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Criminal Records - Most Wanted |
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Profile |
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Name: Unknown Bill Fickel Killers
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Wanted for :
Homicide, Genesee County, NY;
Nov 10, 2005
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Location(s) |
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Last Seen : Oakfield, NY |
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Possible Location : Oakfield, NY |
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Last Known : Unkown |
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Traits |
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Case Story |
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A Heart-Stopping Phone Call |
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Oh my God, it was just terrible. I answered the phone. At first, I couldn't understand or comprehend. She was in total sheer terror, just screaming, "He's been shot! He's been shot!
I realized it was Lisa. It was about 8:30 p.m. on November 10, 2005. I remember it like...well, it is one of those things I would like to forget.
One phone call from his sister, Lisa Fickel, started a wild goosechase that will remain in Mike Lachnicht's mind for the rest of his life. Bill Fickel, his brother-in-law and close friend, had been shot in front of his Oakfield, New York home.
They said they were taking him to a hospital in Buffalo. I couldn't even function. It was just terrifying. We just flew the 40 minute drive up to Buffalo. By the time we got there, Lisa was flagging us down. They had switched hospitals. Lisa and I rushed back up to Batavia. The whole time, Lisa was saying, "He's not going to make it. He's not going to make it." I said, "Lisa, please. Think positive." We were just about to pull into the parking lot in Batavia when my mother called and said he didn't make it.
Bill had been shot twice - once in the left arm, and once in the heart. |
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Bo-Jack Sounds The Alarm |
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From what I've heard from Lisa, it was a normal type night. They had both gotten home from work. She was fixing dinner in the kitchen, Bill was on the computer in the family room. She noticed a truck coming along real slow.
"Mrs. Fickel saw a flatbed truck backing into the driveway," said Chief Deputy Jerry Brewster of the Genessee County Sheriff's Department. "She thought the person was there to visit, but then saw the vehicle pulling out of the driveway. Across the street was a van they had for sale."
Lisa yelled, "I think we have company to look at the van!" Bill pulled on his shoes, lit a cigarette, grabbed a flashlight, and their dog Bo-Jack (Bo-Jack was also Bill's nickname), and went outside. Lisa was making dinner and heard two backfires. Bo-Jack was freaking out and barking and barking and barking. He was on an electric collar and could only go to the end of their property. Lisa realized something was wrong and ran down the driveway. She saw the flashlight was on the ground shining up. It was November and kind of dark, so she didn't see Bill at first. She got up to him and saw the truck pulling away.
"[Bill's] father lived across the street, and was looking out the window at the time," said Chief Dep. Brewster. " [He was] looking at the vehicle and watched his son get shot."
[Lisa] ran back to the house to call 911, but Bill had been on the internet, so she couldn't use the phone. She ran back down the driveway, and saw a vehicle coming from the other direction. It was an Environmental Services officer, and they called 911. They tried CPR, but nothing could be done.
"Bill was treated on the scene by the ambulance and was pronounced dead at the hospital. He had been shot twice with a .3030 rifle," explains Chief Dep. Brewster. |
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Waiting For A Break |
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Chief Dep. Brewster says one of the hardest things about this case is the lack of motive or clues. "The five months since the shooting, we can't come up with a reason why Mr. Fickel would be killed."
Friends and family describe Bill as a quiet, gentle man who wanted to make a difference in his community. An employee of Time Warner Cable, he would often regale his friends with stories of the people he met everyday. In addition to his job, Bill ran for town justice. While he didn't win, his friends say he was excited about running again the following year.
He was like a big brother to me. We hung out since he and my sister started dating. They met through my neighbor when they were 18 or 19- she ended up fixing those two up and they've been together ever since.
The biggest highlight of his life was when he went back to school for an electronics degree. He was just grinning from ear to ear. You would have thought that diploma was like a million dollar check. Bill was a great guy, he would do anything for you. That is why I'm having such a hard time with it.
Chief Dep. Brewster said they checked on every aspect of Bill's life to find some sort of reason why someone would want him dead. "The Fickels had no dealing with drugs, no debt, their marriage was solid, no one was mad at him."
The Fickel residence is in a rural area with lots of prime hunting locations. Jacklighting has been a frequent problem, especially in the area adjoining the Fickels. Jacklighting is the illegal practice of hunting at night, startling deer with a light, and then shooting them. November was just before the opening of deer season, and since the Fickel home was in a very rural area near good hunting ground, the people who shot Bill might have something to do with this illegal activity.
Police believe at least two people were involved in the shooting. Bill's father says he saw a man exit the truck and speak for a few seconds with Bill. Police say the incident only lasted a matter of minutes. According to Bill's father, the shots were fired from inside the vehicle, but police aren't sure how many people might have been inside. The road to the Fickel's residence wasn't well known, so police suspect the killers are either from the area, or familiar with the area. While clues have been fairly scarce, police believe the best way to identify the people involved might be their vehicle - a white or light colored dual wheel truck, similar to a one-ton pick-up with a flatbed or small dump, with amber mark lights on the roof, and a utility-type box on the back. The truck is similar to the type landscapers might use.
While the clues have been slowing down, both family and investigators remain optimistic that the killers will be found.
"People should keep a look out for an abrupt change of behavior. I can imagine both these persons are terrified. For the guy who didn't pull the trigger, not only does he have the police to worry about, but he also has the guy who did the murder. This person might come after him," says Chief Dep. Brewster.
Lisa Fickel and her family have taken numerous steps to get Bill's case in the public eye, including a 'Bill-board" advertising an anonymous tip-line people can call with leads.
Mike knows this grief will never go away, but hopes that whoever is responsible can provide his family with closure.
I go through so many stages, including anger, but no matter what it is, it doesn't bring Bill back. I think the biggest thing is just turn yourself in. This isn't going to go away. You are going to be held accountable someday, just come forward and get it over with. If there is some final closure with this, Lisa will be able to move on.
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