Letter to Sandra Couture

The below is self-explanatory. I will be mailing it as soon as I can get to the post office, and will then update this post to tell the date I actually mailed it. Today's date is March 10, 2015. This is the actual text of the letter I will be mailing. On the bottom is a screenshot of Sandra Couture's DOC Offender Locator page.

As reported two posts back, the DOC refuses to give me Joseph Couture's address, so I cannot write to ask him why he confessed to a crime without the Prosecutor presenting any evidence or sworn testimony in a courtroom showing that he actually committed the crime. 

From: Lloyd Wagner

24 Thamrong Prasit Road #8

Nai Muang, Amphur Muang

Nakhon Phanom, Thailand 48000

Sandra Kay Couture

OID# 240974

MFC Shakopee

1010 West 6th Avenue

Shakopee, MN 55379 U.S.A.
March 10, 2015

Hello Sandra Couture,

                I’m writing to you because back in August 2000 I witnessed a pair of size 11 or 12 New Balance shoes on a former neighbor of mine in Twig, MN, named Thomas (Tom) J. Hinze. In addition, Tom Hinze was driving a black Chrysler minivan the last week in August 2000, in addition, Tom Hinze told me that he had taken my vehicle from my yard the week of the Langenbrunner murder, in addition, Tom Hinze told me that he had burned clothing in a woodstove the week of the Langenbrunner murder, in addition, Tom Hinze left town shortly after the Langenbrunner murder, in addition, Tom had a reputation for violence and a bad attitude toward women (especially “Indian women”, he compared them to “animals”).

                I wasn’t much of a newspaper reader back in 2000. In addition, my mother died in the fall of 2000, my father and I were very busy working on publishing a book in the fall of 2000, and there were many other things going on, as well. Also, I knew first hand that Tom Hinze’s minivan had been in impound the night of the Langenbrunner murder, so I never even considered that it could have been him, until I read a full year later that the Sheriff was looking for the size 11 or 12 New Balance shoes, and I started putting 2 and 2 together.

I have repeatedly told the Sheriff’s Department about all of this information, but they have repeatedly refused to DNA-test Mr. Hinze, or to even look at the woodstove or the car that Tom told me he had “borrowed”. The Sheriff’s Department said I was “looking for a reward”, and wouldn’t even investigate. (Tom Hinze died in October 2013 and I’m still saying the same as I said years ago, so I’m not “looking for a reward”.)

                When I read that Joseph had been arrested for the murder, I also sent all of this information to the Public Defender’s office, and though they confirmed to me that Tom Hinze had never been DNA-tested, they didn’t seem to think it was at all important, nor did they make any insistence that the Prosecutors come up with any DNA proof to show that Joseph did the crime. They just accepted his “confession” without requiring any forensic evidence or any sworn testimony from any witnesses. As you know, all the Prosecutors had to back their story was an unnamed witness, and that witness is STILL unnamed.

                I have also checked all over the Internet to see about that July 6, 2012 “arson fire” that you and Joseph both “confessed” to. There was no fire ever reported in Cloquet, or anywhere else in Carlton County on July 6, 2012, until AFTER they had charged you with setting one. And then they never said where the fire was, because I guess they didn’t want you or Joseph to know whose house it was, though according to them, you already DID know, or why else would you go set it on fire??

That’s the only case in history that I can find, that a fire supposedly burned a house and two vehicles, plus killing two dogs that never left any skeletons, but were “missing and presumed dead”, that never made it into the newspaper the very next morning. In fact, ALL fires are reported the next morning, except for that one! There WAS NO fire reported on July 6, in Cloquet.

                Also, did you know that the official Minnesota fire statistics for 2012 reported a TOTAL of $8,600 damage for ALL “incendiary fires” in Carlton County in ALL of 2012?

                I am so irritated at being called a liar in this case, and my testimony being covered up and ignored, and also, my life was threatened by Tom Hinze, that I have started a blog on the Internet about this, and am digging out every bit of information I can find. I’ve published all of the above on the blog, plus a lot more. It’s called “Trina Langenbrunner Case Solved?”

                I have your address from the Minnesota Department of Corrections Prisoner Locator website – you are listed as MnDOC Offender ID 240974, at Shakopee, and I have thoroughly checked into the way to address letters to prisoners.  I will post a copy of this letter on the blog before I mail it to you,  – and I will mail at least 2 copies, a few days apart. The Thai postal system is very reliable, and my family in the U.S. and I have even sent cash through it from time to time. Not a single one of our letters has failed to get through in either direction – but as I have found when I attempted to get Joseph’s mailing address from the Department of Corrections, they refused to give it to me, as he is “serving his sentence out of state” and it is “DOC policy” to not give out his address.

