April 05, 2005

No one here but us chickens

Nearly eleven years ago, convicted killer Randolf Dial escaped from Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite, Oklahoma, with the assistant warden's wife, Bobbi Parker, the mother of two then-teenage daughters. Mr Dial was talented as a sculptor and artist. After attaining trustee status at the prison, he and Mrs. Parker had been operating an inmate pottery program. cs.jpg Since leaving the prison, the two used the aliases Richard and Samantha Deahl and worked on chicken farms. Shelby County Sheriff Newton Johnson commented:

"It's unusual that someone would be held against her will for 11 years, but I guess anything's possible"
It seems that she had some opportunities to escape.
"She came in the store by herself. All she had to do was pick up the phone and dial. She had chances to get away," store clerk Earlene Mitchell said.

James Chandler, another store employee, said Parker didn't say much.

"She's kinda shy, like she's not in the real know about raising chickens," Chandler said.

Dial, on the other hand, did not really feel that he had escaped, because of having to hide:
"I was doing time," he said. "I never went anywhere. It was just the same as being in prison, except I had a big yard."
He is fairly compliant about his return to prison:
"I hope they will let me have my paint and brushes," he said. "That's all I hope."
When he talked with his chicken-farm companion Monday night, he told her to "be good to herself. She's got it coming."

I wonder if her husband found the story of her kidnapping to be full of Chicken Sh*t?

Posted by Susan R at April 5, 2005 05:10 PM
Comments

It's basically the same problem when the public doesn't understand why a woman in an abusive situation doesn't leave. You have a convicted murderer, a con artist, who's shown he has no respect for the law, or fear of it - he "always knew he'd be caught" and didn't regret the 10 years he had out of prison. He tells her he has connections to have her family, her children murdered.

She was the one earning their keep by working on a chicken farm, picking up dead chickens! While he glorified in the book that was written about him, even so far as to go there and have the author sign a copy for him, and then to call the author to talk to him.

And the author later tells the polic but they can't track the call, and then says that the woman didn't sound like she was being held captive??? Makes you wonder about his complicity. Did he recognize Dial when he came to the book signing (it seems he should have if he knew that much about him)?

I'd just like you to take a moment to put yourself in her shoes - to be in the captive of someone who has guns and knives and threatens you and your family and you really believe he can hurt your family. That's not such a far stretch with someone who's a convicted murderer. Her "reward" for staying was being allowed to work from before dawn til after dusk every day picking up dead chickens on a farm, and going out in disguise, basically being isolated from anyone who could have helped her.

Now picture yourself being put through that ordeal and then having the press smear your name saying you must have wanted to stay because you could have gotten away. And the same people who are condemning her are loudly proclaiming how they would have helped her if she had called someone????

We're not just "a town without pity" anymore. We're now a nation with none.

Posted by: Karen at April 8, 2005 09:59 AM

I was there, and there are many questions to be asked. Why were there love letters and cards inside the residence. (from him to her and her to him) Why were there pictures of them both being Baptised during the same church service?

Why were there pictures (non posed) of them clipping flowers in the rose garden, smiling and enjoying life. Why, when asked what was going on?, did she respond, "What did HE say?"

Why, when Dial was being placed in the police vehicle, did she begin telling us what medicines he needed to recieve, and to make sure he got some cigarettes.

Why did she make sure he had cash money to be placed in his commisary at the jail so that he could buy cigarettes?

Why, when "rescued" did she not act or appear grateful? Why did she not immediately ask to contact her family? Sheriff Johnson was right, Bobbie did say she was going to stay in the area. She did not appear to me to be so anxious to get back to Oklahoma.

There are many questions left to be answered in this case. Was Bobbie Parker held against her will? MY OPINION, NO she was not. Was she involved in an abusive relationship with someone she loved? (Randolph Dial) MOST Probably.

Oh Yeah Seperate Bedrooms?
WRONG!, it was a two bedroom trailer. Only one room had a bed. The other was full of art stuff and a computer with a computer chair. Barely room to walk in. The couch was covered in junk that looked like it had been there for years. Unless they slept in shifts, it was pretty obvious they slept in the same bed, together.

The only people that know the TRUE answers to these questions are Bobbie and Randolf and we already know he's a LIAR!

Posted by: K.C. at April 13, 2005 08:03 PM

Wow! Don't you love it when those who know come forward with the real information.

Posted by: Tig at April 13, 2005 10:34 PM