Over My Dead Body: True Crime: from Soldier to Prisoner

Copyright © 2011 by Sylph Penn.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2011903353

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4568-7881-8

                   Softcover                                978-1-4568-7880-1

                   Ebook                                     978-1-4568-7882-5

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Contents

Chapter One Where I Came From

Chapter Two Here to There

Chapter Three My life in the grip of power

Chapter Four Drugs

Chapter Five Hunting at Moms

Chapter Six Paranoid (with cause)

Chapter Seven Mom and Money

Chapter Eight Faking Life

Chapter Nine The End Begins

Chapter Ten Blur

Chapter Eleven Montana

Chapter Twelve Taking Stock

Chapter Thirteen Stock Market Crash

Chapter Fourteen The Long Fall

Chapter Fifteen Abandoned in Hell

Introduction

This is a story, written by a collaboration between two very good friends. It is about real life events, that in fact did occur and are still affecting lives today. Every effort has been made to protect the identities of everyone whom Mr. Cowan cares for.

The actual Author of this story knows only the subject person whom this story is about, she has no intents towards any of the persons referred to in this story, and should not be held responsible or accountable for any hurt feelings, disrespect or ill intent. I do not intend danger to any of the persons whom I dealt with over the last 12 years of my life… or their friends, families or associates.

I wish only to tell a story, for myself, for my son, and for the friends I had who really loved me.

The author did know my Mother, but never met the other people in my life.

If you learn anything from my story, let it be this,

Greed and Lies will ruin your soul,

Drugs and Money will not save you.

Even family can turn on you,

Love doesn’t pay the bills.

True Love Forgives All and Stands By You Always.

This is not intended as a fiction or Biography either one… just my story… . as I remember it, bad dating and all.

I CHANGED ALL THE NAMES BEFORE GIVING THIS TO THE AUTHOR.

This has been written for my son, whom I love

with all my heart and soul. I’ll love you until

my last heartbeat—and beyond.

Be smart. Better than me. Please?

Be a good son. Be proud of the U.S.A.

Be proud of yourself.

Be satisfied with darn nice,

and stop and enjoy it!

Be good to your mom and family

Love Dad

Dear Tracie,

Be a good mom to our son,

I trust you’ll do real good

With that!

LEE

Chapter One

Where I Came From

IT WAS WINTER, November to be precise… in Haunnu, West Germany. The Year was 1969. My father was stationed at the Military installation there. I was born in the military hospital there, not early or late, but just another boy born to another family on the other side of the world from their home. I am an only child, and I often wished for an older sister, so I’d have less of my Mothers’ attention! I somehow thought that if there were an older sister, I’d be less of a disappointment… or more appreciated… children think some pretty unexplainable things sometimes! I now think I wanted an older sister because I thought she’d love me more than my Mother did, or comfort me when I was sad. I would’ve been less alone.

My parents were both of Irish decent, and had been married a year when I was born. Maybe a few months longer… not much. Shortly after I was born, we moved to Livingston, Montana. My parents bought a house about 30 miles from town. I learned quickly as I grew up to do my chores and obey my parents. They were fairly strict and respect was expected from me!

My father was very kind and taught me all the stuff that any Red Blooded American Country Boy is supposed to know. He taught me to be an accomplished woodsman. Hunting, tracking animal’s movements and the use and handling of firearms. My Dad was very careful to make certain that I knew all the outdoor crafts!

I was very thankful for the attention he’d paid to teaching me all about survival. Years later he’d test me on it.

My Mother was a school teacher. Years later she went back to college and got her Master’s Degree, and began working as a counselor.

My Father was medically retired from the military as a E-6 Staff Sergeant, with full retirement and VA benefits. He then went to work for B & N Railroad as a machinist. He also went to school through Voc Rehab, and became a Chiropractor.

Both of my parents were reasonably well educated, and made a pretty decent income. They managed to provide well for us, and in retrospect… we had money.

I still am not sure what was different about my early childhood. What I do know was that I was quite unpopular at school.

Always.

I do not remember having any steadfast and lasting friends. I was awful in sports, did poorly in Gym classes, and got bullied on a daily basis!

I never had a mentoring adult or friend to show me how to give 100% until I joined the Army years later.

I remember a few Bully episodes really clearly. The first one was when I was age 12. I was in 6th grade… I think. There was a big kid named John Mathis. He had picked on me and abused me in every way he could come up with all year. Humiliating me, and making fun of me seemed to be his pride and Joy in life! I went to the County Fair in Livingston, Montana the following summer. I was in the sheep barn at the fair and ran into John. We were alone and he told me he was going to beat me up. I got scared and attacked him! I beat him up pretty bad. After I’d gotten the better of him and had him on the ground, I got on top of him, and just started punching his face! I hit him over and over… my arms were so tired I was fighting to keep going! I remember a lot of adults coming and pulling me off of him!

Since he was the toughest kid at our school, no one messed with me after that. It didn’t get me any friends either, so I was still alone a lot.

The second Bully Episode I remember was at the beginning of Jr High School. 2 guys named Joey Ambrust and Don Hanson teamed up on me and beat me up bad. After they’d done this a second time, my Father went to the school… but they did nothing.

Dad took me aside and gave me a .22 caliber mini revolver. He told me that the next time they tried to beat me up I was to shoot them in the head. So I carried the pistol with me as Dad had told me to do. The next time they followed me home from school, I shot Joey in the neck! The bullet passed through his windpipe, and exited the other side without damaging any major arteries or bones.

I remember the look of surprise on his face as he held his badly bleeding neck! Don was begging for his life, and I stood there a few minutes, holding the gun on them. I finally put it into my pocket and turned my back and walked away! I was free, the fear was gone. It felt good to know they were not gonna be a problem anymore. I went home and told my Dad, and he took the pistol and threw it in the Yellowstone River. He told me not to talk to anyone about it, not even the police. I never spoke of it until now! My Father had Free Mason Connections to Judge Byron Bol, so he took care of it, and I was never charged or prosecuted for it at all.

My parents were married 15 years. When I was 14, they got a Divorce. It was long, nasty and not at all civilized! I was pulled back and forth from Dads place to Moms house and that’s when I moved to Bozeman, Montana.

About the third day at my new school, I was involved in the third serious bully situation of my school years. Remember, I’d had awhile to enjoy the feeling of being safe and not the brunt of public amusement and humiliation.

The biggest football player in the school, Shannon Schneider, came up behind me and slammed my head into the shop locker five or six times! Then he had the audacity to turn his back to me and began laughing to the other teens! Big mistake!

I grabbed the first object that I could see, a ball-peen hammer. I started hitting him in the back and shoulder area. He began running and I chased after him, continuing my assault. He fell and I fell onto him and began hitting him. I was furious and he got it all! Mr. Halburg, the shop instructor dragged me off him.

The school officials determined that I’d