To the regular readers of this blog, I extend my apologies for such a long (two week) absence. A holiday trip to the East Coast and the usual busyness of the season intervened. I promise to get  back on a more regular schedule again. Perhaps, I should say I promise to try to get back on schedule.

If you haven’t read the five comments to my last post regarding questions I’ve been asked recently about the party that Ed Burns attended the night of Stacey’s murder, you really should. Just go to my website (www.dukesouthard.com) and select the Murder in a Small Town category on the right side of the screen.

My answer to these comments and questions is much the same as I’ve said for years of writing about this horrible event. I’d answer with another question. Can we assume that the investigators have examined every single aspect of that party, which is truly Mr. Burns’ alibi? Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, I spoke with Bob Ward of Channel 25. He raised some of the same questions as others did in the comments to the blog post. What hotel? What was the occasion? Were there cameras in the halls, the parking lot, the lobby? Was Mr. Burns’ friend, Michael Brabants, with him all night long? If Mr. Burns knew about this party in advance, why did he take the three little girls for that weekend then promptly drop them off at a relative’s residence?

Of course, we must assume that the police have thoroughly checked this whole scenario out, right? In one of the original blog posts years ago, I asked what I thought was a simple question. If the police have definitely ruled out Ed Burns, or anyone else for that matter, why not just announce it? Take the names out of the mix and out of the rumor mill.

We are coming up on ten Christmases since Stacey Burns was taken from those who loved her. Is it too much to ask for at least a tiny bit of real, factual information on this case to be released?

Hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Duke