I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn that two friends of ours, Paul Stephens, 26, and Brian Hudson, 25, were shot to death in their Las Vegas apartment on June 8 during a robbery. Three suspects have been apprehended by Metro police. We’re going to be quiet here for a day or so while we collect our thoughts and emotions.
RIP, Paul and Brian.
Goddamnit.
This then will sadly serve as our 364th and final posting at Carver’s Dog. Comments here and elsewhere on the blog will be responded to but there will be no new postings. We will emerge at a new blog in the next 24 hours and that will be announced in the body of this posting.
~~~~~~~~~~
The city’s frightening now. That’s the basis of my reaction to Las Vegas. It’s not the city I wrote about. It’s not the same place at all.
Hunter S. Thompson, 2002
I’m very sorry about your friends. Here’s the link to a wonderful message board that provides support for people who have lost a loved 1 and/or friend to murder:
http://murdervictims.proboards.com/index.cgi?
By: Laura (pumpkin) on June 26, 2009
at 3:38 pm
Thank you, Laura. I’ll be writing about this in the days to come (I’ll also respond to your other comment later this evening).
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 26, 2009
at 4:01 pm
Laura, thank you for your concern. Message boards help many people through tough times; however, as Rodger said, he deals by writing. Sooner or later, this tragedy will show up in his fiction. That’s his way of processing things.
As for myself, I deal intuitively. When a shock happens, I let my thoughts and feelings run their course, being aware of any opportunity to learn something new even if the truth hurts. In the case of these two young men, I mourn their final moments, and mentally send what love I can to their families. I don’t want to feel better, I don’t want help, I don’t want to share anything with anybody, I don’t want support. I want to feel what I’m feeling for as long as I need to. Then I’ll move on.
Hope that makes sense, and even though I’m weakened by my grief, I too will respond to your comments on the other post as I am somewhat involved.
By: Hurricane Shirley on June 26, 2009
at 9:21 pm
Jesus, I’m sorry RJ.
By: heyjoe on June 26, 2009
at 3:41 pm
Yeah, so am I, Joe. Thank you. Hell of a way to find out why your friends haven’t been responding to your phone messages.
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 26, 2009
at 4:02 pm
A very fond goodbye to Carver’s Dog. And to your friends. Friends leave us. That’s what they do.
By: John Shannon on June 26, 2009
at 4:41 pm
Yes but it’s hard to accept when they leave us in such a heinous manner, John; this was a shocking and senseless double homicide in a state that sadly has no death penalty. More on this at my new web presence shortly.
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 26, 2009
at 8:02 pm
“This city’s frightening now.”
Yes.
We are truly in exile here. I know we’ll make the best of it, but today, I just hurt.
By: Hurricane Shirley on June 26, 2009
at 9:00 pm
Oh, I hope you two are okay! This is terrible!
By: vbonnaire on June 27, 2009
at 8:14 am
We’re okay, Val. Yesterday and into the evening was pretty rough but now we (or at least I) am over the initial shock.
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 27, 2009
at 1:14 pm
Rodg — that piece “Ghosts” — haunted.
You caught the whole mood of that place.
The first time I was ever there was in the 80s on the way to New Mex and I was in an old part of the city.
There were all these angels on the buildings.
People were being unloaded from buses with their pennies. I had a leica at that time and I caught it all in black and white.
Be safe.
That place scares the hell out of me.
By: vbonnaire on June 27, 2009
at 8:59 am
“Ghosts” is my favorite piece at Carver’s Dog. If you still have those old Vegas pics you should scan ‘em and post ‘em.
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 27, 2009
at 1:15 pm
I remember Brian as a quiet, lanky boy who grew into a teenager loving skateboarding and working on cars. Recent pictures of his graduation shown to me by his mom showed a handsome, vibrant young man. So sad. So senseless. His family is trying to hold it together. Relieved that men were arrested but at the same time realizing it won’t bring Brian back. God bless them and give them peace and comfort.
