Donn Shaw's Note

This letter, written by Donn Shaw, Ricky's roommate, was found while picking up Ricky's possessions after his death.  It was on Ricky's bureau.

Donn Shaw Letter

The Donn Shaw Letter:  This is my world, I maybe came from nothing, but I am Fucking Art Man… No one to coach me along in life… No one to say, “Hey Donn, you really kick ass on drums…” no one… not fucking family, except brother Dan… no Mom… no Pop… Anymore… Fucking nothing… But here I am and I am happy… Why??? … Because I have Brothers around me… Maybe they don’t view life as I… But they will, for they are family… My World… the world I created in the name of God = Man… that’s why there is love in the name of Brotherhood… In which I’ve created my world… My World… Fuck it.  Sex is free, pornography is legal, and everyone is getting busted… in my world, we swing swords, love women, and relish treasure and thank God… My World, the world of Dungeons & Dragons… swim in it and feel good for this is My Fucking Art Man World – Donn Shaw (something created from nothing...)

Take a Moment to Help Others

The Cold Case Public Unit exists to bring the public together to work on cold cases.  We've looked and haven't found the answer to how many cases the public has solved when the police were at a loss, but if there's just ONE, that's more than enough. Please take a look at CCPU, you may be the next best thing for someone's family.

Another pre-mature suicide ruling The Ricky Dyer story. 07/06 by JC. Berry | Blog Talk Radio

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Another pre-mature suicide ruling The Ricky Dyer story. 07/06 by JC. Berry | Blog Talk Radio

On the Night of His Death

Two girls, Amber and Elisa, claim to have seen two cars (one matching Ricky's and one matching Ricky's roommate, Donn Shaw) and overheard arguing between two "guys" around the area where Ricky's body was found.  It's been nearly 18 years; come forward again, let's talk. Please?

This is the shirt Ricky had been wearing the night he died.

Watch It

Ricky always wore his watch.

It was found neither on his body nor in his possessions.

Ricky died from a gunshot wound to his head.  The police say it's suicide.  His family knows it's not.  We need an honest and thorough investigation and questions answered, like, where is the watch Ricky always wears?  It's not in the crime scene photos and the autopsy didn't mention the watch.  The watch was not with Ricky's other possessions.

Medical Examiner's Report

 Autopsy Report was a Medical Report

by Ricky Lenn Dyer, Jr.'s Parents

We asked for a full autopsy and ended up with a medical report.  Looking over the autopsy, we noticed that Dennis Mackey, M.D., did not note: if there were any marks on Ricky, any scars, nor did he dust his hands for gun powder burns. He noted what Ricky was wearing and what things he had on him, yet didn't notice if he was wearing contacts or not. If he had been wearing contacts, wouldn't [he] include that in the report?

Their answer:

Bodies are examined for the presence of traumatic injury, unexplained injuries, and/or disease.  Scars, marks, tattoos, etc. are usually noted, however, minor scars can be overlooked.

[Reviews] of [an] autopsy will show frequent reference to segments of the anatomy as being "normal" or "unremarkable."

Your son's body was found inside an automobile with a shotgun across his lap and gunshot residue testing is essentially meaningless in such cases.

The victim is known to be in contact with the weapon. Any residue detected could simply come from handling the weapon, from hands in proximity to muzzle at discharge, or from the smoke discharged into the auto interior.

Contact lenses are not noted. Their detection is rare unless one scrapes the surface of the eye.

You will note extensive damage, fractures to the orbits, and traumatic disruption of the face and eyes...

Dr. Bonnell

Remember:  he had cigarette burns to both arms two months before his death, and they couldn't see that... the cigarette burns were burned into his flesh and it wouldn't be hard to see.

They didn't test him for drugs or kind of drug that might have been given to him. This should have been a full autopsy, as we requested... there was only two pictures taken, and not good ones, why weren't there more?

It would surprise me if all the pellets entered and none exited. We'd like to ask this and get a response, I believe there were 204 pellets, and about 20 found in the autopsy-where did the remaining pellets go?

And more from Dr. Bonnell:

I would expect a bigger mess and much more blood if Ricky shot himself while seated in the driver's seat.  There are no good photos showing the injury. I expect the autopsy was performed in Reno if he died in Sparks (Nevada) and that you can get a copy of the autopsy report.  My guess is that Ricky found out something he shouldn't have, was packing to leave and got interrupted-otherwise he would have also left the shotgun case. 

Dr. Bonnell

Missing and Exploited Children

If you have heard ANYTHING at all on a case of a missing child, an exploited child, and anyone, such as Ricky Lenn Dyer, jr., please call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

Handwriting Analysis

March 31. 2006
To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is in reference to the death of Ricky Dyer. As a handwriting expert with a specialty in both the progression of suicide and psychological autopsies, I examined a couple samples of Ricky's handwriting.

