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THE FRANKLIN COVER-UP -- CHILD ABUSE, SATANISM, AND MURDER IN NEBRASKA |
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CHAPTER 3: PORNOGRAPHY AND RITUAL MURDER On May 5, 1988, Margo Georgiu* and her daughter Brenda Parker*, 17, filed a complaint against an Omaha photographer, Rusty Nelson, which the Omaha Police Department (OPD) logged under "possible child pornography." According to police records, Nelson approached Brenda at a store where she was a cashier, and told her he was "doing some photographic work for the Easter Seals Campaign." He left her his business card, which read "Rusty Nelson the Camera Man, Creative Photography." When Brenda telephoned, Nelson said he needed to take pictures of redheads like her for a "European portfolio," and that she would pose wearing swimsuits and lingerie. Brenda asked if she could bring her mother to the photography session, to which Nelson agreed. Officer Irl Carmean interviewed Parker and Georgiu on May 9, about what they had seen five days earlier, during the five-hour session with Nelson at his studio in the Twin Towers. Carmean recorded: NELSON took several photographs of PARKER in various types of clothing, although no swimsuits or lengerie [sic] were worn. Brenda stated that NELSON repeatedly made references to PARKER in her birthday suit and making her breasts look bigger. Nelson never specifically asked PARKER to pose nude or semi-nude but did try to get her to show as much skin as possible and also try to make PARKER show as much cleavage as possible. Repeatedly, NELSON tried to persuade PARKER to model in lengerie [sic] as well as a form of clothing known as "teddies." PARKER indicated she refused to do this. During the course of the photographic session, PARKER' S mother MARGO GEORGIU looked at several photographs which were scattered about the apartment and apparently taken by NELSON. Margo GEORGIU stated that she observed several photographs of nude females ranging in age in her estimation from 20 years old to as young as possibly twelve. Several of the females in the photographs showed frontal nudity. Suspicious about the Creative Photography set-up, Margo Georgiu phoned around to various modeling agencies and schools in Omaha, to which Nelson had claimed he supplied pictures. No one there had heard of him, with the exception of a man at one agency, who called Nelson a pervert and warned Georgiu to keep her daughter away from him. That's when she called the police. Officer Carmean reported: Brenda PARKER indicated that she suspected NELSON to be a homosexual. PARKER identified NELSON as being a white male approximately 25 years old, 5'9", 140 pounds with dish water blond hair and a small blond mustache. He was casually dressed and appeared quite a feminine [sic]. During there [sic] conversation, PARKER stated that NELSON said that he does work at Max which is a gay bar located in Downtown Omaha and he further stated that he frequents gay bars. PARKER stated that NELSON continually offered various foods and drink to both PARKER and her mother. NELSON placed a very large bowl of strawberries on a table offering them to Brenda and her mother. They were also offered to drink some champagne. During the conversation, NELSON stated that he was self-employed but made a couple of references to "the boss" keeping the place well-stocked and that the boss let him stay there rent free. It is unknown who the boss is. *** The officer sent to investigate Nelson's digs quickly established that "the boss" was Larry King. On Wednesday, 25 May 88, Reporting Officer MICHAEL HOCH went to The TWIN TOWERS, 2900 Farnam Street, and spoke with the Owner/Operator of The TWIN TOWER complex. ... [He] indicated that a party by the name of RUSTY NELSON, who is occupying Apt. #3-B (which was leased to LARRY KING), has since moved out of the apartment complex. Nelson had suddenly vacated on May 14, nine days after Georgiu and her daughter filed their complaint. In the same building, Larry King also paid the rent on a luxury penthouse. Officer Hoch reported: Since KING has rented the apartment [in August 1987], [the manager] believed that he has possibly put $50,000.00 into the apartment in such things as decorating, drapes, and furnishings. [He] went on to state that he had bought a couch from one of the furniture dealers in Omaha that would not fit in the elevator as it was being transported to KING'S apartment. And, as a result of this, a crane was rented for the amount of $1,200.00 to have the couch lifted to the apartment from the outside. [He] also stated that the apartment was very elegantly furnished; and the $50,000.00 outlay would not include (what he described as) original paintings, along with what is believed to be possibly a solid silver chair. [He] also stated ... that he knows that KING drives at least five different vehicles: Three of the vehicles being Mercedes-Benzes, one being a Cadillac