What They Want Us to Believe

10/18/2022

They want us to believe that it was all a tragic accident, an “ unfortunate dui fatality. They want us to believe that Morgan Patten had a lapse in judgement because she had too much to drink, which, in their words, happens all of the time in a military town. They want us to believe that Morgan walked away from her $20 tab at Applebees Grille and Bar after sharing with the bartender that she was staying in the hotel which shared a parking lot. They want us to believe that Morgan Patten utilized two Ubers, a bus, three planes and a ferry over thirteen hours in order to spend a weekend with her fiancé , yet hopped in a truck with two complete strangers 3 hours after arriving in Jacksonville, NC. They want us to believe that Morgan was enticed to leave Applebees with two strange drunk men because they offered to take her target shooting at 10:30pm, fifteen miles outside of town, on a dead end road in the middle of nowhere, with one lever action rifle and a handful of ammunition. They want us to believe that Morgan Patten was a willing participant in the ride which ended her life; traveling in excess of 90mph with no seatbelt on, pounding beers and having fun right up to the point when she ended up bleeding to death as a Jane Doe, face down in a ditch alongside White Oak River Road. They want us to believe that we didn’t know Morgan at all.

Who are they? They start with the piece of shit who was driving the truck that Morgan died in, Hunter Oneil Wells. He was interviewed at Naval Hospital by Trooper Taylor Stokes, after walking away from the horrific crash with “ scrapes and bruises”. Hunter Wells was interviewed after speaking to his wife, his Platoon Sergeant, Company Gunnery Sergeant, his cousin and a roommate. He is the one who told the story about “going shooting”, which explained why there was a gun found in the wreckage, and perhaps Trooper Stokes and all of the other Theys to follow, found the story as unbelievable as we do, but the story made the crime scene, and the crime, easy to sweep under the rug. Nothing to see here. The one witness who would refute the story is dead.

They include Sgt. John Edwards of the NC Highway Patrol, who notified us that Morgan was the victim of an “unfortunate dui fatality”, spreading the lies told by Hunter Wells. Detective Jonathan Marshburn, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, who was assigned as lead detective in the criminal investigation as a rookie who spent more time and energy sending out his resume to State and Federal Agencies than he did trying to find out what actually happened on November 8, 2019. District Attorney Ernie Lee, Assistant District Attorney Caroline Fountain and Victim’s Advocate Lori Haga who all accepted the story as passed along to them and immediately concluded that the entire situation could be resolved and kept quiet if they believed Hunter Wells’ story, and convinced us that it was all true. But none of them knew Morgan Patten; NONE OF THEM LOVED MORGAN PATTEN!

12 Comments

Marcy Vierzen

10/19/2022 10:33:18 pm

None of us believe what all of them would like to believe. The only reason they ‘want us to believe’ any of this bs is because they KNOW they completely messed up and they do not want to deal with the ramifications of that. They are only trying to save themselves. It won’t happen. Because none of us believe any of the bs.

Steve link

10/21/2022 12:16:05 pm

Thank you Marcy. The more information we uncover which dilutes their ridiculous version of events, the harder they push back against us. It is absolutely absurd! We will not be silenced though, in fact, the time is overdue that we become louder and better organized.

Matt

1/2/2023 04:55:59 pm

Seems to be a drunk driving accident what is it you’re looking into ?

1/6/2023 07:49:29 am

You haven’t paid much attention if you think it was just a drunk driving accident.
Why was Morgan’s tab at Applebees unpaid? Why was Morgan in the truck? Why was there a gun in the truck? Why was Morgan not wearing a seatbelt? Why was the truck traveling over 90mph on a road (that nobody would find by mistake) that leads only to private homes and ends at a 40,000 acre forest? Why were the brakes never applied? Why, when arrested, did the driver say that he would tell the story once he had a court appointed attorney, then invoke his right to remain silent once an attorney was appointed? Why did the driver tell at least four different stories about what happened; none of them close to the truth? Why did 2nd Marine Law Enforcement Bn withhold information from civilian law enforcement? Why did the first police officer on scene declare that it was a crime scene, then, within an hour, demand that it be cleaned up before daylight? Why were we told for two years that Charles Cornwall, the male passenger, had suffered a traumatic brain injury that he should have died from, then told that he suffered a concussion? Why will nobody answer me when I ask if he was diagnosed with retrograde amnesia? Why was there dna from two foreign contributors under Morgan’s fingernails? Why were we told that the security footage from the hotel was so poor that it was unwatchable, yet, once we received the footage, it is crystal clear? Should I continue, because I can?