By: Sue on June 28, 2009
at 1:24 pm
Sad, senseless, and all of that, Sue. Brian was a very vibrant young man and was undaunted by the reality that his degree, for the moment, was not worth much in the current economy; we saw him mere days after his graduation and once more after that and then … well. Nevermore.
By: Rodger Jacobs on June 28, 2009
at 1:31 pm
[...] their apartment… shot execution style. I’ll let Rodger pick up the rest of the story here and [...]
By: Zel-kun’s Words :: Hectic on June 30, 2009
at 6:50 am
I’m so sorry about your friends, Rodger. To say “I’m sorry” sounds so hollow and perfunctory. But I really am. This sucks so badly. It also makes me mad as hell. You are in my thoughts.
By: Julie on July 1, 2009
at 9:59 am
I always forget to say it’s Julie Buffaloe. Thinking of you.
By: Julie on July 1, 2009
at 10:00 am
Thank you, Julie. Be sure to visit us at our new site.
By: Rodger Jacobs on July 1, 2009
at 11:51 am
Roger,
Paul was a very good friend of mine. Everything you wrote is exactly how I feel. You write very well, and it was comforting for a moment to know someone else felt the same way about every bit of this tragedy, and someone who could put it into words perfectly.
I was also calling and leaving messages on pauls phone, wondering why he wouldn’t call back or be checking his voicemail. That is deeply disturbing – to find out later that he was dead and I was calling before his body was even found. His phone was ringing in his pocket while he was dead and undiscovered. I can’t get over that. I will NEVER get over the reason he was killed and by whom. Absolutely senseless, the murder and the murderer.
My aunty and cousin (my auntys oldest daughter) were murdered side by side 3 years ago this week, execution style, at very close range. They were on a hike, two miles in on a popular trail. The murder was never solved. No motive was ever identified. I was still coping with that, and now this.
The doorstep memorial for paul and brian is warm and almost comforting. It helped me a lot to go there, leave my favorite pic of paul and I, and light a candle and stand in silence. I recommend it to anyone in vegas who knew these boys and was touched by their death.
By: coll s. on July 2, 2009
at 4:57 am
[...] Jacobs I would lke to share a comment that was left at Carver’s Dog this morning under the Radio Silence thread. The author is Coll S. – Paul was a very good friend of mine. Everything you wrote is [...]
By: More on the Stephens-Hudson Slaying « Bat Country: Adventures in a Broken-Down Carny Town on July 2, 2009
at 12:30 pm
I’m glad my words were a comfort to you in some small measure. I have been and will continue to follow this tragedy at my new web site here:
http://carnytown.wordpress.com/
Thank you for writing; we share in your grief.
By: Rodger Jacobs on July 2, 2009
at 12:32 pm
So sorry for your loss Rodger. This sort of thing is always made worse by the fact that not only have you lost good friends, but it also is a stark reminder of the senseless cruelty of the world at large.
We’ll update the links to the new blog. Love the name. Need to re-read Fear and Loathing sometime soon.
By: Julie Scott on July 4, 2009
at 11:45 am
To rodger and coll s.
Paul was one of my best friends. the irony of this all i sent b a text at 407 on monday hey you guys alive. i had not heard from or seen either paul or brian since friday. I went up to their apartment at about 11 sunday and no answer with lights on. started to get a bad feeling then. i too was calling and texting all day monday. i lived in the complex paul got me to move over there. by the time i had gotten home at 4 45 the police and ambulance were already there and i knew something was not right. I apparently was not meant to find them. i dont think i could have seen that. i miss paul so much. i used to see him like everyother day. my wife and i started the doorstep memorial incase others came by. the first few days was hard then one night we went up and someone else put stuff out too. i feel guilty though that i should have just opened his door sundaynight maybe i could have saved them.
By: john on July 9, 2009
at 2:39 pm