Psychos with Kitchen Knife, Could you defend yourself?

Imagine visiting a friend from out of town. Your friend leaves and leaves you alone with stranger who as soon as your friend leaves the stranger threatens to stab you to death. He then lunges for a kitchen knife and charges in to end your life. This seems like a story right out of a slasher movie but this was real life for a Utah woman. Luckily she was able to run upstairs and barricade herself in a bathroom and the man was only able to break down one of the doors she had locked. 


I am a big advocate of if you can escape do so but what if he made it through that second door? Ultimate Defense is not about crossing your fingers and hoping you survive, its about preparing so you DO survive. You can always run but you must know what to do if running is no longer an option. TRAIN, DEFEND, AND LIVE!

Charges: Man tried to kill woman before killing a dog

April 7th, 2011 @ 9:08pm

WEST VALLEY CITY — A Salt Lake County man was charged Thursday with trying to kill a woman with a kitchen knife before killing a dog. 

On April 4, a woman was visiting her friend's house near 3100 South and 6400 West, when she was left alone with Kirk Heath McDougal, 33, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court. For some reason, the man told the woman that they were both going to hell, then said he was going to kill her and stab her to death, the charges state. 

Kirk McDougal

McDougal then picked up a kitchen knife, police said, and started chasing the woman, who ran upstairs and locked herself in the master bedroom and the master bathroom. McDougal broke down the bedroom door and attempted without success to break down the bathroom door.

McDougal told the woman that he was going to stab and kill the homeowner's Terrier dog, the charges state. The woman then heard the dog yelping in pain.  

The woman waited until she thought McDougal had left the house before leaving the bathroom. After a long wait, she left and saw the dog "lying on the floor in a pool of blood," according to the charges

Police arrested McDougal a few blocks away standing in front of a house yelling with his pants pulled down.

He was charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony; and criminal mischief and lewdness, class B misdemeanors.

Man critically injured in home invasion shooting because of an unlocked door!

One of the best ways to defend yourself is to make yourself a harder person to target. This can be a simple as locking the door. A 20 yr old man was taken from his home after a home invasion by 3 masked gunman and shot. The gunmen entered the home through an unlocked side door. If the door was locked this young man could have avoided such a horrible ending.

Every time I  come home or leave my house I double check to make sure all the doors are locked. My kids and wife sometimes complain because they have to pull out their key or knock on the door if they leave and come back and the door is locked. Every time they complain I remind them of stories like this and help them to remember that a few seconds of inconvenience can mean the difference between a good and bad end of the story. 

Don't let laziness set you up to become the next victim. Aggressors will seek the easy target and the best way to keep that from happening to you is become the hardest target possible. Don't be a victim LOCK THE DOORS!

TRAIN, DEFEND, AND LIVE!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Man critically injured in home invasion shooting

January 23rd, 2011 @ 4:44pm

By ksl.com

HOLLADAY -- A 20-year-old man remains in extremely critical condition after being shot during a home invasion robbery Saturday night.

Unified Police officers were called to the area of 5200 South and Highland Drive about 9:50 p.m. Saturday on a report of a home invasion. At the same time, they received a report of shots fired in the same area, said UPD Sgt. Justin Hoyal.

Unified Police officers were called to this house, near 5200 South and Highland Drive, on a report of a home invasion robbery.

It wasn't until about 10:15 p.m., however, that the shooting victim was discovered. A woman returning to her home about a half-block away from the home invasion saw a man lying in the road in a secluded area. Her screams drew the attention of police officers, who rushed to the area.

The incident began at a rental house where three men told police they were inside playing video games. Two men wearing ski masks, dark clothing and each armed with a handgun, entered the residence through an unlocked side door, Hoyal said.
The invaders made the residents get on the ground, and then demanded undisclosed "valuables," Hoyal said. When the intruders left, two of the victims realized their friend was no longer in the house. The men reportedly did not see their friend being taken from the home.
How the third man, who was shot, got from the house to where the woman found him, was unknown Sunday. Investigators did not have any description of a possible suspect vehicle.
It's unknown whether anything was taken from the house or if the home invasion was random. The victims told police they did not know the gunmen.
"We're looking at all possibilities as to why this occurred," Hoyal said. "The victims are saying they don't know why they were targeted. We're keeping all options open."
The search continued Sunday for two men described as white with medium builds, both about 20 years old. Anyone with information on the robbery or shooting can call police at 801-743-7000.

