Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: gofaster on February 26, 2004, 09:21:11 AM
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That's the question this guy asked himself. So he did it to see if he could.
Eagle Scout Accused of 'Arrogance' Murder
Investigators Accuse Popular Eagle Scout of Murdering to See if He Could Get Away With It
The Associated Press
WEYAUWEGA, Wis. Feb. 25 — Gary Hirte, a high school scholar, star athlete and Eagle Scout whose name seemed to be in the local paper all the time, is accused of committing murder not for money, or revenge, but just to see if he could get away with it.
The Weyauwega-Fremont High senior was charged last month in an arrest that was met with shock and disbelief in this small town of 1,800, where Hirte has long been the golden boy. He was accused of killing 37-year-old Glenn Kopitske.
"He wanted to see if he could do this. It was like a challenge for him," sheriff's Capt. Steve Verwiel said. "I would attribute it to arrogance."
Hirte, 18, told friends about the crime, but none of them took him seriously, authorities said. Finally, five months after the slaying, a girl he once dated went to police because she feared he would commit suicide out of remorse.
Hirte apparently sought out and stalked Kopitske, a substitute teacher who ran unsuccessfully for state Assembly in 2000, authorities said. Verwiel would not say if the two knew each other.
Kopitske was found dead Aug. 2 in his rural house outside Weyauwega. He had been shot in the head, stabbed twice in the back and once in the heart.
The arrest has shaken this community about 90 miles north of Madison, tucked between farm fields and home to a cheese production company, a plastic bag producer and a sawmill.
Hirte was the city's first Eagle Scout in 20 years. He was an honor student and a 6-foot-4, 270-pound member of the track, wrestling and football teams, and has a steady 14-year-old girlfriend. Readers of the town's weekly paper knew all about his achievements.
"This kid had everything going for him," Mayor Howard Quimby said. "He can do anything he sets his mind to."
Quimby, who knows Hirte's family and worked with him on his Boy Scout merit badges, said he did not believe Hirte killed to see if he could outsmart investigators, and "I don't think anybody in town can believe the situation."
Hirte's attorneys asked to have the case dismissed Tuesday. Defense attorney Gerald Boyle said Hirte claims he was not involved in the murder. Boyle said Hirte will plead not guilty at his arraignment Thursday.
Paul Mayou, who owns the Dairy Queen in Waupaca where Hirte has worked weekends for 2 1/2 years, said that when he first heard about Hirte's arrest, he thought it had to be a hunting accident or maybe an auto wreck. Mayou said he is keeping Hirte's job open for him.
"We're standing by him based on what we know about him," he said.
Mayou said Hirte was polite and quiet, got along with everyone, and despite being one of the football team's best players, never bragged. "He had a level head and didn't think too much of himself," Mayou said.
Hirte was jailed on $200,000 bail. Prosecutors asked that his bail be raised because he and his current girlfriend discussed committing suicide together.
For five months, investigators had been stumped by the slaying. Police didn't look at Hirte as a suspect until a friend, Olivia Thoma, came forward Jan. 1, worried Hirte might harm himself, Verwiel said.
According to a police report, Hirte told Thoma about the crime at a county fair a few weeks after the slaying when they agreed to disclose their biggest secrets. She did not take him seriously.
Police recorded a Jan. 28 call between Thoma and Hirte when he described crime details that were not public, Verwiel said. Hirte "stated that one of the reasons that he killed the male individual was to see if he could get away with it," investigators said in court papers.
Hirte also allegedly told his friend Eric Wenzelow. The two young men had visited Kopitske's house in July, before the slaying, and Wenzelow thought they were looking for deer, authorities said.
Hirte later told Wenzelow he drove his father's car to the house, found Kopitske naked and killed him, authorities said.
Police took Hirte into custody at school Jan. 29 and searched his house. His parents "were in disbelief and we had to explain to them exactly why we were there," Verwiel said.
Police found the dead man's keys in Hirte's room and two shotguns in the basement.
Kopitske lived alone and wanted to get into acting and comedy, said his mother. "He was kind of a loner and a little bit different, eccentric, and that made him a target," Shirley Kopitske said.
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What a sick pup. At least he felt some remorse.
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Whats even sicker ..
and has a steady 14-year-old girlfriend.
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If I have to do it, it's going to be out of revenge and it's going to be as public as possible.
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Might have known there'd be a gun involved. :rolleyes:
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Might have known there'd be a knife involved.:rolleyes:
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You are such a trawler, Beetle. lol :D
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1. Murder someone.
2. ?????????
3. Profit!
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I remember when i had a 14 year old gf....those where good times.
