Todd and Michelle Staheli
Dear Paul and Kate, Melanie and Jared, Bridget and Justin, Sara, Ben and Sarah, Heather, Audrey, Rachel, Matt via hardcopy, and Brian,
cc: file, Andrea, Tony Hafen, Sara and Des Penny,
& Maxine Shirts
Welcome to "Thoughtlets." This is a weekly review of an idea,
belief, thought, or words that will hopefully be of some benefit
to you, my children, with an electronic copy to on-line extended
family members. Any of you can ask me not to clutter your mail
box at any time.
"Todd Staheli was my friend. This is partly shown by the 18
different thoughtlets in which I talk about Todd since I started
writing a weekly letter to you kids in 1996, and 1999 for
the four of you who joined my family later. Brian, Bridget,
Sara, Des, and Uncle Tony, I'm not sure if you are aware, but
Todd and Michelle Staheli were killed in Rio de Janeiro last
Sunday night. My words this week are dedicated to them, to
my memories of them, and to an attempt to tell each of you
how important Todd and Michelle were in my life. Note, my
feelings are independent of the fact Todd is 15 years younger
than me. Spiritually and philosophically I was his student.
In #9713 I quote from an e-mail from Todd about `fault' and
`judgement.' It is pure and simple truth. These words helped
me more than I have words to describe in my greatest hour of
tribulation to date. In #9829 I simply stated `I also got
to spend a little time with Todd Staheli, who stopped to see
me.' Simple words, but the power of those discussions. Todd
studied philosophy, he has a quick mind, and we talked about
the essence of the universe, and the essence of our role in
the universe. In #9836 I made reference to my cousin Susan
Staheli (Aunt Lily Mae's daughter and a relative by marriage
to Todd Staheli). I found great comfort knowing I was
related to Todd and have the opportunity to interact with
him in family councils through the eternities. In #9842
I referred to `When Ben and Paul bashed heads playing football
at Todd Staheli's.' Paul's scar is still quite visible. And
I remember Todd's amazement with my non-reaction to seeing
the boys soaked in their own blood (head wounds bleed a lot).
Quoting from #9933:
<![CDATA[ `We spent the evening with Todd and Michelle Stahli and
their kids. What a wonderful couple. He has done everything
just right: mission, undergraduate and law degree, temple
marriage, and work. They are expecting their fourth child
now, and because of Michelle's diabetes they are concerned
for her health and the health of their child. His assignment
in the Ukraine was hard. It has really got him thinking hard
about the classic philosophical issue called the problem of
evil (how can a just God allow so much pain in our world).
There was a very bright lady who was his secretary in the
Ukraine. She can not travel, and is in terrible circumstances.
She is living the results of the bad and selfish choices of
several generations of people. Todd, on the other hand,
travels all around the world, and has been able to build on
the principle centered choices of several generations of
God fearing priesthood holders and their faithful wives.
We came to the simple conclusion there are consequences
associated with the privilege of having free agency. The
consequences affect those choosing and also their descendants.
It was a really nice evening. I shared Roger's business plan
for CES, LLC. and so there was a little bit of discussion
around business cards.']]>
Quoting from #0002:
<![CDATA[ `Tonight Andrea, Sara, Rachel, Matt, and I drove up to The
Woodlands to visit with some more of my eternal friends,
Todd and Michelle Stahli. What a wonderful spirit they
have in their home. Wesley still thinks she is 21. Logan
is all boy. Madison is a doll. The new baby is due next
week and is positioned breech, which means feet or rear end down.
As I watched Michelle give herself an insulin shot just
before dinner, I shuttered remembering all of the allergy
shots I had as a kid. Todd just had his second hernia
operation, and was very sore. Watching his careful movements
reminded me of when Dad had his double hernia operation, and
the pain he described that causing. Todd cooked dinner. It was really good. Of course, what I enjoy is talking to
someone who thinks I have something useful to say,
questions what I say and makes sure he understands the
implications to his work, and who has lots of neat
experiences and wonderful things to say himself. The
Ukraine dolls, chess set, maps, butterfly collections,
etc. make a wonderful environment. Paul, you must visit
the Staheli's next time you are in Houston. I walked off
and left the camera and my notebook, remembered as we
were getting on the main road out of the subdivision,
and as I went up to the front door, it hit me how much
I enjoy these folks. They truly are eternal friends.']]>
(see http://www.walden3d.com/photos/Friends/Stahli_Todd_Michelle/000109MichelleStahli.JPG and http://www.walden3d.com/photos/Friends/Stahli_Todd_Michelle/000109ToddStahli.JPG.
The same week Jared proposed to Melanie (#0004), Todd
sent me this in an e-mail:
<![CDATA[ `Hey everyone!
Just wanted to let you know that Michelle delivered a healthy baby
girl yesterday morning (January 19, 2000) at Memorial Herman
Hospital
- The Woodlands. A picture has been posted on the hospital website
if you want a non-cooperative look. The open-eyes, pleasant face
picture
will have to come later. The vitals are as follows:
come later. The vitals are as follows:
Name: Carly Victoria Staheli
Height: 21.5 inches (60cm)
Weight: 9 pounds, 5 ounces (4.5kg)
Birthdate: 19 January 2000
Everyone is doing well, but Michelle is tired and sore. The baby
was delivered caesarian because she was breach (and facing forward).
Michelle should be in the hospital until Saturday night or Sunday.
You can call her at (281)364-2300. We have been grateful for your
prayers and concern.
