The slow, painful, pointless death of Nicholas Contreraz, age 16, at the Arizona Boys Ranch
As described in the sheriff's report, Pinal County, Arizona, April 17, 1998.
Pinal County Sheriff's OfficeOffense Report
Date: 4/17/98
Officer Dispatched: 466 PHILIP W LEBLANC
Officer assigned: 277 EDWARD P SCHWEITZERINCIDENT/OFFENSE
DEATH INVESTIGATION: UNDETERMINED CAUSES
INCIDENT DASE: 03-02-98
TIME: 18:18
ARREST MADE? NO
WEAPONS/THREATS USED? NO
LOCATION: ORA ORACLE (DIST #9)
TRAFFIC ACCIDENT? NO
SITE ADDRESS: 036895 S MT BEMMON HWY
JUVENILE INVOLVED? YES
PROPERTY LOST/DESTROYED/STOLEN? NOVICTIMS/COMPLAINANTS
PERSON NUMBER: 000101021 CONTRERAZ NICHOLAS
DATE OF BIRTH: 01-15-82
SEX: M MALE
ADDRESS: AZ BOYS RANCH
INJURY: YES
EMPLOYER: AZ BOYS RANCH
ADDRESS:36895 S. MTN. LEMON HWY, ORACLE, AZ
NUMBER OF PERSONS ARRESTED: 00COMMENTS/NARRATIVES
COMMENT DATE: 03-02-98
BY: 466 PHILIP W LEBLANCWRITTEN BY: DEPUTY TRAVIS 610
ENTERED BY: 819ATTACHMENTS: WITNESS STATEMENT (GEOFFREY
SEAN LEWIS)ON MARCH 2, 1998 AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO 36895 S. MOUNT LEMON HIGHWAY, BOYS RANCH, IN REFERENCE TO A 16 YEAR OLD SUBJECT WHO HAD STOPPED BREATHING AND HAD NO PULSE. DISPATCH ADVISED THAT THE BOYS RANCH EMPLOYEES WERE ALREADY CONDUCTING CARDIOPULMONARY RESUCITATION ON THE SUBJECT.
UPON MY ARRIVAL AT APPROXIMATELY 1818 HOURS, I OBSERVED CPL. LEBLANC, BADGE #466 AND RURAL METRO ALONG WITH A FEW OF THE BOYS RANCH EMPLOYEES CONDUCTING CARDIOPULMONARY RESUCITATION ON A RESIDENT OF THE BOYS RANCH, LAYING IN A SUPINE POSITION. I SPOKE TO ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS STANDING THERE WHO IDENIFIED HIMSELF AS MONTGOMERY HOOVER. MR. HOOVER IDENTIFIED THE RESIDENT AS THAT OF NICHOLAS CONTRERAZ, DOB/01-15-82.
AT THIS TIME MY SUPERVISOR CPL. LEBLANC, BADGE 466, ADVISED ME TO GO SET UP A LANDING ZONE FOR THE AIR E VAC. AIR E VAC ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1829 HOURS. CARDIOPULMONARY RESUCITATION WAS PERFORMED UNTIL AIR E VAC WAS OFF THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 1855 HOURS.
I THEN AGAIN SPOKE WITH MONTGOMERY HOOVER AND HE STATED ONLY HE AND GEOFFREY SEAN LEWIS, DOB/8-2-74, WITNESSED NICHOLAS COLLAPSE. I WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A STATEMENT OF WITNESS FROM MONTGOMERY HOOVER DUE, TO THE FACT THAT HE LEFT IN A BOYS RANCH VEHICLE TO NORTHWEST HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE AIR EVAC.
I THEN SPOKE WITH THE OTHER STAFF MEMBER WHO MR. HOOVER INDICATED WAS THE ONLY OTHER PERSON AROUND WITH NICHOLAS. HE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS GEOFFREY SEAN LEWIS. DOB/8-2-74. MR. LEWIS STATED, NICK CONTRERAZ WAS PERFORMING PHYSICAL TRAINING (PUSH-UPS) IN THE AMPHITHEATRE. MR. LEWIS INDICATED DUE TO NICK'S LACK OF EFFORT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, HE WAS BEING PHYSICALLY ASSISTED. MR. LEWIS STATED IT HAD BEEN FORTY MINUTES SINCE THE LAST HYDRATION. SO THE STAFF TOOK NICK TO GET WATER FROM HIS CANTEEN. MR. LEWIS STATED WHEN STAFF WAS GIVING NICHOLAS WATER HE DID NOT RESPOND. MR. LEWIS STATED HE HAD BEEN PLAYING LIKE HE WAS PASSING OUT SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE DAY. MR. LEWIS STATED THE STAFF CHECKED NICHOLAS' PULSE AND BREATHING AND FOUND NOTHING. MR. LEWIS AND STAFF IMMEDIATELY ADMINISTERED CPR AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. MR. LEWIS STATED CPR CONTINUED UNTIL NICHOLAS WAS TAKEN WITH MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM.
CASE STATUS: TURNED OVER TO DETECTIVES
980300044A ATTACHMENTS: NONE
WRITTEN BY: CPL. PHILIP LEBLANC 466
ENTERED BY: 819ON MONDAY, 03-02-98, AT A30UT 1759 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE ARIZONA B0YS RANCH IN REFERENCE TO A 16 YEAR OLD B0Y THAT WAS NOT BREATHING. THEY STATED THAT C.P.R. HAD BEEN STARTED AND THEY HAD BEEN DOING C.P.R. FOR AB0UT 6 MINUTES.
I ARRIVED AT AB0UT 1811 HOURS AND FOUND A MALE SUBJECT THAT WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND CPR WAS BEING PERFORMED ON HIM; TOOK OVER DOING THE BREATHING PORTION OF C.P.R..
THE RURAL METRO AMBULANCE GOT ON SCENE AT ABOUT 1817 HOURS AND DEPUTY COTE. BADGE #610, ARRIVED AT ABOUT 1817 HOURS. I ASKED DEPUTY COTE TO SET UP A LANDING ZONE.
I HEARD A STAFF MEMBER OF THE B0YS RANCH TELL A PARAMEDIC THAT THE MALE SUBJECT, LATER IDENTIFIED AS A MR. NICHOLAS CONTRERAZ, HAD BEEN DOING PHYSICAL TRAINING (P.T.) AND HAD STOPPED BREATHING. THEY THOUGHT THAT HE WAS FAKING AND BROUGHT HIM TO OUR PRESENT LOCATION AND SPLASHED HIM WITH WATER. MR. CONTRERAZ DID NOT RESPOND SO THEY CHECKED HIM FOR A PULSE AND FOUND NONE. THEY THEN BEGAN C.P.R.. I NOTICED THAT MR. CORTRERAZ WAS WET AND THAT HE HAD VOMIT NEXT TO HIS HEAD. I ASKED ABOUT THE VOMIT AND THEY SAID THAT IT CAME UP WHEN THEY WERE DOING C.P.R.
AT ABOUT 1855 HOURS, AIR E VAC HELICOPTER LEFT FOR NORTHWEST HOSPITAL, IN TUCSON WITH MR. CONTRERAZ.
AT ABOUT 1915 HOURS, I CONTACTED THE STAFF DUTY OFFICER LT. MARTINEZ, BADGE #49, TO LET HIM KNOW WHAT HAD OCCURRED. LT. MARTINEZ TOLD ME THAT HE DID NOT NEED TO SEND OUT A DETECTIVE SINCE IT DID NOT S0UND LIKE THERE WAS ANY FOUL PLAY.
AT AB0UT 2017 HOURS, THE CHARGING NURSE SUE, FROM NORTHWEST HOSPITAL CONTACTED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT MR. CONTRERAZ HAD DIED AND THERE WAS SIGNS OF ABUSE ON THE BODY. I ASKED WHAT THESE WERE AND SHE SAID HE HAD ABRASIONS FROM HEAD TO TOE. HE HAD BRUISING ON HIS FLANKS, HE HAD A RIGID STOMACH AND HE HAD BLOOD IN HIS STOMACH.
I THEN RECONTACTED LT. MARTINEZ AT ABOUT 2018 HOURS, AND HE ADVISED TO GO AHEAD AND CONTACT THE HOMICIDE DETECTIVE ON CALL. AT A30UT 2027 HOURS, I CONTACTED DETECTIVE E. SCHWEITZER, BADGE 277, AND NOTIFIED HIM OF THIS CASE. DET. SCHWEISZER ADVISED HE WOULD BE ON HIS WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.
AT AB0UT 2235 HOURS, I MET DET SCHHEITZER AT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL WHERE I TURNED OVER SOME REPORTS OF OUR FINDINGS AND I ASSISTED HIM WITH THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS FORM. THE CASE WAS TURNED OVER TO DET. SCHWEITZER AND CLEARED THE HOSPITAL AT ABOUT 2340 HOURS.
AT ABOUT 0030 HOURS, I TELEEPHONED THE BOYS RANCH AND WAS INFORMED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ'S FAMILY WAS NOTIFIED OF HIS DEATH AS ABOUT 2330 HOURS OUR TIME, BY A MS. VIRGIE AVILA. MS. AVILA IS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE BOYS RANCH.
ASK STATUS: TURNED OVER TO DETECTIVE
9803000443 030298 SUPPLEMENT
WRITTEN BY: E. SCHWEITZER #277
ENTERED BY: 372ON MONDAY, 03-02-98, AT ABOUT 2030 HOURS I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL AT MY RESIDENCE FROM CORPORAL P. LEBLANC 466. LEBLANC ADVISED ME OF THE DEATH OF A 16 YEAR OLD BOY (NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ. DOB: 01-15-82) FROM THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH OUTSIDE OF ORACLE, ARIZONA. LEBLANC FURTHER ADVISED ME THAT THE BOY HAD BEEN DOING SOME TYPE OF PHYSICAL TRAINING WHEN HE STOPPED BREATHING. LEBLANC STATED SHAT AT ABOUT 1800 HOURS HE WAS DISPATCHED TO THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN REFERENCE TO A BOY THAT WAS NOT BREATHING. UPON HIS ARRIVAL, HE FOUND THAT THE VICTIM WAS BEING ADMINISTERED CPR BY CAMP PERSONNEL. LEBLANC ASSISTED WITH THE CPR UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF RURAL METRO AMBULANCE.
UPON SHE ARRIVAL OF DEPUTY COTE #610, A LANDING ZONE WAS SET UP FOR LIFELINE AIR FLIGHT TO TRANSPORT THE VICTIM TO NORTHWEST HOSPITAL IN TUCSON, WHERE THE VICTIM WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT 1930 HOURS BY DR. NANINNI. AT ABOUT 2017 HOURS CORPORAL LEBLANC RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CHARGE NURSE AT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL, WHO AVISED LEBLANC THAT CONTRERAZ HAD EXPIRED. LEBLANC WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT THE VICTIM HAD A LOT OF ABRASIONS AND BRUISING ON HIM AND THAT HE HAD A RIGID STOMACH AND BLOOD IN THE STOMACH. I ADVISED LEBLANC TO MEET ME AT NORTHWEST HOSPITAL. I ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL AT ABOUT 2234 HOURS AND MET WITH LEBLANC. WE WERE TAKEN TO EXAM ROOM #3, WHERE THE VICTIM HAD BEEN PLACED AFTER BEING PRONOUNCED.
