News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 9

SMALL PLANES DOWN No one badly hurt in TH) two unrelated crashes. lJ Seepage 5 MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2008 THE NEWS-PRESS Qnn Slayings appear to be Lee's first double-homicide suicide since '06 was a shock to me," Martin said. "If you had to pick between Mike and Denyse, I would pick Denyse." Lee Hadsock said he never sensed any problems plaguing his next-door neighbors. "They were very neighborly," said Hadsock, 46. The couple was often out walking Jack, and rnaintaining their yard, he said.

The situation is hard to cope with no matter who investigators identify as the shooter, Hadsock said. with her daughter and son-in-law, but the situation was turning around. "It was a major strain when mom moved in," Martin, 54, said, Denyse Lawrence admitted to Martin she was at her "wit's end" with her mother but she was dealing with it "The last couple of times I saw her," Martin said, "she seemed more like the old Denyse." Michael Lawrence had a placid, unassuming personality, while Denyse could be a bit high strung, Martin said. "That anyone was a shooter Expanded coverage: View video, photo gallery and story: 'Violence shatters a family in Buckingham'. "AH we do at this point is write up the case and close it out." Sgt Larry King autopsy results released Sunday by the Lee.

County Sheriff's Office. The Lawrences' dog, a Terrier named Jack, also was killed. Deputies discovered the bodies early Friday. Sgt Larry King did not go into detail about how investigators determined Denyse Lawrence was the shooter. 'M we do at this point is write up the case and close it out," King said No motive for the shooting was provided in a note found at the scene.

King said he would not discuss specifics of the note out of respect for the family. The slayings appear to be the first double-murder suicide in the county since 2006. Maggi Martin, who lives two doors down from the Lawrences on River Grove Lane, said the situation grew tense about six months ago when Lorraine Frye moved in CROWNING SUCCESS: FASHION SHOW TEACHES SELF-ESTEEM Kf-r- 'I BY JENNIFER MISTHAL Lee County sheriff's deputies suspect Denyse Lawrence, 54, pulled the trigger in a double murder-suicide in what is otherwise a quiet east Lee County neighborhood, Denyse Lawrence, 54, her husband, Michael Lawrence, 59, and her mother Lorraine Frye, 79, each died as the result of a single gunshot wound, according to TELL MEL 1 -y. MELANIE PAYNE Sheriff's nudge prompts conscience I just wrote about most of the things you'll read in today's column. But it's amazing how fast things can change sometimes when a little light gets shed.

COMPANY RESPONDING Law enforcement turned up the heat on KenSolar.com. The company had received thousands of dollars in customer payments and never shipped out the so-called "solar-powered generators" it had promised. Owner Ken Silver started delivering on those orders last week' after the Lee County Sheriff's Office issued this statement: "Detectives with the Lee County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit have concluded their investigation into a local business operating via the Internet Numerous complaints had been received concerning KenSolar.com of Fort Myers Beach claiming fraud. Media interest was extensive, thus prompting this advisory. Further investigation reveals no probable cause for criminal charges investigators have confirmed either refunds or the shipment of the items are being completed." See TELL MEL B2 tellmel Read more: An archive of Tell Mel columns about scams, government waste and abuse, consumer rip-offs, public health issues and crime.

PHOTO GALLERIES: CHARITY CHALLENGE: Lehigh firefighters and fitness center team STARTABLOG You can have your own blog on Just sign up for your own page and start blogging. There are easy instructions to walk you through it. tllll i AMANDA INSCORETHE NEWS-PRESS Kerisha Tyre helps her daughters Jordan Walker, 5, center, and Kamari Walker, 7, get ready for the Crowning Daughters for Success ceremony Sunday night at Riverside Community Center hi Fort Myers. Girls learn to be beautiful, inside and out Jail crime challenge to legal strategies Many cases unreported, others never go to trial BY PAT GILLESPIE When prosecutors receive a new case from law enforcement, they read reports and determine whether the facts of the case can support criminal prosecution. But what happens when the crime occurs in a jail cell instead of in an alley in Fort Myers or a neighborhood in Cape Coral? In the last year, prosecutors have been presented with 31 charges against 25 inmates in the Lee County Jail.