Carry a Kubaton

I picked one of these up off of Amazon for myself and my wife for only about $8. This is a very simple self-defense tool that you can carry on your key chain and easily put it in your pocket or if a woman purse. The pointed Kubotan was designed to be used against bony surfaces, soft tissue and nerve points. It's effective because of the temporary paralysis & extreme pain it causes. The Kubotan increases the power of any strike. It is not necessary to waste time or miss an opportunity trying to be precise. A sharp blow to any bony part of the body will encourage your assailant to stop an attack. Its also great for attacking eyes and temples if the attacker doesn't stop. Also if you have several keys attached it also makes a very affective swinging weapon that will give you more range.  

Because it doesn't look like a weapon you can take this little self-defense tool many places you would not be able to carry a knife, pepper spray or firearm. This of course would be more of a last resort tool but if you had to it good to know that you have a little edge over your attacker. Many times that little edge makes all the difference.

Train, Defend, and Live!

Kubotan, Black, 5.75 in. (Click for more details)

Serial Strangler Arrested Thanks to a Woman Who Fought Back!

The Philadelphia strangler has been arrested after killing and raping at least three women. Antonio Rodriguez, 21, was arrested on Monday after DNA testing linked him to the three murdered women. Rodriguez's last victim despite being choked, punched and hit on the head with a brick, she escaped her assailant, who fled from the scene, according to the police report and likely gave the needed information that led to his arrest.

Rodriguez  was a homeless man and would attack his victims by dragging them into the dark alley's choked, bludgeoned, and rape them to death. Even though this scum bag is off the street the other threats like him are still there. Think about this type of attacker. They have nothing to lose. They are homeless and are willing to do anything to get what they want. Even if they are arrested the most likely don't even care because at least they would have food and shelter from the winter cold. 

So these attackers are willing and ready to do anything to get what they want, but are you willing to do what it takes to defend yourself and live? I find it incredible that with so many stories of brutal violence against women, many women still don't do anything to learn how to protect themselves or carry anything to help them protect themselves. There are so many simple things you can do from groin kicks and eye gouges and making sure you carry at least a Kubaton, pepper spray, or a knife. All of these options have simple application and don't require tremendous training to be effective and are even more effective at close ranges where most women get attacked. All of them are inexpensive and very effective even in the most stressful situations. Your attacker will fight to take your life why not fight with all you got to keep it? Don't be a victim! 


Train, Defend, And Live!

Police Arrest Suspected Serial Strangler

By the CNN Wire Staff

January 18, 2011 6:38 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- Police arrested suspected serial strangler Antonio Rodriguez on Monday after DNA testing linked him to the sexual assault and murder of at least three women in a central Philadelphia neighborhood, according to Detective Justin Frank.
"We're hopeful that this will put an end to this," Frank said.
The announcement came just moments after a press conference in which Philadelphia Police Capt. James J. Clark announced a "major break" in the case, with forensic evidence putting Rodriguez at the scene of the three homicides.
Clark had said Rodriguez is a homeless man considered "extremely dangerous".
Rodriguez, 21, is suspected of killing Casey Mahoney, 27; Elaine Goldberg, 21; and Nicole Piacentini, 35, Clark said.
It is not clear how Rodriguez was located.
Last month, a 33-year-old woman was pulled into an alley and may have been the victim of the same attacker, police said.

Despite being choked, punched and hit on the head with a brick, she escaped her assailant, who fled from the scene, according to the police report.

6 Murdered 14 Wounded, Thanks to Those Who Fought Back There Wasn't More!

We are all shocked by the tragic deaths and injuries of the recent Tucson, Arizona shootings. Six murdered and 14 wounded with U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords still remaining in critical condition. So many ask how in the world can someone do this? I don't know if that is as important to know as realizing that these tragedies do happen and will continue to happen so you need to be prepared.

It is horrible to think that an instant a 22 yr old, Jared Lee Loughner, could open fire on a crowd of people and in a moment take so many lives. In the midst of this tragedy there is an incredible story of courage for those who refused to be victimized by this pyshco and fought back. Those who fought back stop Loughner from killing more and may have help save Rep Gabrielle Giffords life. Loughner was attempting to reload his weapon to continue the rain of death on the crowed when two brave people tackled him to the ground and stop the killing.

I do not know the backgrounds of these two people but I think they should be honored as heros. I doubt that they had extensive training on how to defend against a fire arm but they had the most effective defense of all, the will to live and the willingness to take action to stop a killer. I am sure there wasn't any flashy flipping kicks used to top Loughner it sounds like they just saw the threat and went after Loughner to fight for their lives and those around them.

Being ready to take action can save you and many others lives and the more prepared you are to handle a threat the more likely you will be ready WHEN (not if) the threat happens. Ultimate Defense says, Don't be a victim, fight back and live! THANKS TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE WILLING TO FIGHT BACK!

Train, Defend, and Live!

Congresswoman in critical condition after Arizona shooting

By the CNN Wire Staff

The suspect had railed against government "mind control" and illiteracy in online missives and had "kind of a troubled past," said Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik.