AT 2240 HOURS LEBLANC AND I VIEWED THE VICTIM, WHO WAS COVERED BY A BLANKET. I PULLED THE BLANKET BACK TO THE VICTIM'S GROIN AREA AND FOUND THE VICTIM LAYING ON HIS BACK. THERE WAS A MEDICAL TUBE IN HIS NOSE AND ONE IN HIS MOUTH. THERE WERE TWO SMALL MEDICAL LEAD PADS ON HIS UPPER CHEST AREA AND ONE LARGER DEFIBRILLATOR-PACER PAD ON THE CENTER OF HIS CHEST AND TWO MEDICAL LEAD PADS ON HIS LEFT SIDE. I CHECKED BOTH OF THE VICTIM'S HANDS AND SAW NO SIGNS OF ABRASIONS OR BRUISING ON THEM.
ON THE VICTIM'S RIGHT WAIST AREA AND HIP AREA I NOTICED THREE ABRASIONS THAT APPEARED TO BE IN AN EARLY STAGE OF HEALING. THERE WAS BRUISING ON THE CENTER CHEST AREA THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY 30 TO 40 MINUTES OF CPR BEING ADMINISTERED ON THE VICTIM. I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SAND OR DIRT IN THE VICTIM'S OUTER EARS.
I TOOK SEVEN POLAROID PICTURE OF THE VICTIM'S UPPER BODY AND ONE POLAROID PICTURE OF THE SEAL I PLACED ON THE BODY BAG. CORPORAL LEBLANC COMPLETED THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT. I SPOKE TO DOUG SCOOPMIRE (VIA THE TELEPHONE) OF THE PIMA COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AUTOPSY TO BE PERFORMED AT HIS OFFICE. I OBTAINED THE HOSPITAL RECORDS AND THEN CLEARED THE HOSPITAL AT APPROXIMATELY 0340 HOURS.
AT ABOUT 0040 HOURS CORPORAL LEBLANC CONTACTED ME VIA RADIO TO ADVISE ME THAT VIRGIE AVILA OF THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH HAD CONTACTED THE VICTIM'S MOTHER AND ADVISED HER OF THE DEATH OF HER SON AT ABOUT 1330 HOURS.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
90300044C 030298
WRITTEN BY: E. SCHWEITZER 3277
SUPPLEMENT ENTERED BY: 372ON TUESDAY. 03-03-98, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM WAYNE WALLACE AND BERTHA WINFIELD OF ARIZ DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY. THEY REQUESTED TO BE ADVISED OF THE INVESTIGATION'S RESULTS WHEN THEY CAN BE ADVISED 1602-542-2287) I ALSO SPOKE TO PETER DE LA RAMBELIE, PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE BOYS RANCH (602-896-9391). I ADVISED HIM THAT I WOULD TRY TO BE THERE SOMETIME AFTER NOON.
I RECEIVED A CALL FROM PROBATION OFFICER DON BERG OF THE SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICE BERG WAS CONTRERAZ'S PROBATION OFFICER AND WANTED TO ADVISE ME THAT HE HAD SPOKEN WITH CONTRERAZ ON MONDAY, 03-02-98, BY PHONE AT ABOUT 1300 HOURS. BERG FURTHER ADVISED ME THAT HE WOULD BE FLYING INTO ARIZ0NA ON TUESDAY TO CONDUCT HIS OWN INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT. (OFFICE PHONE 916-875-0332/CELLULAR PHONE 916-591-0448)
AT ABOUT 1338 HOURS I ARRIVED AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE, ARIZONA. I MET WITH PETER DE LA RAMBELIE, BOB THOMAS (PRESIDENT/CEO OF THE ARI20NA BOYS RANCH - 602-987-9700) AND KAJA-ANNE JEZYCKI (GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH - 602-987-9700, EXT. 226).
I ASKED PETER DE LA RAMBELIE IF HE COULD GIVE ME A BREAK DOWN OF A NORMAL MONDAY FOR CONTRERAZ SO THAT I WOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATION. HE SAID THAT CONTRERAZ HAD BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS AND WAS STILL IN THE ORIENTATION STAGE. HE LIVED IN BARRACKS #31, ALONG WITH ABOUT 25 OTHER JUVENILES AND THREE STAFF MEMBERS. TWO OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WOULD SLEEP, WHILE THE THIRD WOULD STAY AWAKE. DURING THE SIX WEEK PERIOD. CONTRERAZ HAS BEEN THERE, HE HAD BEEN TREATED BY THE ON-DUTY NURSE FOR THE FLU AND HIS BREATHING, WHICH WAS CAUSING HIM TO HYPERVENTILATE. THEY HAD HIM BREATHE INTO A PAPER BAG TO CONTROL THE HYPERVENTILATION.
CONTRERAZ WOULD GET UP BETWEEN 0630 AND 0700 HOURS AND GET READY FOR THE DAY. BETWEEN 0730 AND 0800 HOURS THEY WOULD EAT BREAKFAST. AFTER BREAKFAST AB0UT 60 PERCENT OF THE GROUP WOULD GO TO CLASS AND THE REST WOULD GO ON A WORK DETAIL AND BRING A BAG LUNCH. THE WORK DETAIL CONSISTED OF CLEANING UP THE AREA IN AND AROUND THE CAMP, WORKING ON THE ROADS IN THE AREA OR PERFORMING WORK FOR AREA HOME OWNERS. THEY WOULD RETURN TO THE RANCH AT AB0UT 1530 HOURS, AT WHICH TIME THEY WOULD HAVE PHYSICAL TRAINING AND THEN THEY WOULD GET READY FOR DINNER.
WE THEN WALKED AROUND THE FACILITY TO THE AREA OF THE AMPHITHEATER THE AMPHITHEATER PAST A SET OF CEMENT SEATS THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE SEAT AREA IS A SAND BASE. APPROXIMATELY 20 T0 25 FEET FROM THE AMPHITHEATER IS THE AREA WHERE THE VICTIM WAS ADMINISTERED CPR. I NOTICED THAT THE GROUND WAS PACKED SOIL WITH SOME ROCKS THE SIZE OF MARBLES TO HALF THE SIZE OF A FIST ABOVE THE SOIL SURFACE. WE THEN WENT TO BARRACK #31, WHERE CONTRERAZ LIVED AND WAS TAKEN TO SHOWER. DURING THE WALK, PETER DE LA RAMBELIE POINTED OUT THE CHAPEL, DINING HALL AND OTHER BUILDINGS AND A SMALL BRIDGE THAT CONTRERAZ WAS CARRIED OVER TO GET HIM TO HIS BARRACKS.
THE SCENE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF A SMALL CANYON WITH A SMALL BROOK RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE MANY LARGE TREES ON THE PROPERTY AND OTHER NATIVE BRUSH. THE BARRACKS, DINING HALL, CHAPEL, MAIN OFFICE BUILDING AND OTHER BUILDINGS ARE SET ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SMALL BROOK WITH SEVERAL WOODEN BRIDGES CONNECTING THE TWO SIDES.
AT ABOUT 1635 HOURS I TOOK A TAPED STATEMENT FROM STAFF MEMBER MONTGOMERY CLAYTON HOOVER, DB: 05-17-68. PRESENT DURING THE STATEMENT WAS KAJA-ANNE JEZYCKI. (NOTE: THE STATEMENT ENDED AT ABOUT 1708 HOURS WITH THE LAST COUPLE OF MINUTES NOT BEING RECORDED BECAUSE I DID NOT NOTICE THE RECORDER HAD STOPPED. JEZYCKI ALSO RECORDED THE STATEMENT AND ADVISED ME THAT SHE WOULD GIVE ME THE ENDING I MISSED.)
ON 03-04-98 AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS I RECEIVED A CALL FROM IDENTIFICATION TECHNICIAN S. WATTS #372, AND WAS VIEWING THE AUTOPSY OF NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ. WATTS ADVISED THAT DR. PARKS FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF PUS IN THE VICTIM'S LEFT CHEST CAVITY WHICH INDICATED A MASSIVE INFECTION. SHE ALSO ADVISED THAT DR. PARKS FOUND NO TRAUMA ON THE VICTIM'S BODY WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VICTIM'S DEATH AND THE RESULTS OF THE AUTOPSY WOULD PENDING FURTHER MICROSCOPIC AND TOXICOLOGIC EXAMINATION.
ON THURSDAY, 03-05-98, DETECTIVES S. GUILLIAMS #196, B. ALSTON #46, IDENTIFICATION TECHNICIAN BRANNON #614, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY JANNA VANDERPOOL AND I WENT TO THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. UPON ARRIVAL AT ABOUT 1330 HOURS WE HAD STAFF MEMBER HOOVER WALK EVERYONE THROUGH THE EVENTS OF THE DAY OF MONDAY, 03-02-98, STARTING WITH HIS FIRST CONTACT WITH CONTRERAZ AT ABOUT 1430 HOURS. THIS WAS DONE SO IDENTIFICATION TECHNICIAN BRANNON COULD TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE AREA IN WHICH THE DIFFERENT EVENTS TOOK PLACE AND SO THE INVESTIGATORS COULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE TELLING THEM DURING THE FORTHCOMING INTERVIEWS.
ON FRIDAY. 03-06-98, AT A30UT 1000 HOURS DETECTIVES S GUILLIAMS AND B. ALSTON #46 AND I WERE IN THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY JANNA VANDERPOOL WHEN SHE PLACED A CALL TO DR. PARKS OF THE PIMA COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. DR. PARKS ADVISED US AT THIS TIME THAT CONTRERAZ HAD A STAPH INFECTION INSIDE OF HIS LEFT LUNG AND THE PUS FOUND INSIDE THE LEFT CHEST CAVITY WAS A STREP INFECTION. PARKS FURTHER ADVISED US THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL US MORE AFTER THE LAB WORK WAS COMPLETED
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE B0YS RANCH ON THIS DATE I ADVISED PETER DE LA RAMBELIE OF THE DOCTOR'S FINDINGS. I TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO ADVISE STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAD CONTACT WITH CONTRERAZ DURING CPR AND THOSE WHO WERE BITTEN BY CONTRERAZ TO BE EXAMINED BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL.
DON BERG, SENIOR DEPUTY PROBATION OFFICER, AND I THEN HAD A SHORT MEETING WITH THE PROBATION OFFICERS FROM ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES AND STATES THAT HAD ARRIVED AT THE BOYS.RANCH, DUE TO THE DEATH OF CONTRERAS. I ADVISED THEM THAT WE WERE CONDUCTING A JOINT INVESTIGATION WITH SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND AS OF THIS TIME IN THE INVESTIGATION WE HAD FOUND NO CRIMINAL ACTION ON THE PART OF THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH. I ALSO ADVISED THAT MR. BERG WOULD BE HANDLING ANY PART OF THE INVESTIGATION AS TO IMPROPER ACTION BY STAFF MEMBERS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH.
LATER ON FRIDAY I MADE CONTACT WITH CORPORAL LEBLANC AND ADVISED HIM AB0UT THE INFECTIONS THAT CONTRERAZ HAD. I ADVISED HIM TO CHECK WITH MEDICAL PERSONNEL FOR HIS SAFETY.
Ongoing Investigation
980300044: 03/02/98 SUPPLEMENT
DEATH INVESTIGATION
WRITTEN BY: ID TECH BRANNON #614
ENTERED 9Y:L.P. BRANNON #614ON 3-5-98 I WAS DISPATCHED TO 36895 SOUTH MOUNT LEMON ROAD, SOUTH OF ORACLE, THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH, W ASSIST DETECTIVE SCNWEITZER IN A DEATH INVESTIGATION.
