BECK MARTIN
My name is Beck Martin. I am 17 years old. I live at 789 Fortuna Road in Driftwood City. During the 2002-3 school year, I was a co-captain on Driftwood’s crew team. Throughout high school, I had won many awards for academic decathlons, debate society competitions, and fiction writing.
I will admit up front that I cheated on the Honors English Literature exam in Mr. Molina’s class. I am deeply ashamed that I did this. The irony is that I think I would have done well on the exam anyway. I had an “A” in that class already. But my parents were really counting on me to earn a scholarship to enable me to go
to Empire University. It is a family tradition to excel in school. That DWF scholarship was very important to me. I was afraid of getting anything less than an “A” in Mr. Molina’s class. That is also why I cheated in algebra that other time.
In early May, I took the spare key to Molina’s cabinet from the office of the English department. I was an intern in the English department as part of the school volunteer community service program. In Molina’s cabinet, I found a blank exam, photocopied it, and returned the blank exam and the key. No one was the wiser, until Cody Ward noticed me taking the key from my pocket as I walked into the English department’s empty office. Cody asked me what I was doing, but I did not want to say. Cody threatened to tell the dean that I was nosing around without permission, so I showed Cody the exam photocopy. Cody asked to get a copy of that, too. I said, “OK.” After that, we worked together over the next couple of weeks preparing all the answers in advance. We aced the exam, of course.
At school on June 6, I asked Cody to get rid of the exam copy we had used. I took it out of my backpack and handed it to Cody. That is when Anne Marcus approached us and grabbed the exam from Cody’s hands. She looked at it, and I could tell she knew right away what it was. She accused us of cheating. Of course, she was right. We begged her to keep her mouth shut about it. She was angry, though. She accused us of destroying her chances for getting the scholarship. Then she put the exam in her backpack and locker. She said it would stay there either until we turned ourselves in or until she told on us sometime Monday.
I was afraid, so I tried calling Anne’s phone number many times over the weekend. When Anne did not return any of my calls, I decided to talk to my minister that Sunday morning. Just before church began, I told him that I cheated and that I wanted to turn myself in. The reverend agreed that was the best thing to do. I
just wanted a little more time to do it. I wanted Anne not to turn us in until Tuesday so I could think about how to explain it to my parents. I felt like my life was ruined, so I needed courage. I wanted to tell them when they called Monday night. They called me every Monday night while they were away in Europe.
I called Cody in the afternoon. Cody insisted that I find out where Anne was. I knew Anne was an avid rock climber and that she loved to climb the rock face at Ballena Beach. Cody offered to drive us down there so that we could talk to her. I did not tell Cody about my plan to get Anne just to postpone telling on us.
When we got there, we saw Anne. She was the only climber on the rock face. We walked along the ridge and waited for her. When Anne reached the ridge I had the fright of my life. A piece of rock gave way under her foot when she turned to gather up her rope. I grabbed her quickly to keep her from falling. She seemed startled. It all happened within a few seconds. Cody laughed and did not even attempt to
help, which I thought was a bizarre reaction.
Anne started to walk toward that cove, and we went with her. Cody lagged behind a bit, and I talked. I asked Anne to wait until Tuesday, because I wanted to explain it to my parents before the school told them. Anne refused. Still, I begged Anne, though she said she would not change her mind. We argued about it. Anne was annoyed that we had come down to see her and that Cody kept laughing. When we were almost at the cove, I turned around and saw that Cody was gone. Anne and I climbed down into the cove. There we talked for a while, and she finally said she would not turn us in until Tuesday morning. She still seemed annoyed with me and said,“Whatever. You have until Tuesday.” She started climbing up the southern cliff. I watched her climb for a little while and then I left.
It took me a while to walk back to Cody’s car as it got darker. It was 8:30 p.m. according to my watch when I arrived at the car, but Cody was not there. I was upset because Cody stranded us on the trail and now was gone. I decided to take a walk to cool off, so I headed north up the beach. It was about 9:00 p.m. and
totally dark when I came back.
Back at the car, I saw Cody was waiting for me this time, sitting on the hood of the car. I was mad at Cody for ditching me. I told Cody that Anne would wait one more day. I also said, “I thought we were in this together.” Cody laughed again, which I thought was a weird response to what I said. We shouted a little at each other, but then Cody drove me home. We were both silent all the way home. I do not know where Cody got this idea about a spot on my wrist. I never saw anything on my wrists that day.
