are up to now. Hopefully, many new people will read my take on the case and understand my only concern is to show them what goes on in the courtroom. The trolls are claiming that I will tamper with the jury. Just how is that done? All I ever said was that I'd like to interview them, but only a mental midget (and liar) would think that I would try while the trial is underway. DUH! It's after the trial is over!
Thanks for hanging in there with me. I hope you can get into the trial. You've been along for the ride, too, so you deserve it. Hopefully, we'll see each other before then, but if not, you know my number.
Dave, congratulations on your first article for OM! Thank you for posting it here too. I have Orlando Magazine bookmarked, but haven't yet spent the time learning where your articles will be. I just love the picture of you~~~great profile!
Am praying for your health and hoping that you will be taking extra special care of yourself
during these next very busy and stressful months. (Hopefully not too stressful with article deadlines and the trial.) Do you plan to attend most of the trial?
I am, as all of your friends here are, so very proud of you, and looking forward to all of your
articles with that special way of writing that only you have!
Hi Suzanna - Thank you for the congratulations. As soon as I know where the articles will be posted, I'll publish the link.
My health is very much a concern of mine, and on days I don't feel good, I'll simply watch it on TV. I can't go to it every day because it would be too overwhelming. The issue of parking is taken care of, but I'm going to walk in the courthouse with a veritable medicine cabinet - insulin and pills.
Thank you for being my friend, too. As much as you look forward to my articles, I look forward to your comments. I think we'll all have plenty of things to say.
Dave: This article was really a grand read. Attention grabbing and informative, with a bit of humor on the side.
Very nicely done, as was your previous article.
I'm looking forward to reading your Orlanda Magazine blogs.
Why, thank you very much, nan11. It's great to see you and I'm quite happy you enjoyed my article. You know, there's no way I would miss throwing in a little humor because it helps soften the somber nature of this very unpleasant case, the outcome, of which, I believe will be very positive.
I sure hope you read me over at the magazine site. I hope everyone does! That would be great.
Dave - This article was great - It took us back to your beginnings in the Casey Blog World and brought everyone up to the final moments we will go through with the trial. While it has had it's hard moments the friendships here and the ones you will make at the Orlando Magazine will last forever. I wish you every sucess as you are a great writer.
Thank you, Nika1, your words mean a lot to me. You are a true friend in every sense of the word. Thank you for helping to make this blog a nice place to visit. There's no reason to believe we won't carry this over to the OM Website. After all, it's just an extension of us, and hopefully, a lot of new contributors.
Thank you for the nice compliment on my writing, too. I hope I never let you down.
Dave, I was reading your article and the old tv show song of George and Weezie Jefferson popped in my hhead, " Moving On Up ". I dub this your new theme song. I don't remember how long I have been reading your articles but it has been awhile. After the first few I stopped reading until I had all my cooking and household chores done because I wanted to be able to devote the time required to each article. You have kept your articles real, Unbiased and written in a way that makes you think. I feel a little sad, things are a changing, but I am so proud of this new job of yours. You deserve everything good and they have chosen the best person for the job. Take care of your health and God bless you my friend. ..........P.S. love the picture
Hi Margaret - Things aren't really changing... I'm just making a temporary move and I plan on being right back here when the trial is over. Same old Dave, same old spot.
I am certainly thankful you devote some of your time to reading here. The way I see it, it's a 50/50 equation. Half of the blog is my writing and the other half is all about the comments. Without them, this would be nothing. I'm glad you think the magazine made the right choice. I will not let them down. Nor you or anyone else. I take this position seriously. I will also take good care of my health. Thank you very much. I think they did a great job on my picture, considering what they had to work with.
May God bless you, too.
ahh Dave, I remember jumping into your blog one day after reading the exchange between you and a few of your "home" people. I made mistakes, assumed wrongly a few times but your support group forgave me, took me under their wings and made me feel like family.
Your blog was a very nice place to be.
The group of intelligent contributors to your site has always been impressive. When combined with your well - written insightful, informative posts that is inhabited by warm supportive people
it was like finding a home online.
Thank you for being my Florida friend.
I hope only the best for you, you have earned it all.
I remember you when you first came in, too, but I don't recall anything negative. I know this has turned out to be a nice place. There are other fine blogs on the case, too, but I'm glad you're partial to this one. Yes, the contributors are intelligent, witty, and caring and I want everyone to feel at home here. When this trial is over, I want the blog to continue this way. I have several avenues I will be working on, including missing children. You know, cali patti, I must thank you for being my friend and a wonderful contributor. I want you to have the best of everything in life. I thhink we all feel that way.
Very good article. I believe the readers of Orlando Magazine will throughly enjoy your articles.
Thank you, katydid. I sure do hope you're right, but I see no reason why anyone shouldn't enjoy my posts. They will be just like what I write here.