I ARRIVED AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH 03/05/98 AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 HOURS AND WAS MET BY DETECTIVES SCHWEITZER, ALSTON, GUILLIAMS AND DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY VANDERPOOL. WE MET WITH SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES AND BRIEFED IN A CONFERENCE ROOM. AFTER THE BRIEFING, I WAS DIRECTED TO PHOTOGRAPH AREAS OF INTEREST, AS DIRECTED BY DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY VANDERPOOL AND DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER. (SEE PHOTO LOG ATTACHMENT)
AFTER COMPLETING THE PHOTOGRAPHY I CLEARED THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH 03/05/98 AT 1713 HOURS. I DID NOT COLLECT ANY PHYSICAL OR TRACE EVIDENCE ON THIS SCENE, I DID COLLECT A BROCHURE OF THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH, TO PROVIDE A BLOW UP OF THE RANCH, FOR LATER REFERENCES.
Ongoing Investigation
980300044 03-06-98
WRITTEN BY: B. ALSTON, #46, DETECTIVE
SUPPLEMENT
ATTACHMENTS: NONE
ENTERED BY: #46ON 3-5-98, I MET WITH DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER #277 AND DETECTIVE GUILLIAMS #196 AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE.
ON 03-05-98 AT APPROXIMATELY 1605 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH DR. GINGER RUTZ. DR. RUTZ ADVISED SHE HAD TWO CONTACTS WITH NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ DURING HIS STAY AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH. THE FIRST CONTACT WAS ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 8, 1998, AT WHICH TIME DR. RUTZ GAVE MR. CONTRERAZ A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. THE SECOND CONTACT WAS ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 8, 1998, AT WHICH TIME DR. RUTZ PRESCRIBED TWO INHALERS FOR MR. CONTRERAZ. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-05-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1613 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH THE NURSE, LINDA BABB. MS. BABB ADVISED SHE SAW MR. CONTRERAZ ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST AND ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND. DURING ALL THREE VISITS, MR. CONTRERAZ COMPLAINED OF HURTING ALL OVER. AND WAS HYPERVENTILATING. MS. BABB FILLED OUT REPORTS OF EACH INCIDENT, WHICH WERE IN MR. CONTRERAZ'S FILE. MS. BABB CHECKED MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. ON 03-06-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 HOURS, I INTERVIEWED MS. BABB AGAIN. MS. BABB STATED SHE CHECKED MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING AND DESCRIBED USING A STETHOSCOPE ON MR. CONTRERAZ'S CHEST AND BACK UNDER HIS CLOTHING AND HIS BREATHING WAS NORMAL. SHE ALSO STATED SHE HAD CONTRERAZ STRIP DOWN TO HIS UNDERCLOTHING AND SHE NOTED SEVERAL ABRASIONS ON HIS BODY. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-05-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1815 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. PETER MURPHY AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. MURPHY, JONN WEIJMER OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND ME. MR. MURPHY DESCRIBED THE EVENTS OF SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1998 AND MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1998, PRIOR TO MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-05-98, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. GEOFFREY SEAN LEWIS, AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. MR. LEWIS ADVISED OF HIS CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ PRIOR TO HIS DEATH. MR. LEWIS ALSO DESCRIBED THE STOMACH THRUSTS HE GAVE MR. CONTRERAZ DURING C.P.R. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-06-98. AT APPROXIMATELY 1255 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITN MR. TROY MICHAEL JONES OF THE ARIZONA B0YS RANCH IN ORACLE. MR. JONES DESCRIBED THE EVENTS ON MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1998, CONCERNING M.R. CONTRERAZ. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW. MR. JONES CONTACTED ME AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS AT THE YELLOW HOUSE. AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH MR. JONES FORGOT TO MENTION DURING TNE TAPED INTERVIEW THAT HE ACCOMPANIED MR. CONTRERAZ TO MAKE A TELEPHONE CALL TO HIS PROBATION OFFICER AND THEN ESCORTED MR. CONTRERAZ BACR TO THE GROUP.
ON 03-06-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH RESIDENT ..., AGE 16, AT THE YELLOW HOUSE. AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS ... AND ME. ... DESCRIBED SEEING MR. CONTRERAZ IN THE BARRACKS AND WITNESSED STAFF ASSISTING MR.CONTRERAZ DURING PHYSICAL TRAINING. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-06-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH ..., AGE 16. THIS INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED AT THE YELLOW HOUSE. AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE AND PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS ... AND ME. ... SAID HE REALLY DID NOT KNOW MR. CONTRERAZ THAT WELL BUT HE KNEW HE WAS ASSISTED BY THE STAFF MORE THAN ONCE. ... SAID HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT MR. CONTRERAZ AND DID NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIM. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-06-98. AT APPROXIMATELY 1510 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH ..., AGE 16. THE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED AT THE YELLOW HOUSE. AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE AND ... AND I WERE THE ONLY ONES PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW. ... DESCRIBED SEEING MR. CONTRERAZ BEING ASSISTED BY THE STAFF ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ... DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS LOSING WEIGHT AND LOOKING SICK. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-06-98, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. ..., AGE 15. AT THE YELLOW HOUSE. AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH. PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS ... MR. DON BERG OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY AND ME. ... DESCRIBED EVENTS STARTING WITH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1998, THROUGH MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1998. ... ARRIVED AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1998. ... DESCRIBES THE STAFF "MAKING FUN" OF MR. CONTRERAZ AND ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ DURING PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... ALSO DESCRIBES SEEING MR. CONTRERAZ EATING HIS FOOD SITTING ON THE TOILET ON SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1998. FOR MORE DETAILS; REFER TO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ASK STATUS: INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
03-12-98
WRITTEN BY: B. ALSSON, #46, DETECTIVE
SUPPLEMENT ENTERED BY: #46ON 03-09-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1450 HOURS, DET. SCHWEITZER AND I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH LINDA BABB, R.N. AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. MS. BABB STATED AFTER THINKING ABOUT HER CONTACT WITH MR. CONTRERAZ SHE IS NOT SURE IF SHE CHECKED MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING WITH A STETHOSCOPE. MS. BABB ESTIMATED MR. CONSRERAZ WAS IN HER OFFICE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1998 AND STAFF, WILKES AND MORENO WERE ALSO PRESENT. NURSE BABB ACKNOWLEDGED SHE SAW MR. CONTRERAZS' BQDY AT THE HOSPITAL AND SAW THE MARKS ON HIS BODY, MS. BABB ADVISED MR. PETER OF THE MARKS SHE SAW AND DENIED TALKING TO ANYONE ELSE ABOUT THE MARKS. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPE.
ON 03-09-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1525 HOURS, DET. SCHWEITZER AND I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. CORNEL MARTIN WILKES AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. MR. WILKES RECALLS HIS CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON MARCH 1ST AND 2ND, 1998. MR. WILKES ALSO RECALLS SEEING MARKS ON MR. CONTRERAZ AND CALLING NURSE BABBB IN FROM HER DAY OFF SO SHE COULD DOCUMENT THE MARKS. MR. CONTRERAZ ADVISED MR. WILKES HE RECEIVED THE MARKS FROM BEING PHYSICALLY ASSISTED BY STAFF ON SATURDAY. MR CONTRERAZ DID NOT ADVISE MR. WILKES WHO THE STAFF WAS THAT ASSISTED HIM AND MR. WILKES DID NOT ASK MR. CONTRERAZ FOR THE NAME OF THE STAFF WHO ASSISTED HIM ON SATURDAY. ON MARCH 1, 1998, MR. CONTRERAZ ALSO COMPLAINED OF NOT FEELING WELL. MR. WILKES CALLED THE NURSE IN TO DOCUMENT THE MARKS ON MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. WILKES WAS ALSO PRESENT DURING THE EXAMINATION OF MR. CONTRERAZ BY NURSE BABB ON SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1998. MR. WILKES OBSERVED NURSE BABB ASK MR. CONTRERAZ TO TOUCH HIS TOES, SQUEEZED BOTH HANDS AND LISTENED TO HIS BREATHING WITH A STETHOSCOPE TO MR. CONTRERAZ CHEST AND BACK UNDER HIS CLOTHING. MR. WILKES HEARED MR. CONTRERAZ ADVISE NURSE BABB THAT HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS BREATHING AND NURSE BABB STATED HE NEEDED TO GAIN CONTROL OF HIS BREATHING. AT THIS TIME, MR. CONTRERAZ REQUESTED FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OF RESTRICTION FROM ANY PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ADVISED HE THOUGHT WITH REST HE COULD "PUT OUT". MR. WILKES RECOMMENDED TWELVE HOURS SLEEP AND ADVISED STAFF MORENO TO ESCORT THE RESIDENT TO THE BARRACKS AND PUT HIM IN HIS RACK. MR. WILKES ADVISED MR. RODRIGUEZ, ANOTHER STAFF SUPERVISOR THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON TWELVE HOURS BEDREST AND OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ GETTING INTO HIS RACK. THE OTHER RESIDENTS WERE GETTING READY FOR BED AT THIS TIME.
MR. WILKES SAW MR. CONTRERAZ AT THE VOLLEYBALL AREA WITH STAFF HOOVER. MR. WILKES DESCRIBED CONTRERAZ BEING GIVEN A DRINK OF WATER FROM AN "EIGHT OUNCE STYROFOAM CUP" AND THE WATER "RUNNING" DOWN MR. CONTRERAZ'S CHIN AND THE FRONT OF HIS YELLOW SHIRT. MR. WILKES DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING AS FAST SHORT GASPS OF AIR. AT THE TIME MR. WILKES OBSERVED THIS, HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE PANTRY FOR DINNER. MR. CONTRERAZ ASKED PERMISSION TO SPEAK TO MR. WILKES, HOWEVER MR. WILKES DIDN'T ALLOW MR. CONTRERAZ TO SPEAK TO HIM AND CONTINUED TO THE PANTRY. MR. WILKES WAS IN THE PANTRY WHEN STAFF ADVISED MR. CONTRERAZ "FAINTED" AND MR. WILKES OBSERVED STAFF HOOVER AND LEWIS PERFORMING C.P.R. ON MR. CONTRERAZ. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-09-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1725 HOURS, DET. SCHWEITZER AND I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH WORK SPECIALIST MICHAEL M. MORENO AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. MR. MORENO RECALLED HIS CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON 03-01-98 AND 03-02-98. MR. MORENO WAS ASKED BY MR. WILKES TO ASSIST HIM IN TAKING MR. CONTRERAZ TO SEE THE NURSE ON 03-01-98.- MR. MORENO DESCRIBED CONTRERAZS' BREATHING AS HYPERVENTILATING, BREATHING THROUGH HIS MOUTH AND WALKING A SLOW PACE. MR. MORENO HEARD MR. WILKES TELL NURSE BABB THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING. NURSE BABB HAD MR. CONTRERAZ TAKE OFF HIS SHIRT AND MR. MORENO OBSERVED MARKS ON CONTRERAZ'S ARMPITS AND FACE. MR. MORENO WAS NOT SURE IF NURSE BABB LISTENED TO MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING WITH A STETHOSCOPE. MR. MORENO HEARD CONTRERAZ TELL THE NURSE HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS BREATHING AND THE NURSE REPLIED "IT'S IN YOUR HEAD" OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT, BECAUSE "WE WORKED ON YOUR BREATHING BEFORE. I SEEN YOU ON FRIDAY." AT THIS TIME, MR. CONTRERAZ ASKED FOR TWO DAYS. RESTRICTION FROM ANY PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND THE NURSE STATED MR. CONTRERAZ SEEMED TO BE HEALTHY. MR. WILKES SUGGESTED A GOOD NIGHT'S REST AND ADVISED HE COULD SLEEP FOR TWELVE HOURS, SEVEN P.M. TO SEVEN A.M. MR. MORENO WALKED CONTRERAZ BACK TO THE BARRACKS SLOWLY BECAUSE IT WAS DARK. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE BARRACKS, THE OTHER RESIDENTS WERE GETTING READY FOR BED AND MR. MORENO ANNOUNCED CONTRERAZ WAS TO GET TWELVE HOURS BEDREST.
