It is difficult to fathom the number of criminal acts that were perpetrated by the OCP and his cohorts between January 25th and February 1st of 1977 all in the name of protecting a child‐ raping murderer. In this chapter, we will focus on the most obvious crime that is based on irrevocable facts. Understanding how and why this particular crime was committed explains the subsequent handling of the OCCK case through the December 1978 dissolution of the OCTF.
This is about how the morally bankrupt individuals at the command level cynically used and manipulated the system’s reliance on polygraph tests. They created fake test results to protect Chris Busch before he was even arrested.
The facts and documents clearly prove that it was Greg Greene, not Kenneth Bowman, who first told Det. Waldron of the Flint PD about Chris Busch. Greene told Waldron that Busch murdered OCCK victim, Mark Stebbins. The OCCK case might have been handled much differently if Greene never mentioned Chris Busch’s name. Every major paper in the country would have celebrated the capture of Greene as the elusive Oakland County Child Killer. Southeast Michigan and beyond would have breathed a collective sigh of relief under the false belief that Greene was the one and only person involved in the crimes. Greg Greene’s name would likely have gone down in the annals of serial killer history as one that everyone knew like Dahmer, Gacy or Bundy. Greene perfectly fit the profile of the type of person the police and the public believed was responsible for the child murders. He had a history of molesting children the way Mark Stebbins was sexually abused before being murdered. He had a history of choking his victims unconscious similar to how Stebbins and Kristine Mihelich were smothered to death. But then he dropped Chris Busch’s name—the son of one of Oakland County’s elites.
As mentioned in the last chapter, Greene’s implicating Chris Busch as the murderer of an OCCK victim unleashed two diametrically opposed forces. The first was engaged in the legitimate investigation of Chris Busch as an OCCK suspect. Det. Tom Waldron was part of this effort as were the OCTF officers who responded to Waldron’s tip. The responding OCTF officers immediately headed to Flint to hear the words directly from Greg Greene’s mouth on January 25, 1977. The next day they arranged to have Greene take two polygraph tests. The first was to verify his information about Chris Busch. And the second to determine whether Greene himself was an OCCK suspect.
Greg Greene was given the two polygraph tests on January 26, 1977. That is when the second force—the one whose team members were dedicated to undermining the investigation of Chris Busch—entered the picture. Greene’s January 26 polygraph tests were withheld from the public or, more likely, destroyed by members of this second team. Greene’s January 26 tests were never released in response to any FOIA requests. This may leave some familiar with the FOIA documents scratching their heads because there are two polygraph tests taken of Greene that were, in fact, produced. But the two tests in the FOIA documents were fabricated. Because a record was established on January 26, 1977 that Greene was already polygraphed twice, two fraudulent polygraphs were performed to replace the original, genuine polygraphs that were discarded. This cuts against the fallacious argument that was invented over the past decade blaming Ralph Cabot for screwing up Busch and Greene’s polygraph tests. The command level decision to cover up these polygraphs was made 44 years ago on January 26, 1977. We know the fictitious version of what led to Chris Busch’s arrest. Now we will go over what really happened.
Recall that Det. Waldron of Flint PD arrested Greg Greene on January 25, 1977. That same day, Greene told Waldron that Chris Busch murdered Mark Stebbins. Waldron immediately called the OCTF to inform them about this information which was recorded as Tip Nos. 369 and 370 shown below.47, 48
Busch is the subject of Tip No. 369 with Greene listed as the informant. Given Greene’s criminal history of molesting boys and nearly choking one to death in California, the OCTF made Greene the subject of Tip No. 370 based on Waldron’s information. The details of Tip No. 370 state that Greene “turned out to be more of a suspect than informant.” Det. Lourn Doan and Lt. Jerry Simmons of Southfield PD were the OCTF officers who received and were assigned these tips. Doan was part of the original team that investigated Mark Stebbins’ murder and recorded the information in Tip Nos. 369 and 370. Simmons led the early effort to establish an interdepartmental task force to investigate the OCCK case.49 Upon receiving the tips, Doan and Simmons were immediately dispatched to Flint to interview Greene. Doan’s report from that interview on January 25, 1977 is shown below. It is barely legible, but it is possible to make out that the two OCTF officers travelled to Flint based on the tip they received from Waldron and Greene directly told them that Chris Busch killed Mark Stebbins.50
Det. Doan also prepared a report on January 26, 1977 that is equally difficult to read.51 This report refers to two polygraphs that were administered to Greene. Note the language used by Doan. It does not indicate an intention to have Greene take two polygraph tests sometime in the future. Rather, it unequivocally indicates that the polygraph tests had already been given. It is stated as follows:
““he was given a P.G. test on the information he gave these officers. He was also given a P.G. test as a suspect.” (emphasis added).”
