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Beware Of Local Bear And Local Killer

By
Real Estate Agent with Premier Property Sales & Rentals RS284559

PA Wild LifeMonths ago we scheduled an Autumn get-a-way in the Pocono Mountains, not too far north of us in Northeastern Pennsylvania, to enjoy the fall foliage and recharge amongst the trees in a quiet place.  Little did we know at the time of securing our reservation that there would be a wanted Cop Killer on the loose not far from our private cabin! 

A week before our departure we heard the sad news of the state troopers being shot without warning at close range by a premeditated murderer in Blooming Grove and that the killer was on the loose. So we headed north knowing we would be ever closer to this area where the search was/is occurring.  A bit of intrigue to our quiet time away.

The location of our cabin was in a resort just up the road from Bushkill Falls.  Upon check-in we noticed wanted flyers on the office door and on the bulletin board.  The check in person pointed out the fact that there is a local bear visiting the dumpster so be careful and then of course this killer was possibly in the area.  But she had the opinion that this killer was long gone from the area....time will tell on that point.

So we go about our vacation and traveled around to local sights and towns and everywhere it seemed, on every business door or window you could not escape seeing the face of Eric Frein.

On one jaunt we returned on a road that brought us close to the town of Blooming Grove  where the barracks are located where the killing/shootings occurred, but we thought we were still a few miles away since the town itself was a few miles north on the map from this particular back road.  But as we were riding south on our way back to our cabin we passed a State Police Barracks packed with cars in the parking lot....humm....then we rode past a church and a few other buildings with the name Blooming Grove....humm... turns out our cabin was just 10 miles from the barracks.  Upon this realization Doug said "If someone jumps out in the road with a rife and wants us to stop I am not stopping!!"

Law enforcement surely has a tough job looking for this person, not only are there dense woods there are endless vacant cabins used seasonally and there are a few abandoned resorts and country clubs in this area; one such resort was directly across the lake from our cabin. Hopefully the cold weather and a stroke of luck will land this guy behind bars very soon and unable to do more harm.

Luckily for us we never saw the bear nor the local killer: just a lot of trees and wonderful wildlife, mixed with cautious intrigue.

Comments(18)

Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

Oh wow! That was a bit of a nerve-racking vacation. I hope he is found soon. Praying for the officer's family and friends.

Oct 21, 2014 06:20 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Gloria that must have been nerve wracking.  I sure hope they get this guy so he can do no more harm.

Oct 21, 2014 06:40 AM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Joni Staples  Yes it was nerve-racking but we felt since our location had activity we were okay.  It is a hard time up there for sure and for the family...no peace until he is found.

Anna Banana Kruchten It was always at the back of my mind.  I made sure the cabin door was always locked...not something I usually do when away in such a location.

Oct 21, 2014 07:23 AM
Juli Vosmik
Dominion Fine Properties - Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale/Cave Creek, AZ real estate 480-710-0739

WOW, what a trip.  To be so close.  Per the news, it does look like the police are getting closer.  I'm just glad you're safe and had a great time. 

Oct 21, 2014 08:07 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

What a trip, but so glad you saw some beautiful sights and didn't encounter anything or anyone dangerous.

Oct 21, 2014 09:00 AM
Michele Cadogan 917-861-9166
Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Av U, Bklyn , NY 11229 - Brooklyn, NY
Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker -

We've been following the search here via our local newcast- Glad to here that your was uneventful  I would have been on pins and needles because as you stated that area is quite dense and you never know where this person may turn up.  Hoping that it ends soon.

Oct 21, 2014 01:50 PM
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

It's too bad you couldn't have total piece of mind, but I'm glad everything turned out OK for both of you. 

Oct 21, 2014 02:38 PM
Sharon Lee
Sharon Lee's Virtual Assistance - Jonesborough, TN
Retired and loving life

Wow what a scary thought of the possibility of a killer being so close. Makes the possibility of a bear being close no big deal. My heart goes out to the family

Oct 21, 2014 08:21 PM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

First of all, I'm glad you're safe. This vacation has to be one voted for #1 vacation with the most adrenalin rush ever and not for pleasure. You definitely deserve a quiet vacation and weekend escape to calm your nerves, or maybe it's true, "there's no place like home."

It certainly kept you on high alert and cherish each other more than ever and I can't even imagine what's going on through the minds of the people who have to live there. Again, I'm glad you were safe and I will continue to keep you in my prayers with hopes the killer bear and that guy is captured to put all people's minds at ease.

Oct 22, 2014 01:47 AM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Juli Vosmik  they had some recent sightings, one by an officer...it would be good if he slipped up some how and he could be caught.  

Susan, Other than ensuring things were locked we did manage to enjoy the natural wildlife in this particular area. We even saw beaver work on a tree.  I did not know beaver were so close to Philadelphia!

Michele Cadogan I became so aware of vacant cabins and amazed that there were abandoned resorts/golf clubs...gosh an endless amount of places he could be hiding with the cabins having food in them...Hunting season is coming....not sure if the area will be shut off to hunters until he is found.

Oct 22, 2014 01:58 AM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Debbie Laity There always seems to be some interesting twist to our get-aways.  Glad it was uneventful!

Sharon Lee such a good point about a bear being harmless compared to a killer!!

Thank you Patricia Feager, MBA, GRI, Cert Negotiations Expert, Military Relo Prof for your well wishes.  I cannot imagine living in the immediate area.  And his poor family...never hear much about them in the news.  What a hardship for them and the families of the 2 troopers shot and the one killed.....

Oct 22, 2014 02:03 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

That is quite a vacation story. You already need another vacation. 

Oct 22, 2014 02:19 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I took the extra moments to 'like' the comments on your blog to offer some support and a few points for those bloggers. I hope you will do the same when you visit my blogs.

Oct 22, 2014 02:19 AM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Thank you Roy Kelley !  Yes we are ready for another!  Maybe the Berkshire Mts next time.

I will do the same for you with likes!  Thanks for the heads up about points for that.  I did not know that!

Happy Autumn!

Gloria

Oct 22, 2014 03:22 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Yikes Gloria! So much for a peaceful escape to a mountain retreat. Now you need another vacation just to get over that experience!

Oct 22, 2014 05:30 AM
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

Well, Gloria...there's nothing like having an interesting time. I sometimes look forward to the unexpected.

Oct 22, 2014 12:24 PM
Donny Carter
Carter & Roque Real Estate - Frostburg, MD
Mountain Maryland Real Estate Expert

My gosh! So much for a relaxing vacation... I can only imagine being on edge about a killer on the loose only 10 miles from your cabin.   Luckily, the pristine mountain setting probably calmed some to those nerves.

I bet you kept the doors locked up tight at night...  

Oct 31, 2014 03:00 AM
Gloria Todor
Premier Property Sales & Rentals - Springfield, PA
& Doug Durren (484) 431-3686 in SE PA

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin we have another one coming up soon.  Hopefully a truly quiet place!

Debbie Laity I hear you.  We like adventures also.  This was a bit spooky.

Donny Carter I kept the doors closed and locked. Doug was the more relaxed one.  Luckily this guy has finally been caught!!  Actually 30+ more miles south.  Now everyone in that area can relax.

Happy Autumn!

Nov 04, 2014 04:40 AM