THE NEXT CONSACT MR. MORENO HAD WITH MR. CONTRERAZ WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 HOURS AT THE AMPHITHEATRE WITH STAFF JONES, HOOVER AND LEWIS. MR. MORENO OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ DOING PUSH UPS WITH FEET ON STAIRS AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO MR. JONES. MR. MORENO ADVISED HE HEARD CONTRERAZ STATE "I DID MY CRYING" BUT COULD NOT HEAR THE CONVERSATION. MR. MORENO WENT TO THE EDUCATION BUILDING AND THEN TO THE PANTRY AND IT WAS AT THE PANTRY WHEN STAFF CLERK TOLD WILKES THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED. MR. MORENO WENT DOWN AND SAW STAFF PERFORMING C.P.R. ON MR. CONTRERAZ. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-09-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1845 HOURS, DET SCHWEITZER AND I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN SUAREZ AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. MR. SUAREZ'S FIRST CONTACT WITH MR. CONTRERAZ WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY. MR. SUAREZ DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS "ALWAYS SLOW, SICKLY, COLD-LIKE SYMPTOMS, COUGHING AND HAVING BREATRING PROBLEMS." MR. SUAREZ WAS STAFF IN CHARGE OF BAY AREA A, BARRACKS 31 ON 03-01-98. MR. SUAREZ DID NOT REMEMBER ANYONE TELLING HIM THAT CONTRERAZ WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE TWELVE HOURS SLEEP. MR. SUAREZ HAD NO KNOWLEDGE IF MR. CONTRERAZ HAD TWELVE HOURS SLEEP ON 03-01-98 AND DID NOT RECALL SEEING STAFF MORENO COMING INTO BARRACKS 31 ON THE EVENING OF 03-01-98. MR. SUAREZ DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS LOOKING SICK, BUT CLEARED BY THE NURSE SO HE THOUGHT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS BEING "MANIPULATING" BY NOT WALKING. MR. SUAREZ DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS SLOW MOVING AND HAVING "SAD EYES." FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-10-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1125 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH GARY E. TAYLOR, STAFF OF THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. TAYLOR HAD CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON ONE DAY ONLY, 03-01-98. MR. TAYLOR OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DRY HEAVES. DURING P.T. AND HAVING BREATHING PROBLEMS AND SALIVA BUILD UP ON THE CORNER OF HIS MOUTH. MR. TAYLOR DENIED SEEING STAFF EVER ASSIST MR. CONTRERAZ AND SAW HIM IN A WHEELBARROW GOING TO CHAPEL AND WITH A TRASH CAN ON SUNDAY, 03-01-98. MR. TAYLOR ADVISED RESIDENTS GO TO BED BETWEEN SEVEN AND EIGHT P.M. DEPENDING ON THE STAFF AND IT WOULD NOT BE UNUSUAL IF STAFF KEPT THE RESIDENTS UP LATER DOING P.T. OR EXTRA CHORES. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INSERVIEW.
ON 03-10-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. MANNY RODRIQUEZ AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. RODRIQUEZ ADVISED MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH. MR. CONTRERAZ TOLD MR. RODRIQUEZ WHAT HE WA5 FEELING SICK AND HAD A HARD TIME BREATHING AND DIARRHEA. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS REFERRED TO NURSE BABB ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. MR. RODRIGUEZ NEVER OBSERVED ANY IMPROVEMENTS IN MR. CONTRERAZ AFTER SEEING NURSE BABB AND THOUGHT MR. CONTRERAZ LOOKED LIKE HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT. MR. RODRIGUEZ DESCRIBED HIS CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON 03-01-98 AND 03-02-98. MR. RODRIGUEZ ESTIMATES MR. CONTRERAZ WAS WAKEN AT APPROXIMATELY 0645 HOURS ON 03-02-98. MR. RODRIGUEZ WITNESSES SEVERAL ASSISTS BY THE STAFF THAT DAY. MR. RODRIGUEZ DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS BREATHING HEAVY. MR. RODRIGUEZ ALSO DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ COMPLAINING TO STAFF THAT HIS CHEST HURT AND HE COULDN'T BREATH AND ALSO SAY "IT HURTS TO BREATHE." MR. RODRIGUEZ LAST SEES MR. CONTRERAZ ALIVE BEING ASSISTED WITH ARM RAISES IN THE VOLLEYBALL COURT BY STAFF HOOVER. OTHER STAFF ALSO PRESENT WERE JAN, WILKES AND JONES. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-10-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1513 HOURS, DES. SCHWEITZER AND I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH PETER V. MURPHY AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. MURPHY INSISTED MR. WILKES NEVER TOLD HIM IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR RESIDENTS TO BE TRANSPORTED IN A WHEELBARROW. ALSO DENIED SMELLING ANY ODORS COMING FROM THE TRASH CAN REMOVED FROM MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. MURPHY INSISTED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ "SPIT OUT" THE WATER AT THE VOLLEYBALL COURT AND IT DID NOT "RUN DOWN" HIS CHIN AS DESCRIBED BY MR. WILKES. MR. MURPHY ALSO CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THAT MR. CONTRERAZ HAD NO PROBLEMS BREATHING AND WAS NOT HYPERVENTILATING DURING HIS CONTACT HITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON 03-02-98. MR. MURPHY RECALLED HE FAILED TO MENTION IN AN EARLIER INTERVIEW THAT HE AND STAFF MADALOOSA ASSISTED MR. CONTRERAZ UP THE HILL. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
CASE STATUS: INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
980300044L 03-17-98
WRITTEN BY: B. ALSTON, #46, DETECTIVE
SUPPLEMENT ENTERED BY #46
ATTACHMENTS: NONEON 03-12-98. AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITN MR. ADOLFO M. NAVARRO AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. NAVARRO HAD CONTACT WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28,1995, IN WHICH HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ CARRYING A YELLOW TRASH CAN. MR. NAVARRO WAS ADVISED BY STAFF THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS CARRYING THE TRASH CAN DUE TO HIS PROBLEM WITH DEFECATION AND VOMITING. MR. NAVARRO OBSERVED TAN PANTS INSIDE THE TRASH CAN. MR. NAVARRO ADMITTED HE MADE MR. CONTRERAZ "HOLD THE UP POSITION" WITH HIS FEET ON THE DESK AND HIS HEAD BY THE YELLOW CAN ON THE FLOOR. MR. NAVARRO DENIED HE MADE MR. CONTRERAZ PUT HIS HEAD INTO THE TRASH CAN. MR. NAVARRO MADE MR. CONTRERAZ DO THIS BECAUSE HE WASN'T "COOPERATING" DURING CLEAN UP OF THE BARRACKS. MR. NAVARRO NEVER WITNESSED MR. CONTRERAZ DEFECATE AND OBSERVED HIM VOMIT ONE TIME ON SUNDAY, 03-01-98. MR. NAVARRO ALSO WITNESSED MR. CONTRERAZ SITTING ON THE TOILET WITH STAFF MADALOOSA PRESENT. MR. NAVARRO WAS NOT SURE IF MR. CONTRERAZ WAS EATING HIS FOOD AND DENIED SEEING ANY OTHER RESIDENTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. NAVARRO DID NOT QUESTION THE STAFF.
MR. NAVARRO LAST SAW MR. CONTRERAZ ON MONDAY, 03-02-9S IN THE BACK OF THE DINING HALL THROWING CLOTHES AWAY. MR. NAVARRO DESCRIBED SEEING MR. CONTRERAZ FALLING TO THE GROUND AND STAFF MURPHY AND HOOVER ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ BY ONE STAFF MEMBER ON EACH SIDE OF MR. CONTRERAZ AND MR. CONTRERAZ'S ARMS "EXTENDED OUT" THEN ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS' HAND UNDER HIS ARMPITS AND THE OTHER HAND ON MR. CONTRERAZ'S ARM. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INSERVIEW.
ON 03-12-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. HORACE D. JORDAN, AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JONN WEIMER OF THE SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. JORDAN HAD BEEN IN ORIENTATION FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS. MR. JORDANS' OPINION OF MR. CONTRERAZ WAS HE WAS "MANIPULATING" AND NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES. MR. JORDAN DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ BREATHING AS NORMAL. MR. JORDAN ADMITTED TO GIVING MR. CONTRERAZ THE YELLOW TRASH CAN SO CARRY DUE TO MR. CONTRERAZ BEING SICK TO HIS STOMACH. MR. JORDAN THOUGHT HE GAVE THE TRASH CAN TO MR. CONTRERAZ ON SATURDAY EVENING. MR. JORDAN ADMITTED TO AN ASSIST WITH MR. CONTRERAZ DOING P.T. ON FRIDAY IN THE CENTER BAY AND ADVISED AN INCIDENT REPORT WAS MADE. MR. JORDAN ADVISED THERE WAS P.T. SATURDAY MORNING BUT NO P.T. SATURDAY NIGHT. MR. JORDAN HAD ANOTHER RESIDENT FROM MAIN PHASE, MR. CHRIS SOUTHERLAND, TALK TO MR. CONTRERAZ FOR ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. MR. JORDAN HAD THIS DONE DUE TO MR. CONTRERAZ "LOOKING SAD." MR. JORDAN OBSERVED A SCRAPE ON MR. CONTRERAZ'S CHIN ON THURSDAY BUT DIDN'T ASK HIM HOW HE RECEIVED THE SCRAPE. MR. JORDAN WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE MARKS ON MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. JORDAN ADMITTED MR. CONTRERAZ LOOKED LIKE HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT. THE INTERVIEW WAS CONCLUDED AT APPROXIMATELY 1320 HOURS. ON 03-12-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HOURS, WE RE-INTERVIEWED MR. JORDAN TO CLARIFY THE TIME HE ISSUED THE TRASH CAN TO MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. JORDAN MAINTAINED HE GAVE THE CAN ON SATURDAY NIGHT. MR. CONTRERAZ COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGH OUT THE WEEKEND THAT HE FELT SICK. MR. JORDAN DID NOT REMEMBER TAKING MR. CONTRERAZ TO SHOWER AFTER DEFECATING ON HIMSELF DURING P.T. ASSIST. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-12-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1425 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. DANNY GONZALES AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF THE SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. GONZALES DESCRIBED SEEING MR. CONTRERAZ BREATHING AS "SHORT BREATHS" AND STATING "I CAN'T BREATHE." THIS WAS ON THURSDAY, FEB. 26, 1998. MR. GONZALES. ESTIMATES HE GAVE MR. CONTRERAZ HIS INHALER APPROXIMATELY FOUR TO FIVE TIMES A DAY. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1998, STAFF NEWMAN TOOK MR. CONTRERAZ TO SEE NURSE BABB AND HE WAS CLEARED BY THE NURSE. ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 8:20 P.M. HE ASSISTED STAFF JORDAN IN ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ WITH P.T. IN THE BARRACKS. THE P.T. WAS DESCRIBED AS PUSH UPS AND "BENDS AND THRUST". MR. GONZALES ESTIMATES THEY DID THESE TWO SO THREE TIMES BEFORE MR. CONTRERAZ WENT TO BED. MR. GONZALES DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ SAYING "I'M GOING TO THROW-UP" AND MR. JORDAN GIVING HIM A YELLOW TRASH CAN TO THROW UP IN. MR. GONZALES ALSO DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ DEFECATING ON HIMSELF "A LITTLE BIT" AND TAKEN TO TO SHOWER BEFORE GOING TO BED. MR. GONZALES DENIED SEEING ANY MARKS ON MR. CONTRERAZ AS HE ADVISED MR. JORDAN TOOK MR. CONTRERAZ TO THE SHOWER. ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1998, MR. GONZALES OBSERVED STAFF NAVARRO MAKING MR. CONTRERAZ DO PUSH UPS AND DENIED THE PUSH UPS WERE WITH MR. CONTRERAZ'S HEAD IN THE CAN. MR. GONZALES OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ THROWING UP AFTER DINNER ABOUT 6:20 OR 6:30 P.M. AND NO PT THAT NIGHT. MR. GONZALES ESTIMATES THE RESIDENTS WENT TO BED AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 TO 8:30 P.M. ON SATURDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 28, 1998. MR. GONZALEZ WENT OFF SHIFT SUNDAY MORNING AND OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ HAVING NO PROBLEMS, FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-17-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WISH MR. JASON CRAWFORD AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. CRAWFORD IS ONE OF FOUR NIGHT SHIFT PERSONNEL WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO BARRACXS 31 ON THE EVENING OF MARCH l, 1998. MR. CRAWFORD DID NOT RESPOND TO BARRACKS 31 UNTIL 1:00 A.M. AT WHICH TIME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SLEEPING ON A MATTRESS ON THE FLOOR BY THE EAST DOOR AND WAS STILL SLEEPING WHEN HE LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 6:15 A.M. ON MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1998. MR. CRAWFORD WAS ADVISED MR. CONTRERAZ HAS TO HAVE TWELVE HOURS SLEEP THAT NIGHT. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-17-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1155 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH WYATT RAMSEY AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS JOHN WEIMER OF THE SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. RAMSEY WAS ALSO ONE OF THE NIGHT STAFF ASSIGNED TO BARRACKS 31 ON MARCH 1, 1998. MR. RAMSEY WAS PAIRED up WITH MR. CRAWFORD AND RESPONDED TO BARRACKS 31 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:OO A.M. UNTIL 6:15 A.M. WHEN THEIR SHIFT ENDED. MR. RAMSEY ALSO ADVISED MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SLEEPING WHEN THEY LEFT. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-17-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH AARON G. NEWMAN AT THE ARIZONA B0YS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. NEWMAN DESCRIBED HIS CONTACTS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. NEWMAN DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS HAVING PROBLEMS BREATHING DURING ANY PHYSICAL EXERTION. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS TAXEN TO SEE NURSE BABB ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1998, DUE TO A PHYSICAL ASSIST BY STAFF ON THURSDAY EVENING. MR. CONTRERAZ'S BREATHING WAS DESCRIBED AS SHORTS BREATHS. MR. NEWMAN THOUGHT MR. CONTRERAZ LOOKED SICK, HOWEVER, THE NURSE CLEARED HIM FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISE. MR. NEWMAN ALSO DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS "CRYING AND EMOTIONAL DURING P.T.- AND COMPLAINING OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BREATH. MR. NEWMAN'S LAST CONTACT WITH MR. CONTRERAZ WAS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1998, WHEN HE TOOK HIM TO SEE NURSE BABB. MR. NEWMAN DESCRIBED SEEING A MARK ON MR. CONTRERAZ'S "STERNUM" AND A MARK ON HIS FACE. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
ON 03-17-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1420 HOURS, I CONDUCTED AN AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW WITH MR. SCOTT A. PAQUIN AT THE ARIZONA BOYS' RANCH IN ORACLE. ALSO PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WAS MR. JOHN WEIMER OF SACRAMENTO JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. MR. PAQUIN HAD CONTACT WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1998, WHEN HE ASSISTED STAFF MURPHY IN ENCOURAGING MR. CONTRERAZ UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS. MR. PAQUIN ESTIMATES THIS TOOK "A WHILE" MR. CONTRERAZ MOVED "SLOWLY" AND ESTIMATES THEY STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 2:15 P.M. MR. PAQUIN DESCRIBBD MR. CONTRERAZ AS "VERY SAD" AND TAKING SHORT BREATHS WITH HIS MOUTH OPEN. MR. PAQUIN SPOKE WITH MR. CONTRERAZ IN BARRACKS 8 TO GIVE HIM FEEDBACK. AT THIS TIME MR. CONTRAREZ MADE A COMMENT ABOUT NOT WANTING TO LIVE. MR. PAQUIN DESCRIBED MR. CONTRERAZ AS "A SAD PUPPY WHO WOULD NOT BITE AN APPLE". MR. MURPHY TAKES MR. CONTRERAZ TO JOIN THE REST OF ORIENTATION. MR. PAQUIN NEXT OBSERVES MR. CONTRERAZ ABOUT 5:30 ON HIS WAY TO THE PANTRY FOR DINNER WITH THE MAIN PHASE. MR. PAQUIN LOOKS OUT AND SEES STAFF MURPHY WATCHING STAFF HOOVER AND LEWIS ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ ACROSS THE VOLLEYBALL COURT GOING TOWARDS THE BASKETBALL COURT. MR. PAQUIN DESCRIBED THE ASSIST AS HCOVER AND LEWIS ON EACH SIDE OF MR. CONTRERAZ WITH HIS ARMS AROUND THE STAFF AND STAFF CARRYING MR. CONTRERAZ WITH HIS TOES "DRAGGING" THROUGH THE SAND IN THE VOLLEYBALL COURT. MR. PAQUIN DID NOT OBSERVE WHERE THEY CARRIED MR. CONTRERAZ TO AND ESTIMATES HE WAS IN THE PANTRY "NOT VERY LONG" AND HAD NOT RECEIVED HIS FOOD YET WHEN STAFF CLARK CAME IN TO ADVISE MR. WILKES THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. PAQUIN ADVISED THERE WERE OTHER MAIN PHASE STAFF MEMBERS WHO SHOULD HAVE ALSO SEEN THE SAME THING HE SAW. FOR MORE DETAILS LISTEN TO AUDIO TAPED INTERVIEW.
CASE STATUS: INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
980300044M
WRITTEN BY: M.C. DOWNING #285
3-09-98
ENTERED BY: 285
ATTACHMENTS: FIVE MICROCASSETTE TAPESON MONDAY, MARCH 09, 1998. I WAS TOLD BY MY SUPERVISOR, SERGEANT PUGLIESE #47 TO ASSIST THE CASE AGENT, DETECTIVE SCHWEISZER #271, ON THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH DEATH OF RESIDENT NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ. DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER TOLD ME A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OCCURRING EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE DEATH OF RESIDENT CONTRERAZ. DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER TOLD ME TO START WITH INTERVIEWING THE RESIDENCE IN BARRACKS 31, THE BARRACKS RESIDENT CONTRERAZ WAS HOUSED IN AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.
THE FOLLOWING IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE TAPED INTERVIEWS I CONDUCTED WITH ELEVEN OF THE RESIDENTS ON MARCH 9 AND MARCH 10 OF 1998 AT THE ARIZONA BOYS RANCH IN ORACLE. THE ONE QUESTION I ASKED OF ALL THE RESIDENTS WAS, DID ANY OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AT THE BOYS RANCH MAKE ANY THREATS TO THEM IF THEY WERE TALKED TO. ALL THE RESIDENCE TOLD ME THEY WERE TOLD TO TELL NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH AND THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL THREATENED TO TALK WITH ME.
THE RESIDENTS EXPLAINED THERE DAILY ROUTINE TO ME. THE RESIDENTS I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A CALENDAR OR CLOCK, FOR THIS REASON THE DATES AND TIME FRAMES FOR THE EVENTS WERE UNCLEAR. I ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE RESIDENTS WERE UNABLE TO TELL ME WHICH STAFF MEMBERS DID WHAT.
I WAS TOLD THE ORIENTATION PHASE AT THE FACILITY, THE RESIDENCE'S WOULD BE KNOWN AS RED SHIRTS. IN THIS PHASE THE RESIDENTS LEARN WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM. IN THIS PHASE THE RESIDENTS ARE PHYSICALLY TRAINED IN GRASS DRILLS, PUSH UPS AND ASSORTED OTHER EXERCISES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THE RESIDENTS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO DEFECATE TWICE A DAY. IN THE MORNING AFTER BREAKFAST AND IN THE EVENING BEFORE THEY GO TO THERE RACKS FOR THE NIGHT. I ASKED THE RESIDENTS IF THEY WERE EVER DENIED THE USE OF A PRIVY ON A EMERGENCY DEFICATION. MOST OF THE RESIDENCE SAID THEY WERE NOT DENIED. I ASKED THE RESIDENTS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY ACCIDENTALLY DEFECATED ON THEM SELF. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE TOLD TO TAKE A SHOWER AND IN SOME CASES THEY W0ULD PUT THERE SOILED CLCTHES IN A BUCKET AND WALK AROUND WITH THIS BUCKET, ANY WHERE FROM THREE HOURS TO A FULL DAY AND THAT THIS WOULD ONLY HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU WERE ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS.
I WAS TOLD AFTER THE RED SHIRTS GRADUATED THEY WOULD GO TO MAIN PHASE AND BE IN TAN SHIRTS. THE YELLOW SHIRT STATUS IS GIVEN TO ANY OF THE RESIDENTS FOR ANY VIOLATION OF RULES OR ESCAPE RISK, AND LAST ANY WHERE FROM THREE TO SEVEN DAYS. IN YELLOW SHIRT STATUS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO EXTENSIVE PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ARE ISOLATED FROM THE GROUP OF RED SHIRTS. THEIR BEDDING IS MOVED FROM THE MAIN PART OF THE BARRACKS TO THE CENTER OF THE BARRACKS BETWEEN BOTH DORMS. I WAS TOLD WHILE THE RED SHIRTS WOULD BE ON A WORK CREW PICKING UP ROCKS OR CLEANING THE AREA, THE YELLOW SHIRTS WOULD BE ASSISTED BY THE STAFF IN PHYSICAL TRAINING, AND MORE THAN ONE STAFF MEMBER WOULD BE WITH THE RESIDENT WHILE ON THIS STATUS.
THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE INDIVIDUAL TAPED INTERVIEWS I CONDUCTED WITH THE RESIDENTS.
ON MONDAY, MARCH 09, 1998 AT ABOUT 1355 HOURS. (IT SHOULD BE NOTED I GAVE THE WRONG DATE FOR THIS INTERVIEW, IGAVE THE DATE AS 03-10-98 ON TAPE) THE FIRST RESIDENT I SPOKE WITH WAS ... . ... IS FOURTEEN YEARS OLD AND WAS BROUGHT TO THIS FACILITY THIRTY SIX DAYS UP TO THIS DATE.
... TOLD ME HE WORKED WITH MR. CONTRERAZ AND THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS A GOOD WORKER AND NEVER COMPLAINED. AT ABOUT THE TIME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS, MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED GETTING SICK. ... SAID HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ AFTER EVENING MEAL EATING A PACK OUT DINNER. (A PACK OUT DINNER IS IF THE PERSON HAD NOT FINISHED HIS MEAL IT WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE TO BE FINISHED) AND THROWING UP AND EATING SOME MORE.
ON A UNKNOWN NIGHT WHILE EVERYONE WAS IN THERE RACK FOR THE NIGHT, ... TOLD ME HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ ON HIS RACK H0LDING HIS CHEST. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS TOLD TO DO SOME PUSH UPS AND MR. CONTRERAZ TOLD THE STAFF HE COULD NOT HE WAS SICK. THE STAFF WOULD FORCE MR. CONTRERAZ TO THE GROUND AND ASSIST HIM WITH PUSH UPS BY PULLING UP ON THE BACK OF HIS BELT AND FORCING HIM DOWN.
