>When I look at this crime, I see an offender who is very
>controlled and controlling. I suggest the "Ransom" note has
>more in common with a terrorist threat than a demand for a
>ransom payment. NoteWriter focused his efforts on creating
>the imagery he wanted John Ramsey to see and attempted to
>control how John would act and feel after discovery of the note.

Quite some time ago, when I first read the title of this thread, I reacted to the words 'control device' as more relating to physical control and felt it very strange, but opened the thread anyway.

I tend to think of handcuffs, thumb cuffs, cattle prods as 'control devices' and would probably prefer a term such as 'manipulative artifact' or some such nonsense.

I do agree, however, that the essential purpose of the so-called ransom note is to manipulate the mind and actions of the parents.

And although I would not necessarily think the note-writer was 'controlled' I would certainly agree that he is controlling in a very manipulative way and desires to exercise control directly but is unable to do so.

The note was more than the "added touch". It was very important to the killer that the parents spend anxious hours awaiting a call that would never be made to them. It was very important for the killer to revel in the fact that he knew what they were going through and that he had been responsible for it and that he alone knew of the real situation they were in. He so reveled in power that he undoubtedly lacks it in his normal life. After all, who can revel in power over a six year old girl if he is a full grown man? Only someone who is utterly at odds with the whole world in which he lives.