Z. Todd Staheli']]>
A few weeks later Todd and Michelle made the effort to come
to Paul and Kate's reception (#0024). When I resigned/got
fired from Continuum Resources, Todd was one of the first to
respond (#0041):
<![CDATA[ `Roice,
I have been thinking of you for some time now and have felt
the need to share a meal and some hours of reflective,
mind-extending time. Can I make a couple of suggestions
regarding a time (you decide or propose something else):
* Sunday afternoon for the 2nd session of conference at our
house to be followed by dinner
* October 13th or 14th (Friday or Saturday) for dinner
either home
* Lets meet the ExxonMobil person over lunch sometime.
These dinners are too infrequent and to enjoyable for
distractions.
I'm at a loss for words regarding Continuum. Tell me more
over dinner. I've never gone through the process of
building something and then watching as it is taken away
(rightly or wrongly). . . .']]>
We had the lunch the following week (#0042). The words I
wrote do not scratch the surface of the depth of our
conversations, our plans, our hopes, and our fears:
<![CDATA[ `. . . this could be a very interesting turn of events in
terms of seeing some of the Walden 3-D ideas implemented
on a broad scale. Todd was ecstatic with the news. He has
planned his whole life to go into government, most
recently narrowing this down to probably working in the
State Department, with the mission of helping to prepare
the government to hand over to the Savior when He returns.
Todd is currently thinking he will spend another 15-20
years in industry, and then he will be able to afford to
take this step into public policy. We never know when
doors will be opened for us and when we will have the
opportunity to do that which we know in our heart is
why we were sent to the earth when and where we were.']]>
When we went to see the movie Spy Kids, I wrote how the
parents reminded me of Todd and Michelle Staheli (#0117).
Todd called me and talked to me about going to Saudi
Arabia, because I had lived there. He wanted to know if
I thought it would be safe for his kids. I encouraged him
to go. So imagine how much I am second guessing this
advice now. Almost a year later (#0231), I wrote:
<![CDATA[ `When we got home Grant & Marion Ostvig were here, and
the rest is history. To show what a small world it is,
Todd Staheli is their new Branch President in Saudi Arabia.
It was good to catch up on friends and acquaintances.
They had been out to Ken Turner's yesterday to finalize
their family painting, which I think was inspired by the
Family Reunion painting.']]>
Of course, the paintings I had Ken do for you kids were
the inspiration for the painting Todd had Ken paint of
Michelle's parents. That painting is a testimony of the
gospel and of the eternal nature of families. For those
who don't know, Michelle's parents were killed in an
automobile accident when she was a teenager. It was
really hard for their family. Now Michelle has been
forced to leave her four flowers. In #0249 I wrote about
24 hour sunlight for flowers:
<![CDATA[ `I recall as I read these verses last week having my minds
eye wander to the source of light shining on Jerusalem and
on Zarahemla. I don't find where I have referred to this
before, so I will repeat myself. Several years ago I heard
about some Russian Cosmonauts shining a big mirror at the
earth for the purpose of creating daylight 24 hours a day.
I don't recall what scriptures we were studying at the time,
and yet it involved prophecy that there would be sunlight
24 hours a day in Jackson County, Missouri, not that far
from the proposed Zarahemla. I recall telling Todd Staheli
that he and I were going to build a mirror to provide
continuous light to the New Jerusalem and the Old Jerusalem.
He told me I was crazy, and we have still been best friends
for many years.']]>
Our whole London vacation (#0324) revolved around Todd and
Michelle Staheli and their kindness and friendship with us.
Specifically I recall the hour we sat in the van at the
White Cliffs of Dover while Sara and Audrey and Andrea played
in the water. His encouragement that I continue on my efforts
to write a book about science and religion has been a major
motivation in continuing this effort. He wanted it for Wesley.
Then there was the follow-up e-mails and thoughts (#0325).
This included my for Todd, Ken Turner, and I to lead a seminar
next summer in Cedar City on `Synergism.' There was also the
idea of building a patent fence around the idea of Methane
Umbrellas. I asked Todd to find out from Shell if I could
list him on the patent application. I have had several
discussions with NASA, with Larry Cathles at Cornell, with
Albert Boulanger and Roger Anderson at Lamont-Doherty Earth
Observatory of Columbia University in New York City, with
Mic Patterson, and with others about this. Mic and I agreed
this week that if we get it to work, we will still make sure
Todd's estate has access to some of the financial returns.
In #0326 I wrote how Andrea drove for an hour or so on our
trip to Albany, and how I read the `The Apology of Socrates'
which Todd Staheli had copied for me. I stressed the phrase:
'the unexamined life is not worth living.' In #0328 I
referred to Todd sending a nice, and short, e-mail saying
that his motorcycle presentation went very well. I still
wish I could have been in the room to see the faces of the
folks when the big noisy Harley motorcycle roared into the
second floor conference room. In #0338 Sara referred to
our staying with Todd and Michelle when we went to London.
Now, there are all of the undocumented things that happened.
I served as a Venturing Crew Leader when Todd was in the
Young Men's Presidency. He served as a Venturing Crew Leader
when I was in the Young Men's Presidency. We were the two
folks who made the effort to drive to the Manti Temple for
Heather Keller's wedding. On that trip I gave Todd a copy
of the songs I had recorded for you kids. He commented
about them to me many times. His Grandma Staheli lived in
the same retirement housing as Grandma Hafen. I often ran
into her when I would go visit Grandma. We had long talks
about Todd. I'm sure she loved all of her Grandchildren.
But she knew how special Todd was. I know, because she
told me. Maybe these discussions were one of the reasons I
grew to believe Todd was one of the great Generals in God's
army who would be preparing the world for the return of the
Savior.