... TOLD ME THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS MADE TO WALK AROUND WITH A YELLOW GARBAGE CAN THE SIZE A THREE GALLON WATER CAN WITH HIS SOILED CLOTHING, FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE DAYS. I ASKED WHY WOULD MR. CONTRERAZ HAVE THE CAN. ... TOLD ME BECAUSE HE HEARD THE STAFF TELL MR. CONTRERAZ IF HE WAS GOING TO DEFECATE AND THROW UP ON HIS SELF, THEN HE CAN WALK AROUND WITH HIS SOILED CLOTHING.
THE DAY BEFORE MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH, ... SAID HE HEARD THE STAFF MEMBER, MR. MURPHY TELL MR. CONTRERAZ THAT THE NURSE CLEARED HIM FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS MOVED INTO THE CENTER BAY AREA OF THE BARRACKS AND ... OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ WITH HIS FEET ON A TABLE AND HIS HANDS ON THE FLOOR IN A PUSH UP POSITION.
ON THE DAY OF MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH ... SAID AFTER THE EVENING MEAL HE OBSERVED STAFF MEMBERS, (NAMES UNKNOWN) TELLING MR. CONTRERAZ TO DO PUSH UPS. MR. CONTRERAZ TELLING THE STAFF MEMBERS HE COULD NOT HE WAS SICK AND THAT HIS ARM AND CHEST HURT. ... SAID THE STAFF MEMBERS FORCED MR. CONTRERAZ DOWN ON THE PUSH UPS.
THE CLOSING STATEMENT FROM ... WAS HIS FEAR THAT HE OR ONE OF HIS PEERS WERE GOING TO DIE NEXT.
AT ABOUT 1415 HOURS, THE SECOND RESIDENT I INTERVIEWED WAS ..., AGE 16. ... HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THIS FACILITY TWO WEEKS AGO.
...A MET MR. CONTRERAZ DURING THE TIME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS. HE OVER HEARD MR. CONTRERAZ ASK THE STAFF MEMBERS WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS TO ME. ... SAID HE DID NOT KNOW THE STAFF MEMBERS NAME OR WHY MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ASKING THE STAFF MEMBERS THE QUESTION.
ON THE DAY OF MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH, ... OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ PARTICIPATING IN PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... SAID THE STAFF MEMBERS ASSISTED MR. CONTRERAZ TO THE GROUND AND THE STAFF MEMBERS ASSISTED MR. CONTRERAZ WITH PUSH UPS BY PULLING UP AND DOWN ON THE REAR PORTION OF MR. CONTRERAZ'S BELT. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS TELLING THE STAFF "I AM NOT DOING THEM NO MORE" AND HE WOULD COUGH AND THROW UP, AND THE STAFF MEMBERS TELLING HIM HE IS FAKING AND THE STAFF MEMBERS ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ WITH MORE PHYSICAL TRAINING.
... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ HAD DEFECATED ON HIMSELF AND THROWN UP ON HIMSELF AND THAT HE WAS MADE TO WALK AROUND CARRYING A YELLOW TRASH CAN WITH HIS SOILED CLOTHING FROM THE DEFECATION. ... TOLD ME HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ HAVING TO DO PUSH UPS WITH HIS FACE GOING INTO THE TRASH CAN. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE CENTER BAY AREA OF THE BARRACKS TIME FRAME UNKNOWN.
I ASKED ... IF HE HAD BEEN PUT INTO A POSITION OF BEING MAN HANDLED. ... TOLD OF ONE INCIDENT WITH STAFF MEMBER MR. PERU. ... TOLD ME, MR. PERU TOOK HIM TO A EMPTY BARRACKS AND THREW HIM AROUND THE BARRACKS FOR HAVING TOO MUCH FOOD IN HIS MOUTH DURING DINNER.
AT 1450 HOURS, THE THIRD RESIDENT I INTERVIEWED WAS .... SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. ... ARRIVED AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH ON JANUARY 15, l998. DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER HAD COME INTO THE INTERVIEW SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED TNE INTERVIEW WITH ..., AND DETECTIVE SCHWEITZER HAD LEFT THE INTERVIEW BEFORE THE END OF THE INTERVIEW.
I ASKED ... IF HE WAS TALKED TO BY THE STAFF AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH. ... TOLD ME MR. RODRIGUEZ AND MR. MORRINO ASKED HIM TODAY, WHAT STAFF MEMBERS HAD PUT THERE HANDS ON NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ. ... TOLD MR. RODRIGUEZ AND MR. MORRINO THAT MR. MURPHY AND MR. HOOVER WERE DOING NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ WRONG. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SICK AND THEY WERE MAKING HIM PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... WENT ON TO DESCRIBE TO ME HOW CONTRERAZ'S FEET WERE ON TOP OF A DESK WITH HIS HANDS ON THE FLOOR AND MR. CONTRERAZ'S FACE WAS IN THE TRASH CAN HE WAS MADE TO CARRY WITH DEFECATED CLOTHING INSIDE THE CAN.
... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED OUT GOOD AND THEN ONE DAY HE TOLD THE STAFF HE WAS SICK. THE STAFF SENT MR. CONTRERAZ TO THE NURSE AND WHEN HE RETURNED HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS TO DRINK A LOT OF WATER. ... SAID MR. CONTRERAZ'S HEALTH KEPT ON DECLINING, AND HE 0BSERVED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED LOSING WEIGHT IN HIS FACE.
... TOLD ME HE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. CONTRERAZ ON OCCASIONS AND MR. CONTRERAZ TOLD HIM THAT HIS HEAD HURT AND HIS STOMACH HURT AND THAT HE WAS REAL SICK. ... SAID HE TOLD THE STAFF THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SICK. THE STAFF TOLD ... NOT TO LISTEN TO MR. CONTRERAZ, THAT HE WAS MANIPULATOR. ... DID NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE STAFF MEMBER THAT TOLD HIM THIS.
... TOLD ME HE OSSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ THROW UP AT THE DINNER TABLE AND BY THE REST ROOM, ... OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ DEFECATE ON HIMSELF TWO WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH WHILE PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD BE TELLING THE STAFF HE COULD NOT DO ANY MORE PHYSICAL TRAINING. THE STAFF MEMBERS WOULD GO TO MR. CONTRERAZ AND YANK MR. CONTRERAZ UP BY HIS PANTS AND SLAM HIM INTO A WALL AND TELLING HIM HE BETTER BE DOING THEM. THE STAFF WOULD THEN PUT MR. CONTRERAZ ON THE GROUND AND ASSIST HIM WITH THE PUSH UPS. MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD BE TELLING THE STAFF THAT HE COULD NOT DO IT AND THAT HE WAS DEFECATING ON HIMSELF. STAFF TOLD MR. CONTRERAZ TO GO AHEAD AND DEFECATE ON YOURSELF. AFTER MR. CONTRERAZ DEFECATED ON HIMSELF THE STAFF MEMBERS HAD STARTED MAKING MR. CONTRERAZ WALK AROUND WITH THE TRASH CAN WITH THE SOILED CLOTHING. ... SAID THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.
... TOLD ME AB0UT HIS EXPERIENCE WITH STAFF MEMBERS MR. PERU AND MR. HINDERSON. ... TOLD ME MR. PERU AND MR. HINDERSON HAD THROWN HIM INTO A WALL FOR TALKING IN THE MESS HALL. AFTER CHOW THE GROUP WAS TAKEN TO THE CHAPEL AND WHILE AT THE CHAPEL, ... WAS DIRECTED OUT OF THE CHAPEL BY MR. PERU AND MR. HINDERSON AND WAS TAKEN TO A NEW BUILDING AND HE WAS PUSHED INTO THE WALL. ... SAID THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT ABOUT THE TIME HE ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH. MR. WASHINGTON ADDED THAT HE WAS PUSHED HARD ENOUGH TO GO THROUGH THE WALL.
THIS WAS THE END OF THE INTERVIEW WITH ... AND THE END OF TAPE ONE. TAPE TWO WAS STARTED AT ABOUT 1520 HOURS. THE RESIDENT I INTERVIEWED NEXT WAS ..., 17 YEARS OLD. ... ARRIVED AT THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF WEEKS TO THE TIME OF THIS INTERVIEW.
... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ALL RIGHT TO BE AROUND AND HE WAS DEPENDABLE. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ABLE TO KEEP UP DURING PHYSICAL TRAINING IN THE EARLY WEEKS WHEN ... ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH.
... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ STOPPED EATING HIS FOOD AND THAT MR. CONTRERAZ ADMITTED HE WANTED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM AND MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED GETTING SICK AND STARTED THROWING UP AND MR. CONTRERAZ TELLING THE STAFF HE WAS SICK AND THE STAFF WOULD BE ON HIM AND TELL MR. CONSRERAZ HE WAS FAKING. ... SAID HE DID OBSERVE THE STAFF HANDS ON TRAIN MR. CONTRERAZ AND MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD BE SELLING THE STAFF HE COULD NOT D0 IT HE WAS SICK.
... SAID WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ RETURNED FROM THE NURSE HE HEARD THE MR. CONTRERAZ HAD A 102 TEMPTER AND HE WAS PUT ON CHICKEN SOUP, BUT THE STAFF CONTINUED WITH THE HANDS ON PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... SAID HE DID NOT KNOW IF MR. CONTRERAZ HAD ANY BED REST.
... TOLD ME HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ TWO DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH DEFECATE ON HIMSELF WHILE PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... WENT ON TO TELL ME ABOUT HOW MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD WALK AROUND WITH THIS YELLOW TRASH CAN WITH DEFECATION IN IT AND WHILE HE WAS DOING PUSH UPS HIS FACE WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THE TRASH CAN.
... TOLD ME OF THE INCIDENT ABOUT RESIDENT ... WHEELING MR. CONTRERAZ AROUND IN THE WHEEL BARROW BECAUSE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS UNABLE TO WALK ANY MORE. ... WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT STAFF MEMBER MR. JONES TREATED MR. CONTRERAZ THE WORST. ON THE LAST DAY MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ALIVE, HE OBSERVED MR. JONES AND MR. HOOVER FORCING WATER DOWN MR. CONTRERAZ'S MOUTH.
... TOLD ME ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO HE REQUESTED TO DEFECATE AND MR. PERU ISOLATED HIM IN A ROOM WITH AN OTHER STAFF MEMBER MR. ANDREWS AND TOLD HIM HE WAS NOT GOING TO DEFECATE AND SLAMMED HIM INTO A WALL. ... SAID HE WAS GOING TO TRY AND HIT MR. PERU, BUT HE WAS RESTRAINED BY THE MR. ANDREWS AND THEY KEPT BANGING HIS HEAD INTO THE WALL.
THE FIFTH RESIDENT THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS ... SIXTEEN YEARS OLD ... HE ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH 12 WEEKS TO THE DATE OF THIS INTERVIEW. ... TOLD ME HE WAS IN THIS FACILITY BEFORE M. CONTRERAZ. ... WENT ON TO SAY MR. CONTRERAZ DID NOT KEEP UP WITH THE PHYSICAL TRAINING AND ON SHE WORK CREW HE DID WORK WELL.
... SAID HE OBSERVED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED GETTING SICK ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF BEFORE HIS DEATH. ... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ DID NOT EAT AS MUCH TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE. ... SAID THE STAFF DID TAKE HIM TO THE NURSE AND HE FOUND BUT THAT MR. CONTRERAZ DID HAVE A FEVER OF A 101 OR 102 TEMPTER. AND THE STAFF WOULD GIVE HIM A HARD TIME WHILE HE WAS SICK. ... SAID HE OBSERVED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS LOSING WEIGHT, AND THE STAFF TELLING THE OTHER RESIDENCE THAT MR. CONTRERAZ HAD AIDS.
