Police look at role lyrics may have had in slayings
EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCH
Parishioners Shirley Huskey and Janice Dowdy (foreground) mourned with others at the church of slain Pastor Mark Niederbrock.
IInvestigators are trying to determine whether a suspect’s fascination with violent rap lyrics fueled the killings of four people found dead in a Longwood University professor’s home.
Farmville police said the victims, which include a church pastor, might have been killed on different days, although authorities still were awaiting the completion of autopsies. One of the bodies was found in a different part of the house.
On Saturday, police captured Richard Samuel Alden McCroskey III at Richmond International Airport as he was waiting for a flight home to California. That was one day after police found the bodies in the Farmville home of professor Debra S. Kelley.
Investigators say McCroskey acted alone.
The only victim police are identifying is Kelley’s husband, Mark Niederbrock, the pastor at Walker’s Presbyterian Church in Appomattox County. Authorities have identified the three others only as females, and they are not discussing how the victims were killed. Friends and associates identified the females as Kelley, her daughter, Emma Niederbrock, and Melanie Wells, a friend of Emma’s visiting from West Virginia.
Today, McCroskey has an initial court hearing in Prince Edward County General District Court. He is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Mark Niederbrock, robbery of money from Niederbrock’s wallet and grand larceny in the theft of Niederbrock’s car, police said.
McCroskey, 20, of Castro Valley, Calif., rapped about killing people, although police say the deaths did not necessarily match the lyrics in his songs.
On one of his MySpace Web pages, McCroskey promoted his music under the stage name “Syko Sam.” Both of his MySpace pages were deactivated last night.
People who know McCroskey described him as a fan and promoter of the “horrorcore” genre, which is hip-hop music accompanied by violent lyrics, but they said they did not believe he was violent.
Wade Stimpson, acting chief of the Farmville Police Department, said it is possible the victims died at different times.
Rebecca Stratton, the treasurer of Walker’s Presbyterian, said she spoke with Niederbrock by phone Thursday afternoon and he said he was headed to Richmond for a meeting. He and Kelley were separated.
Farmville police say they found the bodies after an officer smelled what he thought was an odor of human decay about 3:10 p.m. on Friday at Kelley’s home at 505 First Ave.
At normal room temperature, a body would not start to smell until about 48 hours after death, suggesting that at least one of the victims died Wednesday or earlier, said Dr. Marcella Fierro, a retired former chief medical examiner for the state.
“The father would not have been dead at the time the others were,” Fierro said.
Stimpson said officers initially discovered three bodies in the house, then left to get a search warrant before returning and finding the fourth. “It wasn’t in the same place that the other bodies were,” he said, declining to elaborate.
Police say they encountered McCroskey at the home Thursday when they went to check on a visiting West Virginia teenager at the request of her mother. McCroskey told police she was at the movies. They found the bodies when police returned to check on her the next day.
Police said McCroskey wrecked Niederbrock’s car sometime early Friday morning, received a ride to Sheetz on South Main Street in Farmville and arrived at Richmond International by taxi. He was captured Saturday sleeping in a baggage-claim area waiting for a flight back to California.
One song attributed to McCroskey on one of his MySpace pages discusses committing murder in a rage, trying to get rid of the remains and driving a stolen vehicle.
“This thing is not playing out exactly like the song was,” Stimpson said. “It’s ironic that he writes lyrics like this. .¤.¤. The fact that he’s talking about killing people — that’s close enough to make us interested.”
Andres Shrim, a friend who owns a record label that specializes in horrorcore, described McCroskey as a nice, intelligent “good kid.” Shrim said he doesn’t believe McCroskey is guilty.
He said he saw McCroskey on Sept. 12 at a music festival in Southgate, Mich.
If, however, it turns out he committed the killings, “it had absolutely nothing to do with his music, my music or with horrorcore in general,” said Shrim, owner of Serial Killin Records in New Mexico. “He made that decision on his own.”
He said that listening to horrorcore is “no different that turning on the news.”
Phil Chalmers, who wrote the book “Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer,” said he interviewed 200 people who killed when they were juveniles and that a leading cause for the violence was a fascination with violent entertainment.
Chalmers said at least 20 homicide cases in America were tied to horrorcore. He said the genre provides a sense of community for outcasts, sometimes giving them the courage to carry out violent fantasies.
“You kind of throw gasoline on the fire,” Chalmers said.
One of McCroskey’s MySpace pages listed Mars, a horrorcore artist whose real name is Mario Delgado, as one of his favorite artists. Delgado said yesterday that he has seen McCroskey at some of his shows and signed autographs for him.