Det. Doan Narrative Report
Doan’s report and notes contained therein are shown below. There are large, handwritten notes on Doan’s typed report that purportedly identify the names of the two polygraphers who would supposedly perform the tests. These handwritten notes were unnecessary given that Doan’s typed report already identified who tested Greene. The large, unnecessary notes serve only to distract from the following typed statement in the original report:
““These tests were given by Flint PD [REDACTED]…” (emphasis added).”
Det. Doan Narrative Report
Again, Doan used the past tense indicating that the tests were already performed, but there is a much bigger problem here than Doan’s choice of verb tense.
HE NAMED THE POLYGRAPHER WHO ADMINISTERED THE TESTS ON JANUARY 26, 1977!
Unless Doan was a time traveler or consulted a better psychic than the one who worked on the OCCK case,52 there is no way that he would have known the name of the polygrapher who tested Greene unless that test did, in fact, take place on January 26, 1977. Of course, the name of the Flint PD polygrapher is inexplicably redacted in Doan’s report. Is it becoming clear that we are not merely dealing with circumstantial evidence anymore? This is just the beginning.
Doan’s notes suggest that a single polygrapher whose name is redacted administered both tests to Greene on January 26, 1977.53 In the large handwritten note, the name of one of the polygraphers from the Flint PD is redacted while the name of another polygrapher from the MSP, Ralph Cabot, is visible. The FOIA documents include a record showing that Cabot polygraphed Greene on February 1, 1977. The FOIA documents also include a record showing that Melvin Scott of the Flint PD polygraphed him on January 27, 1977. First, what is confidential about the name of any polygraph tech who tested Greene? Second, why cover up the name of one polygrapher but not the other—especially if Melvin Scott’s name is one of the few things that was not redacted in the version of Scott’s report that was produced pursuant to the FOIA requests? Why indeed, unless Melvin Scott was not the Flint PD polygrapher who tested Greene on January 26, 1977.
Doan’s above report is consistent with the dates listed on the tip sheets for when Greene’s polygraphs were taken. Tip Nos. 369 and 370 clearly indicate that both polygraphs of Greene were taken on January 26, 1977. Below is an excerpt from Tip No. 370 identifying Greene as an OCCK suspect. Note how it appears that after the dashes indicated below where it likely stated whether Greene passed the tests.
Below is an excerpt from Tip No. 369 identifying Busch as an OCCK suspect. Again, note how it appears that after the dash indicated below where it likely stated whether Greene passed when tested to verify his information about Busch murdering Stebbins.
This major inconsistency in the dates of the Greene polygraphs has been ignored since these documents were produced. We have the redacted versions of the polygraph reports of Scott and Cabot that clearly indicate that these tests were performed on January 27th and February 1st, respectively.54 The questions Greene was asked are completely redacted. Despite both tip sheets indicating that Greene was polygraphed on February 26th, to the casual observer, the dates listed on the tip sheets are assumed to be minor errors that are of little significance. Below are versions of Greene’s two polygraphs that were included in the FOIA documents.
These seemingly insignificant discrepancies in dates become significant when viewed in the context of Doan’s January 26, 1977 report mentioned above. The discrepancies take on an enormous significance when considering what happened next.