... TOLD ME ABOUT THE INCIDENT WITH THE WHEEL BARROW. ... SAID MR. CONTRERAZ WAS WALKING UP THE HILL AND HE COLLAPSED. THE STAFF MEMBERS, MR. RODRIGUEZ AND MR. WALTO KEPT MESSING WITH HIM TELLING MR. CONTRERAZ TO GET UP AND THE STAFF PUT HIM IN THE WHEEL BARROW AND HAD ... PUSH HIM TO THE CHAPEL. ... SAID THE STAFF TOLD HIM THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS FAKING.
... TOLD ME HE WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS AT THE SAME TIME AS MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON AND WAS MOVED FROM BARRACKS 27 TO BARRACKS 31. ... SAID THEY BOTH SLEPT ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER BAY AREA AND THE LAST TIME MR. CONTRERAZ WENT TO THE NURSE HE WAS TO RECEIVE 12 HOURS OF BED REST. ... SAID MR. CONTRERAZ WENT TO BED AROUND 2100 HOURS, AND MR. CONTRERAZ WAS UP AT 0630 HOURS THAT FOLLOWING MORNING.
THE ONLY COMPLAINT MR. CONTRERAZ TOLD ... WAS THAT HE COULD NOT BREATH. ... SAID HE HEARD MR. CONTRERAZ COUGHING AND WHEEZING. ... TOLD ME AB0UT THE TRASH CAN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS MADE TO WALK AROUND WITH THAT CONTAINED MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEFECATED CLOTHING. ... TOLD ME HOW HE WATCHED MR. CONTRERAZ WAS MADE TO DO PUSH UPS WITH HIS HEAD GOING INTO THE TRASH CAN. ... TOLD ME THAT THE STAFF MEMBER MR. JONES TOLD MR. CONTRERAZ THAT HE WAS GOING HOME FOR THREE DAYS AND WHEN HE RETURNS MR. CONTRERAZ BETTER HAVE IMPROVED. MR. JONES RETURNED ON SUNDAY AND SLAPPED MR. CONTRERAZ ON THE BACK HARD AND TOLD HIM HE IS BACK.
... TOLD ME THAT HE WAS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE STAFF AND THREE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS, MR. MCNEW, MR. G0NZALES AND MR. ROMERO THREW HIM INTO THE WALL AND MR. ROMERO WAS HITTING THE BOTTOM OF HIS CHIN WITH HIS FIST IN RABBIT TYPE OF PUNCHES.
THE SIXTH RESIDENCE I SPOKE WITH WAS ... 15 YEARS OLD.
... ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH THREE WEEKS AT THE TIME OF THIS INTERVIEW.
... TOLD ME, MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS WHEN HE MET HIM. FROM THE FIRST DAY ... WAS AT THE BOY'S RANCH, MR. CONTRERAZ WAS THROWING UP AND TELLING THE STAFF HE WAS SICK AND WANTED TO SEE THE NURSE. ...TOLD ME HE HEARD THE STAFF TELL MR. CONTRERAZ TO SHUT UP HE WAS FAKING AND THE STAFF WOULD ASSIST MR. CONTRERAZ WITH PUSH UPS. MR. CONRERAZ WOULD TELL THE STAFF HE COULD NOT DO ANY MORE PUSH UPS.
... SAID THAT HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ NOT EAT FOR TWO DAYS AND THAT WHEN HE DID EAT, IT WOULD BE VERY LITTLE AND HE WOULD THROW IT UP. ... DID TELL ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON SOUP FOR A SHORT TIME.
... FELT THAT THE STAFF SINGLED HIM OUT FROM THE REST OF THE GROUP AND MADE HIM DO MORE PHYSICAL TRAINING THAN THE REST OF THE GROUP. MR. CONTRERAZ WAS MADE TO SLEEP ON A MATTRESS ON THE FLOOR IN CENTER BAY.
... SAID HE HAD GONE TO THE NURSES OFFICE WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. ... DID NOT KNOW WHY MR. CONTRERAZ HAD TO GO BUT AS THEY WERE WALKING TO THE NURSES OFFICE MR. CONTRERAZ HAD TO STOP AND REST. IN THE NURSES OFFICE ... SAID THE NURSE HAD A HARD TIME DRAWING A TUBE OF BLOOD FROM MR. CONTRERAZ AND KEPT TELLING MR. CONTRERAZ TO STOP PLAYING. I ASKED ... IF HE WAS IN THE SAME ROOM WITH MR. CONTRERAZ DURING THE CHECK UP. ... SAID HE WAS AND THE NURSE CHECKED THERE EARS AND THROAT AND TOOK THERE BLOOD PRESSURE. I ASKED ... IF THE NURSE CHECKED HIS OR MR. CONTRERAZ'S HEART AND LUNGS WITH A STETHOSCOPE. ... TOLD ME THE NURSE DID NOT CHECK THERE LUNGS OR HEART.
THE SEVENTH RESIDENCE THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS SIXTEEN YEAR OLD ... HE ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH ON JANUARY 13, 1998. ... TOLD ME WHEN HE FIRST ARRIVED HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ WAS HAVING A HARD TIME ADJUSTING TO THE PROGRAM AT THE BOY'S RANCH. HE TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD GIVE UP ON HIMSELF AND THE STAFF WOULD BE ON HIM TO PUSH HARDER. WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON WORK CREW, ... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS A GOOD WORKER AND CARRIED HIS OWN WEIGHT.
... TOLD ME AT ABOUT THE TIME MR. CONTRERAZ'S HEALTH STARTED TO DECLINE WAS AT ABOUT THE TIME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS. ... WENT ON TO SAY WHILE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS, THE STAFF WOULD MAKE MR. CONTRERAZ DO THAT MUCH MORE PHYSICAL TRAINING, AND THE MORE THE STAFF MADE HIM THE MORE MR. CONTRERAZ'S HEALTH DECLINED. ... TOLD ME ABOUT MR. CONTRERAZ COUGHING, THROWING UP AND DEFECATING ON HIMSELF AND TOWARDS THE END THE WEIGHT LOSS.
... ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT THE WHEEL BARROW INCIDENT AND THE GARBAGE CAN MR. CONTRERAZ HAD TO WALK AROUND WITH. ... TOLD ME AT FIRST HE THOUGHT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS FAKING. IT WAS WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ STARTED COUGHING IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ... FELT THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SICK.
THE EIGHTH RESIDENT THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS FIFTEEN YEAR OLD ... .
... HAS BEEN WITH THE BOY'S RANCH FOR EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS TO THE DATE OF THIS INTERVIEW. ... WAS HOUSED AT BARRACKS 31 ON THE WEEKEND OF MR. CONTRERAZ'S DEATH WHEN ... WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS.
... TOLD ME HE DID NOT KNOW MR. CONTRERAZ AND NEVER HAD THE CHANCH TO TALK WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. ... TOLD ME HE WOULD HEAR MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD WHEN TO THE STAFF ABOUT BEING SICK. ... SAID HE DID OBSERVE MR. CONTRERAZ PHYSICAL TRAINING BY THE STAFF IN THE PIT, AND MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SWAYING SIDE TO SIDE WHILE AT ATTENTION AND TELLING THE STAFF HE COULD NOT DO THE PHYSICAL TRAINING.
.... TOLD ME AFTER MR. CONTRERAZ SHOWERED IN THE EVENING THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS DEATH, MR. CONTRERAZ HAD A FOUL ODOR TO HIM, ... ADDED THAT IT DID NOT COME FROM HIS CLOTHING DUE TO MR CONTRERAZ PUT ON CLEAN CLOTHING. ... DESCRIBED THE ODOR AS MOLDY. ... ADDED DURING CHOW MR. CONTRERAZ TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS HUNGRY AND THAT HE DID HAVE A FULL PLATE OF FOOD IN FRONT OF HIM BUT MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD NOT EAT. ONE NINTH RESIDENT I INTERVIEWED WAS SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD ..., ... WAS ON HIS 30TH DAY AT THE BOY'S RANCH ON THE DAY OF THIS INTERVIEW.
... TOLD ME OF HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS. ... TOLD ME HE DID NOT HAVE MUCH CONTACT WITN MR. CONTRERAZ DUE TO MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS. ... TOLD ME HE DID OBSERVE MR. CONTRERAZ DOING PHYSICAL TRAINING AND BEING ASSISTED BY THE STAFF. ... ALSO TOLD ME OF THE YELLOW TRASH CAN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS WALKING AROUND WITH DEFECATED CLOTHING AND VOMIT IN THE CAN AND HOW MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD HAVE TO DO PUSH UPS WITH HIS FACE IN THE CAN. ... ALSO TOLD ME OF THE INCIDENT WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS IN THE WHEEL BARROW AFTER HE COLLAPSED.
THE TENTH RESIDENT THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS FIFTEEN YEAR OLD ... . ... WAS ON HIS 21ST DAY AT THE BOY'S RANCH AT THE TIME OF THIS INTERVIEW.
... TOLD ME THE STAFF LIKED TO PICK ON MR. CONTRERAZ DUE TO MR. CONTRERAZ WAS UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... HEARD MR. CONTRERAZ ASK THE STAFF IF HE COULD GO TO THE NURSE BECAUSE HE WAS SICK, AND THE STAFF WOULD REFUSE TO LET HIM G0. ... TOLD ME ABOUT HOW THE STAFF WOULD ASSIST MR. CONTRERAZ WITH PHYSICAL TRAINING FIVE TIMES A DAY.
... ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT HOW MR. CONTRERAZ TELL THE STAFF HE HAD TO DEFECATE, AND THEN STAFF TELLING MR. CONTRERAZ TO GO AHEAD AND DEFECATE ON HIMSELF. ... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ALWAYS THROWING UP AND DEFECATING ON HIMSELF. MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD TELL THE STAFF HE WAS SICK AND THE STAFF TELLING MR. CONTRERAZ HE WAS FAKING. ... ALSO TOLD ME OF HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE STAFF MEMBERS.
THE ELEVENTH RESIDT INTERVIEWED WAS FOURTEEN YEAR OLD ... . .... WAS ON HIS THIRD MONTH AT THE TIME OF THIS INTERVIEW.
... WAS THE RACKMATE TO MR. CONTRERAZ. MR. CONTRERAZ SLEPT ON THE TOP BUNK AND ... SLEPT ON THE BOTTOM BUNK. MR. BURG FROM THE CALIFORNIA PROBATION DEPARTMENT SAT IN ON THNIS INTERVIEW. ... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS SLOW ON MAKING HIS BUNK IN THE MORNING. ... STATED HE DID NOT HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH MR. CONTRERAZ. ... WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD URINATE AND DEFECATE IN HIS BUNK AND THAT HE WAS MOVED TO THE FLOOR IN THE REST ROOM TO SLEEP. ... ADDED THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD THROW UP AND DEFECATE ON HIMSELF AND THE STAFF WOULD MAKE HIM WALK AROUND WITH HIS YELLOW TRASH CAN WITH HIS SOILED CLOTHING FROM DEFECATION AND VOMIT AND MAKE HIM DO PUSH UPS WHILE HIS HEAD WOULD GO INTO THE TRASH CAN.
FOR MORE DETAIL REFER TO MICROCASSETTE TAPES 285-1 TO 285-2 FOR THE ABOVE INTERVIEWS.
