There are so many things wrong with this crime that it’s difficult to find a more heinous betrayal of trust. Gerard Baumgarte, a 57-year-old man in Alberta, had fantasized about his crime for two weeks before he kidnapped a 16-year-old girl. The accused pleaded guilty to six charges in court, including the impersonation of a police officer and sexual assault:
The girl, who cannot be named, was driving home at about 9:40 p.m. after taking a quick trip to a nearby convenience store in Penhold.
Posing as a police officer, Baumgarte pulled the young driver over just outside her home. His car was equipped with red and blue flashing lights.
He told the girl he was going to write her a ticket because the licence plate on her vehicle was expired.
Baumgarte asked the girl to get into the car. Once inside, he pulled a knife and cut her cheek, Yereniuk said.
He tied her up and also put ski goggles, which had been painted black, on her face.
Baumgarte then put the girl in the trunk of his vehicle and took her to his residence in north Red Deer.
She was confined for two days and during that time he sexually assaulted her several times, Yereniuk said.
This poor girl never stood a fighting chance. We teach our children from the day they can talk to trust and obey police officers, that anybody would have done the same thing in the victim’s position. For this reason alone, the accused should spend a very long time behind bars. The betrayal of trust to this teenager is an unforgivable offence, and the nature of horrible crimes that followed should be weighed consequentially to that betrayal.
The sad part of this story is that I fear they will not hand down the maximum sentence he deserves, of life imprisonment.
November 4, 2009 at 6:37 am
Why we waste our resources on preserving the life of swine like this is beyond me.
November 4, 2009 at 12:37 pm
You would think that the father of this girl should dump one through this animals rib cage and the world would be a better place.
No court would ever uphold a conviction for offing garbage like this.
Pat
November 4, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Was this his first offence? Judging from the amount of prodrome activity, pre-planning and looking for a victim for weeks beforehand, I’d guess not. The amount of violence involved and the permanent facial scar inflicted on the victim reinforce that opinion.
According to the media, this man is a former long-haul trucker. I wonder if they’ve checked his log book and checked for unsolved crimes along his routes.
As for using his mother’s vehicle, well, I’m sure that says something, too. Did she never wonder why her vehicle had police lights, and did she never look in the trunk? He lived with her until shortly before this crime.
November 4, 2009 at 6:40 pm
“I wonder if they’ve checked his log book and checked for unsolved crimes along his routes.”
Good point,AParent, this guy should be investigated thoroughly re the “highway of tears” in Northern BC,where a dozen people has vanished over the last decade or so.
Too bad we can’t hang the SOB.
November 5, 2009 at 9:50 am
dmorris, it gets even more eerie when you read this article about the FBI investigating the long-haul trucker/serial killer links:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/05/local/me-serialkillers5?pg=2
Well, this girl did pull in to a gas station, and that’s how Baumgarte found her. He followed her home, to the alley behind her house, and abducted her.
One article described a scar from a deep gash on Baumgarte’s victim’s face. Then read this page, about the lacerations:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/05/local/me-serialkillers5?pg=3
A representative from a Vancouver shelter for abused women was travelling across Canada this fall, spreading awareness about the FBI findings, talking to women and preparing a report. One of her interests is the Highway of Tears.
November 5, 2009 at 2:25 pm
‘The sad part of this story is that I fear they will not hand down the maximum sentence he deserves, of life imprisonment.”
To that I would add castration.