Alante, and the other being some type of sports car. ... [He] also stated that he believes that KING owns proper ties in Washington, D.C. [He] went on to state that KING has a habit of throwing names around, and it is believed he is very influential in the Republican party. [He] also indicated that he does not understand how KING has as much money as he does to spend. KING does not actually live at the Penthouse apartment in The TWIN TOWERS, but uses the apartment for parties and occasionally stays at the apartment. [He] stated that he had talked to a realtor ... who indicated that KING apparently attempted to purchase a residence approximately five years ago and, at that time, had trouble coming up with a down payment for the house. It seemed strange to [him] that in five years KING has come into as much money as he spends. At a neighboring complex, the Orpheum Tower, Officer Hoch learned that tenant Larry King sublet an apartment to a young man who was a disc jockey at the Max bar. King had told the building manager that he was renting the apartment as a place to stay when he worked late, so that he didn't have to travel out to his suburban home. Hoch asked the Orpheum manager if she knew any particulars or had heard any type of information about LARRY KING, as it seemed very strange that he would rent an apartment in the ORPHEUM TOWER and is presently renting an apartment at The TWIN TOWERS. [She] indicated that she did not know any specifics about LARRY KING; however she stated that she has heard rumors that he is a very heavy drug dealer, and that she has heard this from more than one individual. ... [She] stated that she has also heard that LARRY KING is a homosexual and has a preference of young men or boys. *** The OPD dropped its probe of Rusty Nelson, his apparent pornography operation, and his "boss." But on June 28, 1988, Officer Carmean was dispatched to interview a different girl, whose terrible story pointed to the same clique. She was fifteen-year-old Loretta Smith*, who lived with her mother and brother in Omaha. At the time Carmean talked to her, Loretta was hospitalized at Richard Young Hospital, where she had told a therapist, in the words of Carmean's report, about "incidents in which she has been photographed nude or partially nude as well as instances of devil worship." Carmean wrote that Loretta was "rather articulate for a 15 year old and spoke and acted rather maturely for her years." Excerpts from Carmean's report provide the outline of her story: SMITH initiated the conversation by indicating that approximately five or six years ago when she was nine years old she went to a party with some friends much older than her. There, she met a white male ... who coaxed her into modeling for him. ... [He] offered to take SMITH home if SMITH would pose for some pictures. ... Initially, the unidentified white male took photographs of her with a polaroid camera, of her fully clothed, although finally, she agreed to pose for one completely nude photograph taken by this white male. ... SMITH then spoke of occasions when she went to the North Omaha Girls Club on Lake Street, with friends of hers whom she identified as NELLY and KIMBERLY WEBB. There, she discovered that they were also "modeling". ... SMITH stated that those field trips consisted of the girls being taken to a photographic studio where pictures were taken of them either nude or partially clad. ... SMITH also stated that she has not spoken to or knows the whereabouts of either NELLY or KIMBERLY WEBB, not having seen them for approximately three years. ... She stated that a number of adults, whom she referred to as leaders from the North Omaha Girls Club, both male and female, were engaged in the photography of nude children. She also indicated that a number of prominent individuals were involved, including doctors and lawyers although she indicated they used code names and that she could provide no real names for these individuals. SMITH also indicated that the adult leaders who took these photographs used threats against her and others to get them to participate in these photographic sessions. She stated that she had been told on occasion that her entire family would be killed as well as her if she refused to participate in these activities. Loretta told Officer Carmean that she "began participating in what she termed devil worship with other juveniles and adults. She stated that she was approximately 10-1/2 or 11 years old when she started attending these rituals," which sometimes included nude photography. Those participating "were given something to drink which she stated, tasted like apple juice but which she thought contained some kind of a drug. ..." SMITH indicated that NELLY and KIMBERLY WEBB, had also reported these activities to Police in the past but that nothing had been done. She stated that the WEBB girls had told the superintendent of Fort Calhoun Schools whom she identified as a Mr. FINCH, and stated that