Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 10 no 1 - INCOMPLETE

Magazine Overview

Title: TBS Report Online
Issue: Vol. 10 - No. 1
Date: Summer 1997
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the TBS Report Online features a detailed follow-up report on the Noreen Renier / Williston "psychic detective" case, written by Gary P. Posner. It also includes commentary on the Heaven's Gate cult suicide, UFO phenomena related to Comet Hale-Bopp, and a contribution from James Randi.

Noreen Renier / Williston "Psychic Detective" Case Follow-Up Report

The lead article by Gary P. Posner critically examines the involvement of "psychic detective" Noreen Renier in the case of missing person Norman Lewis in Williston, Florida. Posner contrasts the coverage of the case on A&E's *The Unexplained*, which included his participation, with the Sci-Fi Channel's *Sightings*, which he notes lacked skeptical input.

Posner highlights discrepancies in Renier's psychic clues, particularly concerning the number "21." While police credited Renier's "21" clue as accurate because Lewis' body was found exactly "2.1 miles" from his home, Posner points out that on *Sightings*, Renier associated "21" with "miles" in a feigned trance. However, an edited police audiotape of Renier's reading, obtained from the police file, contains no mention of "21" in any context, but rather references to mileage like "Maybe 4, maybe 5" or "4.5 miles." The videotape also reportedly lacks a "21" clue.

Investigator Brian Hewitt's May 12, 1995, report, predating Renier's reading by two months, detailed a "rock pit" suicide scenario for Lewis, as told by a friend. This information was apparently withheld from the A&E producer but had also been withheld by the police from the *Sightings* producer.

Renier's reading, as presented on videotape, included directions that seemed to lead towards a body of water, described as a "river" that goes down a sheer cliff. Posner, after visiting Williston with fellow TBS member Glenn Thompson, identified a massive rock quarry about a half-mile east of Lewis' home, which aligns with the direction of Renier's "psychic" vision. While the *Sightings* narrator stated that Hewitt put Renier's clues together and arrived at the word "Quarry," Hewitt had learned of Lewis' plans to commit suicide in a quarry two weeks prior to Renier's reading.

Hewitt claimed to have searched "probably 30 quarries" before deciding the Whitehurst pit was the best match for Renier's clues, leading to the recovery of Lewis' body. However, Hewitt's initial report cited the Whitehurst pits as the "obvious first impression" due to their location being the closest and most accessible from the Lewis residence, a claim Posner disputes, noting an eastern pit is actually about twice as close.

Posner also discusses an "eastern" pit that Renier's directions seemed to point to, which an anonymous source suggested was the police's prime target for exploratory diving. This pit was described as having water that drops off "40-50 feet deep."

Regarding another clue, Renier's "22" clue was deemed accurate by the *Sightings* narrator because Lewis' diving watch was stopped on the number 22. Lewis disappeared and presumably committed suicide on March 24, 1994. Posner suspects the "22" might have represented the number of barnacles on the truck.

The acquisition of the Renier police tapes is described as an intriguing story. A Tampa attorney, requesting public records, initially received no tapes. After repeated requests, Hewitt eventually provided an edited audiotape and later, after further pressure and a $14.00 payment, a crudely edited 14-minute videotape containing a "smoking gun" sequence.

Further questions arose regarding the police department's initial denial of a videotape, the labeling of a "Noreen's quadrant" on a map, and the personal relationship between Detective Hewitt and Noreen Renier. Renier's relocation to Williston after living in Orlando for over 20 years also raised questions. The mediator informed the attorney that the Public Records Act did not compel Hewitt to respond, and the Williston City Attorney stated that all public records had already been provided.

Chairman's Corner: High-Tech Toys

In his "Chairman's Corner," Terry A. Smiljanich discusses the Heaven's Gate cult, whose members believed they would be picked up by a UFO following Comet Hale-Bopp. Smiljanich notes that the cult members had prepared for this by having cash and extra clothes, expecting to migrate to "Paradise." He mentions a made-for-TV movie about the event and a Questar telescope purchased by cult members who were disappointed it couldn't reveal the UFO.

Smiljanich attributes the Hale-Bopp UFO claims to an amateur astronomer, Chuck Shramek, who took a CCD image of the comet and saw a "Saturn-like object." This was broadcast by Art Bell, who promoted it on his website, influencing the Heaven's Gate members. Smiljanich dismisses the object as an insignificant star with diffraction patterns.

He reflects on the advancement of technology, contrasting it with a perceived lack of human progress. He criticizes how technology is used for entertainment and pseudoscience, citing examples like shows about extraterrestrials building the pyramids and the internet being used for pornography and miracle cures. He contrasts the Tampa Bay Skeptics' website with numerous psychic and UFO sites.

Smiljanich argues that humanity's tendency to succumb to fear of death leads them to seek supernatural answers, comparing the Heaven's Gate members' actions to ancient burial rituals, suggesting that despite technological marvels, their minds are still "Stone Age."

Randi on Cult Suicide, UFOs, and Media Complicity

James Randi, writing via e-mail, addresses the Heaven's Gate mass suicide, attributing it to "organized madness" and the need to "belong," exacerbated by "bizarre ideas" that isolate cult members. He suggests that cults like Jim Jones' Peoples' Temple and the Solar Temple suicides achieve their ends through "heavy preaching of nuttery" and media support.

Randi criticizes Ed Dames, a "remote viewer," for spreading lies about psychic powers and for his alleged role in the Hale-Bopp/UFO "farce" that may have influenced the Heaven's Gate members' belief that suicide would lead them to Nirvana. He also implicates radio personality Art Bell for promoting such "stupidity" to maintain his audience.

Randi notes that Chuck Shramek initially claimed to see a "Saturn-like object" near Comet Hale-Bopp, which Art Bell then broadcast. He also mentions Courtney Brown, a former student of Ed Dames, who claims to have dispatched remote viewers to observe the object.

Randi directly accuses Dames and Bell of promoting lies and ignoring the possibility that suggestible people might act on them, questioning their ability to sleep at night.

Snippets

A cartoon depicts two figures, one from "Unarius Academy" and one from "Heaven's Gate," exchanging greetings related to Earth and Comet Hale-Bopp.

Cult expert Janja Lalich states that Heaven's Gate is "just the tip of the iceberg," implying a larger phenomenon of unusual beliefs and communes. She references the Garbage Eaters Brotherhood led by Jim Roberts, the teachings of Rael about humans being created in alien laboratories, Charles Spiegel's Unarius Academy of Science predicting humanoid arrivals from Myton in 2001, and followers of Dorothy Martin awaiting Commander Sananda's spaceship.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently promotes a skeptical viewpoint, critically examining claims of psychic abilities and UFO phenomena. The editorial stance is one of debunking pseudoscience and highlighting the role of media in sensationalizing and potentially misinforming the public. There is a strong emphasis on critical thinking, scientific evidence, and the dangers of irrational beliefs, particularly in the context of cults and alleged paranormal events. The magazine appears to be dedicated to investigating and exposing what it considers to be unfounded or fraudulent claims, while also commenting on societal trends and the intersection of technology with belief systems.