I suspect that they may try to “deep-six” any letter I send to you, too, or try to dictate your reply, or whatever … but I would like to hear and report your story of whatever it was that caused you to confess to setting a fire that according to all the evidence, never even happened.  And please send me Joseph’s mailing address too, if you have it, or any other info you might be able to give me on what went on to induce you to “confess” in this case.

Mail takes about 10-12 days, each way. I will post this on my blog, before I actually mail it – then I will post the date that I actually mail it – and then I will wait for roughly a month for a reply. I will then post whatever reply I get, with my comments, or I will report that I have not received any reply.

Whatever is the case.

Good luck,

Lloyd Wagner

Below are the 2 screenshots of the Offender Locator, as of today, March 10, 2015. 
Thanks for reading, and please stay tuned.

Attempts to Correspond with Steven Hagenah (Part 2)

The following post consists of 3 emails sent by me to Steven Hagenah, a law enforcement instructor at Leech Lake Tribal College in Bemidji, Minnesota, and retired agent from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (who I introduced in the last post). I include Mr. Hagenah's response (which I finally received after my 3rd email), and my comments, (in red font). ***(Note on August 3, 2018 ... Steve Hagenah is now deceased, so some of the external links do not show the same info that they did when this post was first published, 4 years ago.)***

Me to steven.hagenah@lltc.edu

Jan 14

Dear Sir,

I originally sent this as a Facebook message, but it doesn't seem as though you are active on Facebook.

I am assuming that you are the Steve Hagenah who worked as forensic investigator for the MBCA.

I recently read an article about you in an old Duluth News Tribune article, saying that you conducted analysis of info in the Trina Langenbrunner case.

I have testimony in that case that I have reason to believe was withheld from your office. As I couldn't get my testimony into a courtroom, I have been relating the story, plus my research into various related issues, in 16 posts so far, the first of which is here: http://formerlyfarmerly.blogspot.com/2014/09/introduction.html

If your office was actually provided with all of this information, please let me know.

Sorry to bother a retired person, but I got the impression through the Tribune article that you may not be the type to just "drop everything" after retirement.

Regards, Lloyd Wagner

P.S. I'll wait for a couple of weeks before continuing with the blog, as I feel that your information is very important. I prefer not to continue without it.

Thank you very much.

me

To

steven.hagenah@lltc.edu

Jan 27

Dear Sir,

I believe that certain forensic data in the Trina Langenbrunner case was deliberately withheld from your former office in the MBCA.

As you have been informed, Joseph Couture was convicted of the crime solely on his own confession in 2013, with no physical data or sworn testimony of any witness ever being presented to a jury.

I need to know if your former office did or did not receive any forensic data concerning a Thomas J. Hinze, about whom I related a considerable amount of information to the St. Louis Sheriff's Department investigators. My testimony was evidently ignored, since the Investigator from the Public Defender's Office, Mr. Ron Taggart, informed me that Thomas Hinze was never DNA-tested (though many others were). That is inexplicable, since Mr. Hinze met EVERY criteria the Sheriff was advertising for: he had opportunity, had no alibi, was witnessed wearing size 11-12 New Balance shoes just before the murder, left town a couple of days after the murder, drove a black Chrysler minivan the week before the murder, had a reputation for violence ...... Not to mention that he threatened my life for talking about him in the case.

I need the information about whether or not your former office received any data concerning Mr. Hinze in order to continue the blog I have been writing concerning my testimony and research regarding the case.

Trina Langenbrunner Case "Solved"?

 (Here was a link to this blog, that previewed the screen shot showing the total 2012 damage from incendiary fires in Carlton County, MN, less than $9,000, as reported in official Minnesota State Fire Statistics -- despite Sandra Couture supposedly having burned down a house plus two vehicles in Cloquet, on July 6 of 2012.)

This is the second email I've sent you regarding this simple yes-or-no question, and I also sent 2 messages to your Facebook account.

I've checked on Google, and I have no doubt that you are the Steven Hagenah who was in charge of the forensic investigation in the case, and that this is your present email address.

I'll wait for another couple of days, and if I still receive no answer, I will relate that information in the blog, that after 4 attempts, I have received no answer.

Thank you,

Lloyd Wagner

 me

To

steven.hagenah@lltc.edu

Feb 12 at 3:27 PM

Dear Mr. Hagenah,

I've written a rough draft of my next blog post, relating my experiences trying to get my testimony taken seriously in the Trina Langenbrunner case.

As my attempted correspondence with you will be the main subject in the next post to be published in a couple of days, I thought I would give you a quick chance to read it before I publish it, and to comment to me, if you wish. (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: The "rough draft" referred to here has actually already been published, in the last post.)

