Tampa Bay Skeptics Report - vol 17 no 3 - INCOMPLETE

Magazine Overview

Title: Tampa Bay REPORT ONLINE
Issue: Vol. 17 - No. 3
Date: Winter 2004-05
Publisher: Tampa Bay Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

Noreen Renier and the Williston Case on Court TV's Psychic Detectives

This article by Gary P. Posner critically examines the involvement of Noreen Renier, a self-proclaimed "psychic detective," in the disappearance and subsequent discovery of Norman Lewis in Williston, Florida. Renier was featured on Court TV's "Psychic Detectives" for her role in this case.

Posner details his own investigation into the case, which began at the behest of an A&E Television producer for the series "The Unexplained" in 1997. His findings were previously published in TBS Report and Skeptic magazine, and later became a chapter in "The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience."

Norman Lewis, an elderly resident of Williston, disappeared on March 24, 1994, along with his red truck. His body was eventually found submerged in the truck in a deep quarry a year later, after Renier was called to the case. The Court TV program highlighted Renier's supposed accuracy, with Williston Police Chief Olin Slaughter stating that initially, there was "nothing out of the ordinary" at Lewis' house. However, Posner points out that Lewis, who suffered from emphysema, left behind his life-saving inhaler and wallet, and that the police were initially investigating potential foul play.

Despite an intensive initial search yielding nothing, Slaughter is quoted on the program as saying the police had to "determine if Norman had any enemies gambling debts [problems with] drugs, alcohol, the whole gamut." No such evidence was found. After a year of fruitless investigation, Detective E. Brian Hewitt (though not named on the show) recommended Renier. The Williston police file, obtained by TBS, contained Hewitt's notes from Renier's reading on July 17, 1995.

Posner notes that the program omitted that Hewitt had learned two months before Renier's reading that Lewis had confided to a friend that he might commit suicide in one of the county's quarry pits, and that Lewis seemed "agitated and dissatisfied with . . . his life." Hewitt's interview with this friend further revealed that Lewis had "made some reference to knowing every rock pit in the county."

On the show, Sgt. Bill Baxter sent Renier items belonging to Lewis. Renier conducted a phone reading, claiming to divine an "older" man and "a truck . . . red." She also saw the numbers "45" and "21." The police were reportedly "stunned at how dead-on" her reading was. Posner suggests that Renier could have researched local newspapers and obtained maps, as he did, and that the most prominent feature on a Williston roadmap was the quarry at the junction of State Routes 45 and 121, which was an initial "prime target for the investigation" after Renier's reading, though Lewis' body was not found there.

According to the TV show, police conducted further sessions with Renier, during which she provided clues such as "a bridge," "bricks," a "railroad track," the number "22," and that Lewis was dead. She then directed investigators to an abandoned quarry north of town, where they found railroad tracks and bricks. An old abandoned truck scale, which from a certain angle resembled a bridge, convinced them they were in the right place.

However, Tampa newsman Dave Monsees reported that the "bridge" clue was actually an old, wooden truck scale, and the "railroad tracks" clue was discovered when workers uncovered abandoned railroad tracks near the pit. Posner suggests these clues were "retrofitted" after the fact. Furthermore, Slaughter retrofitted Renier's "21" clue to coincide with Lewis' body being found "2.1 miles from his front door," despite Renier's audiotaped statement of "45 miles . . . 4.5 miles." Her "22" clue was linked to Lewis' recovered wristwatch's date indicator stopping on the 22nd.

Posner remains highly skeptical that Renier's clues were instrumental, despite Chief Slaughter's assertions, and notes that forensic experts attributed Lewis' plunge to a "freak accident," ignoring the suicide plan alluded to in Hewitt's notes.

More About Noreen Renier

An article from the Cincinnati Enquirer by Matt Leingang discusses Noreen Renier's involvement in the search for Charles E. Capel, an 81-year-old retired mathematics professor with Alzheimer's who went missing in Oxford. Renier, who claims to have participated in 400 police investigations, was hired by Oxford police. They sent her a map of Ohio and Capel's personal items. Renier stated her methods involve "reading" objects left by missing people. The article notes that turning to a psychic is unconventional but considered worth a shot by the police.

Posner, in an email to Leingang, offers his own "non-psychic power" insights into Capel's disappearance, suggesting Capel is deceased and likely found within walking distance of his home in a wooded area near water, possibly wearing pajamas or underwear and his sneakers. He contrasts his free, non-psychic analysis with Renier's paid services.

TBS "$1,000 Challenge" Candidate Inquires from Belarus, Then Stalls

This section details an interaction with Simchanko Igor (or Ihar Simchanka) from Belarus, who claimed the ability to predict lottery numbers. He contacted TBS and agreed to a test involving predicting winning numbers for the Florida Lotto for seven consecutive drawings, a feat with a probability of success of approximately 1:1,000,000 by luck alone. If successful, he would win TBS's "$1,000 Challenge" and be tested by James Randi for a $1,000,000 prize. However, the claimant stalled, requesting to wait a year and proposing a test of 6 correct out of 1 erroneous prediction, which TBS rejected, requiring all seven predictions to be correct.

Snippets

This section includes a cartoon titled "VIRGIN MARY MY FOOT! THAT'S A MONA LISA SMILE!" depicting a sandwich with a face, and a "MIRACLE CHEESE SANDWICH IMAGE" with "don't ask" written on it, referencing a TBS Report.

Another snippet discusses a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich resembling the Virgin Mary, which was bid on for $100,000 on eBay and eventually sold for $28,000. The seller claimed it brought her good fortune in gambling.

A third snippet references an article about the irrational intellectual behavior of some paranormalists, comparing it to mild schizophrenia, and quotes Marilyn vos Savant on her view of conspiracy theorists as having a "minor psychiatric condition -- a sort of mild paranoia."

Newspaper's "Psychic Experts" Wash Out with Hurricane Predictions

This article by Gary P. Posner critiques the predictions made by three "psychic experts" from the Florida Today newspaper regarding Hurricane Jeanne. The article highlights that none of the psychics accurately predicted the hurricane's path or intensity, which caused destruction across central Florida.

Shiraa Roccelle was certain Jeanne would not hit Florida, predicting it would come closer to Georgia or South Carolina. Elizabeth Cooper believed it would dissipate and not be a hurricane. Chris Jones thought Jeanne would hit land and blow out quickly, expressing more concern about Hurricane Karl, which did not approach the U.S.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism towards paranormal claims, particularly those involving psychic abilities in investigations and predictions. The Tampa Bay Skeptics, through the writings of Gary P. Posner, consistently challenge the validity of psychic phenomena, highlighting instances where psychic claims are unsubstantiated, retrofitted, or demonstrably false. The editorial stance is critical of media outlets that promote psychic claims without rigorous scrutiny and advocates for evidence-based reasoning. The issue also touches upon the challenges of investigating cold cases and the public's fascination with the unexplained, while firmly grounding its analysis in critical thinking and scientific skepticism.