On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, 5:51:16 PM EDT, Cathy Baird <3nazarenes@comcast.net> wrote:
Dear Lieutenant Reichenbaugh,
It may be unwise to confess to a trooper that I’ve stolen a book from my husband but he gave me the means and opportunity when he left it on the coffee table unattended and I was motivated by the desire to read the book before it began its rotation among his “old men saving the world breakfast club” friends. Given that I had so many strikes against me, I decided to confess.
My husband and I were fortunate enough to get a signed copy of your book when we were at Barnes and Noble bookstore Saturday last. You gave us your business card and asked for feedback after reading the book.
I finished reading the book this morning and in a word…Wow!
No matter what I am reading (so take no offense please) my eyelids tend to get heavy after a few pages but as I traveled with you in in car 662 at 110 mile per hour on the way to the rest stop adrenaline brought them wide awake.
I well remember the days of the sniper shootings. I especially remember going out to dinner with my husband and son and having an uneasy feeling getting out of the car in the parking lot. My relief upon entering the building was short-lived when the hostess sat us at a booth directly against a large picture window facing the parking lot. I remember looking out at the lot and thinking that at any moment a bullet could come through the window and kill one of us. But just as you mentioned in your book, you can’t live in fear so I turned my attention to my meal and family knowing that the chances were remote. There was something insidious about this particular threat that made it hard to ignore though. The randomness and hiding in plain sight of it. In years since that evemt I’ve become a stage 3 cancer survivor and I would now compare the sniper shootings to cancer. Insidious.
Firstly, let me say thank you. Thank you for your tireless and selfless dedication in bringing about the capture of those snipers. Along with all the rest of the population, we breathed a sigh of relief when news broke of their capture. It was intriguing to read about the event from your perspective. One thing that didn’t surprise me was what appeared from your book to be a collective feeling of disdain for the media from law enforcement officials. I remember commenting on a few occasions how stupid I thought the reporters were being. I suppose, as you said, they do have a job to do but sensationalism seems to override common sense in their reporting. Not unlike a certain reporter not so long ago reporting during an imminent hurricane strike to the East Coast stating that if caught in the storm we would die and our children would die and everyone we knew.
Please also pass along my thanks to Jean. Being the wife of a career Navy man, I can appreciate the sacrifices she has had to make. Being the glue that held your family together made your successes possible and we all benefited from them. While John was often out to sea for 6 and 7 months at a time and I was not always permitted to know where he was located or headed to, I did at least have the satisfaction of knowing he had a full deck of sailors onboard and possible weapons of mass destruction that he could neither confirm nor deny onboard. I can’t imagine how Jean dealt with knowing you were on your own at times and the bad guys were better armed.
Lastly, thank you not only for capturing the snipers but for all your years of service and the many ways you served to protect and aid. You touched on some of it in your book but I’m sure there are volumes to add during your years of service. I’m in awe.
God Bless you and your family,
Cathy Baird
Squarespace <no-reply@squarespace.info>
To:davidreichenbaughmarketing@gmail.com
Mar 18 at 2:26 AM
Name: Chelsea Elligson
Email Address: chelsea.elligson@yahoo.com
Message: Mr. Reichenbaugh,
Firstly I would like to thank you for your service in the Maryland State Police. It's incredible to read about the Beltway Snipers, I was only in elementary school when it was going on, and didn't have an understanding of it; however I do remember not being allowed to go out for recess. Looking back, you and so many other police officers and officials were keeping me safe without me ever knowing. I just wanted to reach out and tell you how much I enjoyed reading your book, it kept me entertained through many night shifts.