Thanks,

Lloyd Wagner

Below is the “answer” I finally got from Steven Hagenah, after 6 weeks. I will analyze it paragraph by paragraph, and comment, in red font:

Steven Hagenah

To

me

Feb 13 at 3:38 AM

Mr. Wagner, I did read your emails. I chose not to respond as I have no idea of who you are and why you are fixated/interested on this case. (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: I quote directly from my January 27 email (above). I thought my email was an adequately clear introduction about who I am, and why I am “fixated/interested” on the case. I’ll reproduce the applicable parts of that email once more, right below, in italics.)  

Jan 27

Dear Sir,

I believe that certain forensic data in the Trina Langenbrunner case was deliberately withheld from your former office in the MBCA.

As you have been informed, Joseph Couture was convicted of the crime solely on his own confession in 2013, with no physical data or sworn testimony of any witness ever being presented to a jury.

I need to know if your former office did or did not receive any forensic data concerning a Thomas J. Hinze, about whom I related a considerable amount of information to the St. Louis Sheriff's Department investigators. My testimony was evidently ignored, since the Investigator from the Public Defender's Office, Mr. Ron Taggart, informed me that Thomas Hinze was never DNA-tested (though many others were). That is inexplicable, since Mr. Hinze met EVERY criteria the Sheriff was advertising for: he had opportunity, had no alibi, was witnessed wearing size 11-12 New Balance shoes just before the murder, left town a couple of days after the murder, drove a black Chrysler minivan the week before the murder, had a reputation for violence ...... Not to mention that he threatened my life for talking about him in the case.  (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: I really don’t have any idea how to express myself any more clearly than the above email. I have a Master’s Degree in the English language, with a related field of Linguistics, have done no small amount of professional writing, and have 9 years’ experience in teaching college-level English as a Second Language.

For Christ’s sake, even my 2nd-year English students in Thailand can understand what I wrote here. It’s beyond belief that Mr. Hagenah cannot understand such plain English.)

In addition, I am no longer an active law enforcement person. (Comment from Lloyd Wagner 2-20-2015: Any citizen receiving information concerning a possible cover-up of testimony in a felony crime, especially a brutal murder, has the moral and legal duty to act on it, not only “active law enforcement people”. Besides, here is what Steven Hagenah said in the June 16, 2012 News Tribune article, and I quote from that article, again, in italics:

“Steve Hagenah, a retired senior special agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in Bemidji, worked for years on the case and was thrilled to hear abot an arrest Friday night.

        “I know some people who busted their chops on that case,” he said. “It just goes to show that you never give up.”

        He said that while many of the people who worked on the case early on are now retired, investigators wear a cold case “like an albatross around your neck,” he said.

        “You never stop thinking about it.” (Comment from Lloyd Wagner 2-20-2015: Are you or are you not thinking about it, Mr. Hagenah?)

You need to speak with the "real" police but it seems you have worn out your welcome in that regard. (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: Again, the email quoted above seems to say in pretty clear English that I HAVE REPEATEDLY spoken with the so-called “real” police, and that they inexplicably have refused to check into my information.

In addition, the so-called “real” police also informed Mr. Hinze of my confidential testimony, and completely failed to act on my complaints that Mr. Hinze had threatened my life in consequence of their telling him about my confidential testimony.

I’m not sure what the hell the phrase “wearing out my welcome” has to do with anything at ALL, in “real” police work, Mr. Hagenah.

I wonder where you learned about Law Enforcement, and how in the world you can claim any right to be teaching the subject in a Tribal College, when you talk about testimony in a murder case being “welcome”, or not “welcome”.

Check the Mr. Hinze’s DNA, already, is all that’s required. Not like or dislike, or welcome, or unwelcome, just check his DNA. That’s where the evidence lies, Mr. Hagenah.)

I do not check my Facebook stuff as it seems mostly a waste of time so that is not a method to get information to me.

(Comment from Lloyd Wagner 2-20-2015: That’s entirely up to you, of course, Mr. Hagenah. Then after I gave up trying to contact you through Facebook, it still took 3 emails (above), including a threat to contact your employer, Leech Lake Tribal College, before you finally sent me this smoke-screen I am commenting on now.)

I assure you, I get many emails from many people to consider themselves investigators or detectives and to be quite honest with you, I ignore most of them.

(Comment from Lloyd Wagner 2-20-2015: I related my direct testimony, including what I SAW, and what I HEARD, namely: a detailed description of the tire that had been on the car Mr. Hinze could very easily have taken the night of the murder, a description of the vehicle Mr. Hinze had been driving just before the murder, some simple facts of Mr. Hinze’s movements the week of the murder and shortly thereafter … and I asked a simple question, whether Mr. Hagenah’s office had received any forensic data from Mr. Hinze from the “real” police.

I still cannot get a straight answer from Mr. Hagenah.

