Justice for Geddy is an organization I am starting to help provide support groups and financial help to families and friends of murder victims. My brother Geddy Neal Fields was born on Monday, June 21, 1982. Geddy was born 3 months early weighing barely 3 pounds. He had to be removed by a vacuum-type sunction device because the placenta bag had broken and he was drowning in blood. Geddy was born with a hole in his head from the suction device. He spent a long time in the hospital incubator. Even when Geddy came home, we were afraid he would fall through a crib, so he slept in a shoebox.
Geddy had severe asthma. Several times he stopped breathing, turned blue, and had to be rushed to the hospital. Geddy didn't make a sound until he was 2 years old. We thought he was deaf. At the age of 2 he started acting out, and was taken to Children's Hospital where he was diagnosed with autism. When Geddy was in school he was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Despite Geddy's disabilities, he desired independence. At the age of 19 he took a driver's education class and received his drivers license. Geddy's income was a small disability check. He bought himself a car and lived in an apartment for disabled people.
Geddy didn't want to admit he had problems. He always tried to help others. He would give rides and money to people. One person had a sick baby and he did alot to help him and his family for a month. Geddy took the family to see the baby and grocery shopped for them. That wasn't enough for him. On Wednesday, August 22, 2007, this man and a possible other person beat Geddy with a clawhammer, shot him 4 times in the head and left him face down in Carondelet Park in St. Louis, Missouri. They took his car and whatever money he had, which couldn't have been much. They went into his building several times, stayed in his apartment, stole his new clothing and shoes, left used condoms all over the bedroom and someome planted powdered sugar to look like drugs.
I had to identify Geddy, as our mother suffered a heart attack. Only part of his face was visible to me. His head was wrapped in a sheet. The part of his face I saw was entirely dis-colored with excessive bruising. There was no part flesh-colored, extreme swelling and his teeth were broken and protruding from his mouth. It was hard to recognize him. The damage was so bad, we had to have a closed casket. Geddy's great grand-mother, Helen Wright was 103. She died the day after she heard the news.
Geddy had no drugs in his system or in his apartment. Geddy's obsessive compulsive disorder made him very neat and clean. There is no way the condoms belonged to him. These people are still at large and could hurt or kill again. We need to hire a private investigator because the police are not working fast enough. We also need a headstone for Geddy's grave. After that I want to help other people who lost loved ones.
POEM READ AT FUNERAL
WRITTEN BY GEDDY'S BROTHER- CYRIL FIELDS
Geddy: He was a beautiful soul. He was a shining light in our family. He was filled with love and laughter. He was my best friend.
He could always make me smile with the simplest things. He cared about his family above all else. I will always remember him as the most innocent person I know. At times life was hard for him, but he always had the strength and courage to do the right thing.
He overcame coming into this world not even fully developed, but it was the world that was not developed enough for him. We all were blessed to have shared 25 years with such a wonderful being.
And others are now blessed with his presence. May his spirit give all of us the comfort and strength we need to carry on.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES:
Posted: Wednesday, 22 August 2007 6:54 PM
Bill Reker Reporting
Body found in Carondelet Park St. Louis - The body of a man was found tonight in Carondelet Park in South St. Louis. St. Louis homicide detectives on the scene say there appears to have been trauma to the head of the victim and the Medical Examiner plans an autopsy tomorrow. The body was discovered in some bushes and neighbors reported to the police on the scene they heard gun shots coming from the park last night.
ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH
Wednesday 08/22/2007
Body found in Carondelet Park
By Jeremy Kohler
St. Louis police homicide detectives are trying to identify a man's body found in Carondelet Park, near South Grand Drive and Holly Hills Avenue, about 4 p.m. Wednesday. The body was in the park for several hours before a passerby noticed it and called police. It appeared the victim suffered severe trauma to the head, said police spokesman Richard Wilkes.
Cops identify Carondelet Park corpse
By Harry Levins
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
08/24/2007
Police put a name today to the body that was found shot and beaten in Carondelet Park Wednesday.
The victim was Geddy Fields, 25, of the 7700 block of Rannells Avenue in Maplewood.
Shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday, his body was found just inside the park, near South Grand Boulevard and Holly Hills Avenue.
An autopsy disclosed that he had been beaten severely and shot in the head.
Police are still looking for his vehicle - a white, four-door 1994 Buick Century with Missouri license plate 488-ZRX.