"There's reason to believe this individual may have a mental issue," Dupnik said.

He said the suspect had previous contact with law enforcement in which he made violent threats, but he declined to provide further details. Court records indicate Loughner had been arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia in 2007, but the charges were dismissed.

Authorities said they did not know the motive for the shooting -- the suspect was not talking and had invoked his right against self-incrimination, Dupnik said.

Witness Dr. Steven Rayle said the shooter had a "determined look" as he opened fire.

"He was not sort of going around and picking out people and firing at them ... He was just firing his gun indiscriminately," he said.

The suspect was trying to reload his gun when he was tackled, said another witness, Joe Zamudio. Zamudio said he was one of the bystanders who pinned the gunman to the ground until police showed up.

"He was ready for war. He was not playing around," he said. "He was going to keep shooting. It was not over. He had just ran out of bullets."

Police recovered a 9mm Glock Model 19 handgun believed used in the shooting, according to senior law enforcement sources. The weapon had a extended magazine, according to a federal law enforcement source briefed on the investigation. The gun was purchased legally, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said.

In addition to the 12 people wounded, the shooting killed 63-year-old Chief Judge John Roll of the U.S. District Court for Arizona; 30-year-old Gabe Zimmerman, a Giffords staffer who was engaged to be married; 76-year-old Dorwin Stoddard, who was fatally shot in the head while trying to shield his wife; 76-year-old Dorothy Morris; and 79-year-old Phyllis Scheck.

The sixth victim, 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, was pronounced dead at a hospital. She was born on September 11, 2001, according to CNN affiliate KVOA. She had just been elected to the student council at her school, the Arizona Republic reported.

House Speaker John Boehner said Sunday he had asked that flags in the House side of the Capitol be flown at half-staff, marking Zimmerman's death.

Dupnik has not stated a motive for the assassination attempt against the Democratic congresswoman. But he suggested that "vitriolic rhetoric" in political debates could have deadly consequences.

"When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government, the anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this county is getting to be outrageous. Unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become sort of the capital," he said. "We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

Giffords, 40, was shot once in the head at close range, authorities said. She underwent surgery at University Medical Center in Tucson and was one of five people listed in critical condition Sunday morning, hospital spokeswoman Darci Slaten said.

Four other victims taken to that hospital were in serious condition, Slaten said.

Dr. Peter Rhee of the University Medical Center said Saturday afternoon that he was "very optimistic" about Giffords' recovery after surgery, but noted that the next 24 hours would be key.

Giffords staffer Mark Kimble said the congresswoman did not have any security with her Saturday morning, which was not unusual for her. Her press secretary, C.J. Karamargin, said he was unaware of any recent threats against Giffords.

After the shooting, U.S. Capitol Police said members of Congress should take "reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal safety and security." And the House Sergeant at Arms also said it was "essential" that lawmakers contact local police to register their home and office addresses.

Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor said his department had secured the homes and offices of some unnamed federal officials as a "precautionary measure."

All legislation on the House schedule for the coming week was postponed, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said. The decision was made by leaders of both parties and means the House will not vote this week on the repeal of health care reform.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said an incident like this could have a chilling effect on the frequent weekend listening post sessions many members of Congress have with their constituents.

"It does give you pause," Pingree said.

Zimmerman, the staffer who died, was in charge of community outreach in Giffords' Tucson office, Karamargin said.

Roll was a 1991 Bush appointee to the federal bench. The chief judge for the U.S. District Court for Arizona, he was originally from Pennsylvania.

Giffords was first elected in 2006. She has served as chairwoman of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee and also holds seats on the House Science and Technology and Armed Services committees.

She won her third term in a closely contested race against a Tea Party-sponsored candidate and was one of three Democratic legislators who reported vandalism at their offices following the March vote on health care reform.

She is married to Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, a NASA astronaut who is scheduled to lead a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. She is the only U.S. Representative with an active duty military spouse, according to her website.

In Tucson, supporters gathered outside the University Medical Center, keeping vigil as family members waited with wounded loved ones inside.

On the other side of the country, dozens of marchers braved sub-freezing temperatures and gusty winds to gather on Capitol Hill for a candlelight vigil Saturday night.

"I hope today will be the last day there will be any kind of violence against elected officials in this country," one woman said as the crowd formed a circle with the Capitol's dome in the background.

CNN's Jessica Yellin, Susan Candiotti, Jeanne Meserve, Dana Bash, Nick Valencia, Leslie Tripp, Steve Brusk and Traci Tamura contributed to this report.

Man Escapes being Murdered by Running Away!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Chalk up another life saved to not giving up! This man was kidnapped and taken out to "nowhere" to be murdered. He didn't give up and even though they had guns and even shot at him he was able to escape unharmed.