Course i was 13 at the time :D
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Two words: Forensic Science
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LOL
ya its another cold case!
he admited the crime and the person he admited it too ratted him.
what forensic science?
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Leopold and Loeb (http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/leoploeb/leopold.htm)
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I'm pretty sure that if I wanted to get away with murder, I wouldn't go around telling people that I'd murdered someone.
-- Todd/Leviathn
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lol what a good christian. Good thing the boy scouts wont allow gays or their outstanding members would start killing people oh wai....
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Because then you'd have to murder the people you'd told about the murder you'd committed to try and get away with murder, and soon there would be no-one left to both a) murder and b) find out about your murder.
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At the risk of igniting something, I would like to understand one aspect of christianity better. It is my understanding that someone can murder another and lead a life of horrific violence, but if they repent, and I mean truly repent at their deathbed and 'take jesus into their heart' then die before they sin again, they can jump on the L-Train to Heaven?
It seems as if the religion creates an environment where you can rationalize doing the most awful things in your life because you can get a 'Get out of hell free' card at the end.
To be clear, I'm not talking about a mass murdered just SAYING he repents and all the other stuff, but a mass murderer who actually truly believes with all his heart right as he dies.
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He must have watched Murder by Numbers one too many times..
Madison, tucked between farm fields and home to a cheese production company, a plastic bag producer and a sawmill
or the fumes finally sent him overboard.
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Originally posted by Dune
Leopold and Loeb (http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/leoploeb/leopold.htm)
I had forgotten about that case. Probably one of the best pieces of trial oration by an attorney, evah.
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Originally posted by Chairboy
At the risk of igniting something, I would like to understand one aspect of christianity better. It is my understanding that someone can murder another and lead a life of horrific violence, but if they repent, and I mean truly repent at their deathbed and 'take jesus into their heart' then die before they sin again, they can jump on the L-Train to Heaven?
It seems as if the religion creates an environment where you can rationalize doing the most awful things in your life because you can get a 'Get out of hell free' card at the end.
To be clear, I'm not talking about a mass murdered just SAYING he repents and all the other stuff, but a mass murderer who actually truly believes with all his heart right as he dies.
You're talking about two different situations.
1. Mass murderer who, on his deathbed, realizes all his past mistakes and begs God for forgiveness. Repents for all his past evils and makes a true and honest change. Sure, in God's eyes all sins are equal. And when I say that, I mean that the smallest sin will keep you from Heaven. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.".
2. Someone who decides to raise hell/sin/murder or whatever all his life with the plan in mind to have a "conversion" on his deathbed. I don't believe that this is a true conversion. He's using salvation in just the way you mention, as a get out of jail free card. No dice.
However, in either case, the validity of his conversion is between that person and God. What I think is of little consequence in the end. But, in these examples, this is what I believe.
PS. This is the Protestant version. You may get different milage with the Catholic one. :)
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Originally posted by Dead Man Flying
I'm pretty sure that if I wanted to get away with murder, I wouldn't go around telling people that I'd murdered someone.
-- Todd/Leviathn
You would be amazed at how many cases are solved because the criminal can't keep their mouths shut.
I had one where three kids comitted armed robbery (a fake gun and a three foot steel pipe) at an Arby's as it was closing. The crime wasn't three hours old before they'd gone to two different friend's houses to boast about it and told four people.
Felony stupid.
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Repent? Lol, there's a 7 day limit on repenting. After which, all repents are null and void, including death beds.
J/k
Repenting is a bunch of crap. You hurt someone without cause, you deserve to burn forever.
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Originally posted by Dune
Leopold and Loeb (http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/leoploeb/leopold.htm)
Anyone see the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Rope" which was loosely based on this?
This is obviously a copy cat crime from that movie, and I think it should be banned before anyone else has to die.
-Sik
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Originally posted by Sikboy
Anyone see the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Rope" which was loosely based on this?
This is obviously a copy cat crime from that movie, and I think it should be banned before anyone else has to die.
-Sik
Great stage play. Great movie adaptation. We need tighter rope regulation!
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So what badge did he earn?
I think he's earned a Lethal Injection one now
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My wife said if she killed me , she would bury me in the yard with my bellybutton sticking out of the ground..... so she would have a place to park her bike.
NUTTZ
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Originally posted by lasersailor184
Repenting is a bunch of crap. You hurt someone without cause, you deserve to burn forever.
Even if I just flicked their earlobe?
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I'm pretty sure that if I wanted to get away with murder, I wouldn't go around telling people that I'd murdered someone.
-- Todd/Leviathn
This from a guy who regularly posts films of himself whacking helpless FDBs...