On January 31, 1977, Det. Waldron submitted a “special report” on Chris Busch’s arrest.55 The opening paragraph of Waldron’s report is shown below:
It is an understatement to say that the explanation for involving the OCTF in the Flint case strains credulity. So, it was because Busch “had numerous contacts and had lived in the Birmingham – Detroit area” that the OCTF became involved? What about the fact that at the time of his arrest Busch was living at least 130 miles from Birmingham and Detroit? It had nothing to do with Greg Greene unequivocally stating that Chris Busch murdered Mark Stebbins? A statement that Waldron himself directly took from Greg Greene a mere six days before he prepared this “special report?” A statement that prompted Waldron to immediately pick up the telephone and call the OCCK tip line on January 25, 1977? A statement that Waldron repeated to the OCTF officers who received the call? A statement that was recorded by the OCTF in Tip No. 369? A statement that compelled Doan and Simmons to rush to Flint that same day? A statement that Greene repeated to Doan and Simmons upon their arrival? A statement that Doan and Simmons sought to authenticate by having Greene take two polygraph tests on January 26, 1977? It was because of Busch’s “numerous contacts” that three officers from the OCTF travelled form Oakland County to Alma, Michigan three counties away and well beyond their jurisdiction to participate in Busch’s arrest?
It should be noted that Tip Nos. 369 and 370 are not part of the Flint PD record of Chris Busch’s arrest. Nor are Doan’s reports from January 25‐26, 1977. In fact, there is not a single word in the several pages of Det. Waldron’s reports about Greene telling him that Chris Busch murdered Mark Stebbins. A review of the record of Chris Busch’s arrest in Flint clearly demonstrates that Det. Waldron was under strict orders to not include anything in the Flint PD file about Greene implicating Busch as a suspect in the OCCK case. This required some serious whitewashing because Greene’s tip was the only reason Busch was arrested in Flint. Based on Waldron’s subsequent efforts to bring Chris Busch to justice, it is fair to say that his “special report” whitewashing the reason for the OCTF’s involvement was not of his own conception. We will revisit this “Special Report” and why Waldron was required to prepare it.
Pretending that the OCTF officers were in Flint for any reason other than Greene’s tip about Busch murdering Stebbins is just the beginning. Below is an unredacted copy of Tip No. 369 against Chris Busch.
Note the “Report” section of the tip at the 1‐26‐77 entry. The first part stating, “Informant on polygraph to verify his story” was also visible in the version of this document that was produced pursuant to the FOIA requests. The last part stating, “PASSES,” however, was REDACTED in the FOIA version. And in case anyone forgot, the informant’s “story” being verified was that the “subject [Chris Busch] killed Mark Stebbins.”56
Wait…this gets much worse.
Below are the unredacted versions of the polygraphs that were administered to Greg Greene on January 27, 1977 by Melvin Scott and on February 1, 1977 by Ralph Cabot.57 Recall that the plan was to polygraph Greene twice. First, to confirm whether he was being truthful about Chris Busch killing Mark Stebbins. Second, to question Greene himself as a suspect in Stebbins’ murder.
Look at the questions that were asked. Neither polygraph test shown above includes a single question asking Greg Greene to “verify his story.” “Do you know who killed Mark Stebbins?” or “Last February, do you know for sure who killed that Stebbins boy?” are carefully‐worded to avoid using the name that Greene specifically mentioned in the tip. In fact, the questions on these sham polygraphs are too carefully worded. Greene was an admitted child molester and arrested for molesting several children. According to the medical examiner, Mark Stebbins was raped before he was murdered. There was not a single question asking Greene if he had sexual contact with Stebbins. Not a single question asking if Chris Busch had sexual contact with Stebbins. In fact, there is not a single question where Chris Busch’s name is even mentioned.
Neither test bears any resemblance to the plan of having Greene take one test to verify his story about Chris Busch murdering Mark Stebbins and another to test him as a suspect. The February 1, 1977 test was basically a repeat of the questions Greene was already asked five days earlier. If they were going to simply ask the same questions, why was the February 1st test even necessary? Polygraphs are sometimes repeated if the test is inconclusive. In Greene’s first test, Melvin Scott unequivocally concluded “that this subject is truthful.” Yet, days later Ralph Cabot was brought in to repeat the conclusive test administered by his colleague. One would think that the architects of this fraud would at least try to make these fraudulent tests look legitimate.