it had been reported to him first but the girls felt that since nothing was done that he must have been involved also. In a report dated June 30, 1988, Carmean put down more of what he had learned from Loretta: During the course of Reporting Officer's interview with LORETTA ISABEL SMITH concerning child pornography activity, as well as devil worship, she mentioned the name of LARRY KING as being a participant and supporter in these activities. Asked how she knew this, SMITH stated that she is a friend of ... the daughter of GARY WEST. (WEST is reportedly the manager for MAX'S, a predominantly homosexual bar located south of CENTRAL STATION at 1415 Jackson Street). SMITH stated that she has been to the WEST residence several times, and that GARY WEST is a homosexual, as well as an alcoholic. She stated that when he does become intoxicated, he talks about his certain activities with LARRY KING, and indicated that he is into the use of controlled substances (i.e. cocaine) for personal use, as well as for sale, and that he owes LARRY KING a lot of money for this. ... With regard to Larry King, she stated that she knows that he supports devil worship activities. ... She further indicated that KING owns a house on Wirt Street, the exact location of which she did not know, but that KING holds various drug and sex parties there. SMITH initially told Reporting Officer that she had been to the Wirt house on one occasion, in which she saw three or four teenage males engaged in oral copulation. ... It became apparent, when SMITH began talking about KING and WEST with a lack of specificity, that she didn't wish to go into much detail with Reporting Officer, at this time. Reporting Officer told her to consider recalling as much information as possible, and that she and Reporting Officer would talk again at a later date. On July 5, Loretta did telephone Officer Carmean and gave him the address and phone number of King's house on Wirt Street. Carmean drove by the house and called the number. The phone was answered "King Company." At the house, Carmean wrote in his log, he "observed on a gray awning ... the name KING in black script lettering." *** During 1988, as Loretta Smith grew to trust the doctors, nurses, and other personnel at Richard Young Hospital, she revealed more detail about what she and the other children had been subjected to. Her case file is summarized in a report for the Legislature's Franklin committee (by Jerry Lowe, 1989), which gives the dates on which Loretta talked to hospital staff: Loretta ... provided additional information of her previous involvement in cult activity which included the witnessing of homicides of several young children and which also included references to Larry King and others involved in the cult activities. August 19, 1988. The hospital notes indicated that Loretta was asked to give a chronological account of involvement in what is described as a devil worship cult and that Loretta agreed to do this. Loretta indicated that she didn't really know what was happening and that she became involved very gradually. She indicated that when she was approximately nine years old she was going to the Girl's Club in Omaha and that a guy named Ray would take her and four or five other girls at the Girl's Club on outings. ... He took them to a building that according to Loretta looked abandoned and asked the girls if they wanted to go in which they all agreed to do. Loretta indicated they sat and talked for a while and then Ray provided a joint and all of the individuals got high. She indicated this activity continued for about three or four weeks and then Ray took them to a party. Loretta indicated that at the party there were about ten men all in their mid-thirties and that initially they sat around and talked with the girls about their problems. Loretta indicated that all the people got wasted and that the men at the party made them sleep around and that the girls did not have a choice of who they slept with. ... Loretta stayed away from the Girls Club after this for a few days, but then in order to get out of the house she did begin going to the parties again and they lasted for another six months. ... [O]n one occasion she threatened to tell her mother that the men were having sex with her and that they knew she was only nine but the men indicated that they would kill anyone who told about the activities. ... The men started taking the girls to what the men described as power meetings. Loretta advised she was ten years old. She indicated that candles and other weird stuff were at the power meetings. According to Loretta, one of the individuals on one occasion told the girls that the room was going to spin for a while and it did and she realized later that it was drugs that the men had given them. Loretta advised that about eight months later she was put through her first test. Her and the other girls were taken to a building in Omaha where ... she was locked in a room with