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| Curry, Joshua Scott November 25, 1994; Mountain view HI | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 17 2009, 04:50 PM (487 Views) | |
| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:50 PM Post #1 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/1...tory3.html#jump Saturday, September 11, 1999 Special to the Star-Bulletin Sequoya Vargas of the Big Island was only 16 years old and full of artistic promise when she was raped, assaulted and killed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Justice near for brutally murdered Puna teen Two men await sentencing in the 1993 assault, and a third suspect, long a fugitive, will soon be brought to trial Teen-ager easy prey By Rod Thompson Star-Bulletin HILO -- Sequoya Vargas chose to become a vegetarian at age 2, for several years spoke only a language she invented herself, and as a teen-ager on the Big Island showed such talent as an artist that she was applying to an art college. On a Sunday night in 1993, when she was 16, Vargas went to a house in a subdivision south of Hilo to watch television with three young men, got drunk, and passed out. The men raped her repeatedly, beat her, and killed her. Matthew Gibbs, 26, eventually pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting Vargas. Jason McCubbins, 26, pleaded no contest to manslaughter and kidnapping. Both are awaiting sentencing. And after years as a fugitive, Richard Damian Serrano, 28, was returned to the Big Island this week from Mexico to stand trial on charges of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault. "I feel he's the one whose idea it was. He premeditated the whole thing," said Vargas' half-sister, Dove Johnson. Johnson said she, Vargas and two brothers spent their early childhood in Fallbrook, Calif., near San Diego. "I held her in my arms when she was born," said Johnson, who was six years older. Vargas was part Tarahumara Indian, an ethnic group from southern Mexico. Some of the older family members spoke Spanish at home. The children understood it but spoke English, except for Vargas. She invented an entirely different language for herself, which other children could understand but adults could not, Johnson said. By age 4, her mother, Becky Meza, became concerned enough to start intensive sessions with her in English, Johnson said. A special-education teacher came to the house once a week until Vargas was 7 and grew out of her personal language. At age 2, Vargas became a vegetarian. "She would pick out the meat and leave it there," Johnson said. "She'd eat everything else." She had her own rules for board games. "Put a game in front of her and she'd tell you how to play it, her own way." Intelligence tests showed there was nothing wrong with her, and she was bright, Johnson said. She collected porcelain cats and drew fantasy art such as dragons, Johnson said. As a little girl, she drew comic strips with complete story lines, said her uncle, Brad Simone. "Some were just as incredible as any you could buy off the newsstand," he said. About a year before her death, she won a Hawaii high school chess championship, he said. The family had moved to the Big Island's Puna District in 1989. "My mom's friend said Hawaii is a beautiful place and a good place to raise your kids," Johnson said. Vargas and her brothers quickly learned a new language, pidgin, and she had lots of friends. "She'd come home with about six girlfriends of hers. They eat, hang around, and go to the beach." She'd go to parties sometimes. "Every 16-year-old goes to parties," Johnson said. She drank alcohol, such as beer, but neither she nor anyone else in the family were excessive drinkers. Her mother let her go where she wanted, but always with the warning that she had to call and say where she was. Johnson said if Vargas didn't call within 24 hours, her mother warned that she would call the police. Johnson and her mother last saw Vargas in Pahoa on Aug. 22, 1993, Johnson said. The next day, her mother called the police. |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:51 PM Post #2 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Teen-ager easy prey for alleged killers By Rod Thompson Star-Bulletin HILO -- Richard Damian Serrano was really smooth, says Dove Johnson, the half-sister of murder victim Sequoya Vargas. When Serrano picked up Vargas and her friend Jessica Klinker on Aug. 22, 1993, as they hitchhiked from Kehena Beach, he told them he was a professional skateboarder, Johnson said. After Vargas failed to return home that night, her family called police the next day. "Oh, she probably just ran away," police told them. So the family began its own investigation, starting with Klinker, who named Serrano. He took Klinker home. Vargas rode off with him. Vargas' uncle, Brad Simone, said the family's investigation involved details like a microscopic examination of dirt from tires on a van used by suspects the family identified. Finally one of their suspects, Matthew Gibbs, talked, leading to a renewed police investigation. "Matthew just opened his mouth," Johnson said. According to a statement from Gibbs in court documents, Serrano, then 22, took Vargas, 16, to the house of his cousin, Jason McCubbins, 20. Gibbs, about 19, was also there and Vargas knew him, which probably made her feel safe, Johnson said. They all were drinking. Vargas had beer and shots of hard liquor, Gibbs told police. After about 1 hours, Vargas fell while dancing, hitting her chin on a counter. Serrano put her on a bed. "I seen Damian pulling Sequoya's underpants off," Gibbs told police. Later, Serrano said he had sex with the sleeping Vargas, and the others should too. "I