Why in the world would you trust someone who has told you that they have ill intent? If someone threatens you do you really believe if you do what they say that they still won't hurt you? Even more so if they tell you they are going to harm you don't just let them! If they tell you they are going to harm you or even may harm you don't just give up and let them.


This man didn't and he lives to tell about it. His attackers said they were going to kill him and with gun fire raining around him he ran for his life and was able to keep it. Had he stayed there and allowed them to do whatever they wanted he probably wouldn't have lived to tell about it.


Don't let your attack decide if you live or die. Don't let your attacker be in control. You make the decision to live and do everything in your power to live.


Train, Defend, and Live!

Grantsville police investigate kidnapping that ended in gunfire

January 7th, 2011 @ 6:28pm

By ksl.com

GRANTSVILLE -- Police are investigating a possible kidnapping that started in Midvale and ended in Tooele County.

Friday afternoon, emergency dispatchers received a medical call from a home near 800 N. Cooley Street in Grantsville. They also received several calls of shots fired.

The victim told police his captures kidnapped him from the Motel 6 at 7263 S. Catalpa St. in Midvale, then drove him to Grantsville.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man who told them that several people had kidnapped him from the Motel 6 at 7263 S. Catalpa St. in Midvale. He said they brought him to this area in Grantsville and told him they were going to kill him.

 

"They took him out of the vehicle to shoot him, and he escaped by running. They fired several shots at him, and he was not hit," said Grantsville Police Chief Dan Johnson.
 
The man managed to reach a nearby home, where the homeowner called police.
Police do have persons of interest in this case. They are also looking for a white Mazda Topaz and a silver Chevy Malibu.
 
The victim told police this incident is related to something that happened back in Cottonwood Heights, but we don't have any information on what that incident is.
 
Meanwhile, Grantsville police say they may release more information about the people they're looking for some time Friday night.

Women Child Killers, the World is Changing

The stereotypical child killer that we all see in the movies and watch for in our neighborhoods isn't what it use to be. Society is changing and there is shift towards female attackers and murders. I recently wrote about a a couple that was attacked and raped by 4 kids including a woman who participated in the raping (click for story) and a group of teen girls who attacked a pregnant women on a crowded bus (click for story). Mona Nelson is a mother of twins, claims she loves children is charged with the murder and desecration (burned body) of  12-year old Johnathan Foster. Johnathan was burned beyond recognition and was stuffed in a suit case. Police also believe this is not her first murder!


Women rapists and child serial killers? Our world is changing to the worst and we need to prepare ourselves and loved ones to be ready for any threat, even the lady down the street. We need to teach our children that stranger danger isn't just the creepy man, it can be anyone. Don't let yourself your your loved ones become victims because they didn't dropped their guard on an unsuspecting attacker.


Train, Defend, and Live!





Accused Child Killer Mona Nelson: 'I'm Not A Monster'

Mona Nelson Is Accused of The Burning Death of Missing Fifth Grader Jonathan Foster

By JESSICA HOPPER and EMILY FRIEDMAN

Dec. 31, 2010 —

Mona Nelson, the woman charged with killing 12-year-old Jonathan Foster and burning his body, defended herself against gruesome allegations by arguing that she is a grandmother who loves kids.
"I'm not a monster," she told ABC affiliate KTRK.

"I have five grand kids and I love kids," Nelson said.

Nelson, the mother of 26-year-old twins, has been charged with capital murder and is being held without bond in Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas. Jonathan's body was identified after he vanished on Christmas Eve. His body was so badly burned that he had to be identified using his dental records.

Investigators are not impressed with Nelson's plea that she is not a monster.

"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Houston Police Offer Mike Miller said told a press conference Thursday. "There's only been one or two people I've ever talked to that had eyes like she did; it was pretty cold."

Miller also believes that Jonathan may not be Nelson's first victim.

"Do I believe she's done it before? Yeah, I do. I don't believe she began and ended with the abduction of Jonathan Foster, I don't," Miller said.

Houston Police Department spokesman Kese Smith said, "We believe she acted alone."

From jail, Nelson, 44, defended herself, saying that she was approached by Jonathan's family on Christmas Eve.

Nelson claims that they she knew Jonathan's family and that they stopped by her home and asked her to dump a plastic container in exchange for $20. She said that she was drunk on vodka and never looked to see what was inside the container when she dropped it into a ditch in northeast Houston.

"I didn't know what was in it until they were showing me pictures in the interrogation room," Nelson told KTRK.

Child Killer Suspect Mona Nelson Is Former Boxer, Welder

Investigators don't believe Nelson's story. Jonathan's body wasn't found in a plastic container. Police believe Nelson acted on her own and that Jonathan was killed on Christmas Eve, the same day he disappeared.
Nelson is a former boxer who currently works as a maintenance worker and a welder.