I love your writing Dave. I (and I'm sure many others) will be happy when this trial is over. As I've said before it's like getting hooked on a soap opera. I need to tune in daily to see what is new. The only other case that I followed like this was Jon Benet Ramseys. I'm hoping that our world goes a while before another terrible case grabs the headlines. You've got writing talent Dave. There is no doubt. I hope that the Orlando magazine is a stepping stone to even more recognition of your talents.
How nice of you, Patti O. Thank you. Yup, I can't wait until it's over, too. Big time. I really appreciate your confidence in me and my writing skills, and for sure, I don't want to ever write about something this intense again. Who knows? Maybe I'll write a crime novel.
FYI~ ~ Folks, please check out the following link ASAP.... Dave needs you !! Thank You.
PLEASE WE NEED YOUR HELP
Thank you, Snoopy, from the bottom of my heart.
Dave, we will not let them defeat you, I promise.
Thank you, Snoopy. This is atrocious.
Snoopy, thank you for doing this for Dave. Mine has already been written and sent.
Hi Dave, Snoopy and All,
I think your first article for Orlando Magazine is wonderful. That's a good picture of you and that is a very cool title too. I'm so very proud of you.
When this all started, I thought 3 years was so far away and now it's almost here. My how time flies when you're having fun.
Snoopy,
I helped.
Hi Frankie - Thank you. I'm glad you found it to be a good read. And you like the picture, too? That's amazing! Especially the picture part.
Thank you for being proud of me. We have all come a long way, haven't we? Before you know it, the trial will be over and there will be new worlds to conquer. I may look into the 6 people who murdered, burned and chopped up the 15-year-old. That's a real horror story. I may take a vacation first. God knows I need one.
Hello Dave,
You couldn't deserve a better position, than with OM. Congrats! You have followed this case, heart and soul, from day.one. Now, It is crunching time for Monster mom to face the Judge and Jury. I hope you keep your health up. This will be a long and crueling tirlal, and you be careful. So much appreciate your writings. Thanks, again, as always.
Good article, Dave, and very interesting. I learned a lot about you today that I never knew. I was only familiar with your incident with Strickland which is what brought me here and everything that has happened since. You've opened the door for the public for the magazine, now it's time to walk forward and see where it goes from here. Good luck.
Thank you, Connie. There's been trouble brewing for a long time now, and it's disgusting what people do to others. I am under a microscope 24 hours a day and it's a sick obsession.
I fully expect to move forward. Where it will take me, I do not know.
Hi Dave!
As Casey's time in the spotlight grows (thankfully) dim, there will always be a new victim for you to champion.
Wishing you much success in your future endeavors, if anyone deserves some good out of this mess it is you. Judge S was right. Yours was the first (of only a few) blogs that I read - that has been consistently fair from the beginning. (Our mutual friend, who writes from her Pond is another).
To you and yours a Happy sugar free Easter!
LCMom
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*: (=’ :’) :::::::: HAPPY EASTER!:::::::::::
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Just me and a couple Easter Bunnies hopping around to wish you all the best!
Well Dave, this new post of yours, not a post but an amazing journalistic bounty of what you do. The Case against Casey is what I know you for but you are so much more than just Casey. I think that when you write about the case that is where your true talents are, writing. Your amazing writing is what brings new posters to your blog every day. With your new assignment, writing for the OM when the trial starts, more and more posters will come and visit here and at OM. With that kind of traffic, the Internet is going to be very busy.
I am sorry to see that "they" are not giving up on their hate campaign. Guess when you are so full of hate you have to have a venue to show it. Too bad that they just don't go to welovetohate.com, it would be perfect for them.
Again, I could not be more proud of you, you are going to do an amazing job. You have always been an amzing journilist now the there will be millions more that will know too. Get some rest, your time is here to show them what an extraordinary journilist you are.
You were wonderful as usual on the radio today.
Sorry this is happening again with the bashers
but just possibly it might turn into a good thing.
Outstanding article Dave. Well done. Keep up the good work. Happy to see your writing getting some of the credit it deserves.
Nice bio and a flashback post Dave. Take care.
Thank you Dave for all you do........ I really enjoy reading your articles and insight in this case..... 2 Thumbs Up!!
I'm with NewPuppy. Her hearfelt words described my every thought and emotion. Thank you, NewPuppy, for being all that you are.
Dave- Just keep writing and plugging away. Let 'em gnash their teeth. Every time you hit the Enter key you negate them.
Awesome article! I am one of those that found your blog way back when. I do so enjoy reading your blog - I look forward to it! Nice recap for the past two years leading into the 'Main Event' in May. My heart aches for George and Cindy - but I grind my teeth at staunch denial of the harsh reality - Casey probably did murder Caylee. But, who or what would I be in there (dreded) place? BTW - love that new photo of you - 'Casey and Me'..
Dave...I have been with you from very early on and I just wanted to say congrats! I never post but "know" everyone here...What great supporters you have! Especially Snoopy! Good luck with everything!
I do not know why I am surprised but then I guess the Defense has not thrown everything at the wall yet, what next will they try to sling?
Defense Motion Asks To Prohibit "31 Days" Evidence