Finally, this probably does not need to be said, but polygraphers do not dictate the terms of who they will test and when the test will take place. They are performing a service and respond when asked to assist in an investigation. In this case, Melvin Scott and Ralph Cabot were called in for the tawdry purpose of creating false records of tests to replace genuine tests that were previously performed. Scott and Cabot’s tests were reviewed three decades after they were taken by three independent polygraph experts. All three agreed that the questions asked were nonsensical and the conclusions that Greene “passed” were grossly erroneous.58 Their examination was unnecessary because the record clearly indicates that Greene’s polygraphs were knowingly fabricated at the time they were taken. All that was accomplished by the 30‐ year later review was learning half the story of what was known at the command level at the time the tests were fabricated. What is worse, the 30‐year later review also improperly shifted the blame to the lowly polygraphers, particularly Ralph Cabot.
Referring to the command level criminals as “masterminds” for carrying out this brainless scheme like clumsy amateurs is ironic to say the least. The fact that they could afford to be so sloppy in the execution and coverup only underscores the necessity for an investigative body to prevent the criminally moronic from holding public office in Michigan. Crimes like this go unreported every day when there is no authority to whom it can be reported. All a whistleblower can expect is merciless reprisal if they dare to speak out.
The explanation of what happened is demonstrative of the depravity and stupidity of the public officials who were calling the shots. Let’s address the redaction of the name of the Flint PD polygrapher in Doan’s January 26, 1977 report. If the redacted name is Melvin Scott’s, why redact it unless Scott was not the Flint PD polygrapher who tested Greene? We know that Scott was not the only Flint PD polygrapher.
A later document that was produced in the MSP FOIA files indicates that there was at least one other Flint PD polygrapher at that time, Robert Florida.59 Sgt. Florida’s name came up after Tim King’s murder when OCTF officer Doan inquired whether Greene was in prison at the time King was abducted. A Flint PD employee named Julie, confirmed that Greene was, in fact, incarcerated from the day he was arrested on January 25, 1977. She also indicated that there were two polygraphs taken of Green. One by Sgt. Florida and another by a “state trooper from Post #35,” who was likely Ralph Cabot because the MSP did not have more than one polygrapher assigned to Post #35 (Flint) at that time.60 Julie also indicates that the Florida and Cabot polygraphs are the only ones on record for Greene at the Flint PD.
Thus, the redacted name on Doan’s January 26, 1977 report is likely Robert Florida who took at least one of Greene’s polygraphs on that day if not both. As to Cabot and Scott, we know that they were complicit in creating false polygraph tests under orders of someone with the authority and ability to twist their arms. They also conspired worked together on Chris Busch’s fraudulent polygraph per Waldon’s January 31, 1977 special report:61
For whatever reason, Florida was either not approached or was unwilling to participate in a ruse to cover up the polygraphs of Greene that he already took. Cabot and Scott were either patsies, pressured to play along or had no qualms about doing so. We will, of course, revisit Busch’s polygraph later.
Next, note who showed up in Flint on January 26, 1977 and spoke with Greene per Tip No. 370.
Yes, Dick Thompson, the OCP’s right hand man along with Patterson’s personal praetorian, Gary Hawkins, were on hand on that day. Recall that upon Patterson’s instruction, Thompson and Hawkins improperly treated six innocent high school students volunteering at the OCP office like criminals. Of course, no report or notes were produced from their interview of Greene. Based on the order in which they are listed, Thompson and Hawkins showed up too late after Greene had already been administered his two genuine polygraph tests. Greene’s polygraphs were not as much of a problem until later that day when Kenneth Bowman planted a dozen red flags for the OCTF that Greene was their guy. This will be discussed in detail in the next chapter. Thompson’s brilliant plan? Toss out the two legit tests and replace it with a fake one that would be consistent with a narrative that would please their boss and the elite to whom their boss was pandering. That narrative was simple: “There is no connection between Greene or Busch and the OCCK case.”
A very real strategy was executed by the OCP: On January 26, the OCP and his cohorts were under the false impression that Chris Busch’s fate was exclusively in their hands. They were certain that no matter what the police discovered, the only way Chris Busch would be arrested was if the OCP authorized a warrant. Every time the OCTF investigators built a strong case against Busch or Greene as OCCK suspects, the OCP hit the “panic button” and conducted a sham polygraph test to erase all suspicion and evidence.