On Monday, I arrived at school at 7:00 a.m. Sometimes I come early to work out on the rowing machine in the gym. I also thought I might confess about cheating, but I chickened out. I was scared, because I never got along very well with the administration. A couple of hours later, the school announced that Anne had died. I was shocked. I realized that I might have been the last person to ever see Anne. That cove can be a dangerous place.
Just after 1:30 or so, I was told to go to the principal’s office. I went there and I saw Officer Kripke. I sat down. The officer read me the rights they say on the cop shows. I thought I was under arrest and I was nervous because I had never been questioned by the police before. The officer said my statements were being tape-recorded, which to me sounded serious. Then the officer asked me about Anne at the beach. This did not sound right to me. I had no idea what this was about so I asked to see my Aunt Myra who lived down the street from us. Since my parents were gone, I wanted to talk to her before talking to the officer. The officer said that my aunt was not going to be called, but that I could have an attorney. This frightened me, but I felt I needed permission to get up, so I did not move. The whole situation was intimidating. Then the officer asked me if Anne and I were friends. I was still so horrified that she was dead, the officer’s question just jolted me. I mentioned that I assumed she had fallen from the cliff where I last saw her and possibly hit her head. She was an experienced climber, but she had had minor accidents before. The whole questioning had me confused. The officer’s tone of voice was very stern.
When the questioning ended I was sent back to class. I was totally shocked when I was arrested later. I cannot believe that anyone would think that I killed Anne.
DR. SAGE GRACIAN
My name is Sage Gracian. I retired in 2000 from the ocean Count Coroner’s Office after working for 18
years as an assistant coroner. I earned my bachelor’s degree in biology from Northern California College in 1965. I worked in the Peace Corps in West Africa for two years before returning to earn my medical degree from Jefferson University Medical School in 1971. I entered private practice and in 1980 began teaching a clinical course at Jefferson. In 1981, I changed the emphasis of my career and became certified in forensic pathology. In 1982 I was hired by the Ocean County Coroner’s Office. I have since worked as a coroner, taught seminar courses, and have published nine articles in professional journals on the practice of forensic pathology. My book, Traumatic Anatomy and Physiology, has become a standard introductory text in forensic medicine programs nationwide. Since retirement, I have continued teaching at the university. I am also a past president of Coastal Rock Climbers.
At the request of the defendant, I have reviewed the records of the Ocean County Coroner’s Office and have been able to examine the physical evidence, morgue photographs, and tissue samples. With all due respect to Dr. Hobbes, I have some problems with the conclusions reached regarding the death of Anne
Marcus.
First, I will begin with the so-called ligature marks on her wrists. Ligature marks indicate binding of some kind, as in a person being tied-up. The photos I saw of Marcus’s wrists certainly showed reddish marks. They looked like marks from a rope. However, I disagree with the examining coroner’s analysis. First of all, the marks are not even all the way around the wrist. O the left wrist, in fact, the marks did not appear on the underside, indicating that the rope, which caused the mark, was not wrapped around the entire wrist. Also, Anne Marcus was a rock climber, and so am I. I have seen numerous climbers give themselves similar rope marks on their arms and legs during moments of carelessness or when a sudden gust of wind causes them to slip. I believe there is no t enough evidence to call the marks on Marcus’s wrists “ligature marks.”
Second, the wound on Marcus’s head may have come from a variety of causes. The records show that the wound opening was 5 centimeters long. I is also slightly triangular in shape, which to me indicates a kind of scraping motion. This could easily be the result of Marcus’s falling from the cliff. If her head had turned in a certain way, her striking the bottom could have caused this type of injury. The force of the fall even on a small rock, like the palm-sized one in question here, would have resulted in a nasty head wound. Even if Marcus fell from a low elevation, maybe 10 feet, she could have received an injury such as the one we see on her temple. Such a wound could also have easily disoriented her and led her to stumble into the deadly surf.
Third, the swelling of her left eye is consistent with one of two causes. The first is a blunt force blow, such as a blow from a fist to the eye. The second, and far more likely cause, is swelling related to the head injury and fall from the cliff. This collateral swelling of the capillaries around the eye frequently comes from suffering a blow to the temple, as I have seen in numerous cadavers. The cuts and bruises on her body, including the eye, appear to have come from her falling on the rocks and from thrashing in the surf onto the
boulders.
