February 5, 2010 — Deanie Peters: Will they come forward?
Ken Kolker is a tremendously talented reporter who moved from the print world of The Grand Rapids Press and has thrived with the transition to broadcast journalism at WOOD TV, channel 8. Last night that station carried a half-hour special by Kolker of the investigation into the disappearance and presumed murder of Deanie Peters. The piece was excellent and the result could be even better: someone may come forward…someone who knows what happened, who saw what happened. The principal suspect in the case is dead, but there likely are others who had something to do with the case. And as long as they had nothing to do with causing her death, Det. Sgt. Sally Wolter of the Michigan State Police and the Kent Metro Cold Case Team says they will NOT be prosecuted. Deanie’s parents need to know. The community wants to know. And Ken has done something we do in this kind of work: he has reached out to a mass audience but aimed at one or two who can be the solution to this particular mystery, this particular crime. At any rate, that’s the reason we try to tell these stories: we hope to reach the right ears and eyes. For the rest…it’s really not entertainment or intended as such. But it is a story and–because Deanie’s life has enduring meaning–the story has meaning for all of us.