Delgado, who raps about rape and murder, said he does not condone murder but said he believes his lyrics might have influenced McCroskey. Delgado said a Farmville investigator called him yesterday to discuss that angle.
“If the wrong kind of kid gets ahold of this music and takes it the wrong way,” Delgado said, “then it could be a dangerous thing.”
Delgado has been connected with violent events before. Jeff Weise, a gunman who killed seven people and himself at Red Lake High School in Minnesota in 2005, is said to have listened to Mars.
Amber Edwards, 18, of Indiana described herself as a close online friend of McCroskey and said she also was in touch with Emma Niederbrock.
She said McCroskey, whom she knew as Sam, contacted her this month and wrote that he was leaving Sept. 7 or 8 to fly to Virginia to visit Emma Niederbrock and the teenager who was visiting from West Virginia. The three attended the music festival Sept. 12 in Michigan, Edwards said.
Before he left, McCroskey wrote her that he was afraid the plane would crash on the way to Virginia. “Nobody ever pictured Sam to do anything like this,” she said.
McCroskey’s sister, reached by phone yesterday, said, “I’m not answering any questions,” before the line went dead.
McCroskey had no adult criminal record in Alameda County, Calif., which includes Castro Valley, according to Lt. Dave Alvey of the Alameda Sheriff’s Office.
On Sept. 2, though, someone named Sam McCroskey called police at 1:41 a.m. to report that his sister had friends at the home and they were making too much noise, Alvey said.
Yesterday, McCroskey’s father called the Sheriff’s Office on his way home and requested a police escort because he had heard that reporters were waiting outside, Alvey said. The Sheriff’s Office declined.
The phone number to the home is unlisted, and McCroskey’s parents could not be reached for comment.
Contact Reed Williams at (804) 649-6332 or .)
(Staff writer Louis Llovio contributed to this report.)
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Reader Reactions
I posted this on the other article, but it fits well here, too:
No, music is not solely responsible for this boy’s actions. The problem is he opened his mind to what the music meant and opened his heart also. It’s so very important to guard your thoughts because this is what can happen. When he allowed himself to listen to this music, he was allowing it to go in farther and farther. It’s like when you stick your finger in a bucket of ice…at first it’s cold, but then it goes numb and it’s no big deal. The same thing applies to sinful behavior. The first lie you tell seems pretty bad, but the next isn’t such a big deal. Before too long, you’ve created an intricate web of lies that you have to keep straight, without even thinking twice. The holy spirit is our guiding conscience, so if someone isn’t saved (as it appears this boy wasn’t), they don’t have that “little voice” telling them not to do things. And even if you are saved, you can only tell the holy spirit to shut up so many times before he stops talking altogether. It’s very similar to tolerance of a drug. You have to keep increasing doses to have the same effect. Sin works like that. Long story short, no the music itself did not make him kill these people, but he let the music influence him to a point that it was a driving factor.
One thing to leave everyone with:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.“ -Phillipians 4:8 (New Living Translation)
Is the media to blame? You bet, but I’m not talking about movies and music.
Why did Kelbold, Harris and Cho do what they did? So that their winey little drivel would get printed in the news. So that their winey little videos would get played on ABC nightly news. So the RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH would put a picture of Cho, dressed in black, mean face on, guns cocked and held out to his sides looking like some wannabe Laura Croft tough guy ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER. So that all the people who were mean to him would see how wrong they were and FINALLY somebody would listen and feel his pain. That is why they do it.
So what does the media do? We make celebrities out of these babies. I think the record is 32 kills (counting the shooter). Wanna make a name for yourself?
You can’t blame it all on Grand Theft Auto. Dad was never around and mom’s hooked on pain meds. Jeremy has spoken…
lifeontheverge… I totally agree with you. It can go several ways with young ppl. If ppl believe in them.. they can direct them to positive things. If not.. they will find what they Think fulfills them. There are those few that will be okay anyway. Many of those around us did that very thing. But we can’t let those vulnerable ones thru the cracks.
It’s up to the parents and those close enough to help to steer kids clear. Or hope to.
It seems obvious this music might have had an impact on his mental health.. but we don’t know if he really did it or not..(justice in the American way) ...
Might be hard to find a jury ... sad. I wouldn’t be a good candidate. My mind is pretty made up.
Well…thanks for trying to shed some light and expose the “real” issue to me. However, I was already aware of what was being asked…I, too, read the article.
My apologies for the confusion I seem to have caused you. My comment was simply an expression of my happiness for the comment by Arijin—finally someone with realistic, worthwhile (in my opinion) comments. Everything in my comment was directed at the NUMEROUS comments that have been made regarding this article and the ridiculous things people have said.