ASK STATUS: CONTINUING INVESTIGATION
380300044N
WRITTEN BY M.C. DOWNING #285
ENTERED BY: 285ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1998, AT ABOUT 0830 HOURS I MET WITH LILLIAN SANCHEZ OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AT THE PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN SAN MANUEL TO INTERVIEW THE PARAMEDIC'S WITH RURAL METRO AMBULANCE SERVICE THAT RESPONDED TO ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH ON MARCH 2, 1998. ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE TO MEET WITH EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS STEVE CANEZ MADRID AND DOROTHY DIANE PORTER. THE INTERVIEW WAS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE INTERVIEW WAS NOT TAPED.
MS. PORTER TOLD ME AN EXPLORER BY THE NAME OF BILL GRAIG WAS PRESENT ON SCENE BUT wAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAy FOR THE INTERVIEW. MS. PORTER TOLD ME THEY RECEIVED THE CALL FROM THE 9-1-1 OPERATOR AT THE MAMMOTH POLICE DEPARTMENT AT ABOUT 1755 HOURS AT THE STATION IN SAN MANUEL. THE RESPONSE TO THE BOY'S RANCH WAS ABOUT ELEVEN MINUETS. MS. PORTER HAD DISPATCHED THE LIFE LINE HELICOPTER.
MS . PORTER STATED THEY WERE LED INTO THE RANCH BY STAFF MEMBERS AND OBSERVED BOY'S RANCH STAFF MEMBER DOING COMPRESSIONS ON THE PATIENT AND A PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY GIVING THE PATIENT MOUTH TO MOUTH WITH A FACE MASK. MS. PORTER TOLD ME A STAFF MEMBER WAS TRYING TO TELL HER WHAT HAD HAPPENED BUT THE STAFF MEMBER WAS RATTLING TO FAST AND SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TELLING HER. MS. PORTER OR MR. MADRID WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL ME THE FULL CONDITION OF THE PATIENT, NICHOLAUS CONTRERAZ. MR. MADRID SAID HE HAD CUT THE YELLOW TEE SHIRT UP BOTH SLEEVES TO THE NECK LINE AND OFF CENTER UP TO FRONT TO THE NECK LINE. BOTH M. MADRID AND MS. PORTER TOLD ME THEY WERE SURE THE TEE SHIRT WENT WITH THE PATENT ON BACK BOARD ON THE FLIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL IN TUCSON. BOTH MR. MADRID AND MS. PORTER DESCRIBED THE PATIENT AS COLD AND CLAMMY TO THE TOUCH AND THE PATIENTS EYES WERE FIXED AND DILATED. MS. PORTER TOLD ME SHE OBSERVED A RED DOT IN THE PATIENTS LEFT EYE IN THE WHITE PORTION OF HIS EYE AND AN ABRASION ON THE LEFT RIB CAGE AREA. THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS TRANSPORTED MR. CONTRERAZ AB0UT A MILE FROM THE BOYS RANCH TO THE LANDING ZONE FOR THE LIFE LINE HELICOPTER DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HELICOPTER PILOT, MIKE RODRIGUEZ WAS THE PILOT FOR LIFE LINE AND THE FLIGHT NURSE WAS KNOWN ONLY BY HER FIRST NAME AS ANNA BERE ON SCENE. MR. MADRID SAID HE CLEANED THE AREA OF EQUIPMENT AND SAID HE WAS SURE THE SHIRT WENT WITH THE PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL.
LATER THAT DAY MS. SANCHEZ AND I MET WITH EXPLORER BILL GRAIG. MR. GRAIG TOLD US THE SAME AS MR. MADRID AND MS. PORTER HAD ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO THE SCENE AT THE BOY'S RANCH.
ON TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1998, I CONTACTED RURAL METRO BILLING AT 602-627-6012 AND SPOKE TO FIRST NAME ONLY JODI. I GAVE JODI wHAT INFORMATION I DID HAVE AND TO HAVE HER SEND A COPY OF THE BILLING AND CODE SHEET TO ME AT THE PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN FLORENCE. AS TO DATE 03-20-98 I'VE CHECKED WITH JODI AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE BILLING.
CONTINUING INVESTIGATION
9803000440
WRITTEN BY M.C. DOWNING #28S
ENTERED BY: 285ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1998, AFTER THE INTERVIEW WITH THE RURAL METRO PARAMEDICS AT THE PINAL COUNTY SHERlFF'S OFFICE IN SAN MANUEL, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SUPERVISOR, LILLIAN SANCHEZ AND I WENT TO THE ARIZONA BOY'S RANCH TO INTERVIEW THREE MORE RESIDENTS. THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE THREE RESIDENTS WERE CONDUCTED IN THE MAIN OFFICE AT THE BOY'S RANCH, THE INTERVIEWS WERE TAPED. THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT WAS TOLD.
THE FIRST RESIDENT INTERVIEWED WAS SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD .... . ... HAS BEEN AT THE BOY'S RANCH SIX WEEXS TO THE DATE OF THIS INTERVIEW. ... STARTED OFF BY TELLING ME ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE STAFF AT THE BOY'S RANCH WHEN HE ARRIVED. ,,, TOLD THE SAME BASIC STORY AS THE OTHER RESIDENTS HAD. ... DESCRIBED HOW THE STAFF WOULD ALLOW THE RESIDENT TO URINATE AND DEFECATE ON HIMSELF. THE STAFF WOULD TELL THE RESIDENT IT WAS NOT IN THE SCHEDULE TO USE THE RESTROOM. ... TOLD ME ABOUT MR. CONTRERAZ DOING PHYSICAL TRAINING IN THE BARRACKS AND MR. CONTRERAZ TELLING THE STAFF HE HAD TO DEFECATE. THE STAFF TOLD MR. CONTRERAZ HE WAS NOT GOING TO DEFECATE UNTIL HE WAS DONE WITH HIS PHYSICAL TRAINING. AFTER MR. CONTRERAZ DEFECATED ON HIMSELF TRE STAFF MADE HIM SLEEP ON THE FLOOR AND HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO CLEAN RIMSELF UP UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING.
... TOLD ME MR. CONTRERAZ WAS NOT BEING TREATED BY THE STAFF RIGHT. M. CONTREPAZ TRIED TO DO WHAT THE STAFF TOLD HIM TO DO, BUT THE STAFF MADE HIM DO EXTRA PHYSICAL TRAINING AND MAKING HIM SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. ... OBSERVED THE STAFF DRAG HIM BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE RUNNING. ... TOLD ME THAT M. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF HIS LIFE. ... TOLD ME HE DID NOT KNOW WHY MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUS IN YELLOW SHIRT STATUS ONLY THAT THE STAFF WERE FED UP WITH HIM. ... STATED WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS THE STAFF WOULD WORK HIM HARDER AND IT APPEARED THEY MESSED WITH HIM MORE THAN THE OTHER YELLOW SHIRTS. ... TOLD ME OF THE INCIDENT WERE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PLACED IN THE WHEEL BARROW AND PUSHED BY STAFF MEMBER MR. MURPHY, AND MR. CONTRERAZ HAD TO SOUND OFF LIKE AN AMBULANCE.
THE SECOND RESIDENT THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD ... . ... ARRIVED AT THE B0Y'S RANCH FOUR WEEKS AS OF THIS DATE OF INTERVIEW.
... TOLD ME TOLD ME THE SAME BASIC STORY AS THE PAST RESIDENCE HAD ABOUT THE DAILY ROUTINE. ... TOLD OF HIS EXPERIENCE AB0UT HOW HE WAS ADDRESSED FOR EYE BALLING. ... SAID HE WAS TAKEN AROUND A BUILDING AND ALL THE STAFF DID WAS YELL AT HIM. ... SAID IT WAS ALMOST DAILY THIS WOULD HAPPEN FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS UNTIL HE LEARNED THE PROGRAM. ... TOLD ME ABOUS MR. CONTRERAZ APPEARED THAT HE WAS SLACKING OFF DURING PHYSICAL TRAINIRG. THE STAFF MEMBERS WOULD MAKE MR. CONTRERAZ LEAD WITH THE PHYSICAL TRAINING. ... SAID THE STAFF WOULD ASSIST MR. CONTRERAZ WITH THE PUSH UPS BY GRABBING THE BACK OF THE BELT AND HELPING HIM UP AND DOWN, ... ADDED THAT THE STAFF WOULD ASSIST EVERY ONE WITH THE PUSH UPS.
... WENT ON TO TELL ME WHEN MR. CONTRERAZ WAS PUT ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS. M. CONTRERAZ WAS LOOKING ILL, AND HE DEFECATED ON HIMSELF. ... STATED THAT AT FIRST HE THOUGHT THAT MR. CONTRERAZ WAS FAKING THAT HE WAS SICK. WHILE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS IN CENTER BAY, STAFF MEMBERS WERE PHYSICAL TRAINED HIM.
... SAID HE OBSERVED MR. CONTRERAZ WAS THROWING UP AND DEFECATED ALMOST DAILY, AND THAT HE WAS GETTING SICKER AND SICKER. ... TOLD ME THAT MR. CONTRERAZ CARRY A BLUE TRASH CAN JUST IN CASE MR. CONTRERAZ THREW UP.
THE LAST RESIDENT THAT WAS INTERVIEWED WAS FOURTEEN YEAR OLD ... . ... ARRIVED AT THE BOY'S RANCH FIVE WEEKS TO THE DATE OF THIS INTERVIEW. ... TOLD ME HOW HE WAS ISOLATED FOR EYEBALLING, ... WAS TAKEN TO A EMPTY BARRACKS AND HE WAS THROWN INTO THE WALL BY THE STAFF MR. MCNEW. ... SAID HE HAS BEEN ISOLATED EIGHT TIMES. ... TOLD ME ABOUT THE TIME HE DEFECATED ON HIMSELF. ... DID NOT ASK PERMISSION TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND HE DEFECATED ON HIMSELF. ... SAID THE STAFF EMBARRASSED HIM IN FRONT OF HIS PEERS, AND THEN THEY LET HIM GO TO THE BARRACKS TO CLEAN HIMSELF UP.
... TOLD ME ABOUT MR CONTRERAZ. ... SAID THE STAFF MEMBERS HAD MR. CONTRERAZ DOING PHYSICAL TRAINING, AND MR. CONTRERAZ TELLING THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT HIS CHEST WAS HURTING. THE STAFF MEMBERS WOULD KEEP PHYSICAL TRAINING M. CONTRERAZ.
... TOLD ME ABOUT HOW MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD WALK AROUND WITH THIS BUCKET WITH DEFECATED CLOTHES IN IT. ... TOLD ME HOW STAFF MEMBER MR. NAVARO WOULD HAVE MR. CONTRERAZ HAVE HIS FEET ON THE STAFF DESK AND HIS HANDS ON THE FLOOR IN A PUSH UP POSITION WITH HIS FACE OVER THE BUCKET. ... TOLD ME OF THE INCIDENT WITH M. CONTRERAZ BEING CARRIED OVER THE SHOULDER OF A STAFF MEMBER TO WHEEL BARROW AND MR. CONTRERAZ WAS WHEELED TO THE CHAPEL BY A DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBER. AT THE CHAPEL MR. CONTRERAZ WAS TELLING THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT HE COULD NOT DO IT ANY MORE. THE STAFF MEMBERS WERE ASSISTING MR. CONTRERAZ WITH PUSH UPS.
... WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT WHILE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS ON YELLOW SHIRT STATUS, MR. CONTRERAZ WOULD NOT AND HE WOULD THROW UP. STAFF MR. GONZALES WAS NEAR BY AND WHILE MR. CONTRERAZ WAS THROWING UP, MR. GONZALES YELLING. YA BABY. ... STATED MR. GONZALES WOULD YELL AT EVERY ONE THAT THREW UP.