How To Detect A Predator Or An "R-Kelly"

 I have this conversation with people quite often and I get the same responses. Predators don't have a certain look, or, they look just like me or you. The number one question I get is how can someone tell? When I respond with “don’t look with your eyes” they begin to understand. Yes, predators come in all shapes, sizes, colors, male and female. So let us "think” about a few.

Father Marcial Maciel, founding leader of the Legion of Christ based in Mexico 1941 to January 2005. I chose him first because he is a more complex predator. He did not discriminate between female or male children. In fact, along with the nine (known) pre adolescent and adolescent boys he abused, he also fathered six children between three teenaged girls.

By accounts, Father Marcial Maciel was an engaging and charismatic character. Some seminarians felt he could read their minds by looking into their eyes. He was an exceptional fundraiser, the golden child of the Vatican and a reported “favorite” of Pope John Paul II. 

Let’s detect.

Father Marcial Maciel was raised by a religious Mother (Maura Degollado Guizar) who’s family had strong connections to the Catholic Church. It has been reported that his Father (Francisco Maciel) was a violent alcoholic who physically and repeatedly abused his wife. His Father was also a land owner, so the family was what would be considered upper-middle class. There were numerous relatives who were priests such as his great-uncle Bishop Rafael Guiza Valencia who was canonized as a Mexican Saint in 2007. Maciel had been expelled from two seminaries for reasons that has never been revealed but became a priest only after an uncle ordained him in 1944 after completing private studies. But before becoming ordained there were numerous complaints against Maciel. One such incident involved two women who were Maciel’s neighbors coming to Bishop Rafael Guiza Valencia’s home to complain about the “noise” Maciel was making with the children he brought into his home to teach them religion.

From Maciel’s young adult life into his adulthood they were there and blazingly so. The signs and signals that should have prompted someone to act. He’s spending a lot of time one on one in closed rooms with children. One very good indicator here was to pay attention to how children acted around him. His victims would have exhibited forms of anti-social behavior, especially when in his vicinity. Children become quiet and withdrawn or “moody”. At the other end of the spectrum children become loud “obnoxious” or begin to bully. In other words, behavioral changes in children should never go ignored, investigate! A Shepherd watching his flock can always tell when a predator is lurking nearby by the actions of his sheep. You can be sure that somebody noticed, somebody knew. But because of his family’s connections to the Catholic Church and later on Father Maciel’s strong and charismatic personality combined with the power of the Vatican he went virtually untouched his entire life and was given free reign to hunt the parishioners under his control.

Robert Sylvester Kelly aka R. Kelly is still considered one of the best selling music artists in the United States and before his pedophilloic and predatory behavior became common knowledge was a staple in many homes across America. I chose him because his pathology is more common, especially in the African American communities. His pattern reveals a specific age and gender; female and fifteen. 

Let’s detect.

Kelly was raised in a single parent home by his mother Joanne who was a singer. His father was absent throughout his childhood. Joanne raised her children Baptist and lived in Chicago’s Ida B. Wells Homes public housing. Kelly’s high school music teacher Lena McLin described his childhood home as “bare with one table and two chairs, they had very little”. Kelly grew up in a house full of women. He wrote an autobiography were he describes being sexually abused often by a women who was at least ten years older than himself. He also writes about being shot in the shoulder while riding his bike home. What is also interesting to note is that Kelly describes in his autobiography of being in a relationship at eight years old with a young girl named Lulu. He goes on to write that he and Lulu “vowed to be boyfriend and girlfriend forever”. Their last playdate ended in Lulu being pushed into a fast moving current of water and being swept away as she screamed Kelly’s name. Lulu was found dead later downstream.

Tiffany Hawkins sued Kelly for $10,000,000 for having “sexual relations” with her that began at age fifteen. That case was settled out of court to the tune of $250,000. Most notoriously known was his marriage to Aaliyah when she was fifteen years old. Aaliyah was introduced to Kelly by her uncle, Barry Hankerson when she was just twelve years old. Once the marriage was known to Aaliyah’s parents they requested the marriage to be annulled and it was officially in February of 1995 when she was sixteen years old. For those of us who have seen the tape of who is reported to be R. Kelly with what looks to be an underaged girl, well, we can never un-see it. It is also reported that after concerts or performances Kelly would get backstage and pass up adult women and go directly for the younger looking females, some with braces.