But prosecuting the cases is inherently difficult for several reasons. One is credibility of witnesses. Everyone in jail is accused of a crime and therefore proving to a jury an inmate is telling the truth can be difficult. Also, inmates have an unwritten rule of not being a "snitch," and could fear for their safety if they testify against another person with whom they are housed. From July 2007, to July 31, 2008, the sheriff's office filed 31 charges, nine of which were either dropped or not filed by prosecutors; eleven of the charges resulted in probation, jail or prison time; one woman was found incompetent to stand trial; and 10 charges are pending.

Capt. Bob Johnson, who works in the jail said inmate-on-inmate crimes are frequent, but he estimates 97 percent go unreported. The jail employs five investigators who are. trained to take statements, photograph scenes and secure crime scenes, if necessary. The crime scenes are much different than in outside cases.

State attorney and defense investigators don't get access to the jail because of security, Johnson said. Assistant State Attorney Anthony Kunasck said jail investigators do a good job of preserving evidence for prosecutors. See JAIL CRIMES B2 Download: Details on crimes committed in Lee County Jail Jail crime statistics From July 2007 to July 2008, charges against 25 Lee County jail facility inmates were sent to the stale attorney's office for prosecution. MONTH July August September 0 October 0 November 0 December 2 January P3 February PI March E31 April May m2 June ETT12 Aily 3 smiRif; iff nx inty si nrs offn t. TllfWWS-IUKSS CRIMES 'J Photo gallery.

Blaze the Runway Fashion Show. CROWNING DAUGHTERS FOR SUCCESS For more information, call 339-2276 addressed friends and family. "Magazines say beauty is a size three and a half, naked. But this is true beauty," said Perry, the program's founder, motioning to a stage of girls in modest dresses. Perry presented 18 girls with crowns to mark their achievement in the program.

"You can be as pretty as you want on the outside. But if you have a bad attitude, eventually the negative is what you're going to see. Not the beauty," Perry said after the crowning ceremony. For lana Glover, the crown holds special meaning. "We can now know how to be beautiful on the inside and outside," Jana said.

The lessons of Crowning Daughters for Success will stick with Jana. "I learned that the real world is hard and you have to be prepared," she said. Perry started the program because she said she wished she had something similar when she was growing up. "I lived a life of sin. I wasn't always perfect.

I didn't always leave the right way," Perry told the crowd. ,1 I fl 1 positive Rewards include crowns, fashion show, aplomb BY JENNIFER MISTHAL With a strut and a smile down the red carpet, 37 young models displayed their confidence. The models, students of Crowning Daughters for Success, took to the catwalk Sunday before a crowd of about 200 at Riverside Community Center in Tort Myers. The girls showed off what they learned during a 10-week program that promotes etiquette, leadership and self-confidence for girls between 6 and 17. Modeling isn't as easy as if looks, said Jayde Davis, 10.

"You have to wear big fancy dresses. It's hard to walk," said Jayde, who has modeled in Fort Lauderdale. About 90 percent of bright, Hawai-ian-themed fashions were donated by the Wal-Mart on Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. "This class, all you had to do was pay attention, focus on God and do your best. Miss TaSheekia always told us to do our best," said Destini Thomas, 11, moments before going onstage for a final time.

For Destini, who plays point guard on the basketball court, the hardest part of the event was learning to walk in heels. "I'm used to gym shoes," she said. The class encouraged students to dress appropriately and not wear revealing outfits, said De'Aja Glover, 11. Now, De'Aja refrains from wearing Sacaria Mcintosh, 5, walks down the runway in Hawaiian fashion during the Blaze the Runway Fashion Show at the Crowning Daughters for Success ceremony Sunday night at Riverside Community Center in Fort Myers. "very short shorts." "That's not appropriate for young ladies," De'Aja said.

TaSheekia Perry, the program's founder, reinforced the idea of conservative clothing for young ladies as she I likSluvkia Perry, the pnignuns fotindiT "You can be as pretty as you rant on the outside. But if you have a bad attitude, eventually the negative is what you re going to sec. Not the beauty.