"There is no crueler tyranny than that which is exercised under cover of law, and with the colors of justice." - U.S. v. Jannotti, 673 F.2d 578, 614 (3d Cir. 1982). The sun trickled through the dense tangle of the spring's budding branches. Karen Wolfe Churgin walked her dogs on April 18, 1990, on her remote wooded property on Chebacco Road. The veterinarian spotted a white sphere obstructing a drainage ditch. Churgin's home sat on top of the bluff overlooking Chebacco Lake, and the lower-wooded basin was often flooded with water. The sparsely inhabited wilderness in Hamilton, Massachusetts attracted hikers and bikers, but was also a secluded setting known for criminal activity. From a distance, she saw an object, a white sphere. When she reached to dislodge it, she reeled back in horror. She immediately called the police. "I saw something in the woods that looked like a punched-in volleyball," Karen told the Beverly Times on April 25, 1990. "I looked closer and it was a human skull. It had suture-like zigzagged lines. Those are unique to human skulls." Officer Hatfield was the first to respond, and the initial conclusion determined the discovery was, indeed, a human skull. Hamilton Police Chief Walter Cullen arrived at the scene next and photographed the find. The Massachusetts State Police Crime Prevention and Control Unit, CPAC, dispatched Cpl. Dennis Marks to take charge of the crime scene. Local police sent the skull and a nearby black boot to Hunt Memorial Hospital to examine, but nothing else surfaced in the initial cursory search of the surrounding area. Notices went out to departments to assist the resident force, and names poured in to compare the cranium to known missing persons. Joan Webster's name appeared on the list, but the resting spot was more than thirty miles from the long-speculated crime scene at Pier 7 in Boston. "Of course, it's being checked out, but the location doesn't seem to correlate. Circumstances pointed to her being taken out in a boat and dumped at sea. This is something way up north and doesn't tie to anything." -George Webster Harvard Crimson April 28, 1990
About the Author: Eve Carson was born in Danville, Illinois in 1953, and has lived in the Midwest most of her life. She is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in economics and industrial management. She was a supervisor for General Motors and a marketing representative for IBM before taking time to be a stay-at-home mom with her daughters. Eve married Joan Webster's brother, Steve, on January 5, 1980, and she was part of the immediate family when Joan disappeared. As a mother, Eve was active in the schools and her girl's activities. She volunteered time and skills to numerous organizations, fundraising, and promoting a positive environment for her children. Ms. Carson earned the reputation for speaking out when serious circumstances warranted a voice and a backbone to stand up against abuse. Unfortunately, in our society, Eve learned blowing a whistle often has a personal cost. She brings a unique insight into the enigmatic Webster family and the devastating events that have spanned more than a quarter century. Trauma continued to plague members of the Webster family. Without justification, Eve found herself in Joan's shoes, alienated from her children, and missing from their lives. Joan's blood relatives devalued and discarded a member of their family. Repeated history and a horrifying allegation were the catalysts for Ms. Carson to unravel the lingering mystery of Joan's loss. When Tim Burke published events surrounding Joan's unresolved case in 2008, Eve pressed to recover documents, interview witnesses, and research the case. Insight, instinct, and memory, corroborated in files, unveiled a complex and secretive manipulation of Joan's murder investigation. The search for truthful answers followed a path filled with obstructions and exposed evidence of public corruption. Examining a cold murder case opened new avenues Eve would like to share with others who have suffered devastating tragedy. Writing, interviews, and presenting facts are tools to shatter the silence and dispel myths. Too often, society blames the victims. Ms. Carson undertook a daunting challenge, fighting a system that obscured justice in the brutal murder of a loved one. Supported with facts documented in files, she persevered through personal attacks. Eve hopes her experiences will lead to stronger sunshine laws that remove control from those who fail to protect the vulnerable.