Body Found in South St. Louis Park
August 24, 2007, 1:18 PM CDT
An investigating is underway for the homicide of a man found in Carondelet Park.
Geddy Fields, 25, of the 7700 block of Rannells in Maplewood, died as a result of blunt trauma to his head. Police say he was found face down in a wooded area located on the outskirts of the park Wednesday.
Investigators say Fields was shot multiple times and severely beaten. His vehicle, a 1994 Buick Century, four-door, white in color, bearing MO license 488-ZRX is missing. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Victim Identified In Murder Near Carondelet Park
Created: 8/24/2007 11:38:23 AM
Last updated: 8/25/2007 12:51:43 AM
KSDK
St. Louis police have released the name of the murder victim found just outside Carondelet Park.
They say 25-year-old Geddy Fields had been shot several times, and that he had been severely beaten.
Fields' car, a 1994 Buick Century with license plate 488-ZRK, is missing.
Fields was found in an overgrown area on the north side of the park Wednesday afternoon. Fields lived in the 770 block of Rannels in Maplewood.
No suspects have been arrested in the murder.
(notes taken from follow-up radio news broadcast.)
Car was found in a downtown Ramada Inn parking garage. Police are looking for two St. Louis county men in connection with the killing. The motive was thought to be robbery.
STLtoday.com
ST. LOUIS: Police identify man found dead near park
08/25/2007
Authorities have identified the man found dead Wednesday near Carondelet Park as Geddy Fields, 25, of the 7700 block of Rannells Avenue in Maplewood.
Fields was shot several times and had been severely beaten, police said Friday. His car also has been reported missing.
4kmov.com
Top Stories
Police release name, new details about body found in Carondelet Park
06:23 PM CDT on Saturday, August 25, 2007
(KMOV) - St. Louis Police are searching for any witnesses to a murder in a popular south side park.
The victim has been identified as Geddy Fields, 25, of the 7700 block of Rannells in Maplewood, MO.
Fields' body was found around 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Authorities say the victim was shot multiple times and severely beaten.
Police say the victim's car, a 1994 Buick Century, four-door, white in color, bearing MO license 488-ZRX is missing.
Investigators say it looks as if someone tried to hide his body along side popular jogging paths on the eastern side of Carondelet Park.
This happened at Holly Hills Boulevard and Grand Drive, near I-55 and Loughborough.
Detectives are looking for anyone who may have known the victim.
Police say the medical examiner is expected to confirm the cause of death as soon as Thursday morning.
Authorities say at least one neighbor reported gunshots around midnight, but police could not verify that report and said the search for suspects is wide open.
The medical examiner still needs to confirm the cause of death.
Captain James Gieseke of St. Louis Police Department says,"We're going to be talking to a lot of people, people who live here and use the park and we'll be back at different times."
Detectives say the victim was likely in his 30s or 40s, and while residents had seen him in the park before, they could not immediately say who he was.
Text: Update on Carondelet Park Murder
Last Edited: Saturday, 25 Aug 2007, 10:04 PM CDT
Created: Saturday, 25 Aug 2007, 10:04 PM CDT
By Summer Knowles
(FOX 2-myFOXstl.com)
The murder investigation of a man found shot to death in Carondelet Park earlier this week continues.
Authorities have identified the victim as 25-year-old Geddy Fields.
Detectives say someone called to report the body around four Wednesday afternoon.
Residents who walk and jog through the park all the time say they were a bit shaken when they heard the news, but most of them said they realize crime can happen in any neighborhood and theirs is no exception.
"I actually just walked through this park the other night, it's probably, Wednesday night actually," says Cinnamon Ontiveros.
"I mean I still feel safe in this neighborhood you know. However I'll have my guard up a little more."
"I feel like stuff like this can happen anywhere, for the most part it's a really good neighborhood," says Ryan Froehlich. "We enjoy living here. It's just unfortunate it happened here this time."
Froehlich says he and his wife walk through the park all the time and were shocked not only to hear a body had been found, but that the victim had been shot in the head. Investigators say it appeared the 25 year old man had been badly beaten and dragged into the wooded area off Grand Avenue and Holly Hills.
"It makes us feel a little uneasy," says Froehlich.
"It's a family park that has more than one lake and more than one playground so a lot of people come and bring their kids here, so when those types of things happen in a park that brings a lot of families you get a little worried," says Ontiveros.
Authorities say they don't have any suspects in custody at this point, but residents like Froehlich say they're confident the police will get to the bottom of it.