Fourth, we cannot easily approximate the time of Marcus’s death. The certificate of death indicates that Marcus was pronounced legally dead at 7:30 a.m. on June 9 when Dr. Hobbes arrived at Ballena Beach. Of course, physiologic death is much harder to pinpoint. Rigor mortis is generally unreliable as a means to determine time of death, when compared to other methods such as body temperature or stomach contents, because of all the variables. Though the water and weather was cold, which can slow the process of rigor, Anne was also slender, which can speed up the process. Judging from the records, I believe there Is not enough evidence to say she died as early as 8:00 or 8:30 on June 8.
Finally, the blood analysis is not conclusive. Usually, it takes three or four matching genetic markers shared between two blood samples in order for scientists to have a fairly definite claim that the samples are from the same source. With each unmatched marker, the chance of their being from the same person decreases
exponentially. All of us share genetic markers in many of the same combinations. Identification through exact matches are more uncanny than is usually thought. Even so, once blood leaves the body, the enzymes that make up these genetic markers begin to deteriorate. Dried blood on a rock out in the open air is probably the worst sample from which to draw any conclusions without DNA evidence. No DNA testing was done here.
In my professional opinion, Anne Marcus died an accidental death in the Ballena Beach cove. She fell from the cliff and scraped her wrists on the climbing rope in the process. She hit her head and tragically stumbled into the crashing waves that swept her under the water’s surface where she drowned. The boulders in the
water prevented her body from drifting away.
RANGER DALE PLOTNIK
My name is Dale Plotnik. I have been a ranger with the State Parks for 14 years. I have worked at the
Ballena Beach Station for the last three years. Working at Ballena Beach has numerous responsibilities. I have to patrol the beach itself and outlying areas nearby, including camping areas up the coast from the beach and
over 20 miles of hiking trails in the hills on the eastern side of the highway. I have to perform many duties such as park maintenance and enforcing park rules governed by state law.
At other times, I monitor the day use parking lot for Ballena Beach. This requires me to be on duty in a kiosk, greet visitors, collect the day use fee, and see everyone is out by sunset when the beach closes. Any car in the parking lot after sunset will also receive a citation. I warn all visitors of this when they arrive because the rule is intended to dissuade vagrants from sleeping there overnight.
The Ballena Beach State Park has a distinctive geography. The beach itself is about a mile long and is popular with sunbathers and with surfers who like the waves. At the southern end of the beach is the promontory, quite popular for rock climbers. The cove itself is surrounded by cliffs, and at the top of these cliffs are a few private residences.
The residences are set back from the edges of the cliffs. Once in a while, I patrol around the promontory to make sure that no one is trespassing in this private area. Sometimes I have seen the residents climbing down to the cove, though I would advise them against it because the area can be dangerous when the tide comes in.
There are two routes to the cove from the beach, the ridge trail around the promontory and a dirt-hiking trail behind the eastern side of the promontory. The hiking trail is not much used, probably because it is very steep in places.
On June 8 at about 6:15 p.m., I greeted a young woman in her car at the gate to the parking area. She appeared about 17 or 18 years old. I later learned that she was Anne Marcus when I saw her picture in the newspaper.
Later around 7:00 p.m. as I headed down a trail, I noticed two other individuals in the distance who arrived together in a white two-door sports car. I don’t think any other visitors arrived after them since I did not see any additional cars in the lot, but there were a few other cars in the parking area from earlier in the
day.
I closed the kiosk at sunset, about 8:05 p.m., and walked up the road north to make my inspection of the picnic area. When I returned to the parking lot at 8:40 p.m. I saw there were still two cars in the parking lot. One was the white sports car, and the other was the car that arrived at 6:15. I approached both cars and saw that they were empty. I decided to check around the beach area just to see if the owners of the cars were nearby.
I walked down the sand to the bottom of the north face of the promontory. It was almost dark, but there was still some twilight left. It must have been about 8:50 p.m. when I saw someone walking along the ridge on the promontory. The person was walking toward me and away from the cove. I would say this person was at least 100 feet or more away from me, so I couldn’t get a good description. I called up to the person that the beach was closed. I wondered if it was one of the people from the white car or the young woman, though the local residents above the cove sometimes use the promontory trail as beach access. It looked like the person waved at me, and I turned to walk north up the beach.
