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MySpace Page May Have Been Suspect's

Posted on: Friday, 8 June 2007, 00:00 CDT

By CARYN GRANT

OLATHE, Kan. - Amid mentions of family, a love of fast cars and interests in reading and painting, a MySpace page that appears to be that of a man accused of kidnapping and killing a teenager contains some bizarre references that turn more disturbing in light of the criminal charges.

The general interests include "eating small children and harming small animals," but also photography and painting and wanting "to own my own company someday." The author describes himself as a "Sweet Troubled Soul."

He uses only the name "Jack," which Edwin R. Hall is known by to neighbors, and the picture he posted strongly resembles the 26-year-old. The person on the MySpace page also uses the same age and location as Hall, and a person with the same name as his wife, Aletha, has a page linked to "Jack's."

In a photo on the page, the man is posing with a young boy. Neighbors said Hall and his wife have a 4-year-old son.

Hall was charged Thursday with premeditated first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith and aggravated kidnapping for her abduction Saturday from a Target store parking lot. Hall's bond was set at $5 million.

The existence of the MySpace page was first reported by someone who posted a link to it on The Kansas City Star's crime blog.

The man said his favorite movies are "anything that pushes the envalope, A clockwork Orange, Srangeland and lets not forget horror movies!!!! yea scary (or cheesy)like."

"Jack" lists his occupation as millwork specialist and his heroes as Batman and "my dad" - whom he then describes with a mild expletive.

MySpace issued a statement Thursday night saying the Web site was cooperating with the investigation.

"We are available 24/7 to assist law enforcement in their continued investigation and have preserved all information related to the profile in question," the company said.

Brian Burgess, spokesman for the Johnson County district attorney's office, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment on the page.

By Thursday, "Jack's" page had more than 200 postings from people hurling invective at Hall. "Aletha's" page also had many postings - most in sympathy but many accusatory - before the page was made private that evening.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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