Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Nicholas Beebe


Eighteen year old Nicholas Beebe was shot through a window on May 12, 2006 at his residence. According to Beebe’s mother, he was sleeping on one of the couches in the home, with his girlfriend asleep on the other when she was awakened by what she described as the sound of “firecrackers.”

“It’s a slow process as with any major case,” said Osceola County Undersheriff Dave Fowler in 2006. “The key emphasis is going to be thoroughness instead of rushing to judgment.” Police had a ton of leads, Fowler said.

What Richielene Beebe remembers from that awful night almost nine years ago is that it was Mother’s Day weekend and she got a call around three in the morning from a relative of Nick’s girlfriend. “Nick’s been shot…”

She jumped out of bed, didn’t even change the jogging pants she had on, got into her car, and drove the ten miles to Nick’s house. She found an ambulance parked on the corner.

“Are you going to Nick Beebe’s? Are you looking for the boy who was shot?" she asked them.

They told her they couldn’t enter the scene until police had secured it for entry.

“I’m his mom, I’m going in…”

Of course that was her response. That's exactly what I would have said if my son was in there and I was told he'd been shot. She confided that at that time, it never occurred to her Nick was dead. She thought there had been an accident or something. She figured she’d be following an ambulance to a hospital and sitting at the Emergency Room all night. The enormity of the situation hadn’t yet hit her. She pulled up to the house and there was a police car in the driveway. She went to the back door and two deputies shined flashlights on her as she went to step inside. They told her she couldn’t come in.

“That’s my son. He needs me. I have to see him.” She still didn’t know.

The deputy told her to go stand by the police car, but it was dark and she didn’t feel safe so she sat in her car and waited. I can't even imagine what she must have been feeling. My kid has been shot and you want me to wait? I'm certain every instinct in her was screaming to get inside that house right now, but instead, she was sitting in her car alone in the dark. Waiting...

Sometime in the days to follow, she got the story from Nick’s girlfriend.  She said Shiann Ankney told her she was awakened by a “firecracker noise” and then she heard a vehicle drive away. She tried to wake Nick by shaking him but he wouldn’t wake up.

In 2009, three years after the murder, Osceola County sought assistance from Michigan State Police. I submitted a FOIA request to the Osceola Sheriff's Department for their first responder's report from the date of the incident. It was denied in full.

"The Sheriff's Department has indicated this is an open case and the records cannot be released at this time. They have indicated you may call them at (231)832-2288 after some time passes to obtain a status update."

“It’s a small town. A lot of people don’t want to speak out of fear,”  Richielene Beebe told me. “Friends of friends… that’s how small towns are. But somebody knows something.”






If you or anyone you know has information that could be of assistance in the investigation into the murder of Nicholas Beebe, please contact Detective Sgt. George Pratt at the Osceola County Sheriff's Department - (231)832-2288.


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Brittney

I explained to you the case was ready to be send to the Attorney Generals Office. I do not have the power to override the legal system. Michigan State Police and the Sheriffs Office have done there jobs. now it is up to the prosecutors office to charge someone or issue warrants or send to Attorney General Office for a review. Not many people really know the case. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Saying I have a lack of interest and not taking your e-mail seriously is not going to help your cause.

Sheriff Jim Crawford"

This was the email I got as a reply to one I send Mr. Crawford. Needless to say, I was less than impressed with it. This was from May 16, 2012.

Jeni said...

I can't say I understand your pain because I don't. It sounds like you lost someone you cared about - enough to email law enforcement and ask about the case. I have lost friends, but none have been murdered. I hope you and Nick's family can get some answers at some point. It wouldn't make anything better, but it would at least make it right. Nick deserves justice.

~Jeni

Unknown said...

I MissYu Sooo Much Nick. You were an Intelligent and Magificant person, and the Best Friend a person could ever have. PLEASE: If anyone has any information at all that would help bring closure to Nicks Family and Loved Ones please contact the Michigan State Police or the Osceola County Sheriffs Department.

Anonymous said...

Call the show cold justice

James N said...

The thing that i could never wrap my mind around was why Nick? As alot of you know Nick was the type of guy that respected and got along with evetyone. Nick was what you would call passive he never was aggresive towrd anyone he was what you could call a "lover not a fighter". Fishing as i remember it was his favorite passion, he just was simply put a great guy. There is no scnario i could imagine where he brought this on himself. This was pure evil this was somone who must have been jelous of nick or somthing. I cant beleave its still unsolved. Its not like its a big town,Somone knows somthing and its time to give the Beebe family closure. Let Nick have his peace.

Anonymous said...

I personally did not know Nick but I did know some of his other family members. They are all good people. I surely thought someone in this small town would have come forward with some kind of information by now. I'm disappointed that nobody has. SOMEONE KNOWS WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. The coward that did this will never speak of it but there are other people that know and do have information that should have a heart enough to come forward. You know who you are and should be ashamed of yourselves.

Anonymous said...

There has to be someone who knows a lot more than they ever said. This is a small town and everyone knows every one. I feel like the police should have questioned more people than they did. Some people were acting pretty out of character and I feel like there was alot more the police could have found our if only they had asked the right people.

Anonymous said...

I want justice for Nicks family!

Anonymous said...

It's so sad .How many years it has been and such a small town , every body knowing every one and nobody knows what happened . Please help his mom get justice , such an awesome nice lady . My heart breaks for her not knowing why this happened or who did this . Sooo sad . I hope this family gets justice . Someone , somewhere out there that did this must have a really bad conscience and hopefully somebody comes forward , to give his mom closure . Prayers and hugs to the whole family .

Anonymous said...

Please help us get Justice!!! It seems like yesterday when I received that terrible call. The people involved need to be prosecuted, it’s been 16 years.

Anonymous said...

I find this so mind boggling that nothing has come up.

Anonymous said...

Is there any truth to a ankeny and beebe feud? And could this be a result of that if there is? Just a theory