Eileen

11/8/2022 03:34:17 pm

The whole story is crazy- a bright spot light is needed to review this case- with good impartial investigators!

11/17/2022 07:01:38 am

We could not agree with you more! That is all we have been asking for is a thorough investigation.

Colleen M Hurley

12/6/2022 11:24:37 pm

Mike and I will always hold concern for you in our hearts. It is a complete injustice and we cannot understand why the obvious is being ignored and roadblocked. We often wonder if any investigation or search was done for " any evidence or anyone else" who may have also been taken down that dead end road at another time. It was probably not the first time they had done this. I often think that your Morgan was going to "Live Free or Die", to be back with those she loved.

1/6/2023 07:58:39 am

Thank you!
We certainly have wondered how many times Hunter Wells and/or Charles Cornwall had traveled White Oak River Road. It only leads to private homes and ends at a 40,000 acre forest. We have discussed the possibility that there may be secrets buried in the Hofmann Forest, the largest tract of protected land in NC. We wholeheartedly believe that Morgan knew that she was in danger and her “live free or die” attitude ended in the latter😢
If the crash had not happened, we would possibly still be searching for her

Lissa

1/2/2023 12:26:59 pm

This entire situation is saddening and tragic.

I don't know about other military bases, but this one seems riddled with violence issues. There are miles of homicides/assaults against women by marines there. A quick google search popped that up. Is that "normal"? Why is it seemingly acceptable? It feels like a higher rate than here. Maybe I'm sheltered up here in the upper valley.

I'm sick to death of politicians disingenuousness and they way police prefer the appearance of solutions to actual answers.

I truly hope the universe gives you an "in" and your tenacity holds out so you have answers. the tragedy of it all, I cannot imagine.

"Two years." As if you haven't felt the pain of every second of it.

1/6/2023 08:06:38 am

Thank you Lissa
Trust me, our tenacity will hold out! Morgan was our only child for 24 incredible years; our protective instincts will not subside.
We have been trying to shed some light on the major crime issues in and around Camp Lejeune NC, but the Marine Corps is very good at keeping it quiet. Just look at the Jesse Gabriel Marks human sex trafficking case from the same time period that Morgan was abducted and killed and try to explain why that wasn’t a National news story. Never heard of him, right?

Stacy

1/29/2023 12:46:54 pm

I just listened to the story of your beautiful daughter and how the two men took her life. I am so sorry. Morgan seemed like a strong, smart, independent young woman who shined brightly. I have no doubts that she went unwillingly into that vehicle. I haven't read all of your blog yet, but was the steering wheel ever tested for her fingerprints (as if she pulled the wheel in an attempt to stop the vehicle or get attention that something was wrong)? Also, the only reason I cna see that your daughter's seatbelt would be unbuckled (I am the same way -- always buckled and won't drive others unless they are buckled), is if she hoped to be able to jump out at some point to get away from men. Again, I am so very sorry for this cruel hell that you are in.

Steve Patten

2/21/2023 08:35:43 am

Stacey,
I apologize for the delay in my reply. Thank you for reading Morgan’s story and caring enough to ask questions!
Unfortunately, the truck was not impounded following the crash. Officers with North Carolina Highway Patrol did obtain a search warrant for a forensic examination of the truck, but did a very poor job with it. They retrieved the Event Data Recorder, which is what they were after, but did not check airbags for contact trace or interior components for fingerprints. The criminal investigation was not opened until 34 days after the crash. By then, the driver’s family had given the truck to the towing company, who in turn, sold it for scrap.

What They Want Us to Believe

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