Nelson boxed professionally in 2004, winning one match and losing three. During her brief stint as a boxer, she was suspended for 30 days by the Association of Boxing Commissions. The record does not state why Nelson was suspended.

Burned carpet and twine that may have been used to tie the young boy's hands were found in Nelson's apartment. Nelson's welding equipment was also found at her apartment. Police think the welding equipment may have been used to burn the fifth grader's body.

"Once we arrived at her [Nelson's] house, we stumbled into a wealth of evidence, evidence that showed perhaps his body was burned at the residence, evidence that showed the items he was burned with, evidence that had us pretty shaken up in collecting it," Miller said.

Nelson admitted to being a welder, but not to being a murderer.

"I do have a cutting torch. I'm a welder. I would never do that," Nelson told KTRK.

Nelson's sister defended her saying that she spent Christmas day with her.

"She showed no signs of doing anything to anybody illegal," Angie Johnson, Nelson's sister, told the station. "I don't believe at all she has anything to do with killing a child. That's not Mona."
But Houston Police believe she did kill Jonathan.

"She decided when the time was right and she swooped down and took him when she saw the time was right and she saw an opportune moment," Miller said.

Nelson has a criminal history that includes charges of aggravated robbery, drug charges and threatening a woman.

A next door neighbor of Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, told KTRK that Nelson was with the family when they were looking for the missing boy on Christmas Eve.

"She [Nelson] was just sitting there, looking at what was going on," Rita Jackson told KTRK.
Houston Police wouldn't comment on the neighbor's claims.

Smith described Nelson as an "acquaintance" of Jonathan's family. "She knew [Jonathan's] mother's roommate and she was a former maintenance worker at the apartment complex," Smith said.

Nelson is also believed to be the woman who Jonathan's mother claims answered the phone at her home on Christmas Eve, a chilling call that had authorities concerned for Foster's safety.

Smith said that Houston police are still investigating the phone call.

Did Jonathan's Family Know Mona Nelson?

Mary Gifford, the boy's grandmother, said that when her daughter called her son on Friday, a woman she did not know picked up the phone.
"My daughter asked to speak with her son, and then the woman asked [Jonathan] if Angela was his mother," said Gifford. "He said, 'Yes ma'am, Angela is my mother,' and then the phone went dead."

Gifford, who had been holding out hope that her grandson would be found alive, told ABCNews.com earlier this week that she's devastated over his death.

"I'm trying to hang in there, but what would be going through your mind if this happened to your child?" she said. "I keep thinking 'Why did she do it? Did she torture him? Why didn't she just let him come home?"
Glenn Scrimsher, Jonathan's uncle who had cared for the boy for four years until November 2009 when he went to live with his grandmother, said today that he had always worried about his nephew living with his mother.

"I was worried," said Scrimsher. "Because of my sister's state of mind and her lifestyle was not that of a caring mother who looks after her children."

Scrimsher said he didn't know Jonathan was living with his mother until after the fact. Foster moved back in with Davis just last month.

"The last time I saw him was the day he was leaving for his grandmother's," said Scrimsher. "He was happy to see his grandmother. He called her his granny."

"He loved her very much and he missed her," Scrimsher said.

Gifford, has said that she believed the Houston police waited too long to issue an Amber Alert for the missing boy. The alert was issued on Monday afternoon, nearly three days since he had last been seen.

"Regardless of how this turns out, my goal is to get the Amber Alert law changed," she said. "There should not be criteria for an Amber Alert that depends on whether cops think the kid has run away."

"The cops kept thinking [Jonathan] ran away," she said. "But he had waited too many years to go back with his mama, that's what he wished for on his birthdays, to be back with his mama... That doesn't sound like a kid who wants to run."

Police spokesman Smith defended the timing of the Amber Alert, saying that conflicting accounts of what happened the day Jonathan went missing made the case even harder for investigators.

While he wouldn't specify what the conflicting stories were about in great detail, Smith said that the mother and the boy's stepfather David Davis had originally said that Jonathan was home with a babysitter when he disappeared, but later said he had been at home alone.

ABC Affiliate KTRK contributed to this report.

The Door Was Open So He Raped and Robbed Her

This tragic story reminds us all how even the smallest self-defenses like locking your doors, can make all the difference. Castro-Miranda, 39, broke by coming in through an open door, then raped and robbed his victim. This sicko actually told police that entered the house through an unlocked door and then had "normal" sex. This whole issue may have been avoided if she had just locked her door!

It only takes a second to check if your doors are locked. Is that really to hard to make sure you and your loved ones are that much safer? Whenever my family goes in or out of the house I ask them to lock the doors. They sometimes complain because it is a hassle especially if they have something in their hands, but I remind them of sad stories like this and then there is no more complaints. 

