Banks was tried and sentenced to death. He is still in jail today, proving how the system can be manipulated.
I was a part timer at WARM back in 1982, the low man in the operation. The morning of the 25th, I was sick in bed with a terrible cold. The phone rang. It was my co-worker, Terry McNulty. I was trying to sleep my illness away and I had no idea as to what had happened. Terry quickly got me up to speed and asked me to come in early to lend a hand. I was scheduled to be on the air as a DJ at 7 pm anyway.
When I arrived at the office in Avoca, Terry decided to divide our duties like this. He would be on the air at WARM, while I would answer the phones and handle the other news of the day. It was fine by me. Terry also asked that I help all the other stations around the country that wanted our interviews, and someone to be their local voice. Remember, this was long, long, long before the internet. I remember doing stories for stations in Cleveland, Atlanta, and a few other places. Even though the situation was horrible, it was a kick for a 20 year old. Major market exposure. While it was interesting, I made sure to remain grounded in the moment.
There was an opportunity for a quick break after the 6 pm news. I hopped in my SUV to find a fast dinner. I also picked up a couple of newspapers that had put out special editions that afternoon.
At 7 pm, I turned from news person to DJ, relieving the great Jim Gannon behind the microphone. Jim gave me the quick rundown of some unusual things happening. One of the newspapers that didn't publish on Sundays at the time decided to put out a special edition, and the newspaper bought some commercials to let people know about it. There was no time to produce a "spot" so it was a live read, as we say in the business.
I do remember my DJ shift passing fairly quickly. There was just so much going on, and that always makes the time fly.
My ride home back then, as it is now, is a quiet and alone time to decompress and reflect. That's when the horrors of the day really hit. It became worse when we learned what happened and why, especially concerning the children who were brutally murdered by their father.
It's still as sickening, 40 years later.