By accounts there isn’t anything particularly charismatic or engaging about his personality. In fact to some he would seem to become withdrawn or hesitant around adult males. He reserved his prowess specifically for his victims but because of his fame and fortune his access to them went unimpeded. It is reported that Kelly would drive expensive cars to Chicago Middle Schools during recess times and ‘talk’ to girls. There is no greater “dangling carrot” to a young and impressionable teenaged girl than a well to do looking guy in an expensive car.

Giving the age and gender of Kelly’s victims it’s harder to detect when something is awry. This age group is adept at hiding things from parental figures. Watch for the “things”. New clothes, jewelry, perfume, makeup. You know you didn’t buy your daughter that necklace, where did she get it from? Or, she’s suddenly wearing a more daring shade of lipstick, her makeup is more pronounced and she begins to style her hair in a more mature fashion. She could even be acting more mature or “womanly”. This type of predator is very cunning and good at manipulating his victim so much so that the victim will most times protect and defend the predator. They are initially impressed and feel “special” and ingratiated because “he chose me”. Stockholm syndrome is very prevalent in this victim demographic.

Unfortunately there are six overriding factors that allow the Kelly types to successfully hunt. The age and gender of his victims, his social and economic status as well as the social and economic status of his victims.

Mary Katherine Schmitz or Mary K as she was called by her family was raised in the typical strict catholic home. Her mother Mary E. was a chemist and her father John Schmitz a university professor who led a successful political career. By all accounts Mary K had a normal childhood. Her parents to some extent doted on her but yet and still I’ve chosen Mary K because she represents what most people cannot comprehend.

Let’s detect.

Mary K’s father ran successful political campaigns from 1970 through 1982. John Schmitz held positions as a California state senator and U. S. Congressman. He also unsuccessfully ran for Presidency as an ultra-conservative American Independent Party candidate in 1972. In 1973 Mary K.’s three year old brother drowned in the family pool. The death was ruled an accident but Mary K reportedly blamed herself. She was also the first to report to her parents that her brother was not breathing. In 1982 John Schmitz’s political career came to a screeching halt when his affair with a former student at Santa Ana College while teaching political science and subsequent two children from the affair came to light. Mary K’s parents separated because of the affair but reconciled shortly after. It is reported by Mark K’s friends that she blamed her mother for her father’s indiscretions because she withheld affection from her father and thought her mother to be a cold person who drove him to it.

While attending Arizona State University Mary K met her first husband Steve Letourneau. Their first child was conceived out of wed-lock. Her parents urged her to marry and initially she would not because she said she was not in love with Steve but eventually gave in to her parent’s wishes. The couple left the university and relocated to Anchorage, Alaska where Steve was employed by Alaska Airlines as a baggage handler. Steve was later transferred to Seattle, Washington where he began taking night classes at Seattle University and graduated in 1989. After their second child Mary K began teaching second grade at an elementary school in Burien.

The Letourneau marriage was fraught with financial issues and extramarital affairs by both. It is reported by Mary K’s former neighbor and friend David Gehrke that she was physically abused by her husband and twice visited the hospital for treatment. The couple went on to have two more children but divorced in 1999 while Mary K was incarcerated for child rape. Steve gained custody of all four children.

Mark K has one (known) victim, Vili Fualaau. Vili was a student in Mary K’s second grade class in Burien, Washington and was also a student in Mary K’s sixth grade class which is when Mary K began to abuse Vili. She was arrested in March of 1997 and gave birth to their first child while awaiting trial.

Mary K was convicted of second degree child rape and served three months of a six month sentence in county jail. On February 3, 1998 she was found again with Vili and was pregnant with their second child. She was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison. She wasn’t exactly the model prisoner. Although she attended mass regularly it is reported that she “sassed the guards and balked about work” and as punishment spent 18 of her first 24 months in solitary confinement.

In 2004 Mary K was released from prison. In 2005 she and Vili (now 21) were married and after twelve years of marriage, on May 9, 2017 Vili filed for legal separation.

Because Mary K and Vili were married after he was of legal age and the length of the marriage it’s hard for some to believe that there was an actual predator/victim in this situation. You have to remember that Vili was a twelve year old pre-adolescent person who was not equipped psychologically or legally to enter into a relationship with an adult. 