As I walked I saw someone cross my path about 50 feet ahead of me, moving toward the parking lot. I waved and called out that the beach was closed. The person was wearing a white baseball hat and looked like the passenger in the sports car that arrived at 7:00 p.m. After scouring the beach for a few more minutes, I
returned to the parking lot and the white sports car was gone. I wrote up a citation for the one car left in the parking lot. I drove back to the Ranger Station, and my workday was done.
I spend a great deal of my free time with church activities, particularly the youth ministry. I have been a church Elder for several years at the same church the Martin family attends. SO I have known Beck Martin for years. At the church, many of the teenage and young adult congregants are in the youth ministry program in which they sponsor charitable and social events. For the last two years Beck helped organize monthly food drives for a local homeless shelter. In fact, the local chamber of commerce awarded Beck a community service medal last year for this work. Even when others in the youth ministry did not follow through, Beck always managed to do so. I t is impressive to see a teenager as mature as Beck Martin. The other congregants at the church also noticed this. Beck has a good reputation.
We had a program in conflict resolution at the church not too long ago and Beck participated. Beck must have taken the messages to heart, because I have seen Beck settle arguments among others. Once there was a disagreement between two members about where some records of donations were kept. It was a trivial argument about some clutter that had built up in the youth ministry office. However, these two young people blamed each other for losing the donation records and were ready to fight over it. Beck stepped in and talked to each of them individually and then together. Within a couple of minutes, they were shaking hands. It was amazing. Perhaps Beck will make a good minister or counselor one day.
Beck also confided in me on the morning of Sunday, June 9, that s/he had cheated on an exam. Beck really seemed distraught by it. I understood because I know Beck’s parents. Beck’s parents are professional people and very well educated. Beck wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. They had attended
prestigious universities and assumed that Beck would do the same. Beck seemed worried that Mr. and Mrs. Martin would be severely disappointed about the cheating. I reassured Beck that they could also be forgiving. Beck was shaking during our conversation. Beck seemed remorseful about the cheating and told me that s/he would probably confess to the principal sometime on Tuesday after Beck’s parents return.
I think a lot about whether the people I saw in the park that night were Beck and Beck’s friend. I wish I could say for sure. The fact is, it was just too dark and I was too far away.
I will admit up front that I cheated on the Honors English Literature exam in Mr. Molina’s class. I am deeply ashamed that I did this. The irony is that I think I would have done well on the exam anyway. I had an “A” in that class already. But my parents were really counting on me to earn a scholarship to enable me to go
to Empire University. It is a family tradition to excel in school. That DWF scholarship was very important to me. I was afraid of getting anything less than an “A” in Mr. Molina’s class. That is also why I cheated in algebra that other time.
In early May, I took the spare key to Molina’s cabinet from the office of the English department. I was an intern in the English department as part of the school volunteer community service program. In Molina’s cabinet, I found a blank exam, photocopied it, and returned the blank exam and the key. No one was the wiser, until Cody Ward noticed me taking the key from my pocket as I walked into the English department’s empty office. Cody asked me what I was doing, but I did not want to say. Cody threatened to tell the dean that I was nosing around without permission, so I showed Cody the exam photocopy. Cody asked to get a copy of that, too. I said, “OK.” After that, we worked together over the next couple of weeks preparing all the answers in advance. We aced the exam, of course.
At school on June 6, I asked Cody to get rid of the exam copy we had used. I took it out of my backpack and handed it to Cody. That is when Anne Marcus approached us and grabbed the exam from Cody’s hands. She looked at it, and I could tell she knew right away what it was. She accused us of cheating. Of course, she was right. We begged her to keep her mouth shut about it. She was angry, though. She accused us of destroying her chances for getting the scholarship. Then she put the exam in her backpack and locker. She said it would stay there either until we turned ourselves in or until she told on us sometime Monday.
I was afraid, so I tried calling Anne’s phone number many times over the weekend. When Anne did not return any of my calls, I decided to talk to my minister that Sunday morning. Just before church began, I told him that I cheated and that I wanted to turn myself in. The reverend agreed that was the best thing to do. I
just wanted a little more time to do it. I wanted Anne not to turn us in until Tuesday so I could think about how to explain it to my parents. I felt like my life was ruined, so I needed courage. I wanted to tell them when they called Monday night. They called me every Monday night while they were away in Europe.
