Who knew:

About the McReynold's daughter's abduction on the same day 22 years earlier?

That Mrs. McReynolds had been a movie critic?

about the play she wrote?

That Santa McReynold's was at the Ramsey house on the 23rd?

Remember...Bill McReynolds was a very well-known Santa Claus on Pearl Street--in fact a newspaper article appeared in the paper about him dropping in on someone shortly before the murder of JBR. The article pointed out he was being filmed for a Charles Kuwalt (sp?) special.

Jung says there are no coincidences.

Santa was all about good cheer and good will---and to have this crime taken place on Christmas Day, of all days of the year, totally violates all he stands for.

Murder at Christmas is a common theme---written about by many mystery writers---some quite well known.

Article that appeared in the paper on 12/23/96, below:

Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
"REAL SANTA' DROPS IN ON DESERVING DECORATORS
December 23, 1996
Section: MAIN
Edition: FIRST
Page: 1A
Jason Gewirtz Camera Staff Writer
Caption: PHOTO:
By Crissy Pascual Daily Camera
DROPPING BY: Penny Happs, center, can't hide her joy at being paid a random visit by Bill McReynolds as Santa Claus, right. McReynolds sat with Happs' 18-year-old son, Jake.

Five minutes after he walked into her house Sunday night, Penny Happs had stopped screaming - but her hands were still shaking. Happs had always wanted to meet the real Santa Claus, who dropped by her Cana Court house unannounced Sunday night after admiring the festive light display outside.

"I can't believe this is happening," Happs said, a grin as big as the long stocking hanging from her staircase. "Imagine my surprise when I hear a knock on the door and here's the real Santa."
Bill McReynolds, who as Santa Claus has warmed the hearts of thousands of people on the Downtown Mall the past three years, took some time Sunday to make random visits to several houses with attractive holiday displays. McReynolds, who has considerably scaled down his Santa schedule since major surgery in August, was followed this weekend by the watchful eyes of a camera crew that will feature Santa Claus on a nationwide broadcast next year.

McReynolds will be profiled on a new television series called "An American Moment with Charles Kuralt," which will be hosted by the veteran CBS reporter who has traveled the nation searching for interesting people. McReynolds' segment, part of an hour-long special, will air sometime around Christmas 1997. The program won't be the first national television exposure for McReynolds, who several years ago began growing his authentic white beard. Two years ago, he was featured on a CBS "Eye on America" segment proclaiming him the real Santa Claus.

The 66-year-old retired University of Colorado professor decided to scale down his Santa schedule this year - including his Downtown Mall duty - after having surgery to replace the aortic valve of his heart. The surgery left him 60 pounds lighter, but his spirit is perfectly intact.

And for those who see him, he's still the real deal.

The television film crew that followed McReynolds around Saturday and Sunday caught him preparing to be Santa in his Rollinsville cabin, collecting donations at his church, performing at a private party and going door to door surprising people whose light displays caught his attention.

"The man has a gift," said Derek Reich, a free-lance photographer from Boulder who filmed McReynolds. "Just to see the response - kids and adults alike, they seem to be truly moved by his spirit."

For McReynolds, visiting individual homes days before Christmas is a relatively new event. Last year he walked in on a party in Lafayette and after being offered cookies, milk and warm hospitality, he thought he'd try it again.

"This is the activity I've always wanted to do," he said, looking for houses from behind the wheel of his white Honda Civic, which he drove to give his sleigh the night off.

The first stop on Santa's tour was a house on Bass Circle basking in the glow of luminescent gingerbread figures, a snowman, candles, candy canes, a manger scene - even a replica of Santa himself, reindeer included.

Four-year-old Jessica Garcia smiled widely and offered a "Hi Santa!" when the man entered the room. She clutched a plush white teddy bear while reciting a five-minute list of things she wanted for Christmas.

At Santa's next stop, Happs had difficulty controlling her emotions, dumbfounded by why Santa Claus had picked her house to visit.

"He's perfect - he's it," she said, turning to look at everyone in the room. "Look at him. Look at his eyes - they twinkle."

Santa sang Jingle Bells with Happs and her son, politely declined a slice of pizza and went on his merry way. But not without making a lasting impression.

"As far as I'm concerned, he's Santa Claus," said Jake Happs, 18. "Not so much the twinkling eyes and the beard. He knows what Santa Claus is all about. Santa's really about giving love and peace to everybody."