If someone asked me whom I'd most like to meet, among my answer would be John Walsh of America's Most Wanted, who lost a child to violence and completely changed the course of his life to help others in similar situations.
Walsh's transformation from a hotel developer to an activist helped change missing person's investigations forever. In 1981, when Adam disappeared, you couldn't enter information about a child into an FBI database, you couldn't search DNA found at the crime scene against a DNA databank, and there wasn't a television show helping police gain leads in missing person's cases.
Walsh's work helped put missing children's faces on milk cartons and in mailboxes, started fingerprinting programs and increased security at schools and stores. It spurred the creation of missing persons' units in every large police department. It prompted legislation to create a national center, database and toll-free line devoted to missing children. It also created the television show "America's Most Wanted," which brought such cases into millions of homes.
There is much to talk about when it comes to a man like John Walsh, which I'm sure is the main reason for the media debate over who "really" killed Adam after Hollywood police named serial killer Ottis Toole, who died in prison in 1996, the boy's murderer.
Why debate this at all? Toole was a suspect from Day One, evidence shows he likely committed the crime, and he confessed to it on his deathbed.
It must be truly horrible to have your child's body (or severed head) recovered, but never know who committed the atrocity and why. Walsh called the not knowing torture and said the "journey is finally over" when police declared the case solved. This is the type of closure homicide detectives seek and victims' families need.
It's only fitting and right that John and Reve Walsh finally receive the closure they've brought countless others. So to the media I say: Let it be. After 27 years of selfless service to others, this family deserves closure of their own.
Ronnie Wendt | Owner/Writer, In Good Company Communications
Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer based in Waukesha, Wis. She has written about law enforcement and security since 1995.