a little girl which she described as a Caucasian infant. At about midnight, Loretta indicated that the men came into the room, took the little girl away from her and told her that she could achieve power by killing something that she really loved. Loretta described that they then cut the little girl's head off, stuck it on the wall and made her sit in front of it. Loretta indicated later she had to take the head off the wall and that the men held her down while they cut the eyes out of the little girl's head. They then left Loretta and the girl in the room, locking the door. ... [S]he was left in the locked room with the little girl for twenty-four hours and during this time she could hear another one of the girls screaming. ... [S] he could hear the men whipping and beating the girl. ... Shortly after this the men came into the room and told Loretta that she had passed the test and then drove her a couple blocks from her house and let her out. ... Loretta indicated the next time that she saw the men she had gone to a friend's house who was having a party and the men showed up. Loretta identified two of the men as Larry King and a Mr. Finch who Loretta indicated was a school principal. Additionally she identified parties as Ace, King Horse, Jerry Lucifer and Mike. ... After one such party, Loretta said, another girl called OPD and reported that she was raped and tried to press charges. .. [O]ther girls covered up the rape for the men. Loretta indicated that she again threatened to tell about the activities and the men said they would kill her or her mother. ... At [another] meeting Loretta indicated devil worshipping was practiced and that another small boy was sacrificed. Loretta and the other girls were in the other room and she could hear the little boy screaming. ... She then indicated the child was fried and eaten by the girls. Loretta indicated she refused to take part in this so that the men beat her for two days. At additional meetings Loretta indicated the men told her and the other girls that they must sacrifice for power and described three incidents where further sacrifices took place. The first a one-year old white female had her head taken off by a saw, the second a four-year old white male was hung on the wall and darts thrown at him and the third an Indian female, three or four years old, had several parts of her body cut off after which it was ground and poured on the girls and they also were made to drink the remains of the child. ... August 21, 1988. Loretta indicated the third, fourth and fifth sacrifices took place during the spring of 1985 when she was eleven and that the parties that were at these sacrifices were Mr. Finch, King Horses, and the big guy she referred to earlier. Between the sacrifices she indicated that the girls were tested to see if they would keep quiet and how much control that the men had over them. ... Loretta indicated that the men would try to scare the girls by having them watch as animals were mutilated and also the men would threaten them by saying that instead of killing them that they would just cut off parts of bodies and torture the girls and make them suffer. Asked to provide details relative to the first sacrifice of the infant girl, Loretta indicated that at first she didn't cry and after this the men cut the eyes out of the girl. Loretta indicated that she freaked out, was screaming and hitting the walls. ... [She said] the cult members were wearing what she described as clothes which had upside-down crosses on them and that the leader always wore a long black cape with gold rings shaped like a skeleton head. ... Loretta ... went into the Immanuel Hospital for the first time in November of 1985 and also was in Immanuel in January of 1986 and March of 1986. Then her mother put her in the court system so that she could ultimately get her into Uta Halee, [a school and residence for troubled girls]. *** To the expert eye of Foster Care Review Board Executive Director Carol Stitt, when she received the reports from Loretta's caseworkers, the girl's testimony appeared highly credible. Stitt explained before the state Legislature's Executive Board, on December 19, 1988, "[O]ne of the things that you want to keep in mind, as horrifying as this is when you review it, this girl is very concrete about who was present at these homicides, what was happening, dates, she gave a lot of specific information and in working with children one of the ways you know this is not a global fantasy is the more details they give you." The information given to hospital staff and to the Omaha police by Loretta Smith overlapped and corroborated what was already in the hands of authorities from the children from the Webb household, and from Margo Georgiu and her daughter. From three separate cases, involving pornography, child abuse, and ritual murder, children's testimony and other evidence converged on Larry King.
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