# No, Gawker, man did not "Stage\[\] Kidnapping to Be a Hero, Accidentally Kill\[\] His Hostage." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 30, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731 "2013-05-30T17:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/61 "2013-05-30T22:56:40Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > The fuck? You can be kidnapped by someone you know. Where did I say otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/62 "2013-05-30T23:07:32Z")
Ok, let’s all go back to post #34 and re-read how “staged” is frequently used to describe Real-Life Real Actually Committed Actual Crimes… > [@Kevbo](#): > > That is near a common use of the word “stage” actually. It usually gets applied when there is a conspiracy to accomplish the crime. “The gang staged an armored car heist” is using staging Staging in the sense that a number of criminals have to follow a plan in a way similar to how a theater company follows a script. It does not imply that the crime is faked. In this case it was a one man show, but he was following a script of sorts. > In the OP case, the perpetrator WAS committing real crimes, AND conducting a bit of theater to try to impress the victim. Just as TSA conducts real searches while performing theater to make some of the passengers feel safe. > > Perhaps we should object when the police conduct a search. They have no baton, and no score, and no musicians…how is that possibly conducting? Right. So can we dial the pedantry down to about, oh, a tenth of what it was and in the process stop damn near alleging that everyone who’s arguing in favor of its usage is trying to claim that this gal wasn’t in any real danger or something? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/63 "2013-05-30T23:11:21Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > **Marley** , my issue with “staged” is that it makes it seem like the guy didn’t intend to kidnap the girl. He did intend to kidnap her. He didn’t intend to kill her or harm her in any other way. Which only makes him similar to most kidnappers. Right, I understand. It’s a difficult concept to get across in a short space while still communicating the stuff that could get a reader’s attention. I think “staged” is an OK way to show that there was an element of deceit here even though the kidnapping part was real. > [@](#): > > If I steal something from a store, it doesn’t matter what my intention was. It wouldn’t matter to the police, no. It might matter to a jury (‘I only did it to feed my family!’), and it could absolutely matter to reporters and editors. Not every crime becomes national news- not even every kidnapping and murder. If there’s something crazy or surprising about the crime, it might get a lot of attention. That’s the case here. I guess you could call that kind of superficial, but people are attracted to novelty and it’s always been part of news. The fact that this asshole kidnapped a girl and she wound up dead isn’t really unique. The fact that he apparently did it as part of a scheme to trick her into thinking he was a hero who had rescued her from a kidnapper makes it pretty unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/64 "2013-05-30T23:17:56Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > How about: > > Man Commits Kidnapping to Look Like a Hero, Accidently Kills His Hostage Pretty good; how about “Kidnapper Claims ‘Wanted to Look Like Hero’, but Hostage is Dead” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/65 "2013-05-30T23:21:39Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Pretty good; how about “Kidnapper Claims ‘Wanted to Look Like Hero’, but Hostage is Dead” I like it. You can’t attribute that quote directly to the killer because he didn’t say it, but if you make it “Kidnapper says he wanted to look like hero, but hostage is dead,” I think that works very well. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/66 "2013-05-30T23:34:27Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Pretty good; how about “Kidnapper Claims ‘Wanted to Look Like Hero’, but Hostage is Dead” I like it! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/67 "2013-05-30T23:42:53Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Pretty good; how about “Kidnapper Claims ‘Wanted to Look Like Hero’, but Hostage is Dead” Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/68 "2013-05-30T23:47:47Z")
**Kidnapper Claims “Wanted to Look Like Hero”, Doesn’t.** ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/69 "2013-05-30T23:56:55Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Shitty news sources contain shitty journalism. > > Film at 11! I saw what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/70 "2013-05-30T23:58:31Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Pretty good; how about “Kidnapper Claims ‘Wanted to Look Like Hero’, but Hostage is Dead” Should have picked a live hostage. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/71 "2013-05-31T00:34:35Z")
The headline is a perfectly acceptable use of the word “stage”. From the [Merriam Webster online dictionary](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staged): “to produce or cause to happen for public view or public effect \ \” “Staging a hunger strike” is not the same as “faking a hunger strike”. “Staging” means that you’re doing something so that that people will know its been done. The kidnapper in the news story staged a kidnapping – he kidnapped someone so that he could publicly play the hero when he faked rescuing her. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/72 "2013-05-31T01:22:10Z")