Todd not only understood what I am attempting to do with
providing each of you kids with an original Ken Turner
painting, he did the same thing for Michelle. Maybe this
was so touching to me because imitation is the highest
form of flattery. And, assuming I live long enough and
have enough money, after I get paintings done for Heather,
Audrey, Rachel, and Matt, I just decided I am going to
pay for Ken to do original paintings for Wesley, Logan,
Madison, and Carly. And I think it is appropriate to
add chapters to Prime Words around the themes which will
come out of the synergism evolving from this effort.
I'm sure Todd and Michelle's family will work everything
out among themselves so the kids can stay together. I
will send a version of this to Todd's brother Chad. If
the family is looking for someone to dedicate the next 20
years to raising those four lovely kids for Todd and
Michelle, Andrea and I are mentally able, and I believe
the Lord would provide the financial means if this were
an option the family wanted to consider.
I remember how Todd and Michelle adopted Jim Jensen as their
Grandpa. This was how I got to know Jim. It was how I got
to know the reason Jim, a retired nuclear physics engineer,
moved to Houston, was to be close to his son, Jim Jenson,
who is now in his 70's, to quietly encourage him to become
active in the church again. What a wonderful man. What a
wonderful example. Some of you kids will remember the day
we parked next to Jim the older and he opened the door and
put a big ding in our new caravan. Some of you will remember
going to his funeral with me, and Sara, I think it was you
that said, `Dad, why do you know all of the people who die.'
After Todd and Michelle moved to Europe the first time, and
until Jim died, I tried to take Todd's place as an adopted
Grandson in his life. And it was special for both of us.
I remember how much Todd and Michelle loved to go to Lupe's
at I-10 and Highway-6. There are many times Todd has flown
into town, or just wanted to go to lunch, where we have met
and solved the world's problems over a plate of steaming
beef fajita's. Wesley recognized the special bond we had.
And in London I reminded her of how jealous she was of me
when we visited them in The Woodlands once. Then there was
the time we visited and Matt stayed in The Woodlands
overnight and played with Logan, and I drove up and picked
him up the next day. It was really hard for Matt when he
read on the Internet in the Library at Taylor High School
about Michelle's death. And this was after he gave us a
wonderful Family Home Evening lesson on Monday about the
resurrection, largely because of how poorly I was taking
the news of Todd's death. Don't get me wrong, I also love
Michelle and I love their kids.
But Todd Staheli is my friend. He told me how much he did
not want to go see `Riverdance' in London, and how much the
experience of seeing someone truly enjoying themselves
changed him. He decided to teach himself music to be
closer to the spirit. One of the reasons he picked up the
guitar was because of the campouts we went on together, and
the times we sat around and sang with my guitar. I gave
him a guitar lesson late one night when we stayed with them
in London this summer. There are simply not words to
describe how much I already miss him, his mind, his insights,
his love of life, his example, and the plans we had to work
together to make the world a better place for our kids and
our grandkids. I have felt so rejected by so many in so many
different circumstances for so much of my life, as I write
these words about Todd, I can't help but wonder if there is
anyone out there whose life I have touched even partly as
much as Todd Staheli touched mine because he understood me
and he accepted me and he believed in me.
Although all of you kids received the following three e-mail's,
they are included in this Thoughtlet to document this most
traumatic week. The first one I sent was to Paul Sullivan in
Holland on Monday evening:
<![CDATA[ `Paul,
I don't know if you have heard about what happened to Todd
and Michelle Staheli. I expect you have and have more
details than we have in Houston.
His death really hit me hard. Todd and I had big plans for
when he finished his assignment in Brazil. Guess there are
bigger plans for him on the other side of the veil.
If the funeral is in Utah, I will do my best to be in
attendance. Please let me know if there is anything you
hear of Andrea and I can do to help the kids.
Best Regards,
Roice']]>
Paul responded Tuesday morning with:
<![CDATA[ `Royce,
No word yet on the timing of the funeral. Michelle is
in critical condition with limited brain wave activity.
Todds parents and Michelle's brother and sister are
arriving tomorrow at 5:30 am. The children are staying
with the only other English speaking LDS family in the
ward. I talked with Wesley last night and she sounds
just like Todd - very factual and in control. Karen and
I will let you know when we here more.
Best Wishes,
Paul']]>
Then there was the e-mail I sent to you kids Tuesday morning:
<![CDATA[ `To: roice3@walden3d.com, ben@walden3d.com, paul@walden3d.com,
heather@walden3d.com, melanie@walden3d.com, sara@walden3d.com,
audrey@walden3d.com, rachel@walden3d.com, rob@walden3d.com
Cc: rnelson@walden3d.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-MD5: gxSFK8KhB2rPGhPaAoTUVQ==
Kids,
The following was in the Chronicle this morning:
"American oil exec slain at his home in Rio de Janeiro
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - An American executive with Shell
oil company was found slain in his Rio home, and the city's
top police official said Monday investigators are trying to
determine how attackers entered the heavily guarded house.
Todd Staheli, 39, vice president for joint ventures in
the Southern Cone gas and power unit of oil giant Shell,
was found dead Sunday by one of his four children.
His wife, Michele Staheli, suffered face and head wounds
and was in critical condition Monday following brain
surgery.
She is "in a deep coma and shows signs of extensive brain
damage," said a statement from Copa D'Or Hospital director
Joao Pantoja.
"Solving this mystery has the police department's full
dedication," said Anthony Garotinho, public security
secretary.
Earlier, police spokesman Renato Homem said the couple
had been attacked with sharp instruments, but not with
knifes. He said nothing was stolen and that police did
not know how the attackers entered the guarded house.
The Staheli family lived in an upper-class condominium
in the Barra da Tijuca beachfront area. The family
was from Utah, said Shell spokesman Ricardo David.