grabbed her okole part," Gibbs said. Gibbs poked a knife in the mattress. "Just playing around," he told police. The men were taking turns having sex with Vargas when she woke up screaming. "Then Jason was yelling, we got to shut her up, she's making too much noise," Gibbs said. McCubbins started punching her. Vargas was in a car driven by McCubbins. Serrano and Gibbs went in a separate van. They drove to the Cape Kumukahi lighthouse, then to a 20-foot sea cliff at McKenzie Park, where Serrano and McCubbins dumped Vargas. McCubbins was "hyped up," Gibbs said. He contacted his mother and said, "We just killed somebody," Gibbs said. His mother answered, "Shut up. Jason, you're making me sick." The three men returned to the spot where Vargas was dumped. She was still alive, and Serrano and McCubbins climbed down to her. Gibbs' account ends there. McCubbins also cooperated with authorities for a reduced charge, but his confession hasn't been made public. Johnson said documents she got through a civil suit indicate what happened after Serrano and McCubbins climbed down. But Johnson isn't sure she knows the full story. "Will we be able to find out what really happened now they got him?" she asked. "No, we can't question him." http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/1...tory3.html#jump |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:51 PM Post #3 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Man pleads not guilty in Big Isle girl’s death By Rod Thompson Star-Bulletin HILO -- After murder suspect Richard Damian Serrano discussed his case with Judge Riki May Amano, his attorney entered not guilty pleas to charges of sexual assault, kidnapping and murder in the 1993 death of 16-year-old Sequoya Vargas. Serrano was arraigned yesterday after being returned to the Big Island from Guadalajara, Mexico, where he surrendered to the FBI. He had been wanted since an indictment against him in 1995. Court documents indicate Serrano picked Vargas up hitchhiking in the Big Island's Puna District. Vargas got drunk with him and two other men, and they raped her after she passed out, the documents say. When she awoke, they beat her and dumped her over a sea cliff. She was never found. The small, thin Serrano, with hair cut short and clean shaven except for a hint of a mustache, appeared in court yesterday wearing a white shirt and white jeans. He asked if he was allowed to speak directly to the judge. All of his comments were made quietly, and frequently in complete sentences, unlike many defendants who give only yes and no answers to questions. Although attorney Harry Eliason represented him, Serrano asked why proceedings couldn't be delayed until his preferred attorney, Andre Wooten of Honolulu, was present. Amano said that Wooten could be substituted later. Amano settled on April 17 for a four-week trial for Serrano. Listening to it all in court were Vargas' brother, Sundance Vargas, and sister, Dove Johnson. Johnson later said Serrano's arrest brought relief to the family. "It's the best news I've had in six years, that phone call yesterday morning. I was like, yay!" she said. http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/0...ws/story10.html |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:52 PM Post #4 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Friday, April 28, 2000 Jury is told victim ‘screamed for God and mom’ A key witness describes the rape and brutalizing of Sequoya Vargas, 16 By Rod Thompson Big Island correspondent HILO -- Raped repeatedly, then thrown over a sea cliff where she lay on rocks washed by moonlit waves, Sequoya Vargas, 16, screamed in pain. That's how a key prosecution witness described the last moments of Vargas' life as testimony got under way yesterday in the trial of Richard Damian Serrano. "I heard her scream," said Jason McCubbins, who has already pleaded no contest to his involvement in the crime. "She screamed for God and for her mom." Serrano, 29, is accused of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the Aug. 22, 1993, attack on Vargas. A jury is hearing the trial in Circuit Court here. Serrano insisted on returning to the Puna coast where he, McCubbins and another man, Matthew Gibbs, dumped her after she was raped, McCubbins said. "He (Serrano) told us he wanted to make sure she was dead." McCubbins, threatened by Serrano, climbed down the sea cliff and found Vargas on rocks, groaning, he said. Deputy Prosecutor Jack Matsukawa asked what happened next. The boyish, redheaded McCubbins responded with a combination of a grin and a grimace, "Damian had sex with her again." He said Serrano grabbed Vargas by the hair and slammed her head against a rock, then dragged her by the hair into the water, but waves washed her onshore. Serrano, a surfer, swam with her out past the breakers, he testified. Jessica Klinker Hennessy, 17 at the time, testified she and Vargas were picked up hitchhiking by a man calling himself Damian. Hennessy went home, but Vargas went with "Damian." Hennessy also testified police wrote an inaccurate report on what she said. McCubbins, Serrano's cousin, said he, Serrano, Gibbs, and Vargas began drinking at his house. Serrano added prescription cough medicine, meant for McCubbins' stepson, to Vargas' drinks, McCubbins said. When she passed out, Serrano stripped her, then had sex with her. Gibbs also had sex with her. McCubbins couldn't. "I would have done it. I tried," he said. When Vargas started to wake up, Serrano slammed her head against the wall, knocking a hole in it. Then Serrano had sex with her again, McCubbins said. Gibbs used a knife to stab holes in the mattress where Vargas lay, then cut his hand, McCubbins continued. Serrano dragged