HOME OF VWBUSRAT... GIVING ADVICE ON VW REPAIR

A Mothers View

On 12-24-97 I talked to my youngest son Stephen.

We talked about that night when he was coming over with my oldest son Jason & his family for Christmas.

He was going to work and would be over after he got off.

At 3:O'clock in the afternoon we got a phone call that Stephen had been hurt.

We had no idea how bad.

A man had shot our son in the back of his head.

Stephen had no idea he had been shot,

he never knew what happened & he never saw it coming .

I couldnt believe he had died . It's a pain that doesn't go away and it leaves an emptiness in your heart. You never think of losing a child before you, and you never think they would be murdered.

The person who shot my son has not been punished for this crime.

Stephen was a good kid, he was kind and would do anything to help you if he could.

He didn't hurt anybody. I know your in a better place, and I will always love and miss you, on birthdays and holidays, and all the time I think of you.

Love

Mom

Who is Stephen?

(A Brothers Story)

Our most asked question is "Who is Stephen?". Well, Stephen's Buggy Repair © was opened on April 1st,1999 to help a father and brother deal with the loss of a son and brother, and a love affair with the aircooled Volkswagen. Our company name was founded in memory of Stephen, who was murdered Christmas Eve 1997 while taking a smoke break in the rear of his job. From what we know, Stephen was outside of the restaruant smoking a cigarette when a guy approached him on a bicycle.Witnesses stated that it appeared the two of them had some sort of confrontation, and Stephen, not being one for confrontation, turned his back to the man throwing his hands up in the air as if to say "I've had enough of this" when the suspect shot him point-blank in the back of the head. Thankfully, if you can be thankful, he was killed instantly, so he didn't suffer.The suspect was stopped by the police less than 5 minutes afterwards. The officer who stopped him noted he had a bag with .22 caliber bullets and other misc stuff. A homeless person who said she saw it, failed to ID him at the time of his detainment. Subsequently he was released until two days later,when he was arrested on FELONY drug warrants that the detaining officer failed to run him for at the time of detainment. In the two days he was free, all evidence in his possesion, i.e. clothing which may or may not have had Stephens DNA on it,bicycle,the bag and anything else useful in prosecution disappeared. The suspect's gun was recovered from Nellis Air Force Base property, but because it was a sawed of .22 rifle, a ballistics tests could not be performed, plus the bullet was too badly damaged for analysis. The barrel was recovered from the home he was staying at, made into a toy gun. At his preliminary hearing we discovered how poorly our csi unit really performs by destroying what possible evidence that was collected from the scene.The same witness who failed to ID him the first time, was shown a photo lineup that was created that morning. She picked the suspect out of the lineup prior to testifying. When she testified she stated that the photo ID and the suspect sitting in court where not the same person,even though she already ID'd him prior . So due to lack of evidence and a witness who changed her story the State had to drop the charges. So now we wait on justice.

The youngest brother: A sister’s story

July 24, 1979 a baby boy was born. That baby boy was my brother Stephen Michael. I remember the day well. I was 4. I waited anxiously knowing that when mom and dad returned home a baby would be with them. Sure enough that afternoon my dad came in and ran back out returning with my mom and a 10+ lb bouncing baby boy! I would always get so excited when a new baby was coming!