I called Cody in the afternoon. Cody insisted that I find out where Anne was. I knew Anne was an avid rock climber and that she loved to climb the rock face at Ballena Beach. Cody offered to drive us down there so that we could talk to her. I did not tell Cody about my plan to get Anne just to postpone telling on us.
When we got there, we saw Anne. She was the only climber on the rock face. We walked along the ridge and waited for her. When Anne reached the ridge I had the fright of my life. A piece of rock gave way under her foot when she turned to gather up her rope. I grabbed her quickly to keep her from falling. She seemed startled. It all happened within a few seconds. Cody laughed and did not even attempt to
help, which I thought was a bizarre reaction.
Anne started to walk toward that cove, and we went with her. Cody lagged behind a bit, and I talked. I asked Anne to wait until Tuesday, because I wanted to explain it to my parents before the school told them. Anne refused. Still, I begged Anne, though she said she would not change her mind. We argued about it. Anne was annoyed that we had come down to see her and that Cody kept laughing. When we were almost at the cove, I turned around and saw that Cody was gone. Anne and I climbed down into the cove. There we talked for a while, and she finally said she would not turn us in until Tuesday morning. She still seemed annoyed with me and said,“Whatever. You have until Tuesday.” She started climbing up the southern cliff. I watched her climb for a little while and then I left.
It took me a while to walk back to Cody’s car as it got darker. It was 8:30 p.m. according to my watch when I arrived at the car, but Cody was not there. I was upset because Cody stranded us on the trail and now was gone. I decided to take a walk to cool off, so I headed north up the beach. It was about 9:00 p.m. and
totally dark when I came back.
Back at the car, I saw Cody was waiting for me this time, sitting on the hood of the car. I was mad at Cody for ditching me. I told Cody that Anne would wait one more day. I also said, “I thought we were in this together.” Cody laughed again, which I thought was a weird response to what I said. We shouted a little at each other, but then Cody drove me home. We were both silent all the way home. I do not know where Cody got this idea about a spot on my wrist. I never saw anything on my wrists that day.
On Monday, I arrived at school at 7:00 a.m. Sometimes I come early to work out on the rowing machine in the gym. I also thought I might confess about cheating, but I chickened out. I was scared, because I never got along very well with the administration. A couple of hours later, the school announced that Anne had died. I was shocked. I realized that I might have been the last person to ever see Anne. That cove can be a dangerous place.
Just after 1:30 or so, I was told to go to the principal’s office. I went there and I saw Officer Kripke. I sat down. The officer read me the rights they say on the cop shows. I thought I was under arrest and I was nervous because I had never been questioned by the police before. The officer said my statements were being tape-recorded, which to me sounded serious. Then the officer asked me about Anne at the beach. This did not sound right to me. I had no idea what this was about so I asked to see my Aunt Myra who lived down the street from us. Since my parents were gone, I wanted to talk to her before talking to the officer. The officer said that my aunt was not going to be called, but that I could have an attorney. This frightened me, but I felt I needed permission to get up, so I did not move. The whole situation was intimidating. Then the officer asked me if Anne and I were friends. I was still so horrified that she was dead, the officer’s question just jolted me. I mentioned that I assumed she had fallen from the cliff where I last saw her and possibly hit her head. She was an experienced climber, but she had had minor accidents before. The whole questioning had me confused. The officer’s tone of voice was very stern.
When the questioning ended I was sent back to class. I was totally shocked when I was arrested later. I cannot believe that anyone would think that I killed Anne.
DR. SAGE GRACIAN
My name is Sage Gracian. I retired in 2000 from the ocean Count Coroner’s Office after working for 18
years as an assistant coroner. I earned my bachelor’s degree in biology from Northern California College in 1965. I worked in the Peace Corps in West Africa for two years before returning to earn my medical degree from Jefferson University Medical School in 1971. I entered private practice and in 1980 began teaching a clinical course at Jefferson. In 1981, I changed the emphasis of my career and became certified in forensic pathology. In 1982 I was hired by the Ocean County Coroner’s Office. I have since worked as a coroner, taught seminar courses, and have published nine articles in professional journals on the practice of forensic pathology. My book, Traumatic Anatomy and Physiology, has become a standard introductory text in forensic medicine programs nationwide. Since retirement, I have continued teaching at the university. I am also a past president of Coastal Rock Climbers.