Don't make it easier for your attacker, take the quick moment it takes everyday to always make sure your doors are locked!

Train, Defend, and Live!

Salt Lake man charged with rape, burglary

December 29th, 2010 @ 7:24pm

By Jared Page

SALT LAKE CITY -- A 39-year-old Salt Lake City man has been charged with rape after police say he entered a woman's home, choked her and forced her to have sexual intercourse.

According to charges filed Wednesday in 3rd District Court, the female victim was startled Sunday to find Henry Castro-Miranda standing in her bedroom. It's unclear whether the woman knew Castro-Miranda, though charges state he did not have her permission to be in the home.

When the woman ordered Castro-Miranda to leave, he "became enraged" and told the woman, "You are going to make love," the charges state.

The woman told police that Castro-Miranda threw her on the bed, choked and then raped her, according to the charges. Castro-Miranda told police he had entered the home through an unlocked door and had engaged in "normal sex," the charges state.

Castro-Miranda has been charged with one count each of rape and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies; and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

Standoff ends with man shooting himself

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Standoff ends with man shooting himself

December 29th, 2010 @ 4:57pm

By ksl.com

SOUTH SALT LAKE -- A police standoff in South Salt Lake ended Wednesday afternoon when the man who was holed up in his house committed suicide.

Police first went to the home to check on a woman who lived there. That's when a man inside got his gun.

That prompted the callout of a SWAT team that surrounded the home.

The man eventually walked out of the home, pointed the gun at his head and pulled the trigger.

No one else was hurt, including the woman whom police were sent there to check.

Massage Therapist Raped and Owner Attacked After Therapist Refuses to Perform Sex Acts!

An attack like this can happen in the middle of the day and without warning. The therapist was violated and when the owner tried to step in he was violently attacked. Both the therapist and business owner were not prepared to handle such a violent, entitled, sicko. The police saved the day and kept this guy from doing even more damage but had the therapist or owner been ready to handle the situation this story could have been far less tragic. 

Are you you prepared to handle a potential threat in your line of business? If you are a business owner are you ready to handle the potential threats that may enter your business?

Ultimate Defense means that you must anticipate the worst and hope for the best. Your attacker is ready to do whatever it takes to get what they want are you ready to do whatever it takes to protect yourself? Mastering even a few of the basics will bring more confidence and give you the advantage if attacked. 

Train, Defend, and Live!!!

Man seeking more than massage faces sex charges

December 28th, 2010 @ 7:49pm

By Jared Page

SALT LAKE CITY -- A 39-year-old Salt Lake City man who expected more than rubdown at a massage parlor last week now faces felony sex charges.

On Dec. 22, Fred Ryan Burtoft entered a massage parlor at 929 E. 4500 South, stripped from the waist down and asked a female employee to perform a sex act on him, according to charges filed Tuesday in 3rd District Court.

After the woman informed Burtoft that the salon "was not that kind of business," the man grabbed, groped and hit her, charges state.

The woman screamed for help, and the male owner of the business entered the room. According to the charges, Burtoft pushed the owner and the woman out of the room and refused to leave. Burtoft later become violent with the business owner, hitting him in the face several times, the charges state.

Burtoft then pushed the owner into a bench, which broke during the man's fall, and stomped on the owner's stomach, according to charges. That's when police arrived and took Burtoft into custody.

Burtoft is charged with one count each of object rape, a first-degree felony; forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; burglary, a third-degree felony; and criminal mischief and assault, both class B misdemeanors.

Min Training the Throat Strike!

Today's Min Training comes from Expert Village. The throat strike is a very effective self-defense technique and can be used against anyone no matter how big to stun or incapacitate. This technique is very effective for women and children against a larger attacker because no matter how strong the attacker the throat is vulnerable. Train, Defend, and Live! 

19yr old Kidnaps and Robs Two Men with Fear!

Fear is an Attackers Greatest Weapon!

Jose Castrejon Sosa, 19, showed no weapon and truly had no weapon but saying he did was enough to be able to kidnap two men and rob them. These men were so afraid that they actually waited for him while Sosa supposedly left to go into a restaurant to go get his gun.

This is so sad that two men would be so unprepared and so fearful that a 19 yr old could kidnap and rob them with only words. Fear and intimidation are an attackers greatest weapons but even if an attacker actually has a weapon empowering yourself to know you can defend yourself reduces their power over you. 

If someone says they will harm you unless you do what they say, do you honestly believe you can trust them? FIGHT BACK PEOPLE! Don't just become a victim at least strike a vital target a couple of times (throat, eyes, groin, etc) then run. You don't have to be Bruce Lee to fight back but do something. Your greatest self-defense weapon is surprise so use it. 