Vargas by her hair to a car trunk. She was groaning, and McCubbins hit her. "My cousin told me to," he said. McCubbins told the story with a strained, downcast face. During opening arguments Wednesday, defense attorney Harry Eliason told jurors that McCubbins made up Serrano's involvement to get a reduced sentence. In 1996, McCubbins pleaded no contest to manslaughter and kidnapping and Gibbs pleaded no contest to sexual assault. Their sentencing was postponed several times until they could testify against Serrano, who had been a fugitive for several years until he was found in Mexico last year and returned to Hawaii. http://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/04/28/news/story6.html |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:54 PM Post #5 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Sequoya Vargas Sequoya Vargas was a beautiful South American Indian Princess. She was picked up by a carload of guys. They brought her to a house in Paradise Park. They drugged her and put her to sleep. Then they all gang raped her. She woke up and started fightning back. She had Indian Blood and became Savage on them. One of the Raper Murderers took a knife and stabbed her about 20 times. She still refused to die. Then they drove her to a house in Seaview. They tried to drop her off at a lady's house. The lady said get her out of here. They then drove her to McKenzie park. Then they threw her off the cliff. Sequoya Vargas had Indian Blood and still refused to die. She swam to shore and started climbing back up the cliff to kill al those murderer rapers. They then went and pushed her back down on the rocks. Then they scaled a guy down and he swam her 100 or more yards off shore. Only one guy went to jail. http://hawaiian-tv.com/showthread.php?t=359 |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 04:56 PM Post #6 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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Her old boyfriend http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/curry_joshua.html Joshua Scott Curry Above: Curry, circa 1994 Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance Missing Since: November 25, 1994 from Mountain View, Hawaii Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: March 24, 1974 Age: 20 years old Height and Weight: 5'10, 140 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Blond hair, blue eyes. Curry has a dragon tattoo on his upper right arm. His left ear is pierced. Curry's nickname is Josh. Medical Conditions: Curry was addicted to heroin at the time of his 1994 disappearance. He may have also been depressed. Details of Disappearance Curry was last seen by his mother on November 25, 1994 as she dropped him off at his Hawaiian apartment. Curry resided in Mountain View outside of Hilo on the island of Oahu at the time. He did not own a telephone, so his mother gave him change to call her from a pay phone the following day. Curry has never been heard from again. Curry's former girlfriend, Sequoya Vargas, had been raped and murdered in August 1993. Curry saw her at a party the night before she was killed and he told his mother they discussed reconciling at that time. Curry was scheduled to be a witness at Vargas's murder trial in 1994, but he disappeared before testifying. Richard Damian Serrano was convicted in connection with Vargas's death and received a life prison sentence. Jason McCubbins and Matthew Gibbs, two men also charged with involvement in the crimes, cooperated with authorities and received lighter sentences. Curry's statements to investigators regarding Vargas's case have remained sealed since his disappearance and their contents have not been revealed. It is not known if Curry's disappearance is related to his testimony regarding Vargas's murder. Curry told his mother he was addicted to heroin in October 1994, one month before he was last seen. He was also apparently depressed at the time he disappeared, but it is unclear if Curry chose to leave voluntarily. Six men confessed to his murder after his disappearance, but they have never been charged. Curry's mother believes he was the victim of homicide, though investigators are divided on the possible cause of Curry's disappearance. His life had allegedly been threatened prior to his disappearance. Authorities received several tips that Curry had been beaten to death in 1994, but the leads never panned out. His former roommate, David Baker, apparently committed suicide on a California highway shortly after Curry was last seen. It is not known if Baker knew any details about Curry's case. Curry studied English in college. His favorite foods are spaghetti and burritos, and he is good at cooking and electronics. Curry enjoys music. He is described as a friendly, fun-loving person. His disappearance remains unsolved; Curry's family believes he was murdered, but the police are investigating his case as that of a missing person rather than a homicide. Investigating Agency If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Hawaii County Police Department 808-961-2211 OR Missing Child Center Hawaii 808-586-1449 OR 808-753-9797 Source Information Hawaii State Clearinghouse On Missing Children The Honolulu Advertiser The Honolulu Star Bulletin The Doe Network Parents of Murdered Children Charley Project Home |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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| monkalup | Apr 17 2009, 05:02 PM Post #7 |
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...pic=15748&st=0& |
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Lauran "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. | |
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