A review of the Flint record reveals how this strategy was developed and how it fell apart. This will be addressed in the next two chapters. That Greene’s polygraphs were manufactured is a fait accompli. There is no other conclusion that can be drawn based on the facts and documents discussed above. It will become even more clear in the chapters that follow. As to laying the blame for destroying and manufacturing evidence on Brooks Patterson and his minions, I know it seems like I am jumping the gun. Remember what I said at the beginning, dear reader. I am not discovering these crimes with you. It will be made abundantly clear in the chapters that follow that it is more than fair to place the blame for this crime squarely on the OCP.
We have been looking at this case through a cracked lens that the OCP and his cohorts broke more than 44 years ago. It is usually hard to prove a negative, but these twisted, incompetent morons did an effective job proving that two polygraphs of Greg Greene were, in fact, taken on January 26, 1977. Brooks Patterson’s team helpfully demonstrates that the only conclusion that can be drawn is that they deliberately discarded the original tests and manufactured fraudulent ones. This irrevocable fact must be at the forefront of our minds when reviewing the events that followed. We must not forget the severity of the crimes these men were capable of perpetrating. It provides context and clarity that has been lacking in this case. It repairs the lens and allows us to clearly understand how and why this case was never solved. The remaining chapters will open with this reminder of the depraved criminality of these men who pretended to protect the public—especially the most vulnerable among us:
It is an irrevocable fact that on January 26, 1977, evidence implicating Chris Busch as a suspect in the OCCK case was deliberately destroyed and fraudulent polygraph evidence was knowingly manufactured to protect him from suspicion.
Footnotes:
47 MSP 327.
48 MSP 450.
49 NCJRS OCTF at 7.
50 MSP 452.
51 MSP 453.
52 Yes, a psychic was actually consulted as part of the official investigation in 1977. This was not even the dumbest distraction to which the substantial resources of the OCCK investigation were applied.
53 The redaction of Doan’s typed words cover enough space where it is possible that there could have been two polygraphers who took Greene’s tests that day and the full redacted portion shown as highlighted could read: “These tests were given by Flint PD [Name of the Flint PD Polygrapher] and Ralph Cabot of the MSP Flint Post.” Whether they were performed by a single polygrapher or by two polygraphers, the record clearly indicates that Greene was tested twice on January 26, 1977.
54 MSP 2134 and MSP 2130.
55 Special Report regarding the arrest of Christopher Brian Busch submitted by Det. Waldron of the Flint PD on January 31, 1977. MK 500‐503.
56 If all your outrage is reserved for the fact that this author has an unredacted copy of this document and you have none left for those who made the redaction in furtherance of a scheme to hide the original polygraphs and manufacture evidence to allow a child‐raping murderer go free, find the closest mirror and tell the person you see to go fuck themselves. If this author’s use of profanity taps into your emergency outrage reserves while the machinations of public officials who used their positions to allow a child‐raping murderer go free get nothing, you can best serve society by staying at that mirror and repeating the offensive phrase in an endless loop. Moreover, the crime‐fraud exception renders moot any claims of privilege. The crime of destroying and manufacturing evidence in the OCCK case is not limited to polygraphs taken 44 years ago. It is an ongoing crime that was aided and abetted by those who knowingly made the incriminating redactions when the FOIA documents were produced within the past decade. The people knowingly ordered the redaction of the name of the polygrapher in Doan’s January 26, 1977 report committed a crime and must be charged. The people who knowingly ordered theredaction the tip sheets indicating whether Greene passed or failed his January 26 polygraphs committed a crime and must be charged. In fact, with the exception of the names of the victims, the inept attempt to conceal the crimes of public officials renders all redactions and claims of privilege invalid. The people who walked free for 44 years after destroying and fabricating polygraph results to protect a child raping murderer deserve worse than any punishment available in our criminal justice system. Anyone calling foul about the presentation of these unredacted documents deserves scrutiny.
57 See the previous footnote.
58 OCP 469‐473, Cory Williams notes from interviews of polygraphers Robert Dykstra, Tim Larion and John Wojnarski who reviewed the polygraphs of Chris Busch and Greg Greene between February 20, 2008 and February 27, 2008.
59 MSP 442.
60 James, E.W. (1986). A Half Century of Service By the Michigan State Police Polygraph Section, Polygraph, 15(4), 279‐317, 309.
61 MK 502.
Guarded By Jackals 