Post by Scumhunter on Jan 4, 2016 11:33:21 GMT -5
(Pictured: Above: Poster asking for info on Bill Fickel's murder Photo Credit: thebatavian.com)
(Pictured: Above: Steven Rebert. Person of Interest. Photo credit: wbta1490.com)
From thedailynewsonline.com:
Ten years is a long time to live without a loved one. It’s an even longer time to live with questions about the loss of that loved one. Here’s hoping that the questions surrounding the murder of Bill Fickel in Oakfield on Nov. 10, 2005, get answers soon, and that the murderer is brought to justice.
The prime suspect in the shooting death of Mr. Fickel is Steven Rebert, who is serving four consecutive life terms for killing James and Vicky Shugar in Brockway, Pa., in 2010. The couple, both 61, were shot multiple times in the basement of their home. Rebert also is suspected in the 2007 shooting death of Kevin Smith, who lived in Shelby, less than two miles away from the Fickel home. Rebert is not a nice guy, to put it mildly, and it is good to know that he has exhausted all of his appeals to his conviction for the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Shugar and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Still, while his imprisonment may bring some relief, it leaves questions which will haunt those who loved Bill Fickel and Kevin Smith for the rest of their lives. Investigators, too, want those questions answered, and have interviewed Rebert several times in the Pennsylvania prison where he is incarcerated, seeking his confession to the murder of Mr. Fickel.
“We got nothing,” reported Jerome Brewster, chief deputy of investigations at Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.
There is good evidence linking Rebert to Mr. Fickel’s murder, but not enough for District Attorney Lawrence Friedman to feel comfortable prosecuting him. At least, not yet. Mr. Friedman said he has never forgotten this case and has conferred with investigators to follow their progress in assembling evidence. He said he hopes that “the day will come when we are able to see that the person responsible for this crime is held accountable.”
For Mrs. Fickel, a confession or a conviction could help answer some tormenting questions. She yearns to know not only who killed her husband, but also why. Mr. Fickel was not living a life that would put him at risk of getting shot. He met his death so unimaginably – simply going out to help someone he believed was interested in buying the van his father had for sale across the road.
Rebert may never consent to answer any questions. But someone must know just enough to bolster the case against him, to hold him accountable for Mr. Fickel’s death. Mrs. Fickel and Chief Deputy Brewster continue to plead for that person or persons to come forward.
“I’ve always said there is someone out there who knows something,” Chief Deputy Brewster said. “Please contact us. He’s not going to get out and can no longer hurt anyone.” A $100,000 reward is there for anyone who provides information leading to a conviction. There’s another reward for coming forward, too – the satisfaction of knowing that justice is being served.
“I don’t want my husband to be forgotten,” Mrs. Fickel said. Mr. Fickel was only 46 years old when his life was taken from him. The injustice is monstrous. The monster who robbed the Fickels of growing old together needs to be brought to justice for every crime he has committed.
The telephone number for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department is (585) 345-3000. If you have information that could help close this case, calling is the right thing to do.
Thoughts? The reason I'm placing this case in the unsolved on tv section since it was featured on AMW's old website as a "My Story", where Bill's brother-in-law and close friend wrote in to request they profile the case on amw.com. The website says "killers" while the recent article I posted above basically focuses on Rebert. But whether one or two people were involved, over a decade is an eternity to wait for justice. So hopefully someone comes forward and does the right thing.
www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn06/information-needed-so-justice-may-be-served-in-fickel-murder-20151113
web.archive.org/web/20070820201458/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=38052
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