At the request of the defendant, I have reviewed the records of the Ocean County Coroner’s Office and have been able to examine the physical evidence, morgue photographs, and tissue samples. With all due respect to Dr. Hobbes, I have some problems with the conclusions reached regarding the death of Anne
Marcus.
First, I will begin with the so-called ligature marks on her wrists. Ligature marks indicate binding of some kind, as in a person being tied-up. The photos I saw of Marcus’s wrists certainly showed reddish marks. They looked like marks from a rope. However, I disagree with the examining coroner’s analysis. First of all, the marks are not even all the way around the wrist. O the left wrist, in fact, the marks did not appear on the underside, indicating that the rope, which caused the mark, was not wrapped around the entire wrist. Also, Anne Marcus was a rock climber, and so am I. I have seen numerous climbers give themselves similar rope marks on their arms and legs during moments of carelessness or when a sudden gust of wind causes them to slip. I believe there is no t enough evidence to call the marks on Marcus’s wrists “ligature marks.”
Second, the wound on Marcus’s head may have come from a variety of causes. The records show that the wound opening was 5 centimeters long. I is also slightly triangular in shape, which to me indicates a kind of scraping motion. This could easily be the result of Marcus’s falling from the cliff. If her head had turned in a certain way, her striking the bottom could have caused this type of injury. The force of the fall even on a small rock, like the palm-sized one in question here, would have resulted in a nasty head wound. Even if Marcus fell from a low elevation, maybe 10 feet, she could have received an injury such as the one we see on her temple. Such a wound could also have easily disoriented her and led her to stumble into the deadly surf.
Third, the swelling of her left eye is consistent with one of two causes. The first is a blunt force blow, such as a blow from a fist to the eye. The second, and far more likely cause, is swelling related to the head injury and fall from the cliff. This collateral swelling of the capillaries around the eye frequently comes from suffering a blow to the temple, as I have seen in numerous cadavers. The cuts and bruises on her body, including the eye, appear to have come from her falling on the rocks and from thrashing in the surf onto the
boulders.
Fourth, we cannot easily approximate the time of Marcus’s death. The certificate of death indicates that Marcus was pronounced legally dead at 7:30 a.m. on June 9 when Dr. Hobbes arrived at Ballena Beach. Of course, physiologic death is much harder to pinpoint. Rigor mortis is generally unreliable as a means to determine time of death, when compared to other methods such as body temperature or stomach contents, because of all the variables. Though the water and weather was cold, which can slow the process of rigor, Anne was also slender, which can speed up the process. Judging from the records, I believe there Is not enough evidence to say she died as early as 8:00 or 8:30 on June 8.
Finally, the blood analysis is not conclusive. Usually, it takes three or four matching genetic markers shared between two blood samples in order for scientists to have a fairly definite claim that the samples are from the same source. With each unmatched marker, the chance of their being from the same person decreases
exponentially. All of us share genetic markers in many of the same combinations. Identification through exact matches are more uncanny than is usually thought. Even so, once blood leaves the body, the enzymes that make up these genetic markers begin to deteriorate. Dried blood on a rock out in the open air is probably the worst sample from which to draw any conclusions without DNA evidence. No DNA testing was done here.
In my professional opinion, Anne Marcus died an accidental death in the Ballena Beach cove. She fell from the cliff and scraped her wrists on the climbing rope in the process. She hit her head and tragically stumbled into the crashing waves that swept her under the water’s surface where she drowned. The boulders in the
water prevented her body from drifting away.
RANGER DALE PLOTNIK
My name is Dale Plotnik. I have been a ranger with the State Parks for 14 years. I have worked at the
Ballena Beach Station for the last three years. Working at Ballena Beach has numerous responsibilities. I have to patrol the beach itself and outlying areas nearby, including camping areas up the coast from the beach and
over 20 miles of hiking trails in the hills on the eastern side of the highway. I have to perform many duties such as park maintenance and enforcing park rules governed by state law.
At other times, I monitor the day use parking lot for Ballena Beach. This requires me to be on duty in a kiosk, greet visitors, collect the day use fee, and see everyone is out by sunset when the beach closes. Any car in the parking lot after sunset will also receive a citation. I warn all visitors of this when they arrive because the rule is intended to dissuade vagrants from sleeping there overnight.