But…on to your comments….
I don’t feel that I’m in a position to say whether or not fans/creators of “horrorcore” music are more likely than the rest of us to commit acts of violence. I’ve never looked into the genre, I don’t know about its origins or the reasoning behind the artists’ chosen forms of expression. The only thing that would seem clear to me is the interest in violence—a theme that permeates all forms of art.
Drawing on arijin’s example of horror flicks: Having just seen Rob Zombie’s newest release, that’s what comes to mind first for me…I enjoy his films and his music, I think he’s a very intelligent and talented man—that being said, I easily recognize that the horrific events of his films are in NO way a part of my life or a hobby of mine. I enjoy his movies because occasionally it’s fun to be scared.
I think there are many possibilities related to the impact of “horrorcore”. Maybe the founding artists began writing as a way to startle people into awareness of the issues. Maybe they’re trying to explore the emotions related to certain types of violence for a better understanding. I don’t know.
I think it’s also possible that people listen to and enjoy this music for an adrenaline rush - much like the one you’d get from watching a scary movie or looking at a grotesque painting.
I truly feel like I can’t be the judge of it.
OF COURSE it’s possible that people listening to “horrorcore” are a step closer than the rest of us….but not to any different level than people who enjoy other forms of the horror genre.
I’m a little bummed that you peg me as an idiot and assume that I’ll disagree just for the sake of it.
Umm, YES I’d be inclined to say that people listening to Christian rock probably hold Christian beliefs. Why, people that listen to music with racist lyrics are PROBABLY racist.
That being said, just because you listen to punk music doesn’t make you a punk. Or listening to country music doesn’t make you southern.
You can listen to music to simply experience a certain feeling/emotion.
Maybe it’s healthy that these people with interests in violence are choosing to express themselves through art, instead of action. Sadly, that doesn’t mean things won’t get into the wrong hands. Someone who’s actively seeking out violent music MAY be more inclined to be violent towards others…
But who am I to judge?
I have no interest commenting any further on this issue.
I understand your point, I agree that it’s an interesting relationship to look into – but I think there’s a lot more at work than just a violent genre of music. As we all know, it’s not just people listening to “horrorcore” that choose to kill.
To caitlin: Nobody is a murdering lunatic until they perform that deed. The real issue is whether “horrorcore” freaks are one step closer than the rest of us are. If you say ‘not’, then I ask you why not?
Would you not expect a person who exclusively likes Christian music to also like Christian beliefs? “No” you say? Are you being realistic or just plain stubborn?
arijin—WELL. SAID.
I completely agree with you. It’s disgusting to see so many people jump to conclusions and cast blame.
Blame should be withheld until someone is found guilty. Only then.
Blaming music is ludicrous.
While I can’t say that ANYTHING about the horrorcore genre sounds appealing to me…I certainly don’t find myself thinking that everyone associated with that genre is a murdering lunatic.
It’s unfortunate to blame any art for CAUSING particular negative actions.
Art is merely the product of human experience and exploration.
Stop hating. :)
I hope the families of all involved are able to remove themselves from this needless bickering and blaming and focus on finding comfort.
I admit that I read this article specifically because I thought the headline was implying the same old nonsense we’ve heard countless times before about music or movies or video games causing violence. That business has been put thoroughly out to dry again and again, and I thought I had something to be mad about… again.
However, then I read the article and saw that it’s not about the music causing the violence, but more that the violence caused the music and back again… so I stopped worrying about it.
But then I read the comments.
I have to say, I am completely taken aback by some of the commenters’ attitudes.
The market for this music is not a bunch of psychopaths any more than horror movies are. Anyone ever heard of allegory or metaphor?
The problem is that there are always crazy people, (and yes, there always have been. Think Marquis de Sade… I’m pretty sure he Sadism wasn’t named after him because he was influenced by Sadistic art…), and sometimes, their brand of crazy influences their taste in music or films or whatever. Then, when they act on their psychosis, and people see that they’ve been indulging in controversial (or potentially controversial) art, the art gets blamed.
Now, I can’t say one way or another whether the accused is guilty, (isn’t that what the justice system is designed for? Deciding that? Shame on people for declaring him guilty outright…), but, if he is, it’s unfortunate that he also performs this kind of music. I guarantee (honestly not afraid to say that) there is a much larger portion of the audience for this kind of music than would ever even consider the idea of killing someone.