Stephen was a good baby and a fun kid. How he loved to play and run around. Sometimes he played too hard! Stephen sure had a way of keeping us on our toes! LOL! He had many battle wounds. The first…WOW! That was a doozy! Poor thing damn near castrated him self climbing into a play pen with out a diaper! I found him and being around 5 was unable to tell my mom EXACTLY what the problem was. My mom….oh how my mom freaked out. But my dad….hehehe…I thought he was going to pass out! When he was two he and our older brother Jason were playing in the kitchen. Stephen was in a chair on his knees and Jason playfully tossed a towel over his face and then quickly pulled it back. Stephen erupted with laughter. I loved that deep belly laugh! Well Stephen grabbed the towel and out of the chair he went. Head first onto the floor…..passing out in my moms arms. My dad rushed him to the E.R. I remember sitting and begging God not to let anything happen to him. When my dad later returned home with Stephen he ran in the house with a big smile on his face and as usual was ready to play. I remember quizzing the hell out of him to make sure the doctors hadn’t switched him! Oh…come on now…I was only 6! A few years later it was time for Stephen to learn to ride a bike….and what are big brothers and sisters for? I think he was around 6. Jason and I had him out in that back yard for hours just trying to teach him to use the brakes! He had the peddling part down but he didn’t know how to brake! So….in order for him to stop he would run right into the fence and fall over sideways. Jason and I would run by his side the whole length of the yard cheering him on and pick him up when he fell. Those were the most fun days! Little did we know mom and dad would stand in the kitchen and watch us….I’m sure they had some good laughs! I know I did! And then there was the tow bar…yes I said tow bar. Stephen and our sister Lisa running around outside playing chase. Lisa ran around the front of my dads dune buggy and as she rounded the front she grabbed the tow bar and just as Stephen rounded the corner BAM! Down it came onto his lip….yep….his lip! Have I mentioned yet that during all of the instances he NEVER cried? I am certain my mom did enough for them both! He was so strong and brave! Hmmm…he definitely kept everyone on their toes!

As Stephen got older he became such a gentleman. He was the kind of boy that would help an old lady cross the street. Such a cliché but really…that is how sweet of a person he was. One thing that I always admired him for was always standing up for the underdog. He didn’t like to see people down or being picked on and he would stand up for them but not in a confrontational way. He used reasoning. Something most teenage boys don’t have knowledge of. When he got a job he just couldn’t help himself buying gifts for my sisters Ashlie and Terri. They were 2 and 4. Every payday he would take them and buy them a new Barbie and always gave my mom money and or took her to lunch. He was a very generous person. If he had it and you needed it….it was yours. He also had a great sense of humor and always made everyone laugh. We used to sit out in the front of the house on weekends till at least midnight or 1. All the neighbor hood kids would be out with us and he would have everyone in tears from laughing so hard. He had this jacked up habit of “dead legging.” In case you are not familiar…that is when you are sitting …often times totally relaxed….and just when you least expect it..he would yell “DEAD LEG!!” and WHACK! He would Charlie horse the crap out of your leg. The “dead leg” was when you got up to go after him and down you went because your leg was in a big knot! Little shit! ;)

When Stephen turned 18 I was 21 and lived in Colorado Springs. We stayed in contact as much as possible. He had his life and I had mine. You know how it goes. I remember one night before I moved away I picked him up to come and hang out with us. We had the best time. All of us went to eat and go bowling. As much as it pains me to think it….that was the last time I had seen my brother alive. The last time I spoke to him was on my 22nd birthday when he called to say “Happy Birthday Sis!”

On December 24. 1997 The Good Lord called Stephen home. He was shot in his head while at work on Christmas Eve. It was mind numbing. For the first few months after his death I was in a different state of mind. The vibrant, kind hearted, fun loving, outgoing, giving, humorous young man who I knew as my brother Stephen Michael Kinser was tragically taken from us. My biggest fear was that he was cold and alone. Then I had the blessing of seeing him…seeing where he had gone. A beautiful peaceful place. A place like you can’t imagine and suddenly…I envied him! Not that I want to die but just that he is at a state of peace only God can provide. He is lucky and I know he is happy! I know he watches over us everyday and not just because he is with God but because that was the nature of his soul. I often see Stephen in my dreams…very often. I usually see him when he is younger…9-10. He always has on his little round glasses.

I have made peace with Stephen’s death. I have no choice but to do so. I know in my heart that he wants all of us to continue our lives and enjoy it as he so graciously did his. I also know in my heart that the person/persons responsible for his death will face their judgment. If not in this life then in death. He/they will face our maker and justice will be served. That….gives me great peace.

Till we meet again my brother I love you and will see you in my dreams!

Angie