The Staheli children - three girls aged 13, 5, and 3,
and one boy aged 10 - are being cared for by family
friends. None of the children reported hearing any
sounds.'
Paul Sullivan sent the message below (actually above)
from Holland this morning.
This news is really hard for me, and I expect it is
for some of you who knew Todd and Michelle well also.
There is good and there is evil in this world. Evil
has just made a major attack. I feel a significant
loss has happened. Todd and Michelle were good people.
Love,
Dad']]>
Marian Pickerd sent the an e-mail with a Yahoo!News
story Tuesday at 11:00. It had the attached photo of
the Staheli's house, and the words:
<![CDATA[ `Monday December 1, 08:15 PM
Divers of the firefighters' division search for evidence
in the Da Tijuca Lake, in front of the condominium where
Shell Oil executive Todd Staheli was killed, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 1, 2003. Staheli's wife,
Michele, was also hurt in the weekend attack and she is
in critical condition at a local hospital.'
(AP Photo/Renzo Gostoli)]]>
Wednesday morning, the Chronicle ran the following on
page 28a:
<![CDATA[ `Woodland neighbors mourn slain oil exec
By Edward Hegstrom Houston Chronicle
In Brazil, Todd Staheli was known as an oil company
executive whose slaying earlier this week became front
page news.
But in The Woodlands subdivision where Staheli lived
with his wife and four children for three years, he was
better known as a Little League coach and church-going
family man.
"They were good neighbors," said Kim Neill, a close
family friend who lived next door. "They touched all
of our lives in some way."
Police in Rio de Janeiro continue to investigate the
brutal attack against Staheli and his wife, Michelle,
who remains hospitalized in critical condition. The
two were bludgeoned with an ax-like object Sunday in
their seaside condominium, where their children found
the bodies.
Officials continued to investigate possible motives
for the crime, which does not appear to have been a
robbery and might have been related to Staheli's work
for Shell Oil. Published reports stated the family
received threatening phone calls regarding an
international gas pipeline.
Shell officials have not commented on the nature of
the incident.
"There are a number of strange elements in this case,
and there is some reason to believe this case may
have an international element," said Wagner Victer,
energy secretary for the state of Rio. Victer said
the fact that no clues were left and bedside valuables
such as a Rolex watch were ignored suggested it was a
professional job.
But other motives were not dismissed.
"No leading theory has emerged yet," police spokesman
Ricardo Linck said. "We could be looking at more than
one assailant or a personal vendetta."
All of this came as a shock to friends in The Woodlands.
Friends and former neighbors held a candlelight vigil
Monday night.
Like many oil executives, Staheli moved around the
world. He and his wife were both raised Mormons in Utah.
Staheli, 39, went to work for Shell in 1991, after
getting a law degree from Brigham Young University.
He worked in London, Austria and Saudi Arabia, always
taking his family with him. From 1999 to 2001, Staheli
worked out of Shell's Houston office, according to a
company spokeswoman.
Todd Staheli's father flew from Utah to Brazil this
week to be with the children.
The three youngest children are expected to be taken
back to Utah. The eldest child, Leslie(sic), 13, may
be required to stay in Brazil to give a statement in
the case.
"The family is taking this all as best as can be
expected," Todd's uncle, Elias Staheli, said in a
phone interview from Utah.
After living in Houston, the Stahelis moved to Saudi
Arabia, then to Brazil, which friends assumed would be
safer than the Middle East.
"We were all quite relieved when they got out of Saudi
Arabia," said Neill.
Freelance journalist Gareth Chetwynd contributed to
this story from Rio.']]>
There were two e-mail's from a news service Andrea signed
up with on Thursday morning, and both had a photo of Todd and Michelle in their leathers:
<![CDATA[ `Children's Evidence Sought in Rio Murder Mystery
Wed Dec 3, 4:03 PM ET
Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Police said on Wednesday
they hoped the children of a murdered Shell executive from
the United States could shed light on his mysterious killing
in their heavily guarded Rio de Janeiro home.
The chief of Rio's investigative police, Alvaro Lins, said
police asked the 13-year-old daughter of Todd Staheli not
to leave Brazil before testifying.
Staheli, 39, and his wife, Michelle, both U.S. citizens,
were found by their 10-year-old son inside their luxurious,
guarded condominium early on Sunday with wounds police
believe were caused by a small ax.
Doctors said Michelle's condition worsened on Wednesday
and there was little chance of recovery.
Lins said the possibility of the involvement of somebody
in the family could not be ruled out.
"I am not accusing anybody ... but as there are no signs
of intrusion, there may have been some kind of a
collaboration," he told Reuters.
Police picked up the daughter's books and letters for
examination. Lins said he also wanted to talk to Staheli's
three younger children, including two aged 3 and 5.
Rio's state security secretary said on Monday the daughter
told police her father had received a threatening phone
call some days earlier.
Authorities have ruled out robbery as nothing was stolen
from the house, making the killing stand out from the
usual robbery-related violence, mainly shootings, in Rio,
which has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Staheli and his family had only been in Brazil for 3-1/2
months.
Lins said an electric fence around Staheli's home had
been turned off before the murder, while the entrance
to the building was controlled from the inside.
The U.S. Consulate declined to comment on the matter,
saying only it had "complete confidence in the Brazilian
(news - web sites) authorities."
Other relatives of Staheli arrived in Rio on Tuesday,
and could not be reached for comment
Staheli, who was from Utah, moved to Brazil three months
ago to be Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell's vice president
for joint ventures in natural gas and power in southern
South America. He previously worked for Shell in Ukraine.']]>
And the second one said:
<![CDATA[ `Children to Be Quizzed in Rio Murder Mystery
Wed Dec 3, 8:30 PM ET
Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - The two oldest children
of a U.S. executive who was murdered in Rio de Janeiro must
make formal statements to police before leaving Brazil, a
judge ruled on Wednesday.