Kidnapper Claims ‘Hero’ Plan Gone Awry, Hostage Killed ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/73 "2013-05-31T01:26:12Z")
From what I’ve read, the murderer’s brother turned him in, after the murderer divulged what he’d done. It’s amazing how mind boggling stupid his plan was. Do we not all know that our IP addresses can be tracked? I mean, anyone who watches a few episodes of CSI would know that. Did he not think that people would think it was suspiciously coincidental that he, her stalker, happened to discover her? After she went missing, everyone suspected this dude, including his own brother, because he’d been so overt with his obsession with her. It’s also hard to swallow the story that he wanted to fake rescue her. Surely at some point in her ordeal, which I strongly suspect involved raping her, she’d recognize him. Did he think she wouldn’t ID him? No, i suspect that murdering her was always part of his plan. It’ll be interesting to see what the forensics turn up. I don’t know if I should take pride in the fact that I’d be a much, much better criminal than this dude. Hell, Wile E. Coyote hatched better plans. Poor girl. Poor family. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/74 "2013-05-31T01:39:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Kidnapper Claims ‘Hero’ Plan Gone Awry, Hostage Killed A definite improvement. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/75 "2013-05-31T01:47:24Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > I thought my headline was pretty good. Although in retrospect I probably should have listed their ages. For what it’s worth yours was one of my favorite posts around here in a while. I think none-the-less is what made it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/76 "2013-05-31T02:35:24Z")
The _Variety_ version: 'Napper Snaps, Heroics Nixed When Chick Kicks ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/77 "2013-05-31T14:43:18Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > **Kidnapper Claims “Wanted to Look Like Hero”, Doesn’t.** A little incomplete, but it’s funny. Again- I don’t think you can use quotes like that in this story. ‘Wanted to look like hero’ isn’t a quote from the kidnapper, it’s a synopsis of the police’s statements about his actions. Without the quotes it’s alright. And attributing the statement solely to the kidnapper sort of obscures the fact that the police seem to think this is really why he did it. > [@PunditLisa](#): > > It’s amazing how mind boggling stupid his plan was. Yep. There are so many different reasons this scheme was never going to work. > [@](#): > > It’s also hard to swallow the story that he wanted to fake rescue her. Surely at some point in her ordeal, which I strongly suspect involved raping her Is there any particular reason you suspect that? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/78 "2013-05-31T14:56:01Z")
How about: “Shit happened!” ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/79 "2013-05-31T14:59:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Is there any particular reason you suspect that? A few things: 1. The guy whom he impersonated said that Dube had made sexual advances towards Cable and had been rebuffed. 2. He disrobed her. I don’t know about you, but that’s the last thing I’d do if I accidentally killed someone. Also, when crimes are committed by a person who cares about the victim, the perpetrator often poses the body in a respectful way (e.g. in repose), and does things such as cover the body in a blanket. 3. His DNA was on her sock. They don’t say what the DNA sample was, but it will be interesting to see what the test results indicate. It could be blood or saliva, but the whole story stinks to me. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731/80 "2013-05-31T15:08:20Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > 1. The guy whom he impersonated said that Dube had made sexual advances towards Cable and had been rebuffed. Right. Thus the plot where he was going to “save” her and be a hero. > [@](#): > > 1. He disrobed her. Wait, what? I haven’t seen that in any of the stories I’ve read about this case. If it’s true, you might be right. > [@](#): > > 1. His DNA was on her sock. They don’t say what the DNA sample was, but it will be interesting to see what the test results indicate. It could be blood or saliva, but the whole story stinks to me. Or he could’ve touched her sock while moving her body. We’ll see, I guess. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-gawker-man-did-not-stage-kidnapping-to-be-a-hero-accidentally-kill-his-hostage/659731.md?page=5)