The playing fields were not even. Because Mary K knew that what she was doing was wrong but pursued this twelve year old boy regardless, she was the predator.

Vili told someone. Taking into account his age and gender, he told someone. Probably not his parents but a sibling or classmate. Having sex with the hot teacher is definite bragging rights for this age and gender. Somebody knew!

From a parent’s perspective there would have been huge blocks of time where Vilia would have been missing or out of touch and frequently. Or Vilia is at home discussing his situation with a sibling. You walk into the room as they are having that discussion and the room goes completely silent. You get this sinking feeling that something is wrong. The combination of Vili being missing for huge blocks of time and the cloak and dagger behavior would have at the very least aroused my curiosity. Also Mary K would have shown unusual interest in Vilia. There would have been frequent phone calls to the house and for sure she would have been knocking at your door. Listen to your gut and investigate! 

Ricka Fay Evans was raised by a single mother Georgia Jacobs with one other sibling, a younger sister Otha Dee. Georgia Jacobs herself was raised in an impoverished southern environment but overtime managed to make a decent home for both Ricka and Otha Dee as a child care provider and part-time maid. Georgia was deeply religious and raised both daughters in the Church of God In Christ. Both daughters were average high school students and graduated. The only standout was that Ricka was an excellent swimmer but during those times (mid 1960s) there weren’t very many opportunities for African American female swimmers in high school. I chose Ricka Fay Evans because absolutely no one wants to know about this type of predator.

Let’s detect.

It’s after high school and 1970. Both Ricka and Otha Dee are using recreational drugs. Otha Dee has already had her first son and Ricka is pregnant. Two years later and after two children, heavy drug use and mental and emotional turmoil Otha Dee jumps out of a seven story window at Kaiser hospital in Redwood City, CA. She was eight months pregnant. 

Ricka continues on with even heavier drug use with the introduction of heroin. She’s unemployed, on welfare and raising three young girls on her own. It’s 1974 and now enters Leo Wright Sr. They both are heavy drug users and both unemployed. Life is hard, there’s never much in the way of food or clothing and if not for their Grandmother, Georgia Jacobs the children would have gone without anything.

It’s 1979 and Leo has already started abusing the two oldest daughters and his youngest son. Fast forward to 1981 and now Ricka and both Leo are sexually abusing all four girls and the abuse continues for seven years.

Ricka was a very pretty and gracious woman. Very polite and well mannered. No one knew she was a monster, she hid that very well. No one except for the people she shot up with knew she was a heavy drug user. She only “nodded” in private. How could anyone detect that she was a predator? This is a tough one.

All of her daughters were terrified of her so they were all well mannered and never spoke out of turn at home or in public.They were all very quiet and very well behaved. Ricka never hunted past her own children and always stayed close to home. 

If it wasn’t for Leo no one would have ever known. You may be asking yourself “what about the grandmother Georgia, shouldn’t she have known?) Well…

It is especially disturbing when a mother sexually abuses her child. She’s the protector, the last person anyone would suspect of predatory behavior towards her own. The question would not formulate in anyone’s mind. So no one, especially anyone outside of the family would think anything is strange or questionable. 

Truth be told this situation is tough for me to detect because I’m the oldest of Ricka’s three daughters. My objectivity and focus is lost here. You do the detection in this situation.

Never look at a person to try and discern if they are a predator or not. They don’t have shifty eyes or walk with a gait. It’s not a limp handshake or even a crooked smile. You can actually read incorrectly into the way an adult looks at or interacts with a child, causing more harm than good.

If you become curious about an adult (and you have to analyze why you’ve become curious) investigate! Ask questions. What is this person’s background? What is the extent of this person’s involvement with children? Are there any complaints? Observe your’s or another child’s behavior around this person. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and use your local online resources.

I’ve spent most of my adult life studying cases and cases of adults being convicted of child sexual abuse. What I’ve learned is that a child predator is formed organically or environmentally and sometimes a combination of both. But please be careful here. Speaking for myself; just because someone has been abused as a child doesn’t necessarily mean they will become the abuser or predator.

The most important thing that I’ve learned from all of my research is that the best way to detect a predator is to detect their prey.