Todd Staheli, 39, an executive with Shell energy group,
and his wife, Michelle, both U.S. citizens, were found by
their 10-year-old son inside their luxurious, guarded
condominium early on Sunday with wounds police believe
were caused by a small ax.
Staheli, who had moved to Brazil 3-1/2 months ago, died
shortly afterward. His wife is still in a hospital in
critical condition, and doctors fear she has little
chance of recovery from a ferocious that has baffled
police.
Relatives of the Staheli family arrived in Rio on
Tuesday from Utah, but could not be reached for comment.
Judge Maria Angelica Guimaraes granted a prosecutors'
request that the 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old
son give formal statements to the police on Friday.
Prosecutor Marcelle Navega said, "They are fundamental
witnesses for shedding light on the facts."
Street robberies involving shootings are common in Rio,
which grapples with a high crime rate. But it is rare
for foreigners to fall victim to violent crime within
the confines of high-security condominiums.
Police have ruled out robbery as a motive in the killing
as nothing was stolen and there was no sign of a break-in.
The guards at the condominium have said they did not see
anything suspicious and the couple's children, aged 3, 8,
10, and 13, who were home, also said they had not heard
any noise.
The 13-year-old had told police initially that her father
had received a phone call days before complaining about
his work as Shell's vice president for joint ventures in
natural gas and power in southern South America.
But she has yet to give a formal statement and prosecutors
said they wanted testimony not made in the heat of the
moment and thus more legally secure.
Alvaro Lins, the chief of Rio's investigative police, has
said the involvement of a relative could not be ruled out.
"I am not accusing anybody ... but as there are no signs
of intrusion, there may have been some kind of a
collaboration," he told Reuters. "This case will be solved,
but it will require more effort and time than usual."
He said an electric fence around Staheli's home had been
turned off before the murder, and that entrance to the
building was controlled from the inside.
Judge Guimaraes gave police access to the couple's phone
records and said friends, colleagues, and neighbors should
be quizzed. Police will examine the daughter's books and
letters.
The U.S. Consulate declined to comment on the matter,
besides saying it had confidence in the Brazilian (news
- web sites) authorities']]>
Thursday afternoon there was a message from Todd's brother
Chad Staheli:
<![CDATA[ `Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 1:50 AM
Subject: Todd Staheli
Hello my name is Chad Staheli. I am Todd's younger brother.
Karen Sullivan sent me one of Todd's broadcast e-mails so that
I would have a list of many of Todd's friend's e-mail addresses.
I have been asked by many of you for updates about Michelle
and plans for services. There is really nothing new to pass
on about Michelle. She is not doing very well and the
doctors have told the family that they do not expect her to
live more than a few days. She has not regained consciousness,
but she has brain wave activity on both sides of her brain and
it has been fairly constant. The kids are doing amazingly well.
They are with their grandparents and their Aunt Teri and Uncle
Craig Davis. The police have taken the children's passports and
would like to talk with Wes and maybe Logan again before they
leave. If that is all that is required, then they hope to
come home on Monday. All plans are still tentative and will
change depending on Michelle and her needs. With all the
media attention this is getting we would appreciate that
anything I send out please be kept confidential and only be
shared with those that knew Todd and Michelle on a personal
level.
We have received several requests to set up a web page for
Todd and Michelle where people from around the world could
post pictures and their thoughts and feelings about them. I
am afraid that any information that would be posted there
would be used by the media to maintain the gossip and keep
the story on the front page. In lieu of that, a close
friend of Todd's has offered to put a memorial book for
Todd and Michelle together. We would like to add a section
to that where any friends or family could include pictures
and their personal thoughts and memories about Todd and
Michelle in the book. We would like it to be personal and
include any pictures or stories that you feel you would
like to share.
I am sure that I do not have every e-mail to every person
who knew and loved Todd and Michelle so please pass this
information on to them. If you have anything you would
like included in the memorial book, please e-mail it to me
at cstaheli@earthlink.net. If you would rather mail it,
please send it to Chad Staheli
1408 E. 6400 S.
Spanish Fork, Ut. 84660 U.S.A.
We are not working under a deadline at this time and so
please feel free to take some time to pull together what
you feel would be appropriate. We appreciate the great
outpouring of love and support that we have felt at this
time.
Our family is truly blessed. I would also like to thank
you for your love and friendship toward my brother and
sister. He and Michelle are great people and we love
them very much. Thank you and if I get any new news I
will try to keep you informed. Many of you have asked
about services and none of those decisions have been made
yet. We are still waiting and as we make those plans I
will let you all know.
Chad Staheli']]>
Thursday Evening brought this message from the news service:
<![CDATA[ `Slain U.S. Executive's Wife Dies in Rio of Wounds
Thu Dec 4,12:33 PM ET
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - The wife of a slain
U.S. executive -- whose murder has puzzled police --
died on Thursday from wounds sustained during Sunday's
attack on the couple in their home, doctors said.
Michelle Staheli, 34, a U.S. citizen, had been in a
coma since the mysterious attack inside a guarded,
posh condominium, possibly with an ax. Police have
ruled out robbery, which has made the case stand out
from Rio's more commonplace violence of shootings
during street robberies.
It is rare for foreigners in Brazil to fall victim to
violent crime within the confines of high-security
condominiums.
A judge ruled on Wednesday the two oldest children of
the executive, aged 10 and 13, must make formal
statements to police on Friday before they can leave
Brazil.
Alvaro Lins, the chief of Rio's investigative police,
has said the involvement of a relative in the murder
has not yet been ruled out.