Sadly most attacks happen without a weapon and still people don't fight back. The best thing you can do is prepare now. Make the mental decision that you will fight back, that you won't be the next victim. Find someone to train with to practice even basic self-defense strikes so that if you need to use them you will be ready. At worst run in a zig zag pattern screaming your head off. Even if you attack did have a gun you most likely escape because you are hard to hit and they don't want to get caught. Do something, fight back, don't just be a victim.

Train, Defend, and Live!

Heber man charged with kidnapping, robbery

December 27th, 2010 @ 11:11pm

By Molly Farmer

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Heber man has been charged with robbing and kidnapping two men and threatening to harm them if they did not do as he instructed.

Jose Castrejon Sosa, 19, is accused of approaching two men who were walking near 7200 South and State Streeton Nov. 1, and asking to use a cell phone, according to charges filed Monday in 3rd District Court. After using one of their phones, he placed it in his pocket and told them "they needed to stay with him and that their lives depended on it," charges state.

He allegedly took them to Chuck-A-Rama at 6200 South and State Street and told them he kept a gun under the sink in the men's restroom, according to police. He went into the bathroom and when he returned told the men he had a gun in his pocket that had no safety, charges state.

Sosa took a ring from one of the men, then walked with them to another restaurant and took one of their wallets, charges state.

Sosa was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, and two counts of aggravated kidnapping, all first degree felonies. 

Why didn't they stop him? She could still be alive if someone did!

They finally have a the slimeball in custody for Kristine Marie Gabel's murder raped, murdered and left in the Fairmont Park bathroom. Paul David Vara, 30, is also being charge with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of object rape which was witnessed on Dec 14th in Pioneer Park(click for story).

I'm glad this slime ball is off the street but honestly if people witnessed Vara rape a women a few days before he raped and murdered Gabel why didn't someone do something to stop him then? Honestly, if someone had stopped him when they witnessed him raping the first victim Gabel could still be alive today. Just like in the school board shooting (click for story), people were powerless against an aggressor unfortunetly, this story didn't end as well as the school board shooting.

No, in this story two women were raped and one was murdered all because people stood by and witnessed but did nothing to stop this slimeball. Ultimate Defense is not just about protecting yourself its preparing to defend to be ready and if needed stop the threat. If more people were prepared and ready to act when an agressor tried to threaten we would have far more heroic stories in the news and far less tragic ones.

Train (yourself), Defend (others if needed), and (let all of us) Live!!

Suspect arrested in Fairmont Park murder

By ksl.com

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Salt Lake City Police Department announced it has arrested a suspect in connection with a homicide at Fairmont Park over the weekend.

 

Paul David Vara, 30, was arrested Wednesday in connection with Saturday's murder as well as a rape at Pioneer Park that took place Dec. 14.
 
Police received information from witnesses that Vara forcibly sexually assaulted a woman at Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake City last Tuesday.
 
The ongoing investigation into the death of Kristine Marie Gabel, 45, revealed she was sexually assaulted as well before her body was found in a bathroom at Fairmont Park last Saturday.
 
Police say they received information that Vara was responsible for both of these crimes but did not provide further details.
 
Detectives booked Vara into the Salt Lake County Jail Wednesday on one count of homicide, two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of object rape.

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Woman Murdered Left in Bathroom! Alcohol kills and Alcohol can get you killed.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com 

This is a little different Ultimate Defense blog then I normally write but after reading this tragic story and having seen firsthand the horrors that alcoholism can bring I had to write something. 

The body of Kristine Marie Gabel, 45, was found about 2:40 p.m. in a restroom in Fairmont Park, Utah. Gabel once had a bright future but after over a decade of alcoholism Gabel went from from "Martha Stewart" to homeless murder victim. 

As I have said, Ultimate Defense means to be ready for any threat at any time. There is no way you can be prepared and fully able to handle a threat if you have let yourself be under the power of controlled substances.

It doesn't matter if its alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. These things rob you of your ability to function in life, put you and your loved ones in greater threat, and increase your chances of being attacked and not being able to function to defend yourself. 

In Gabel’s case, alcohol robbed her of her marriage, her family, her home, her dignity, and finally her life. Your chances of attack are already there, don't increase them by using things that put you in worse situations and make it harder for you to fight back.

No matter how fun it may seem when it turns to the worst it’s never worth the risk to you or those you care about. Learn from Gabel’s story, don't set yourself up to be a victim, live clean, and live long. 

Train, Defend, and Live!

Slain woman once had bright future

December 20th, 2010 @ 4:53pm

By ksl.com

SALT LAKE CITY — Over Thanksgiving, Sherrie Allred Rice got a phone call from her sister — something that only happened every six to eight months.

And usually when she called, it was for a favor or because she was in trouble.

