Wednesday, August 6, 2008

PIEHL: Smiley Face: A new controversy

Albany, NY is the location of the latest Smiley Face controversy. Again, it's the police against the parents. As I reported in an earlier blog, Bill Szostak believes that he knows what happened to his son Josh.

Albany Police closed the case hours after Josh's body was found drowned. Bill has been working with retired NY Detective, Kevin Gannon. As you first read here, they believe that there is enough evidence to tie Josh's drowning to the Smiley Face Killers and dozens of other drownings across the country. Bill won't reveal all the evidence, but a smiley face was found spray painted on a tree near the river.

In past and current newspaper articles and radio interviews, the local investigators have accused Bill of painting the graffiti himself. The Medical Examiner ruled Josh's death accidental with no signs of foul play. The Police say they are confident in that ruling and their own work.

They've also said that if there is new information or evidence, they would like to see it. To date, the Albany investigators say they've never been given anything new in the case from Bill or Kevin Gannon. Bottom line: the official investigation into Josh Szostak's death is closed while the unofficial one is wide open, active and (I'm told) gaining ground.