Staheli's 13-year-old daughter had told police initially
that her father had call days before complaining about
his work as Shell's vice president for joint ventures
in natural gas and power in southern South America.
Shell has said Staheli had not reported any such
problems at work. Relatives of the Staheli family
arrived in Rio on Tuesday from Utah.']]>
I talked to in person to Peter Duncan, on the phone to
Mic Patterson, and via e-mail to Albert Boulanger about
Todd & Michelle. Peter asked if I really thought it
was possible some kook from the church committed the
crime. I said this was my second, least likely scenario.
Mic pointed out how good it is that none of the children
were hurt. Later that evening, Andrea told me Carly
was sleeping between Todd and Michelle when the attack
happened. This absolutely blows my mind that Carly did
not wake up and get hurt or killed. Albert wrote back:
<![CDATA[ `Often I think our God deals cards fairly (which then
must mean that there are runs of bad luck) -- it is
how we take that challenge that is our being "put to
the test". For us on the leading edge, this implies
that we need more protection from gambler's ruin --
i.e. you need enough physical and mental resources to
survive the bad runs that happen based on your
strategy for life.']]>
Saturday morning I went for a run, and then came in the
office for the first time since Friday morning. There
was a nice card from Melanie. It reads:
<![CDATA[ `I wish I could take everything I'm feeling right now -
all my concern for you, all my hopes, all my care -
and pour them into a glistening blue bottle.
And you could pour out endlessly from this bottle
and smooth it on your hands and face.
And the coolness would comfort you,
and the scent would remind you
how constantly you are thought of . . .
. . . and how very strong you are.
Cheryl Hawkinson
Dad,
Its really hard to express in words what I've been
feeling & thinking since I received your phone call
last night. A lot of anger and pain and helplessness.
Hearing the hurt in your voice was almost as hard as
hearing about this awful tragedy. I realize that I
was not as close to Todd and Michelle as you were, but
I wanted you to know a little of my feelings about them.
I remember baby-sitting for the Staheli's when I
was younger. I always looked up to them. Maybe it was
that I felt a connection to them as a teenager.
You said on the phone to me that you and Todd were going
to change the world. I just want you to know that both
of you already have. Todd & Michelle were the type of
people who influenced and affected everyone they came in
contact with. The type of people you wanted to model
yourself after. They have influenced the world in ways
greater than can ever be possible in the oil & gas
industry.
Those four beautiful children will endure so many
trying emotions as a result of Satan and somebody
absolutely abusing their free agency. However, they
will carry on their parents legacy and continue to
change the world for years to come.
You have given me life and the opportunity to experience
this world. I owe everything to what you have given me
and taught me throughout the years. Life is so
precious and I thank the Lord every day in my prayers
that I have loving parents and a loving family.
You have changed the world through your work, but you
have also created a legacy through your efforts towards
your family and loved ones. You continue to make a
difference in my life and I hope that you always know
that.
My thoughts and prayers are sincerely with the Staheli
family at this time, especially those children. I hope
you can find comfort in this awful tragedy. Please
keep me informed. I would like an address to send my
sympathies to the family. Please let me know if there
is any way I can help with the kids.
I love you and again - am always thinking about you.
Love,
Melanie']]>
There were two new e-mails from the Yahoo News Saturday
morning. First:
<![CDATA[ `U.S. National - Reuters
Brazil Judge Questions Children of Murdered U.S. Exec
Fri Dec 5, 4:07 PM ET
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - A Brazilian (news -
web sites) judge on Friday questioned the two oldest
children of a U.S. oil executive who was slain along
with his wife under mysterious circumstances in their
luxury home in Rio de Janeiro.
Rio's investigative police have said the involvement
of a relative in the killing has not yet been ruled out.
The two children, a 10-year-old boy and a 13-year-old
girl, had been ordered to stay in Brazil until they
made formal statements.
Todd and Michelle Staheli died of wounds investigators
believe were inflicted by a small ax. There were no
signs of a break-in or a fight at the heavily guarded
house.
Staheli was Shell's vice president for joint ventures
in natural gas and power in southern South America.
The couple and their four children had moved to Brazil
less than four months ago.
Officials issued no details of the interview. But
local news wire GloboNews said the daughter told the
judge her father was worried about a long report he had
to write for Shell. She also said it was unlikely he
had any enemies in Brazil.
The girl, whose name is being withheld, said that on
the eve of the crime last weekend she went to sleep
about midnight, passed by her parents' room and
everything seemed normal, according to GloboNews.
The children discovered the victims in the morning.
Todd Staheli was dead and Michelle died of her wounds
in a hospital on Thursday.
Previously, the daughter has said her father had received
a threatening work-related phone call days before the
murder but Shell said it knew of no such problems.
Two FBI (news - web sites) agents observing the case
were not allowed to be present during the questioning.
Brazil's state tourism authority, meanwhile, sought to
limit any damage from the case, saying it was an isolated
case that should not discourage foreigners from coming to
Brazil.
"The circumstances ... do not fit into any type of common
urban violence," Embratur said.
"The Brazilian government treats public security as a
right that has to be guaranteed to any citizen, including
foreign citizens who land here as tourists or businessmen,"
it said.
Though Rio suffers from endemic crime it is rare for
foreigners to fall victim to violence within the confines
of their high-security homes.']]>
And the second said:
<![CDATA[ `World - AP Latin America
Brazil Cops Take Statements in Kidnapping
Fri Dec 5, 8:43 PM ET
By TOM MURPHY, Associated Press Writer
SAO PAULO, Brazil - Police took statements Friday from
two children of an American couple found bludgeoned in
their Rio de Janeiro condominium.