The Ballena Beach State Park has a distinctive geography. The beach itself is about a mile long and is popular with sunbathers and with surfers who like the waves. At the southern end of the beach is the promontory, quite popular for rock climbers. The cove itself is surrounded by cliffs, and at the top of these cliffs are a few private residences.
The residences are set back from the edges of the cliffs. Once in a while, I patrol around the promontory to make sure that no one is trespassing in this private area. Sometimes I have seen the residents climbing down to the cove, though I would advise them against it because the area can be dangerous when the tide comes in.
There are two routes to the cove from the beach, the ridge trail around the promontory and a dirt-hiking trail behind the eastern side of the promontory. The hiking trail is not much used, probably because it is very steep in places.
On June 8 at about 6:15 p.m., I greeted a young woman in her car at the gate to the parking area. She appeared about 17 or 18 years old. I later learned that she was Anne Marcus when I saw her picture in the newspaper.
Later around 7:00 p.m. as I headed down a trail, I noticed two other individuals in the distance who arrived together in a white two-door sports car. I don’t think any other visitors arrived after them since I did not see any additional cars in the lot, but there were a few other cars in the parking area from earlier in the
day.
I closed the kiosk at sunset, about 8:05 p.m., and walked up the road north to make my inspection of the picnic area. When I returned to the parking lot at 8:40 p.m. I saw there were still two cars in the parking lot. One was the white sports car, and the other was the car that arrived at 6:15. I approached both cars and saw that they were empty. I decided to check around the beach area just to see if the owners of the cars were nearby.
I walked down the sand to the bottom of the north face of the promontory. It was almost dark, but there was still some twilight left. It must have been about 8:50 p.m. when I saw someone walking along the ridge on the promontory. The person was walking toward me and away from the cove. I would say this person was at least 100 feet or more away from me, so I couldn’t get a good description. I called up to the person that the beach was closed. I wondered if it was one of the people from the white car or the young woman, though the local residents above the cove sometimes use the promontory trail as beach access. It looked like the person waved at me, and I turned to walk north up the beach.
As I walked I saw someone cross my path about 50 feet ahead of me, moving toward the parking lot. I waved and called out that the beach was closed. The person was wearing a white baseball hat and looked like the passenger in the sports car that arrived at 7:00 p.m. After scouring the beach for a few more minutes, I
returned to the parking lot and the white sports car was gone. I wrote up a citation for the one car left in the parking lot. I drove back to the Ranger Station, and my workday was done.
I spend a great deal of my free time with church activities, particularly the youth ministry. I have been a church Elder for several years at the same church the Martin family attends. SO I have known Beck Martin for years. At the church, many of the teenage and young adult congregants are in the youth ministry program in which they sponsor charitable and social events. For the last two years Beck helped organize monthly food drives for a local homeless shelter. In fact, the local chamber of commerce awarded Beck a community service medal last year for this work. Even when others in the youth ministry did not follow through, Beck always managed to do so. I t is impressive to see a teenager as mature as Beck Martin. The other congregants at the church also noticed this. Beck has a good reputation.
We had a program in conflict resolution at the church not too long ago and Beck participated. Beck must have taken the messages to heart, because I have seen Beck settle arguments among others. Once there was a disagreement between two members about where some records of donations were kept. It was a trivial argument about some clutter that had built up in the youth ministry office. However, these two young people blamed each other for losing the donation records and were ready to fight over it. Beck stepped in and talked to each of them individually and then together. Within a couple of minutes, they were shaking hands. It was amazing. Perhaps Beck will make a good minister or counselor one day.
Beck also confided in me on the morning of Sunday, June 9, that s/he had cheated on an exam. Beck really seemed distraught by it. I understood because I know Beck’s parents. Beck’s parents are professional people and very well educated. Beck wanted nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. They had attended
prestigious universities and assumed that Beck would do the same. Beck seemed worried that Mr. and Mrs. Martin would be severely disappointed about the cheating. I reassured Beck that they could also be forgiving. Beck was shaking during our conversation. Beck seemed remorseful about the cheating and told me that s/he would probably confess to the principal sometime on Tuesday after Beck’s parents return.
I think a lot about whether the people I saw in the park that night were Beck and Beck’s friend. I wish I could say for sure. The fact is, it was just too dark and I was too far away.