This is Disturbing: Idaho Sex Offender Was a Blogger

By: Lowell
Published On: 7/3/2005 1:00:00 AM

This is seriously disturbing.  It turns out that the Idaho sex offender, Joseph Edward Duncan, arrested yesterday for kidnapping a young sister and brother (and very possibly molesting and murdering the boy), was a blogger, sharing his deranged thoughts with the world.  The name of his blog, "The Fifth Nail," which ran from January 4, 2004 until May 13, 2005 apparently is a bizarre reference to the myth that Gypsies hid the nail meant to pierce the heart of Jesus on the Cross.  Ugh. 

Now, the site is down, but you can still read it (through August 26, 2004) "thanks" (is that the right word in this case?) to the amazing Internet Archive. 

In addition, In-Forum of Fargo, ND has the latest blog entries -- including (also upsetting and disturbing) comments by outraged citizens after learning of this scumbag's arrest - captured in .pdf format.  His last entries, entitled "The Demons Have Taken Over" and "Still Confused" are highly distressing, so don't read them unless you want to be REALLY upset and REALLY pissed off.  One of them was actually made on May 13, just three days before the bodies of the childrens' murdered (by Duncan, apparently) mother, mother's boyfriend, and older brother were found in their rural Coeur d'Alene, Idaho home.

My thoughts on this?  First, how the hell can there be people like this in the world running around, blogging freely about their (evil/sick) intentions without getting caught?  Did anyone read this blog?  Were the police monitoring it?  I just don't get it.  Second, my views about the death penalty are once again being challenged severely, as they were a few days ago with the capture of the "BTK" killer.  What is the point of keeping people like this alive in jail?  Is death a suitable punishment, or is that not even bad enough for people like this?  What should the state's role be?  Can any politician or lawmaker -- Democratic or Republican -- seriously and credibly answer these questions? 

Third, where is the line between "psychologically disturbed" and "evil" in cases like this?  Or is there no "line," just a blurry gray zone?  Fourth, I am just furious and extremely sad at what this cretin has done to a little girl (8-year-old Shasta Groene) and her family -- or perhaps I should say "what's left of the family" at this point.  Fifth, I am relieved that Shasta Groene is now safe, although I wonder what her life will be like after this.  Finally, I just hope beyond hope that Shasta's 9-year-old brother, Dylan, is found safe and sound. 

That's all I have to say at the moment.  Let justice be done.

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