Investigators spoke to the 10-year-old son and 13-year-old
daughter of Todd Staheli and his wife, Michele, who were
attacked on Nov. 30 in their high-security condominium.
Todd Staheli, 39, a Shell Oil executive, was found dead
at their home. His wife, who is 36, died Thursday at a
hospital from her wounds. The couple has two other children,
ages 5 and 3.
"Police are working on a number of new clues found at the
site," Police spokesman Ricardo Link said.
Investigators, who believe there may have been two assailants,
are examining forensic evidence from the scene and trying to
determine if the attack had any connection to Staheli's work
for the oil company, Link said.
The couple moved to the condominium near a beach in Rio in
September, following Staheli's appointment to head a Shell Oil
unit dealing with the development of natural gas resources.
Police have ruled out robbery as a motive, saying a gold
Rolex watch and a box full of jewelry were found untouched.
There was no sign of forced entry.
Two FBI (news - web sites) agents have been assigned to
observe the probe. U.S. Consulate spokeswoman Melissa Ford
said the agents will accompany Brazilian (news - web sites)
police but will not investigate the case.']]>
I did a search on my e-mail, and this message from Andrea
was all that came up, which has not bee filed:
<![CDATA[ `Dear Michelle, Todd, Wesley, Logan, and Madison:
I have been going to write you for months now. My first
excuse was that Roice had filed your e-mail address
and I didn't know how his filing system worked on the
work station and second is that I let other things
crowd out equally important things.
Our summer was so busy after we left London and I know
that you also had a full agenda in Utah and a move
to Rio. I hope you had a fun summer and the house is
going along nicely. Did the fireplace(?) and other
projects your dad was helping you with turn out o.k.?
Matt made it through 2 weeks of boot camp in Austin
for the Sea Cadets. He just got a job at Katy Mills
Mall and is passing all his classes at school for
the moment. He really enjoys the HS choir and was
the manager for the football team.
Audrey is living in American Fork still and has found
a job with a small law firm in Salt Lake. However, with
the firm being small she does not make the kind of salary
she needs to be on her own so she is still waitressing at
Applebee's. She is coming to Houston at Christmas and
bringing a resume and is thinking she will move to Houston
if she can find employment at a larger law firm as a
paralegal and live with us for a while until she can afford
to be on her own after paying off her student loan.
I think it also has to do with running away from a certain
boy who is more interested in her then she is in him and she
is just plain scared! hahahaha
Sara has sent some very interesting e-mails from Benin.
We were able to talk with her on the phone this week.
She indicated that even though her dad had tried to tell
them about third world Africa, there are no words to
describe some of what she has seen and felt. They were
teaching the volunteers about culture and had a voodoo Dr.
come in to "show and tell" She writes that she was the
"example" and he swung a dead chicken around her head.
Roice can send you the e-mail if you want to read it.
Pretty amazing stuff. She does seem to like what she is
doing and not regretting in any way her decision. Um I
wonder where she gets her adventurous attitude from?
There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of our
trip to England including the hospitality that you showed
us. It was a truly amazing trip for me and what made
it special was staying in a home and being part of
the country and way of life. Maybe it is the pull of my
ancestral roots but something made it a very singular
experience for me. Michelle, you are a special
woman to be able to seem so unruffled with visitors just
at the time you are moving. I am truly impressed by
the spirit in your home, the family relationships that
you exhibit with each other and the children. It is truly
a testimony to me that families are blessed where ever
they live as they keep the gospel a part of their
everyday lives. In fact, a friend of ours from England
living here said that her sister teaches in a school in
England and when they know that some LDS kids are going
to be attending, all the teachers want them in their
classes!
How is life in Rio? Have the kids adjusted to the schools,
church, etc.? I am sure it has it's unique flavor that sets
it apart from the other places you have lived. I hope
that Michelle has also found some good friends possibly
with the Relief Society. Do you attend an expat ward or
a "native" ward? Is everyone learning Portuguese?
I know Roice e-mailed Todd about the demonstration with
the Harley in the Office but I would like to hear about it
first hand and Sara and Audrey have both commented on
wondering how it all went. Have there been any similar
demonstrations in Rio?
Hope all is going well at home and work. Will you all be
able to come to the states at Christmas? Also,
I don't know if Roice has your mailing address.
Take Care
Love,
Andrea']]>
Strange things go through my mind when it is hurting.
This week there was a hymn I kept going over and over:
<![CDATA[ `1. We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er
Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store;
We shall win and wear it by and by.
Haste to the battle, quick to the field;
Truth is our helmet, buckler, and shield.
Stand by our colors, proudly they wave!
We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.
We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er;
Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store;
We shall win and wear it by and by.
2. Hark! The sound of battle sounding loudly and clear;
Come join the ranks! Come join the ranks!
We are waiting now for soldiers; who'll volunteer?
Rally round the standard of the cross.
Hark! 'tis our Captain calls you today;
Lose not a moment, make no delay!
Fight for our Savior come, come away!
We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.
We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er;
Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store;
We shall win and wear it by and by.
3. Fighting for a kingdom, and the world is our foe;
Happy are we! Happy are we!
Glad to join the army, we will sing as we go;
We shall gain the vict'ry by and by.
Dangers may gather - why should we fear?
Jesus, our Leader, ever is near.
He will protect us, comfort, and cheer.
We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.
We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er;
Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store;
We shall win and wear it by and by.'
LDS Hymn 250, William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868]]>
There is good and evil in this world. There is a war
between good and evil. A great leader for good lost his
life in that war this week. He will continue the fight
on the other side of the veil, and I am glad he is there
to watch out for me, for I know he will. Michelle was not
a warrior. She was the support and the motivation for
keeping up the good fight. She was a good person and a
wonderful mother. She had a spirit in her home that was
undeniably the spirit of Christ.
