Net chat room set trap for deadly baby theft
December 20, 2004 - 10:53AM
Lisa Montgomery
Photo: AP
A chilling exchange on an internet chat board for rat terrier owners shows how a US woman who allegedly ripped the baby out of a pregnant dog breeder set up the meeting.
Other exchanges show how the board members figured out what must have happened and pointed cops to the suspect.
The first message in the tragic chain was posted Wednesday at 4:22 p.m., by a Kansas woman calling herself Darlene Fischer, with the screen name "fischer4kids" - but who was really accused killer Lisa Montgomery, authorities have said. The note was the bait to trap victim Bobbie Jo Stinnett.
"I was recommended to you by (name withheld by the New York Daily News) and have been unable to reach you by either phone or e-mail," the message read. "Please get in touch with me soon as we are considering the purchase of one of your puppies and would like to ask you a few questions."
Stinnett replied with a cheerful message at 7.44 pm:
"Darlene, I've emailed you with the directions so we can meet. I do so hope that the email reaches you. Great chatting with you on messenger. And do look forward to chatting with you tomorrow am.
"Thanks (name withheld), and talk to you soon, Darlene!
"Have a great evening.
"Bobbie."
Montgomery had been on the chat board often, using her own name and posting photos of her own rat terrier puppies and seeking mates for her own breeding projects.
Early Friday morning, as news reports aired about the horrific baby snatching, the regulars on the Ratter Chatter site realised the victim was one of their own.
And then they realized that "Darlene" would have met Bobbie Jo on the day she was killed, and that the woman had arranged the deadly meeting through their chat board.
They also recalled that both Stinnett and Montgomery had discussed their pregnancies on the chat site. Montgomery, who was not pregnant, was claiming as recently as last week that she was due in days.
"Darlene Fischer was supposed to meet her on (Thursday)," wrote one poster.
One chatter figured out that the internet address for Fischer traced back to Kansas - where the baby was eventually recovered at Montgomery's home.
By 8 am, several members had called the police with the information they had gathered.
Police said the tips and a sighting of the suspect's car led them quickly to Montgomery.
By the time it was over, the pain was palpable in the messages. "We just saw a murder plan in front of us and it makes me so sad," wrote one poster.
One woman wrote she'd just been told by the suspect that she was due to give birth the day Stinnett was killed.
"Now I'm just sick as heck ... ," the woman wrote. "If this is true ... she just posted to me not long ago that she was going to have her baby Thursday."
AP