Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering Heather









Four years ago today. You're not forgotten. This essay was written in November 2007 for JJ by Heather's dear mother, Linda Francomb. I repost it again in memory of Heather and in honor of her family.

Today marks the day two months ago that my world, as I knew it, changed forever and I lost my beautiful girl. It doesn't get any easier. My grief follows me and everywhere I go, festive decorations remind me of the upcoming holidays, Heather's favorite time of the year. But instead of shopping for her gifts, I'm shopping for something special to put on her grave. This shouldn't be. She should be here. Up until she was 25 years old when I still lived in Jackson, I would put out "Santa Claus" for her and her brother and fill their stockings. Not a lot, just some things they could wake up to...to keep the fun going and keep our tradition alive. I have videos of every year, getting up in the early morning hours and video-taping them as they walked into the living room, tree lit and Christmas music playing...seeing the sleepy smiles on their faces as they surveyed their gifts. But best of all were the hugs and kisses that we shared. My arms ache for a hug from her.

One of Heather's favorite holiday foods was deviled eggs. I have a photo of her from last year, at her grandmother's, stuffing eggs with a big smile on her face. Several of the eggs would disappear before they ever made it to the table! And gifts...she was such a great gift-giver, so thoughtful, a giver from the heart. After my move way up north, she always seemed to know exactly what I needed. A down stuffed jacket, a big fluffy robe that she said was 'the warmest robe you'll ever wear', and it is. And so many more things she knew were special to me.

I miss her. I miss everything about her. We all do. Not just at holiday time, but every minute of every day. I am thankful for the 28 years I had with her. She helped mold me as well as I did her, growing up together, mother and daughter, learning from each other. I am also thankful for my son, who inspires me and continues to make me proud. Never take what you have with your children for granted. Hug them, kiss them and tell them you love them, every day. Other than our hope of eternal life in Heaven, our children are the true gifts we are given on this earth.

posted by LHF.


If you want to honor Heather's memory, visit the website of Heather's Tree.



21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I did not follow this story very closely, and I have only been a recent reader to JJ. I read some of the pasts stories you posted, and I cried.

I was extremely angry when I read that Momma Bell returned home at 8:30pm and the coroner estimated the time of death of 3:00AM. I was equally angry that Cruella D'Bell was part of the kidnapping of Heather's roommate. What was the ultimate result of what happened to Momma Bell? Please tell me she is in prison and is hopefully finding out what is like to be beaten and raped regularly by her co-convicts. My ex used to work a a nurse at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. He said that the women inmates were more ruthless than men when it came to sexual assault and battery--and the new inmates who were thought to be privileged, scared,and weak, got it the worst.

Anonymous said...

Jim Hood's office dropped the charges against robbie after intervening in the case. Instead of contacting paramedics or police, she contacted her brother in-law, Judge James Bell. During this time, Heather's roommate had been kidnapped and was being held against her will at robbie's house/the crime scene. Below are excerpts from the Judge's interview with JPD on 9/11.

"At 10:00 or 10:30 am on September 11, my sister in law Robbie Bell called me and asked me to
come to her house urgently. I did and she met at the front and she led me through the house to the
back yard. I saw blood on the floor of the living room and den."

"I was asked to speak confidentially to George as a lawyer".

"Robbie stated that she wasn't going to leave her son"

Anonymous said...

"Robbie then turned and looked at George and said: "You promised me that you were just going out to get Gatorade."
"You promised me!"

Anonymous said...

From WLBT report and Dennis Smiths's Point of View:

Statement from Robbie's
"There simply was no proof that Robbie Bell did anything other than to encourage her son throughout that horrible 20-hour period to turn himself in," said Cynthia Speetjens,Robbie Bell's attorney.

March 27, 2008
Blind Justice?
By Dennis Smith, News Director dennis@wlbt.net

It wasn't till three weeks after Robbie Bell was indicted for accessory to murder that the
family of Mary Heather Spencer found out about it. The Grand Jury claimed that Robbie Bell, the mother of Spencer's murderer had hidden the
fact that her son had raped his girlfriend and beaten her to death.
Investigators believed that Spencer was still alive in Robbie Bell's home as long as 11 hours after she had been brutally beaten by her son.
JPD believed that if Robbie Bell had not waited so long to report the crime, Spencer might have lived.
George Bell III is now spending the rest of his life behind bars. But the Spencer family doesn't understand why his mother was let go by Attorney General Jim Hood and District Attorney Robert Smith. They say after talking to the family and looking at the evidence, she's free to go.