"I do have faith anything else that's ever happened in this area they've definitely found out what happened," says Froehlich.
Police say the victim's car, a white, 1994, four-door Buick century with a Missouri license plate number 488-ZRX is missing.
Anyone with information on the car's whereabouts or information in general about the murder is urged to contact the St. Louis police.
Posted: Tuesday, 28 August 2007 4:11 PM
Kevin Killeen Reporting
1120 KMOX Radio News
Carondelet Park Murder Case-
Police find victim's car and new details on possible suspects and motive
"Investigators are looking into whether 25 year old Geddy Fileds may have been killed by 2 St. Louis County men who wanted his car and some money. Sources close to the investigation say the suspects may have planned the killing for days. They reportedly knew Fields through acquaintances and he had given them rides in his car recently. It's believed he was targeted because he suffered from autism and attention deficit disorder, making him easy to take advantage of. Police have found Fields' car. The 1994 Buick Century turned up in the Ramada Inn parking garage downtown. It was towed to the police station to be checked for evidence."
SUBURBAN JOURNALS
Last modified: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 6:04 AM CDT
Maplewood man found dead near St. Louis park
By Jim Merkel and Todd Smith
A Maplewood man was found dead near Carondelet Park last Wednesday.
Geddy Fields, 25, of the 7700 block of Rannells Avenue, was found beaten and shot multiple times Aug. 22 at the edge of Carondelet Park.
St. Louis police said officers notified the city's homicide division about 4:30 p.m. to go to Holly Hills Avenue and South Grand Boulevard after police had received a report about a body found near that intersection.
Fields' body was found in an overgrown area northwest of the South Grand railway overpass just north of Carondelet Park. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical service personnel.
A search turned up several areas of blood, police said.
Fields' vehicle, a 1994 four-door, white Buick Century, bearing Missouri license plate number 488-ZRX, is missing, police said.
Most of Fields' neighbors in Maplewood were not acquainted with him.
One neighbor knew him but did not want to comment and pointed out a residence where the neighbor said Fields lived. There was a lock on the gate, along with a "no trespassing" sign and "beware of dog" sign on the gate.
Zack Weick said he works at the Shop 'n Save supermarket at 7355 Manchester Road in Maplewood and had seen Fields a few times in the store but had never talked to him. He said it was disturbing to find out someone living on Rannells Avenue had been killed.
Weick said he also grew up near Carondelet Park and believed the area to be safe.
"I was surprised they found a body near the park and now more shocked that it was kid from the neighborhood in Maplewood,"he said.
Some south St. Louis residents expressed concerns about the safety of the area near Carondelet Park.
"Anything like that coming close to your home is frightening," said Victoria Chechik, a community leader who lives close to the site where Fields' body was found.
Chechik is a past president and board member of the Holly Hills Improvement Association. She also is a member of an advisory board to implement the master plan for the park.
Security for the park will be a hot topic at this week's meeting of the implementation committee, Chechik said.
"Obviously the safety of the resident neighborhoods that surround the park is a high priority," she said. "The whole idea of the master plan is to bring more people into the park."
More people now are using the park, especially since a new path around it was put in, she said.
"Something like this is a setback because it creates hesitation," Chechik said. "I'm concerned about it, but it will not affect my day-to-day activities. I'll still use the park as we always have. No matter where you live, you always have to be cautious and be careful."
St. Louis Alderman Matt Villa, D-11th Ward, said he and Mayor Francis Slay are asking the city's parks department to have park rangers increase security in the park. He said he plans to discuss the situation at the neighborhood meetings.
People interviewed in the park said they feel safe in spite of the killing.
"I just think it's a bad thing, that's all I've got to say; but the park's good," said John Smith, 44, who comes to the park every few days during the summer to soak up some sun.
As for security, Smith said, "It's messed up everywhere you go."
Chris Aluisia, 54, a south St. Louis resident and a registered nurse, often comes to the park after 10 p.m. to walk his 72-pound flat coat retriever. The slaying won't change that.
"It is a safe park," Aluisia said. "I'm still going to come down here after 10 o'clock."
He said his dog would protect him.
"He's one of the best deterrents I have," Aluisia said.
..
Family seeks justice in Maplewood man's death
Murder case remains unsolved
By Todd Smith
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:22 PM CDT
The family of a Maplewood man whose body was found Aug. 22 at the edge of Carondelet Park in St. Louis wants justice by police arresting those responsible for his death.