I am not in this audience, (that I know of… perhaps something I listen to qualifies… I listen to a lot of music), but I can speak from experience, with other kinds of art that I am definitely into, that the influence of the art into the realm of action is non-existent for me and countless others that I know.
Let me explain a little, in order that I may make a bit of sense.
I am a very avid horror movie fan. Extremely so, even.
I am also an atheist, usually considered very liberal, and, believe it or not, a pacifist.
This is all in my nature. I have never even hurt another person on purpose. No fights. No violence.
Ever.
I have never entertained the idea of hurting another living soul, which may really strike some of the commenters as odd, since I don’t believe in any God and I watch horror movies A LOT.
I think that one big problem we have in this society is that people take things far too literally.
Most horror films are metaphorical in nature, and many, (specifically - the Slasher subgenre), have morals that are directly in line with Christian doctrine.
They depict horror as the necessary result of immorality. You have sex as a teenager - you die.
I cannot speak for the accused’s music or its content, but, like most forms of expression, I would bet this genre of music has a subtext that is missed by a great deal of people outside of its fanbase (probably many inside as well).
I find, as an educator, that one thing today’s society lacks in big ways is the ability to think critically about a lot of the information they get. They hear something, they react.
I teach college freshman level mathematics, and I deal every day with this rampant trend. I ask my students to think a bit and many (most) of them simply shut down.
This bothers me a great deal. I wish very much to live in a society where intelligent, critical thought (about EVERYTHING) is applauded.
One more thing: many serial killers and mass murderers throughout the years have been products of “clean” society. I will reference one in particular, though there are too many to count. My example is Charles Whitman. This guy was a Catholic, an Eagle Scout, and a Marine. He also had a lot of problems - health issues, family issues, possible drug issues, etc. I hardly think any music or film could be said to have caused him to kill or injure at least 49 people.
I am not suggesting there is no correlation in the case at hand between the murders and the music, but I’m saying that people making comments so conclusively stating such things should think about the countless killers throughout history for which such things could not be said to be factors.
To blame the music is rather dismissive, and completely ignores the obvious underlying psychosis a person who would do this sort of thing must have present.
Sorry for the soapbox. I just had to say something, rather than hear a bunch of garbage spewed about people like me being like Sadistic murderers.
Again, this was mostly a reaction to comments, and not the article in question, which clearly made no conclusions about a link between art and violence (nor did it even really touch on that subject much at all).
I’m sorry, JB, but your comment makes no sense. Is it a follow-up to something someone else said (which then got deleted)?
In particular, I’m thrown by the following line:
“Ween, The Minutemen, Mannequin, Meat Cleaver = TWIZTID individual.“
Surely, this is a joke…
My assumption is that I’m missing the context for this comment and that you were maybe trying to be ironic…?
Please explain.
Right On LifeontheVerge!! Well said, and so true.
If you eat infected rotting meat, you’re going to get sick and you just might die. You surround yourself in a lifestyle of twisted ideologies, you have got to own up to the fact that it’s just not right.
I’m so sick of seeing people saying that they will not condone these actions and yet they don’t CONDEMN them. In fact they glorify them with their actions. Serial Killing Records and Wicked Intent Records as I can still tell is still promoting this genre of murder-promoting and terror-ridden noise. To say it is music would be a disgrace to so many real artists.
Seriously, if I can’t have a license plate that endorses murder and illegal activity - how in America can one one a recording company endorsing serial killing and mass murders?
Commonsense - did you go watch the SKR Slaughterhouse video? In America we call that “art.“
The bottom line is CASH….money…the love of money is indeed the root of all evil.
Money is why this trash gets defended as music.
Money is why pornography is considered “adult entertainment” instead of the enslaving destructive, degrading industry it really is.
To say that we shouldn’t make laws to limit just how far these greed-mongers can go with their sadistic temptations is apathetic and irresponsible.
No music doesn’t make someone do drugs, engage in sexual sins or kill people….but then again I don’t suppose McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” jingle “makes” anyone buy a hamburger….but it damn well puts the thought in your mind.
Lost, confused and rejected kids can become very hard, evil kids if they are exposed to the wrong messages long enough.
I spent 10 years as cop/detective and sixteen as a youth pastor and two years as a high school resource officer…I watched the cycle over and over—and I watched work in reverse as well. I’ve seen kids who have been rescued because people intentionally invaded their lives with hope and purpose.
These perverts intentionally invade the lives of the vulnerable with music I honestly believe comes from the very heart of Satan.
Of course the best case scenario is that these kid have responsible parents or that loving people help them find meaning. But a country of people who sit back and allow this crap to be peddled as an art form deserves to reap what they’ve allowed to be sown.
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