Several afraid that ‘Ted’ may be a local resident
Published 3:04 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Fear, anger, paranoia, uncertainty.
These are the basic attitudes shared by several
people, mainly women, in the Snoqualmie-North Bend area
since the grim discovery three weeks ago of the skeletal
remains of four missing Northwest women on Taylor Mountain, about eight miles southwest of here.
The usual calm in the two communities was shattered by the unnerving possibility that the elusive
“Ted,” who the police are seeking in connection with the
crimes, may live here or frequent the area.
“You kind of look at everyone suspiciously,”
said Pat McKiernan, Snoqualmie town clerk. “I don’t
fear for myself, but I fear for my 18-year-old daughter.
It scares the heck out of you.”
“It scares me, literally, said Jolene Thornton.
“I’m afraid to let my daughter out of the house alone.”
“I had goose bumps when I first heard about it,”
said Barb Johnson of North Bend. “Issaquah was bad
enough, but here? WRONG! I’m glad I live near the police
station.”
These and similar opinions were received as the Record questioned people last Thursday on the
street and in businesses around the Upper Valley. The
message that came across loud and clear was that they
hope the police apprehend the person or persons
responsible … and fast.
Debbie Blue, an employee at Metropolitan
Federal Savings and Loan in North Bend said that she was,
at first, extremely paranoid. However, that gave way
to anger when it occurred to her that, “This one person
can put so much terror into single women in my age
group. It isn’t right.”
Miss Blue, who lives in Seattle’s University
District (where two women vanished last year) said that she
is even afraid to walk around Green Lake anymore.
What really aroused her is that the culprit could
strike anywhere, anytime.
“There’s no pattern,” she said.
“It scares the daylights out of me,” said
Laverna Webb of North Bend, “especially when they say it
could be someone who lives in the Valley.”
One woman, who wished to remain unidentified,
said that she was going to apply for a gun permit to carry
a .22 pistol in her purse for protection. A week before,
a waitress in a restaurant said she was planning to
enroll in a firearms course for women, offered by
the Snoqualmie Valley Rifle Club.
However, a King County Police officer told the Record that a gun probably would not be much
use against this individual because, “He doesn’t work
that way. He disarms women by putting on an act;
making them confident that he’s no threat.”
George Macris, president of the North Bend Chamber of Commerce, wants people to know about the
city, but not in relation to “Ted.” He hopes that the
police capture the man and restore public confidence and
eliminate “the fear that has been dominating the hearts
of many people.”
Pam Howard, an employee at a local clothing
store, said the thought that “Ted” may live here scares
her. She said that recent events have made her “not as
close” to people, that this is not good.
“I look at everybody,” she said. “He could have
been in here. It bothers me, too, because I fit the
description of the missing girls.”
Sue Leach, an employee at the Snoqualmie Town Hall, said that, “It’s always somewhere else. Only
now it’s right in your backyard.”
Don Lofgren said that it makes him nervous.
“I wouldn’t have much compassion for the man
if they caught him,” Lofgren said.
As for theories, Helen Balaski said that she
believes it is the work of one man and not a group.
“I don’t think it’s a ritual type deal,” she said.
“It’s one guy.”