..unselectable="off" Geddy Fields, 25, of Maplewood, was found dead Aug. 22 at the edge of Carondelet Park in St. Louis. ..TABLE
Geddy Fields, 25, was beaten and shot multiple times, police said.
Richard M. Wilkes, director of public relations for the St. Louis Police Department, said a suspect has been identified but a warrant has not yet been issued.
Fields' mother, Patricia Green, said her son had been living in an apartment complex in Maplewood set up for low-income people and the disabled.
Fields had autism, attention deficit disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, family members said.
"He was living on his own because he desired his independence," said Kim Manson, Fields' sister, who lives in Louisiana.
Green said her son would come to her home every night, and she would make him dinner.
After two days of him not showing up, she knew something was wrong, she said.
Green later found out her son had been killed.
Fields would do yard work, but his main source of income was a small disability check, Manson said.
Green said Fields might have been killed by someone who also stole his disability check.
"He always tried to help others," Manson said. "He would give rides and money to people."
Green and Manson said Fields might have encountered the wrong people in his attempts to help others, and those people might be responsible for his death.
Manson explained the brutality of the crime.
"Geddy was beaten with a claw hammer, shot four times in the head and was left face-down near Carondelet Park," she said.
When Manson identified the body, her mother suffered a heart attack, Manson said.
"His head was wrapped in a sheet. The part of his face I saw was entirely discolored with excessive bruising," she said.
The injuries were so severe, Manson said, the family had a closed-casket funeral.
Helen Wright, 103, Fields' great-grandmother, died two days after she heard the news of his death, Manson and Green said.
They worry that no one has been arrested and charged in the case.
"These people are still at large and could hurt or kill again," Manson said.
The family hopes to hire a private investigator to help solve the case, but funds are tight because Manson and Green both are on disability, Manson said.
Friends of Fields have fond memories of him.
James Wilson, 24, of Maplewood, said he had known Fields since Wilson was 11 years old.
"He was a nice and caring person," Wilson said. "It was in his nature to help somebody out and be a loyal friend."
Wilson said he still is upset about what happened to his friend and is trying to cope with Fields' death.
He said he has many memories of them hanging out together, going to a mall or playing basketball.
"Geddy liked to tell jokes and had a real good sense of humor," Wilson said.
Manson has set up a Web site, Justiceforgeddy.org, to help raise funds for a headstone and possibly provide a reward for someone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in Fields' death.
She hopes the Web site also evolves into a support organization to help family members and friends of murder victims, she said.
"We just want justice for him; he did not deserve this," Green said.
You can contact Todd Smith at [email protected] .
Above article reprinted from: Mid-County Journal found at: http://midcountyjournal.stltoday.com/articles/2007/09/18/new s/sj2tn20070918-0919mid_geddy1.ii1.txt
Suspected StL killer arrested in Chicago
By Carolyn Tuft
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/03/2007
ST. LOUIS -- Police said today that a man in custody in Chicago has been charged for the killing of a Maplewood man found dead near Carondelet Park in August.
The suspect -- Van Wilson, 21, who lived in the 7700 block of Lindbergh Drive in Maplewood -- has been charged by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Police said that Wilson is accused of killing Geddy Fields, 25 of the 7700 block of Rannelis Avenue in Maplewood, who was shot several times and severely beaten.
At 4:29 p.m. on Aug. 22, police said that they found Fields' body in an overgrown area just northwest of the South Grand Boulevard railway overpass and north of Carondelet Park. Police searched the area and found several "areas of blood," police said.
Fields' car is still missing. Police describe the vehicle as a white 1994 Buick Century with four doors and a Missouri license plate of 488-ZRX.MID-COUNTY JOURNAL
Last modified: Tuesday, October 9, 2007 4:24 PM CDT
Man charged in murder case
Suspect lived in Maplewood
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office last week charged a suspect in the killing of Maplewood resident Geddy Fields near a south St. Louis park.
Van Wilson, 21, who last lived in Maplewood, was in custody in Chicago after the circuit attorney issued at-large warrants charging him with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Wilson allegedly shot Fields, 25, multiple times, beat him and left him at the edge of Carondelet Park in an overgrown area northwest of the South Grand Boulevard railway overpass Aug. 22.
Witnesses said Wilson had bragged he had killed Fields.
Staff writer Jim Merkel provided information for this story.
POEM: Author Unknown
IF I KNEW
If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time
that I'd see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more
If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.
There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"
But in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets today.