The murder of Todd and Michelle Staheli has certainly
colored my week, and I expect it has yours also. Most of
my week was spent working on the GDC project. On Tuesday
evening I went out on splits with the missionaries. Elder
Rose and I had two good visits. Adam Salt went with Elder
Rassmussen. Matthew, Adam's older brother who returned
from a mission a couple of years ago, has had a kidney
failure and is on dialysis. Adam is being tested this
week to see if he can donate a kidney to his brother.
Wednesday I met with Fred Hilterman and showed him what
I have been doing with his/GDC's rock property data base
and the Infinite Grid(SM). He liked what he saw. It
was a good meeting on several fronts. Fred created a
formula for predicting Class I, II, or III AVO (Amplitude
vs Offset seismic anomalies) and came back in the
afternoon to see the results. He seemed pleased. I
presented a status report to Mike Dunn and David Johnson
at GDC on Thursday afternoon. They seemed pleased with
the results. Friday Mike sent me a note describing what
he wants done before this project is completed. It
represents another two weeks work, and that doesn't fit
our agreement. I told him so, and hopefully when we
discuss it on Monday he will agree. They just lost a
recruit to market for GDC in Mexico, and I have been
able to get them a candidate to interview on Monday.
The unrealistic request was disappointing.
Friday was dominated by a 2+ hour lunch at Kingfish
Market with Joe Roberts, and two folks from Core Labs.
It appears that Geo-China has an interested party in
Core Labs. There is a possibility I will be going to
China to get the Joint Venture formally kicked off the
week of December 15th. It is interesting how fast
things can turn around, and there can be too much to
do. Joe was showing off photos of a 168 pound tuna he
and three friends caught offshore Louisiana last week.
One of the Core Lab folks said, so that's your role
with Dynamic Resources. You fish for new business
opportunities and toll with Roice on the hook. I
think he had a great insight. I laughed to myself.
Friday evening we went to the Ward Christmas Party.
It was really nice to not be in charge. Karen Gebauer
got a cold sore because she felt so much stress about
the party. Everyone brought desserts, there was
a brass band under the direction of Reynolds Cahoon,
karioke singing, and lots of conversations. It was
a nice evening, and a break from thinking about
Todd and Michelle Staheli.
Saturday I went for a run, pulled down the Christmas
tree from the attic, wrote on the Thoughtlet, helped
put the lights up outside, swept up all of the
crushed acorns in font of the house, and watched a
couple of movies to escape from my thoughts and
feelings. Matt failed two classes, and so he could
not participate in the Madrigal Dinner. However,
he used my ticket and went with Andrea so he could
see what he missed out on helping with. Hopefully
he is going to learn a good lesson from all of this.
This morning was Welfare Meeting and so I did not
call Sara in Benin. She moves to Save~ this week,
and so we won't talk to her again until she get's
settled in. While we were waiting for the meeting
Sister Swope stopped and talked to me. She talked
about all of the e-mail's she has been receiving
from Shell employees in Rio. Todd's secretary
helped him unpack all of his office and he told her
about each of his different trophies and keepsakes.
This has all been typed up. The office folks talked
about Todd's sense of humor and how he dispelled
many tense moments with humor. When I told her my
plan to get Ken to paint paintings for each of the
kids, Sister Swope said she was going to talk to
others about helping fund this. There are so many
folks who want to do something and there is nothing
for them to do. Welfare meeting was interesting
because I introduced the new Church employment plans
I learned about at the Regional Training a couple
of weeks ago. Towards the end of Fast & Testimony
Meeting Andrea leaned over and said, `There is an
elephant in this room, and no one is talking about
it.' So she got up and talked about her strong
impression to send the e-mail quoted above to Todd
and Michelle. It was perfect, and something needed
to be said. President Pickerd came off of the stand
afterwards and sat by me and I broke out crying. He
talked about free agency and the abuse thereof.
The last few years have not been easy. Dad's cancer and
death. Divorce. Grandma Hafen's death. Mom's 18 year
struggle with her stroke and being paralyzed on the left,
and then her death earlier this year. There have been
tears. The divorce was particularly hard for me. Todd
helped me with a philosophical basis for continuing and
not striving to find fault in myself nor in Marti. I
hope I have been able to wrap words around my feelings
this week, and that each of you understand how hard this
has been for me. Not the death, for I know we will be
resurrected and I will see Todd and Michelle in the
flesh again. It was the loss of potential energy. The
loss of light and truth. The death of a good man and
of a good woman. It hurts a lot.
In late 1979 there was a death that almost struck me with
the same kind of force I have felt this week. It was a
man named Don Humphries. He was the father of 10 lovely
children, and was in the Dallas 1st Ward with us. His
last calling was to lead the Teacher Development Class.
We went to his last class, taught at his house on Hillcrest,
and I was blown away with a statement he made during the
class that his life was now complete because of someone he
had met. That week he had a single passenger airplane
accident, and within a week was no longer alive. His wife
was a Real Estate agent, and she sold our house for us on
Lockmore Lane. I have lost track of her and her children.
I hope I do a better job of keeping up with the legacy of
Todd and Michelle Staheli."
I'm interested in sharing weekly a "thoughtlet" (little statements
of big thoughts which mean a lot to me) with you because I know how
important the written word can be. I am concerned about how easy
it is to drift and forget our roots and our potential among all of
distractions of daily life. To download any of these thoughtlets
go to http://www.walden3d.com/thoughtlets or e-mail me at
rnelson@walden3d.com.
With all my love,
Dad
(H. Roice Nelson, Jr.)
