Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Pam Roberts

UDPATE, November 2, 2009: Joel Cain receives life sentence.
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UDPATE, July 24, 2009: Joel C. Cain was found guilty of murdering Pam Roberts.
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What is going on in Milwaukee?

Bullets aren't just flying after dark. Recently, a number of shootings, including some murders, have occurred in broad daylight.

Monday morning, Sanchaz Conley was shot to death while on his way to start a new job.

On Tuesday, Pam Roberts was found murdered after an apparent robbery at Coop's Tiny Tap, 5501 W. Vliet St.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Bartender Pam Roberts was such an institution at Coop's Tiny Tap that once, to celebrate her 50th birthday, the message "Happy Birthday Pam" was posted in giant letters on the billboard atop the tavern's roof.

Tuesday evening, just hours after she was found dead inside the bar at 5501 W. Vliet St., her name appeared on a chalkboard across the street at the Wonder Bar - above a message that read, "I miss you already."

...Late Tuesday, police were investigating whether robbery was a motive behind the death of Roberts, 58, who was found by a vendor about 1:20 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

..."We believe it's a homicide," said Lt. William Jessup of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

According to Jessup, surveillance video from inside the bar shows a man who also appears on surveillance videos from "more than one location in the area," including another business.

The intruder was masked but Roberts did not appear to be afraid of him when he entered the tavern, police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said.

"In the video it appears that either the victim knew the suspect or she was very comfortable with him in the bar," Schwartz said.

Still photos taken from the bar's surveillance system show what appears to be a heavy-set man wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black cross-training gloves. He wore what appeared to be a red bandanna over the lower portion of his face and is shown in one photo standing in front of an open cash register.

Roberts' friends are grief-stricken.

She was a mother, a grandmother, and a wonderful person.

But some thug wanted money and he killed her.

Roberts went to work on what she probably thought would be a day like any other day, but this one was her last.

It's absolutely heartbreaking.

How can people have so little respect for life?

I hope someone with information and a conscience comes forward to assist the police in solving Roberts' murder.



Right now, this thug is on the streets. Clearly, he's dangerous.

Not to worry. Don't forget Milwaukee is a "remarkably safe" city.


God be with Pam Roberts' family and friends.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pam will be missed by all. She was a friend to everyone she met. This was a senseless brutal crime. Everyone in the City of Milwaukee should feel insecure as long as this criminal is on the streets. When does it end? I can only hope that this will serve as a wake up call to the community. Love your children. Teach them to love and respect life. And for those who do not learn this lesson .. those who brutalize others .. lock them up for good. Whoever did this to Pam will surely burn in hell!

Mary said...

Pam sounds like she was such a wonderful woman. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

I don't understand how someone could do something as horrible as this. I really don't.

What's scary is that even after they find this thug and put him away there will still be others like him out on the streets, those with no respect for life.

I, too, hope that this is a wake up call. Our revolving door justice system has to stop.

Soulshadow said...

Pam is already sorely missed by her family and friends. I am an extended member of the family and have known and loved Pam for many years. Nights are difficult to sleep and if you do manage to get a couple of hours the moment you awake is consumed with thoughts of Pam. The ache in my heart deems it difficult to swallow. There is a world I've always lived in that will now NEVER be the same. I feel perpetually sick to my stomach. I love my brothers wife as if she is my biological sister and her family is my family. Just knowing how incredibly deep their pain is, how there is now an empty hole in their hearts (as well as my own)brings me to my knees. This person, this sick, terrible person used a minute of his life to commit a heinous crime that has forever changed a loving, kind, good family. The most difficult thing I've ever had to do is to pray for him, the souless louse with no respect for life. I pray that God will have mercy on his soul and I pray for this family to find peace....somehow.

Mary said...

I've never lost a family member as the result of such a senseless, violent crime; but I have experienced loss.

I understand the sleeplessness, and then after you do get some sleep, waking to the reality of the nightmare you're living.

I'm so sorry.

I'm praying that you and your family and all of Pam's friends find strength to get through this terrible time.

Soulshadow said...

Thank you Mary. Your words are thoughtful and kind. I am definitely not a stranger to loss. I lost my Mother to pancreatic cancer in 2001, hers was the worst out of too many to list for me and now this. You are right, you wake up to the same nightmare everyday. It feels like it will never heal right now, but I know it will. At least to a certain degree. You never really heal totally and especially not when a person you loved was taken away in such a senseless manner. Thank you again, I just pray they catch him soon before he does the same thing to another person and their family and their friends.

Mary said...

My condolences on the loss of your mother. I know firsthand how hard that is. I, too, have had to confront so much tragedy. Like you said, you never really heal, but little by little, you do eventually begin to adapt to life without your loved one, as hard as that is to do.

I hope for your sake, and also for the safety of the community, that the man responsible for all this heartache is brought to justice soon.

Please remember that there are people praying for you.

Take care.