As far as “considering myself to be an “investigator” or a “detective”, well, Mr. Hagenah, when I see size 11 or 12 New Balance shoes, and belatedly find out that the police are looking for someone who wore New Balance shoes of that same size that I saw, and the same week that I saw them, besides (!) it shouldn’t take much of a damned “investigator” or “detective” to realize that it is my duty to tell the "real" police what I saw.

And when the SAME person had also been driving a Chrysler mini-van just a week before the murder, had an easy opportunity to steal my car the night of the murder, had had no alibi, had left town right after the murder, and had also told me he had burned clothes right after the murder, it shouldn’t  take a professional “detective” or “investigator” to think that perhaps the “real” police should have checked his DNA.

Isn’t that pretty basic, Mr. Hagenah, or wouldn’t you know?

I am not being intentional rude but I have little time for some of the fantastic tales people send me. (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: That should be “intentionally rude”, buddy, use the adverb form – and ya, you ARE being intentionally rude, by calling my story “fantastic”, without ever checking the forensic data, or ever answering my simple questions whether you did or did not receive the forensic data.

I guess what I would call “fantastic”, would be for someone to ask me or anyone else to believe that the “real” police have done their jobs, here. According to Ron Taggart from the Public Defender’s office, the Sheriff’s office did actually check the DNA of many people (I’d assume through the MBCA, though I don’t know for sure), though not including Tom Hinze.

 Am I supposed to think that ALL of the people they checked ALSO were seen wearing size 11 or 12 New Balance shoes, drove a Chrysler mini-van, were (or could have been) in the Brookston area the night of the murder, and may have been acting strangely (like burning clothes in a woodstove) or left town shortly after the murder? The same as Tom Hinze actually did? ALL of these people they DID DNA-test, met all of the above criteria? Otherwise they wouldn’t have had to check them?

Now that IS “fantastic”, Mr. Hagenah. Only a fool would believe that. Yet evidently they DNA-tested all those OTHER people, while refusing to DNA-test the guy who I have repeatedly and still repeatedly swear met every one of those criteria.)   

Some of your "evidence" or information is obviously in error and thus, not valid for consideration.

(Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: I used the words “data”, “testimony”, and “information”, and I did NOT use the word “evidence”. You’re putting words into my mouth.

My testimony is NOT “obviously in error”, it is my testimony. The only way that my testimony would be incorrect would be if I had MADE UP that testimony, and was lying. And the only way to check into that and to prove that I was lying, would be to check into the DATA, which is exactly what I asked YOU, Mr. Hagenah.

DID your office receive any information on any forensic DATA on Tom Hinze? If you had, and if that DATA had proven that I was lying, then you’d have something to say. Otherwise, I’ll repeat, you’re obviously throwing up a smoke-screen to try to cover for WHY they did not check into my information, and why my testimony AND the forensic data has been very deftly kept out of a courtroom.   

I am not the person to list all the details for you.

(Comment from Lloyd Wagner 2-20-2015: I didn’t ask you to list any details, Mr. Hagenah, I asked you if your office had received the data, regarding the description of the tire on the car, streaks on the headliner that were reported as looking as if someone may have wiped blood off his fingers, ashes from the woodstove in which Mr. Hinze said he burned clothes, and especially Mr. Hinze’s DNA sample. Did it or did it not match that of the DNA found at the crime scene? Yes or No would be sufficient, and details would not be required.)

I do appreciate that you take an interest in justice and seeking truth but it does not take much misinformation to lead one down a blind alley.

(No, I don’t think you really appreciate that I take an interest in justice and seeking truth – or you would have answered my questions.

As far as “misinformation”, you are not accusing me of making a mistake, you are calling me a liar, as all of the information I mentioned to you relates to things I am ready to testify to, under oath. I don’t appreciate being called a liar without any attempt made to PROVE me a liar, and I will say that the “leading down a blind alley” is what you and the “real” police have been trying to do to both Trina Langenbrunner’s family, and to the public.)

I am certain those who follow your blogs await the next installment.

(Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: Yeah, I think they do, thanks, Steve. Less and less people are believing the mainstream media and lying police than used to, which causes more and more people to get their news elsewhere.)

Sincerely, (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: “Sincerely”??)

Steve Hagenah (retired Agent) (Comment from Lloyd Wagner, 2-20-2015: Yeah, retired, all right, undoubtedly collecting a nice pension from Minnesota taxpayers, and double-dipping from the tribal college, besides. A guy who seemingly can't even read English, and doesn't seem to know (or care) anything about the reliability of DNA evidence in a murder case, either. Now we ARE talking about some "fantastic" crap going on.)

Well, that’s the end of this post. Once again I am left with a bad taste in my mouth.

But thanks for reading, and please stay tuned.