Psychic Explores Song case

Nationally recognized psychic Carla Baron never knew murder suspect Hugo Selenski or Penn State student Hyunjung Cindy Song. The missing person's case has led police to Luzerne County, back to the State College area and into the psychic world.

November 30, 2004 -- Nationally recognized psychic Carla Baron never knew murder suspect Hugo Selenski or Penn State student Hyunjung Cindy Song.

In a case that has baffled Centre County authorities for more than three years, the 44-year-old psychic profiler from Los Angeles, Calif., has been consulted by Ferguson Township police regarding the disappearance of the 21-year-old college student.

The missing person's case has led police to Luzerne County, back to the State College area and into the psychic world.

Song was last seen by two friends in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2001. The girls attended a Halloween party and drove Song to her Ferguson Township apartment.

Luzerne County authorities, working on five murders in Kingston Township, provided the first significant clue for Ferguson police.

"It's very frustrating," Ferguson Township Det. Brian Sprinkle said. "It's very unusual because we don't have a crime scene and we don't have a body. It's still considered a missing person's investigation.

"A missing person's investigation is not a crime. But information from up your area is the most promising over the last three years."

Paul Weakley, a police informant, told police that murder suspect Hugo Selenski led him to believe that Selenski had something to do with Song's disappearance, police said.

In January 2002, the Penn State Paranormal Organization asked Det. Sprinkle to consider another source in his probe - a psychic profiler.
Baron has appeared on Court TV, other networks and assisted grieving families in more than 150 cases through her special cognitive powers.

"The club asked me if I could talk to her," Det. Sprinkle said. "She provided a lot of information."

Baron said she does not solicit law enforcement agencies but has been asked by several throughout the country to assist in missing person's or homicide investigations. Primarily families of murder victims contact her, she said.

In mid-October 2003, Baron and Det. Sprinkle accompanied producers and a reporter from ABC Primetime to file a segment on the disappearance of Song.

Baron said she felt a connection between Selenski and Song before the meeting.

"It was my first time knowing, regarding Selenski to Song," Baron said.

Baron said Selenski and Michael Jason Kerkowski, a Tunkhannock area pharmacist convicted in February 2002 of selling controlled substances without prescriptions and insurance fraud, had gone to State College to meet with a male college student.

"They were doing a deal," Baron said. "They saw an opportunity. It was a crime of opportunity."
Baron said the male student had feelings for Song, but she resisted his advances. When they were doing their "deal," the male student saw Song and suggested to Selenski and Kerkowski that they abduct her, Baron said.

Baron said it was fairly bright the night Song disappeared. Det. Sprinkle later learned there was a full moon that night, he said.

"He visited her (Web) site," Baron said. "He may still be in the area (State College)."

Det. Sprinkle said Baron led ABC officials to an area near Interstate-80 and state Routes 11 and 15, between Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre.
"We were driving and kept coming back to that spot," Baron said.

Baron said the area was off a major roadway near a convenience store that has gas service and a railroad bridge over a stream that flows into the Susquehanna River.

"They may have gotten gas and cigarettes at that convenience store," Baron said. "They saw a dark area a little off the roadway.

"I see two of them dumping the body - not buried, but in water. They were trying to go back to State College. They didn't want to bury her near his home because he felt there were too many eyes on him."

Det. Sprinkle said he never disputed Baron's suggestions and she continues to be a valuable resource in the ongoing probe.

"Forensic psychics are another criminal tool," Det. Sprinkle said. "It has a place out there in the world for it."

The Selenski case
Weakley has been at the center of five homicide investigations since he led Luzerne County detectives and state police to 479 Mount Olivet Road, Kingston Township, on June 5, 2003.

Authorities discovered the bodies of Kerkowski, Tammy Lynn Fassett and three others on the property surrounding Selenski's home.

Weakley is in federal custody at the Pike County Jail. Ferguson Township police still has not interviewed him, Det. Sprinkle said.

According to court records, Weakley claimed Selenski indicated to him in April 2002 that Selenski felt he was under surveillance by the FBI.

Selenski allegedly told Weakley that he and Kerkowski had traveled to State College and kidnapped Song. Weakley said Selenski indicated that Song was kept in Kerkowski's gun safe inside his Hunlock Township home until she died, police said.

An investigative tool
Renata Balleza, of Houston, Texas, said she first learned about Baron while watching her on an episode of Psychic Detectives on Court TV that also featured the disappearance of Song.

Balleza contacted Baron a few days after that episode in early April regarding the death of her son, Timothy Stone, 17, in Chidester, Ouachita County, Ark., on Sept. 23, 2003.

Balleza said her son had been threatened by two men just days before his vehicle crashed on Highway 57 in Chidester.

"After the accident, I felt very uncomfortable. A lot of little things didn't add up," Balleza said. "She (Baron) actually visualized details about my son's murder that were not released to the public. She told me it was staged and to call police."

Balleza called the coroner that investigated her son's death and relayed Baron's information.

"The coroner told me that he was bothered by the scene,'' she said. "... my son's injuries were not consistent with a vehicle roll over.
"Right away I'm thinking a cover up."

Balleza said with the help of Baron, Arkansas State Police re-opened the investigation.

"She (Baron) was successful in the investigation and two suspects have been named," Balleza said. "Three witnesses gave police statements about my son's murder."

-by Ed Lewis (The Citizens' Voice)

elewiscitizensvoice.com

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