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Vol. 52 No. 14 Week of Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Penny Record of Bridge City and Orangefield • Founded 1960
Town turns out in support of Edgerly Penny Leleux
For The Record
The benefit for Todd Edgerly may be over, but donations are still being made to the account at Bridge City Bank. The Community Center was packed Saturday as tickets were dropped into jars corresponding to the many raffle items. There was plenty of good music as attendees enjoyed pulled pork or brisket sandwiches. Hot links and boudain were also available. Bins and bins were filled with tee-shirts, plus koozies and bracelets were available for purchase stating “I wear grey for Todd Edgerly, brain cancer awareness.” At the end of the night only about eight tee-shirts remained. Flo Edgerly, Todd’s mother, said benefit organizers Molly LaHaye and Nicci Hargrave Glass kept telling her, “It’s going to be huge!” Flo had no idea it was going to turn out as large as it did. “I couldn’t put my mind on that,” said Flo. “I’ve been involved in a lot of benefits for a lot of people. We always had to go to the merchants and business places and ask for donations. No one asked for any donations [for Todd’s benefit]. All Molly did was put it on Facebook that they were going to have a benefit for Todd and they started calling in wanting to donate. That doesn’t happen... and that was all over the Golden Triangle. It wasn’t just in Orange, it was everywhere.” “That is awesome. Such a tribute to my son and the whole family,” said Flo. She said people are saying they had such a good time; they want to know when they were going to do it again. Flo couldn’t believe the turnout. “They’d come and fill it up, then they’d leave, then another wave would come in. It was constant all day long,”
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Todd Edgerly greets friends and family at Saturday’s benefit. RECORD PHOTO: Angie Trevino
Benefit organizer Molly LaHaye holds up Willie Nelson items being auctioned off Saturday at the benefit for Todd Edgerly. Over 3500 people attended the all day event. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
she said. “We had so many people from out of town.” Members of IBEW came from Beaumont, Port Arthur, Houston, Galveston and Austin. “They were from all over,” she said. Todd made two appearances
with his parents at the benefit. Both times he arrived; applause broke out in the room as he entered. It had been raining the first time he arrived. They had to use umbrellas to EDGERLY PAGE 3A
Investigators still seek clues in Finley case Debbie Schamber For The Record
Dannarriah Finley would have been 15 years old on her birthday July 22, but her life was taken from her when she was just four years old. All that remains of the young girl’s life is memories and a few belongings. Her gravesite marks the place where her tiny body was buried. Among the pine needles is a photo of her during happier times and some faded flowers. The house where she once lived was destroyed in 2005 during Hurricane RIta when a tree fell through it. SInce then the city of Orange has removed the remains of the place she called home. As the nation was celebrating the 4th of July holiday, Dannarriah’s killer had plans of their own and had taken her from her bed. Jamie Arnold, Dannarriah’s mother, reported her missing from their residence located in the 1000 block of 4th Street. Arnold told investigators she had last seen her daughter asleep at 4 a.m. in a white floral shirt and purple shorts. When she awoke at about 10
One of the last photos of Dinnarriah Finley.
a.m., her daughter was nowhere to be found. Arnold told the officers she often left the front door unlocked at night because her mother often came by the house. Once the news was out, the city was flooded with volunteers to help search for the four-year-old girl with the shy smile and long braids. Some volunteers brought helicopters and horses. But, it was a pipeline inspector on July 8th who discovered a body in a remote part of Pleasure Island in Port Arthur. Everyone held their breath while they waited for autopsy
Orange County Historical Commission recognized Penny Leleux
For The Record
“I got a letter from the Texas Historical Commission,” said Orange County Judge Carl Thibodeaux Monday at commissioners’ court. “We are pleased to inform you the Orange County Historical Commission is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding preservation work accomplished in 2011 year of service,” Thibodeaux read, “In recognition of its active and well balanced preservation program.” He said the award is given
to historical commissions for going above and beyond to protect the historical history of their county. Dr. Howard Williams and other members of the local commission came forward to receive the award. We couldn’t have done all this without your help,” Williams told commissioners as he accepted the award. “Currently we have about 90 markers around the county and we have another four or five to go,” said Williams. “We’ve enjoyed it.” “Dr. Williams, it’s easy for OC HISTORY PAGE 2A
The gravesite of Dannarriah Finley, the final resting place for the little girl who once stole the hearts of many.
result. Their worst fears came true when it was determined the body was indeed Dannarriah’s even though she was 27 miles from her residence. Autopsy results would also confirm she was sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. It is believed the suspect wrapped her body in a pink, flowered bed sheet. Orange police officers distributed a picture of a sheet similar to the one used in the crime in hopes someone would have some information on the case. The manufacturer had discontinued the pattern. DANNARRIAH PAGE 2A
DETECTIVES SEEK HELP WITH COLD CASE
Heartache, questions haunt family of missing woman Debbie Schamber For The Record
Although Mona Lindemann has been missing more than 22 years, the heartache for the family remains very real and her memory is still a part of their lives. In December 1989, Lindemann, 46, of Mauriceville, worked at a Beaumont hospital as a janitor. She had plans to go out for the evening following her shift. She was still in her light blue hospital uniform when she stopped by the residence of her boyfriend, Claude Fitts, where she caught him with another woman. An argument ensued and Lindemann angrily slashed the tires of his vehicle, according to family members of Lindemann. It is now known what exactly happened next, but she would never be seen alive again. Lindemann had borrowed money from her parents to get to work that day and was supposed to collect a paycheck the next day, but never arrived to collect her
pay. A few days later when Lindemann did not return to her parent’s house where she was living, her younger sister, Betty Rush Rogers, and mother reported her missing. After all these years, the phone number to her parents house has stayed the same in hopes Lindemann would call and say she was okay, according to Rogers. But, the call never came. “Me personally, I’ve never given up,” Rogers said. The family had wanted some answers before Lindemann’s parents passed away. But, her father died in 2005 and their mother died in 2011. They never knew what happened to their oldest child of 14 children. There was always an unspoken emptiness during family gatherings. The one thing the siblings had hoped for their parents was to tell them, “Mona has been found.” According to investiga-
Mona Lindemann
tors with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, they followed many tips. One tip lead investigators to believe Lindemann’s body was in the trunk of her 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix. The white vehicle with a red top had dealer tags on it when it disappeared too. Family members feared the worst and when the vehicle could not be found, they knew their sister would not COLD CASE PAGE 3A
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