Good morning, it’s Thursday, May 6th and this is The Herald Review’s podcast, the Daily Chirp. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at top stories, events in the community, local history, sports, and more.
Today - After 22 years of searching, investigators have charged a former border patrol agent with at least four rapes that occurred in Mesa, Bisbee, and Gilbert.
Before we begin, some local history.
When the road over Mule Pass was built in 1913 and 1914, it was done by prison labor. The stubby concrete obelisk that marks the pass in Bisbee was put there to memorialize the triumph of pavement over nature.
But the marker also claimed that Mule Pass was right on top of the Continental Divide.
That line, however, lies about 120 miles to the east.
The Mule Pass Tunnel was completed in the 1950s, the ride up and over the winding switchbacks of the Mule Mountains was the only way into Bisbee from Tucson or Tombstone.
Today’s history is brought to you by Benson Hospital. The team at Benson Hospital is always working towards building a healthier community. For example, when the Benson Food Pantry needed a new home, they worked with them to find one, and their staff even helped them apply for grants to support the mission. You can learn more about everything they’re doing for our community by following them on Facebook at facebook.com/bensonhospital.
Also, The Daily Chirp podcast is giving away 5 Amazon Echo Dots - one every month now through July. You can enter for your chance to win twice a day! Today's code is DANCE and find the other codeword in our “Daily Chirp Podcast Alert” e-newsletter. To enter the sweepstakes go to myheraldreview.com, again today's codeword is: DANCE
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Now, our feature story.
For more than two decades law enforcement called their elusive suspect the East Valley Rapist.
An individual who they say had sexually assaulted women in Bisbee, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.
But now, after 22 years of searching, investigators caught their man. He was in Hereford at a house on Jaxel Road.
The suspect is 57-year-old John Daly the 3rd. And he’s a former Border Patrol agent who recently retired.
According to investigators Daly is facing charges on at least four of eight rapes that occurred between 1999 and 2001.
Police say that In each of the attacks, Daly entered the victims’ residences, blindfolded them and raped them.
Mesa Police released a statement that showed Daly was identified as the possible suspect in February via DNA samples. The samples were developed through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. Then in April, after testing the DNA, it was found that Daly was linked to two rapes, one in Mesa and one in Gilbert. On top of the DNA evidence police were able to confirm that Daly had lived in the areas where the incidents happened.
After the DNA link surfaced in April, investigators from Bisbee, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler began comparing information on their cases. The FBI helped. As did the Border Patrol.
But while all eight cases shared similar suspect behavior and patterns, only three shared suspect DNA.
And when Daly was arrested Tuesday, he was charged with three cases in Mesa and Gilbert.
Bisbee investigators will be filing their charges too, for a total of four.
For now, the remaining four incidents require additional investigative efforts.
Helping with that investigation are the Mesa, Bisbee, Sierra Vista, Chandler and Gilbert police departments; as well as the FBI; the Border Patrol; the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office; and the U.S. Marshal’s Arizona WANTED Violent Offender Task Force.
If you have any information about Daly, the Mesa Police officials encourage you to call 480-644-2211.
You can learn more on this story by visiting us at myheraldreview.com.
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Thanks for listening, before we continue, a quick message from our sponsors, Prestige Family Living.
Next, The Douglas Business Network welcomed the Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce into its membership at an event mixer at the Douglas Elks Lodge.
Today's episode is brought to you by ApexNetwork Physical Therapy. ApexNetwork Physical Therapy is the leading choice for individualized physical therapy in a warm and comfortable environment. They offer a wide range of services like Manual Therapy, Industrial Rehab, Dry Needling, Golf Rehab and more. To learn more, go to ApexNetworkPT.com.
The Douglas Business Network welcomed the Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce into its membership.
Emily Edwards-Barton, chief executive officer for SVAC, said they’re excited to join.
There was a ribbon cutting commemorating the occasion that brings the DBN membership to 35 members.
Ralph Robles, DBN president, presented Ted Kulkens of Romitek Solutions, a computer repair business with his certificate of membership. And Leo Gutierrez, owner of Power Zone Gym, and Nathan Darus, band director at Douglas High School, got special recognition for their community efforts.
Business of the Month awards were presented to Haven Health for February and Verizon Wireless for March.
And a check in the amount of $853.11 was made to the St. Vincent de Paul in Douglas on behalf of Verizon Wireless and the DBN.
Cochise County School Superintendent Jacqui Clay was there as well as the guest speaker. She stressed the importance of educating all students in Cochise County so they can achieve economic independence and the communities in which they reside can have economic success.
Clay also talked about some of the COVID challenges in schools throughout Cochise County.
She noted that this was a hard time. The social, emotional needs of students were totally disrupted or destroyed and the teachers and superintendents weren’t ready for it. Clay finished by emphasizing that students, teachers, and administrators alike have done well despite everything that’s happened during the past year.
The mixer was sponsored by Simply Bits, Blueberry Cafe, Canvas Prints and the UPS Store.
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Next, we’re highlighting Anne Thrush, a retired Army chief warrant officer who’s the new director at the Cochise Family Advocacy Center… brought to you by our sponsors, Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative.
Anne Thrush was formerly a retired Army chief warrant officer. She was also a business development manager at a local government contracting firm. Now, she’s transitioned to becoming executive director of a center that helps victims of abuse.
At the end of April Thrush took the reins at the Cochise Family Advocacy Center, also known as Lori’s Place. The facility is the only one in the region. It serves Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties to provides a safe space for victims of child abuse and sexual abuse.
The organization connects professionals in areas like law enforcement, child safety, medical, mental health, and victim advocacy work together for the benefit of victims. They help with everything - crisis response, investigation, prosecution, treatment, and support.
Mike Rutherford, the president of the Board of Directors for Lori’s Place, said that Thrush is coming in with a great deal of experience in management and leadership. He noted that she’s an effective communicator who is financially adroit and fun to work with.
Rutherford also thanked former executive director Brenda Parker for her work at Lori’s Place before she resigned in early April.
Read our full interview with Thrush about her first weeks on the job by visiting us at myheraldreview.com.
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Finally, today we’re remembering the life of
Leon Craig Gobel. Leon was born in Tulare, California. He passed from this earthly life into the arms of His Savior Jesus Christ on March 6, 2021 after suffering from complications with COVID. Leon served honorably in the United States Army until his retirement after 22 years, 9 months and 2 days. He married Cynthia Louise Battenberg in 1990. He and Cynthia lived in Bisbee for 31 years.
Leon enjoyed spending time with his wife and family, his church activities at First Baptist Church of Bisbee, and countless hours working meticulously on his World War II gun and bayonet collection. He also loved to watch old westerns and war pictures starring Randolph Scott and Audie Murphy.
A memorial service for Leon will be held Saturday May 15th at First Baptist Church of Bisbee.
Thank you for taking a moment to remember and celebrate Leon’s life.
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