Others say why not let a jury decide?
A top local law officer told me, "This is the worst decision Jim Hood ever made."

From my Point of View, I say, sometimes it pays to know who you know.

Rebekah said...

Robbie will get her time. She has been George's enabler his whole life. Anytime the scumbag messed up, Robbie was there to clean up the mess...I 200% believe Heather could have survived had she called 911....He never should have been able to get out of rehab in the first place.
He beat her and brutally raped her...all the while Robbie was there. SHE WAS THERE. Robbie will get hers oneday...and if there is any justice at all in the world, she will live in a cold,dark cell just like her miserable, piece of shit son.
Heather left behind a ton of friends and family who still mourn and hurt for her everyday...every minute...they still live with the pain of losing her. And, Robbie goes on with her life like it was just a bad dream- floating in and out with "friends" for dinners and drinks.
It's maddening and sick and beyond twisted. Both George and Robbie will go to hell for what they BOTH did to Heather

Anonymous said...

Robbie Bell is no better than her druggie son. She is the one who covered for him and made him the sorry man he is today. I hope she is living hell on earth for letting Heather die. I have no doubt the Devil will take real good care of Robbie Bell and her son.

Anonymous said...

Robbie Bell is a piece of shit garbage just like her sorry ass son.

Anonymous said...

And at the very least, she is an accessory 'during' the fact.

Anonymous said...

"This is the worst decision Jim Hood ever made."

I sincerely hope that voters will remember this case in addition to others when they go to the polls next fall to cast their vote for MS Attorney General.

Anonymous said...

Does Robbie still live at the same house?

Is she still employed as the Associate Publisher of the Madison County Journal magazine? Their online advertising rate sheet certainly implies that.

Has Judge Bell given testimony in any of the 2 civil suits filed against Robbie and Narcon?

Has Judge Yerger ruled on the subpoena re: phone records?

Anonymous said...

Re: Jim Hood - what did he say about difficulty prosecuting "family"?

Anonymous said...

Clarion Ledger interview:

"It would be like prosecuting a relative," said Hood, who said that he believed that those who were guilty of judicial bribery charges "should go to jail." But Hood said that he was "too close" to those defendants and to Oxford lawyer Dickie Scruggs and his "family" to prosecute the case.

He also doesn't like critics in the media and he really doesn't like bloggers.

Anonymous said...

Whatever, whoever a shoegirl is, it, she certainly seems to possess indisputable foresight.

Anonymous said...

This should definitely go before a jury. The statute of limitations will never run on this. There is a viable question of her being a conspirator to murder. There are viable questions to her being an accessory before, during, and after the fact.

If Jim Hood would be as interested in this as he was the Klan murders, she would likely be sitting in jail.

Anonymous said...

Kingfish, where does the civil suit against Robbie stand? Last we heard, they were g=allowing discovery but I haven't heard the outcome!

Please advise....

Autogyro said...

Meanwhile, George is enrolled (via correspondence course)at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, working on a degree in theology. Wants to establish a prison ministry.

TP said...

Funny how they ALL find the Lord AFTER going to prison...

Rebrand This! ... feat Guest Star Jim Hood said...

Another example of the excellent game-changing Hinds County Justice system.

Hinds County ... A World of Difference!

Anonymous said...

She was a beautiful young lady and I feel bad for your loss and her family's loss. It is strong of you to remember her.

Anonymous said...

She was indeed a beautiful girl, inside and out, and she is missed terribly. A million times, I have thought, "if only" she could have gotten help. If only!

But she was never even given a chance. She was allowed to die. How can anyone live with themselves after doing to Heather what Robbie & George did?

When election time rolls around, we need to make sure the voters remember how despicably and cowardly Jim Hood treated Heather's case.

Rest in sweet peace, darling Heather. We miss you more than words can say.

Anonymous said...

Old lady should be in prison. What a waste of a young life. I feel and pray for her mother. George was a psycho piece of garbage even in elementary school, long before the drugs.


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