(Sent via David Reichenbaugh Author)
Name: Tom Chase
Email Address: tvchase73@hotmail.com
Subject: In Pursuit
Message: Reflecting on those weeks in October years ago my first memory is the initial call I received from Dave immediately after the first shootings in Rockville. Because of Dave's commitment to cooperative policing, I was able to fulfill my responsibilities in Frederick keeping the officers updated each and every day until the arrests were made. The alert on my Nextel during those weeks from Dave was both welcome and stressful. I knew he'd give me the latest intell but I also worried about who had experienced the latest tragedy. When it all came to a head that fateful morning in Myersville, Dave connected me as he was en route to the rest stop. I breathed a sigh of relief, not only for our citizens and colleagues, but also because I could now relax when using the gas pump. I am looking forward to reminiscing as I enjoy "In Pursuit." Lt. Tom Chase FPD Retired.
(Sent via David Reichenbaugh Author)
It was a pleasure working with Dave in getting this story to the public. What I enjoyed was how he sticks to the facts, but at the same time gives us insight into the process of catching the killers – from the frustrations at the early stages to the breakthroughs and eventual capture of two killers who terrorized the Beltway area. Having known Dave since our school days, I know he’s put his heart and passion into this tale. Readers will not be disappointed.~ Lori Widmer, Writer
I’m looking forward to getting my copy of your book David Reichenbaugh! We remember the terror these two wrought on our community and thank YOU and all law enforcement for diligently tracking them down. And, I remember being stopped by a young Trooper Reichenbaugh in the wee hours of September 12, 1983 driving just a BIT too fast on I-70! Professional and courteous! Thank you Dave and all Maryland State Troopers (AND THEIR FAMILIES) for all you do (and did) and put at risk! ~David Brinkley Maryland Secretary of Budget and Management
I can't wait to read this. I remember this so well and how it affected my life. At the time this was going on, I was working right around the corner from where one of the shootings took place. It was terrifying to come and go to work since the sniper was randomly going to different locations in the area and not knowing if my location was going to be their next target. The sniper was caught on my birthday which is another reason why I remember the events so well. David Reichenbaugh I remember riding on a bus heading to the airport going to Dallas for a cheerleading competition and if my memory serves me correctly, you were telling us a little bit about the headaches and long hours put in with the manhunt for the snipers. Congratulations on having your book published. ~ Sandy Sutton
I wanted to be a cop when I was a kid, and during the time reading In Pursuit, I got to live through some of the most intense moments that even veteran police officers experienced. Innocent, unknowing Americans were being gunned down in public, while walking to their cars or pumping their gas, and the deaths would only stop when law enforcement caught the killers. Time was critical. This story is told by the guy in charge when these sickos were captured, and that's how every true-crime story should be told. At many points reading along from my living room, I envisioned myself standing in the calm eye of the storm that was the Maryland State Police barracks throughout those terrifying weeks. Every American's worst nightmare. This book was a true page-turner. Highly recommend.~Brent Belmont
George Sosnick I have a patient who was working in the area at the time of this sniper and he remembered it well...I will need to get a book and do some reading. Thanks for your time on being part of resolving that sad era and bringing the story to the masses.... ~George Sosnick
Name: William King
Email Address: bkingforkids@yahoo.com
Message: At the time I was concerned for the safety of the people that were around me, working a midnight to 8 am shift at the Frederick Memorial Hospital in Security made everyone a target and working with kids all year around made them targets and finally the location that they were found was very close to Frederick......
Deb Wilver I was in Dahlgren VA pumping gas and remember thinking how easily a sniper could be in the woods taking aim at innocent people just going about their normal routine, unaware of any danger
Sally Cooper Heath ...and what was going on in Tacoma? We were visiting my sister-in-law in Gig Harbor, but visiting Tacoma. The FBI was surrounding some houses on a street. Later it looked like a house where one of the snipers had lived.
Was it?
I don't know
Sally Cooper Heath Yes!!
It didn't take long for all to realize there were snipers.
