Grisly Discovery

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As you probably know, there was an arrest in the matter of the disappearance of LaToyia Figueroa (search). Now, of course, it is no longer a disappearance, it is a double homicide (the child she was carrying also died.) The father of her child — Stephen Poaches (search) — was arrested. I have posted pictures we took last week when we went to Philadelphia to look into LaToyia's disappearance. Click on the link in the photo box above to check out my photo essay. Note: We interviewed Poaches’ lawyer in his office and the detective at LaToyia’s home and Poaches’ home and the pics show this.

I have received many e-mails from viewers over the weekend stating that our “On the Record” trip to Philly to interview people about LaToyia's disappearance was instrumental in finding her body and making an arrest. While I would love to be part of solving a crime — and certainly one as heinous as her murder — I can't take credit. The police were very aggressive in investigating this case and deserve all the credit.

When we spent the day with them on Thursday it was plain to me that they knew a lot more than they were saying to us and that they were 100 percent determined to solve her disappearance — and they did. Of course they did not and could not tell us "all" on Thursday since they did not want to jeopardize the investigation, but I could "read between the lines." It was obvious that they were very interested in what we were learning throughout the day from our interviews and footwork. They asked us many questions and we asked them many. They were particularly interested in any inconsistencies between what they knew from their investigation and what the suspect's lawyer was telling us. Of course, the lawyer could be mistaken as to what his client told him and what he told us — but the police were nonetheless interested. They were looking at everything... as they should.

Incidentally, if you think we have the day off when you don't see us on the air, think again. I spent much of Saturday on the phone with the police and colleagues about the LaToyia Figueroa case (and of course the many daily calls to Aruba.) When you have put so much of yourself into a story, you don't want to drop it simply because it is your day off. I also wanted to congratulate the Philadelphia police since they had worked hard on this. It is with mixed feelings no doubt that they accept the praise since everyone would have so much preferred a different ending... one in which LaToyia returned home alive. I spoke to Detective Harris very early Saturday morning and he sounded exhausted.

Here is a "flash from the past:” Before you watched FOX News — and before FOX News even came into existence — you may have watched CNN and seen Valerie Voss on the air. She did the weather reports for CNN until late 1999 when she left CNN and then she and her husband boarded a sailboat to travel the world. Over the weekend I ran into her in an East Coast port and was delighted to learn that she and her husband had successfully circled the globe on their sailboat and still live on it. She said she would like to do it again. It is fun to see someone achieve his or her dreams. She sure knows how to escape!

And now some e-mails:

E-mail No. 1

Greta,
Rhe chat rooms are buzzing with the rumor about your husband having real estate dealings with George Twitty... please verify. If true, is it Jug or his Dad? Thanks in advance for your response.
Debbie Bronson

ANSWER: Debbie, in the last few days I have received a bunch of e-mails about this and ignored them since I figured just a silly rumor and when you are in the public eye, lots of rumors fly. You can't answer all of them and ignoring them is often the best idea. But after giving it some thought, I figured I should answer the question. The answer is no, my husband does not know anyone in the Twitty family and has no business dealings with any of them. (However he now teases me after I told him of the rumors and says he has to meet with his business partner Jug this week and will thus be out of town... so the rumors have now unleashed a comedian in my family. The joke is getting old.) I hope you pass this on so that we can put an end to this rumor.
P.S. I told Beth about the rumors, too and like my husband, she got a few laughs about how wild rumors can fly. She could use a few laughs... things are very tough for her.

E-mail No. 2

At least Bob Costas has a conscience. Greta, you are a ratings whore. Someday, you may realize you are as big a piece of trash as Tammy Faye. The Holloway story, as you well know, has no public affairs relevance whatsoever — just a sad situation for the family. By the way, I never watch right-wing FOX News, I only hear Holloway is all you talk about. You are part of the right-wing garbage that's turning the whole country into a large trailer park.
Sincerely,
Phil Boston
Athens, GA
This e-mail will mean nothing to you, as you are raking in the money.

E-mail No. 3 — This next e-mail is about our July 28 show when I had LaToyia's father on our show:

Greta,
I watch your show often and I've been following your in depth coverage of Natalee Holloway and your concern for her mother Beth. Tonight you interviewed Michael Figueroa, the father of the missing pregnant woman. I have never sent my comments to a news program before but I have to say that your questioning of him was in stark contrast to your treatment of Beth Holloway Twitty. At the end of your interview of Mr. Figueroa you said “thank you.” Not, “I hope you find your daughter,” no words of encouragement or “Best of luck,” etc.
I feel that it is imbalanced to show so much concern for one family of a victim and be at arms length toward another parent, who is equally devastated and worried about his daughter.
I know from your intense coverage of the Holloway case, you may have become personally involved with the family, but Mr. Figueroa was deserving of similar concern and kindness.
Thanks for reading my reaction.
Cheryl

ANSWER: Cheryl, I am not sure how to respond to your e-mail. Frankly, I think it a bit silly. Of course I care about the family... sometimes we end shows quickly because we run out of time and don't have the time to say anything more than thank you. Sometimes we feel so bad that we don't know what to say. But, while I was at least trying to help, you are trying to "swat" the person who is trying to help over something that seems minor (how I end the segments.) You might find a better use of your time or find a better reason to "swat" me. Frankly, I do make mistakes from time to time that are more deserving of a "swat" — this is just not one of them.

E-mail No. 4

Dear Greta,
There are rumors that are all against Beth and Jug Twitty going on blogs on the Internet.
First of all, that Natalee Holloway ran away twice before: Puerto Rico and I don’t remember where else.... I have been doing my best with limited knowledge to combat their posts.
Now it is being rumored that Jug Twitty and your husband are partners with two Arubans — one German, one Dutch unidentified — in a huge land deal in Virginia with much money involved and that it is a motive for someone who is involved in this to have motive to steal Natalee.
If you could dispel these rumors or give me something to post against them I would surely appreciate it...
I think if Joran gets off, these other scenarios are going to surface. It'd be best to get rid of them now. I would hate to see this turn the way it is looking on that site. If you could log on and view the site I think you will see what I mean.
Sincerely,
Max Cutlip

ANSWER: See my response above, to E-mail No. 1. It seems the rumor is getting more legs... now the rumored business deal includes a German, two Arubans and one Dutch... and a motive to get Natalee all rolled into one. By tomorrow the rumor may include one Frenchman, four Chinese and a cat. The Internet is a wonderful research tool, but it sure does get wild.

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