"She told me she wanted to call when there was something good to say, something good that she had to tell and things were going well. That time just didn't seem to come," Rice said.

But at Thanksgiving, after more than 15 years of battling alcohol addiction, family members had hoped Kristine Marie Gabel, 45, had finally turned the corner for good.

"When I talked to her, she sounded so upbeat and really feeling positive about the future and she had beaten alcohol," Rice said. "She really felt like she had a lot of hopes for a positive future."

On Sunday, Gabel — once an airline stewardess who had been around the world; a real estate agent who helped establish a new brokerage in the valley; the mother of two daughters who had a nice home; a woman who was referred to as "Martha Stewart" by her siblings — was found dead inside a restroom at Fairmont Park.

When she died, she was homeless and had not been able to keep an apartment or a job for some time, according to family members.

The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office has completed the autopsy on Gabel, but Salt Lake police were not releasing the results Monday. Gabel's death was ruled a homicide. Detectives earlier said they were looking for someone with "cuts, scratches and bloody clothing consistent with being in a fight."

Investigators have not said whether they believe the killing was random.

For family members, they agonizingly watched Gabel's life gradually crumble over the past decade and feared she may someday succumb to health issues related to alcoholism.

What they never imagined was what happened on Sunday.

"It's so hard because of the progressive loss of who she was and all of the wonderful qualities and capabilities she had. In many ways we've been extended grieving for many years now. I think all of us were always kind of afraid she would end up doing permanent damage to herself," Rice said.

"The fact she was taken in this brutal way, is so shocking and hard for us to deal with."

Rice called the slaying "atrocious" and pleaded for anyone with information to call police.

"Please come forward. She didn't deserve to die this way," she said.

Where Gabel ended up was a long way from where she began. One of five children, Gabel was born and raised in Salt Lake City and graduated from Skyline High School in 1983.

"She was very playful and imaginative, creative, a little bit of a drama queen," Rice said, recalling one time when her sister got mad at her, went to her room and came out with a suitcase saying she was going to leave.

"I used to call her Martha Stewart," Rice said of her sister's creative side.

Many years ago, she had Gabel help interior decorate her new home. She also considered at one point opening her own shop in the Sugar House area.

The siblings used to go camping, biking and swimming with their parents as well a take trips to southern California.

She became an airline stewardess for Pan Am and traveled around the world. Gabel decided to seek another career after Pan Am flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb in 1988 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board.

She went on to get her real estate license and start a new company with a friend.

"She was very instrumental in making it a success," Rice said.

But problems with alcohol started sometime in the early to mid-90s. Pinpointing exactly when she began her slow decline is something family members don't know to this day. By 1997, however, it had become a real issue.

"Alcohol became a real problem with her. It just progressively began to affect her jobs and other things. It was just kind of a slow progression," Rice said. "At first it was more of a recreational basis, and I think it became worse than any of us ever realized. It became kind of typical alcoholic behavior and hiding the drinking. It certainly snuck up on the rest of us to what her problem had been."

In 1998, Gabel's husband filed for divorce, and in 1999, she entered rehab for the first time. But after she got out, she went back to her old ways.

"Unfortunately, things would happen and she'd turn back to it," she said.

Her marriage was over, and soon she found herself drifting from job to job and apartment to apartment, until eventually she didn't have a home at all.

"She'd slip more and more away from us and the wonderful, talented, beautiful woman she was seemed to just diminish. We'd see flashes of it and hope, and then she'd disappear again. We wouldn't hear from her from months and months," Rice said. "It was not overnight by any means."

The last time Rice actually saw her sister was in 2007. After that, she would occasionally get a phone call every few months. Over the last little while, Rice believes her sister's situation had gotten to the point that she was living on the street.

"The last years especially, I don't know if she's had a permanent home or a permanent address. She just pulled away from all of us."

In 2005, Gabel was arrested for shoplifting. The misdemeanor case went through the court system for several years because Gabel didn't show up for court and bench warrants were issued for her arrest, according to court records.

In September of 2009, court records show Gabel was in rehab. But when another hearing was held Feb. 22, she again didn't show and another warrant was issued for her arrest. She was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail in September and finally pleaded guilty Oct. 13.

Rice said she had not heard anything new with the homicide investigation. She said Gabel's "on again, off again" boyfriend, whom she had her second daughter with, was questioned extensively by police. But he is also mourning her loss.

"He is just devastated by this. Everyone who loved her — and there are a lot of us who really loved her and watched her slowly slip away — are just devastated by this," she said.

If there was any good to come out the tragic situation, Rice said she would encourage others who might be in similar situation as her sister, to seek help.

"Don't cut your family out of your life, even if things aren't going well," she said.

Anyone with information on Gabel's death can call police at 801-799-3000.