The shootings in Ashland were close to home. A white van was spotted in Richmond. I believe there was a large police presence, but it wasn't them. Later they were spotted at a Richmond gas station. Some school systems closed, but we remained opened. I was terrified they would be in the woods at our school and begin shopping when the kids got off the buses....a scary time
im Hubbard At some point it was announced that the shooters were driving a white van. One of the news media did some research and found that there were around 6,000 white vans registered in the DC area. I was in a gas station office waiting for service with several other people. Everybody was doing their best to stay away from the windows lest a white van be spotted. Interesting times.
Leonard Mays I was a MSP Sergeant assigned for 2 weeks at an Elementary school in PG county for security working 12 hr shifts. (More like alternative target). The teachers expected me to walk around the building all day. I did not. I Parked next to a huge oak tree between a wooded area and the school. I drove my patrol car around the building. We were also expected to stop every white colored van or box truck we saw by ourselves and ID the occupants. I had a 40 cal. Pistol. The snipers were using a bushmaster AR-15!! Not a very safe officer survival tactic if anyone were to come upon the Snipers.
Michael Brady I did the same and felt like the target. But like an idiot I did stand outside and walk the perimeter. Young Sgt I was
Bill Miller Following the news from Florida after I retired in 1999. Good job!
Glad to see my friend Keith Runk with hands on the bad guys! Salute!
Name: Daniel Kozub
Email Address: sax3man@gmail.com
Message: Dave,
I didn't know you captured the beltway duo. I was talking to Dave Hoff one night and he told me about the book you were writing about the beltway duo. I know they caused issues in the Richmond Va area also. Along with many other areas. David you did a great service to all of us in there capture and I'm proud to know you bravely captured those people. The Washington DC area was worried for some time about there rain of terror. Thanks for keeping America safe. I will be purchasing your book on Amazon and I hope you will sign my copy someday.
(Sent via David Reichenbaugh Author)
Katherine White I can't believe they are going to waste time and money on a new sentencing hearing for Lee Boyd Malvo. His crime was heinous. He was tried fairly as an adult and was given a life sentence because he was young. Otherwise he would have been executed as his cohort. He deserves no more "special" consideration for his age. His sentence should remain the same.
I have lived in Aspen Hill since 1970 and except for the several year era of the Aspen Hill Rapist, the 3 week reign of terror that Malvo and his step father incurred on the Aspen Hill/Silver Spring/Rockville area was horrific. People were terrified to buy gas. They would hide behind their car doors or in their cars like that was going to make a difference. Life sentence was not fair to all the innocent people they murdered or shot throughout the Washington/Virginia vicinity.
Jim Ballard What a lot of people didn't realize was that at the time of their capture, Malvo was the true dominant personality. Muhammad was lying on the ground cuffed behind his back, complacent and submissive. I immediately saw Malvo's eyes and knew he was looking for any opportunity to run......... I told one of the K-9 handlers that I wanted that patrol dog sitting right next to Malvo and drooling on his neck. We placed the dog right over top of Malvo and it was the only time he stopped looking for an avenue of escape. I was so concerned about Malvo especially, that I had them him and Muhammad placed separately in two different MSP units with an investigator, a STATE team member and one of the suspects in each vehicle. We assigned a K-9 unit behind each one of the MSP units along with a tailing STATE vehicle. Forget the "he was just a kid" rhetoric, he knew what he was doing,.....and loved doing it.
Lin D Hardy-Ford David...I see you got your "honey do list" taken care of as Part Two is now in print and posted. I just finished reading it and, as in Part One, the sense of adrenaline was just as strong. I would even venture to say somewhat stronger having to deal with unknown agency personnel, especially those in an undercover type capacity. Being a retired telecommunicator, I know only too well the absolute frustration of working on several incompatible radio frequencies...that in itself is a major stressors and an open path for miscommunication. I commend you and all of the involved agencies and communications personnel for an exemplary job. As the lead incident commander in charge, you have my admiration for the control and cooperation you maintained. I will be watching for the next 2 parts. Congratulations on a job well done so far. Lin