Within these samples I found that Ricky did NOT appear to be suicidal. In fact, I found him to be energetic with goals and he appeared to have optimism with regard for his future plans and aspirations.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.


Sincerely,
Treyce d'Gabriel

Buying Time

Two hikers, walking in the hills of Sparks, Nevada, USA stumbled across a light blue Cadillac one Saturday morning in July 1993. They were shocked to find the body of a twenty one year old man who would later be named Ricky Dyer Jr. Ricky had been shot in the face with a shotgun, which was in the car with him.

The police believed that Ricky had committed suicide but there are a number of clues, in the form of evidence found at the scene and also words used by individuals known to Ricky that suggest the possibility he was the victim of a murder that was carried out in such a way that it appeared he had ended his own life.

Blood was found on the outside of the vehicle yet it was claimed he shot himself inside the car. A man who had motive to kill Ricky seemed to know information that only someone at the scene at the time of Ricky's death could have known. Furthermore a substantial sum of money that had belonged to Ricky was found to be missing following his death. Ricky had gained the money the day he died.

It's been nearly 18 years and we want to know... why did Ricky die?

From Suicide to Murder

Ricky's suicide ruling is not the first time people are questioning the authorities and it won't be the last.

In 1953, Dr. Frank Olson, literally crashed through his hotel window, falling ten stories to his death.  The New York police, the CIA, and even the Army, confirmed his death and called it suicide.  However, in 1975, it was accidentally revealed that Olson was yet another victim of MK-Ultra, where people were administered doses of LSD to unsuspecting people... some of them for up to 77 days, among other things.

The LSD guinea pigs included Olson, but for entirely different and more sinister (if that's even possible) reasons. Olson knew what was going on and he wanted out of the CIA.  Next thing you know, he's on the ground dead and it's being ruled a suicide.

Although the intention of the LSD experiment was not to induce death, it did.  And the lying began.

To this day, no one is really sure exactly what happened, but Dr. Frank Olson's body was exhumed decades later; the forensics team found evidence of a serious blow struck to his head before his "leap" to death.

As for Ricky Lenn Dyer, Jr.'s death, the shoddy sheriff investigation is a good enough reason to re-investigate, but the questions that haunt the family truly lead me to wonder: what really happened the day Ricky died?

"Victims have discovered that they are treated as appendages of a system appallingly out of balance. They have learned that somewhere along the way, the system has lost tract of the simple truth that it is supposed to be fair and to protect those who obey the law while punishing those who break it. Somewhere along the way, the system began to serve lawyers and judges and defendants, treating the victim with institutionalized disinterest."

~President Reagan's Task Force on Victims of Crime, December, 1982.

People and Places

 The Restless Sleep

"...gray-area cases, like missing persons cases, and homicide vs suicide disputes, they’re just so unendingly awful. I did a piece for NPR a year or two ago about a family in West Virginia who lost five children in a fire and who, to this day, believe that their children did not die in the fire, but were kidnapped. (Not a comment on the Dyer family, by the way.) It’s worse than a cold case, come to think of it..."

Life on the Row

Ricky Dyer was a mild-mannered young man of 21 who worked in a grocery store in Sparks, Nevada. He had been living with his parents until approximately two weeks prior to his death. He was devoted to his family, especially to his mother, to whom he regularly brought flowers. He was the kind of person who would always help others, both in his personal life and at work. Ricky was a happy person who had just bought his first car, was looking forward to moving into his own apartment and beginning life on his own as an adult. He did not fit the profile of one whose death was ruled a suicide by the investigating agencies. 

Find Carrie Culberson Message Forum

Something happened to Ricky Dyer. It is not believed he committed suicide. His family needs your help to find out what happened to Ricky. Please visit his website and sign the petition to find answers.

A Few Questions

This week, we're trying to find anyone who ever helped with Ricky Lenn Dyer, Jr.'s case to find out what's been done, what needs to be done, and why there continue to be so many unanswered questions.

The Dyer family would like a complete and fair re-investigation into his death.  They'd like - they need - their questions answered.   They'd like to know why Ricky would cash his check before allegedly killing himself. They'd like to know why he'd pay his rent in advance if he knew there was no eventual need. They'd like to know how there was blood found in the doorjamb if the door was closed. They'd like to know why it's been claimed he showered and changed at home only to get into the car and throw the very clothes he changed out of into the trunk.  They'd like to know why was there a shell on the ground outside the car?  They'd like to know how the roommate knew what was playing in the car if he had not been in the car at the time. They'd like to know why there was a pool of blood inside the shotgun.  They'd like to know why Ricky's cigarette burns weren't investigated.  They'd like to know if Dungeons and Dragons has anything to do with his death.  They'd like to know why the sheriff is so sure this was a suicide.

There are way too many questions, but you get the gist.