Simple Girl

I still have your KMARO cd.  Every time I find it I think, "That's right I found it.  I need to return it."  But then I remember I cannot return it to you.  So I assume it is mine, now.  And as I listen I remember hanging out with you.  You loved music.  You were always playing music on your computer, much of it in Russian.  I wish I could remember the name of the artist you liked a lot.

Elena, 1997, 15 years old

I loved how ok you were with being different.  I remember how you would do your hair.  Usually not a lot of effort put into it, but since it is naturally straight, you didn't need to.  Every time I came over you would make me a cup of coffee.  It was awesome how utilitarian you were.  You would pour water into a bowl, heat it in the microwave, and pour from the bowl into a cup of instant grounds, and stir.  Honestly, it left more time for the things that matter.

We always had something we knew we needed to do together.  And it was always different.  I totally enjoyed being right alongside you.  You were happy and fun and we thought the same things being around men and about getting things done.  The simpler, the better.

I never got to learn to cook Russian foods with you and I wish I had.

I still have the clothes and shoes you gave me.  They are wearing out a little bit, but are still good.

I love you and miss your laugh.

-Your friend.

I Haven't Forgotten You

Out of all the things Nicholay, Elena's father, has said that I remember, this is what I heard the most:

Please do not forget Elena.

I will not forget her.

It has been a year since her murder.  All sorts of feelings come back.  Hopelessness.  Sadness.  A whole bunch of love!!!  Thankfulness.  That there is a heaven and that I know One who sits on a Throne.  Because He has mercy on the powerless, there will be a day of wrath for all who do not hide themselves in the covering of His shed blood.

But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise— let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy— your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.  Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.  See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins.  The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer.
Isaiah 26:19-21

The Innocent Victim Has Risen!

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 26:46-47

Today is the day for each of us to receive the complete forgiveness of God, in Christ!

Latest News

Last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving marks the one year anniversary of Elena's death.  

It's still shocking.

Elena, 14 years old in 1996

I want to give an update on what is happening with the charge for homicide on David Eaton.  Within a couple of months of him going to jail last December, he was charged again with another crime.  He had a homemade weapon that he had with him and was concealing while in prison, from what I understand it was made with a razor blade.

The defense attorney has been working since August to have the charge of concealing this weapon, dismissed.

The defense attorney is also trying to suppress some statements made by David before the trial begins.  I am sure you can guess as well as I can it would be his statements to the police that were reported in the Statesman Journal, how he had plans to poison Elena before he murdered her.  If that is true, if that is true, then he may attempt to plead something less than murder or some angle on self-defense.  This is just my speculation, feeling like I know a few things about Dave personally.  All he did when we hung out was talk to me or others about the list of evidences of things she had done wrong.  He's not going to let this go, I just know it.  

The lawyers have been in discovery this entire year.  "Discovery" means that the defendant will not make a plea until the lawyers have had a chance to review all the evidence of the case.  It has taken a long time for the lawyers to gather what has been going on.

The hearing where they will attempt to suppress David's statements is in a couple weeks.  It will be December 19th at 9 am.  I think it will be at the courthouse but I will find out.

There is a trial date.  April 18th.  The trial is set to last for a week.

Femme Like You

Dear Elena,

I remember your most favorite album.  You gave it to me because I liked it and you had listened to it too much.  I still have it.  Somehow I lost it for awhile and then when I found it I kept forgetting to give it back.  My favorite song was "Femme Like You."  This guy with bad tattoos sings in French with a little English mixed in here and there.  The tattoo on his left arm reads, "Guilty for being the best."  We drove around at night and listened to the whole album over and over.


You would wait patiently while I listened to the first couple tracks that I was just learning and loving. As soon as they were over you'd skip to track 5.

Youi'd drift off in thought and curl up in the passenger seat and look out the window.  I'd keep driving.  And trying to learn to speak in French.

If it weren't for you, I'd never have learned a song about being "Femme" from a person who actually is from France.  And I wouldn't have known someone as "Femme", "Like You."  I know if you were reading this right now, you'd laugh so much.  You would be embarrassed that I am happy to talk about who you are, loving who you are.

Miss you.

Two More Weeks Till Going Home

Our dear friend Elena is still in the Keizer Funeral Home here in Oregon.  I spoke with the funeral representative today.  She said that right now all the paperwork that accompanies the remains of a citizen re-entering their country of citizenship is at the translator's office.  She expects that the translation (of things such as the death certificate), will be finished on Monday or Tuesday.

Elena in Voronezh, age 14

Keizer Funeral Home has a sister home in the San Francisco area, who will personally walk into the Russian Consolate building and make sure that the papers are received for processing.  The Russian consolate is almost impossible to reach by phone.  They will make sure they have all the papers necessary to prepare for Elena to re-enter the country.

She expects that all of this will be finished in two weeks.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lobodin and Kathie and I have been trying to find the most cost effective way to send her back home.  Fed Ex, UPS, USPS do not ship cremated remains, as far as I have gotten answers.  Although one time when I called FedEx said that they have no restrictions on items sent to a business location in Russia.  The option that would work for sure is to buy an airline ticket for a literal seat on a plane - they can't take remains as cargo under the plane.  But that is very expensive.

There is something the US customs office told me about "freight forwarding."  Basically they handle difficult items or complicated itineraries.  There are a lot of businesses of this variety to sort through.  If you would like to research freight forwarding on google and give them a call, tell them it's gotta go from the US to Vladivostok, Russia and see if they say yes, they can do it.

That would help a lot.

We have two weeks to decide the best way to ship her home.

Joyful Video of Elena

Elena's memorial went well.  I saw many people there although I didn't get to talk to everyone.  I haven't received a copy of the memorial service yet.

Her father sent a video of Elena.  In this video Elena is playing with a baby just a year or two before she came to Oregon.  You can download it and view it here:

Elena

He also sent many pictures of her through her lifetime.

7 years old, 1989, in Voronezh