Michael Goucher

Michael Goucher (1988 - February 3, 2009) a gay man and U.S. army veteran from Stroudsburg, PA, was murdered by Shawn Freemore and Ian Seagraves on March 3, 2009.

Michael Goucher

Goucher, 21, was out to his family.¹⁾ He was raised in and attended school in Stroudsburg, PA, until 9th grade, when he transferred to East Stroudburg High Schol - South. Prior to high school, Goucher toured with the Singing Boys of Pennsylvania. His hobbies included rollerskating, and playing piano and drums. Goucher was a drum major in his high school marching band.²⁾

Goucher joined the Army in 2006, after graduating high school. He was stationed in Alaska for two years³⁾, where he worked as a convoy driver and mechanic.⁴⁾ While on leave from the military, he volunteered with the East Stroubdburg Crimewatch. After completing his service, he worked as a custodian at Stroudburg High School⁵⁾, and wanted to become a police officer. In November 2008 Goucher began attending Zion United Church of Christ, where he joined the music program.⁶⁾

Goucher was last seen on February 3, 2009. He was reported missing on February 6.⁷⁾ Goucher's roommates later told police that Goucher left around midnight on February 3, saying that he was going to visit a friend.⁸⁾

Seagraves and Freemore

Freemore, 19, Lived in Upper Rockledge Estates near Cresco⁹⁾, where Seagraves, 17, lived. Both Goucher and Freemore went to East Stroudsburg High School and graduated two years apart.¹⁰⁾ Freemore has a criminal record for burglary, shoplifting and drug paraphernalia possession.¹¹⁾

Both Freemore and are members of the Juggalos, according to their MySpace pages. Freemore's MySpace name is “Skippy” and Seagraves is “Throwtstabba.”¹²⁾ Both pages have since been deleted.¹³⁾

Juggalo is a name given to fans of Psychopathic Records recording group, Insane Clown Posse. Juggalos see themselves as sharing a common philosophy derived from the Dark Carnival mythology featured in six Insane Clown Posse albums.¹⁴⁾

During the investigation, police learned that Goucher was supposed to meet with Freemore on the night he disappeared. Freemore waived his right to an attorney and agreed to talk with police. He then agreed to ride with the police to areas relevant to their investigation.¹⁵⁾

Freemore initially told police police that he and Goucher met in a chatroom and agreed to have sex.¹⁶⁾ Freemore later admitted that he and Goucher met earlier, in January, and had a sexual encounter. He said they met again around 12:30 a.m. on February 4th, and he got in to Goucher' car. ¹⁷⁾ According to court documents, Freemore said he changed his mind at the last minute. He refused Goucher's advances and got out of the car.

Freemore then said that Goucher followed him out of the car, and he then stabbed Goucher in the neck. He said he then forced Gocher into a wooded area, where he stabbed Goucher several more times, and covered his body with snow. He said he went through Goucher's pants, took his car keys and drove off in Goucher's car.

Freemore drove Goucher's car up Show Hill Road and into a private driveway. He said he threw away his pants and shirt in the woods and walked home.¹⁸⁾

During the ride with police, Goucher changed his story, saying that he and Seagraves planned to rob and kill Goucher.¹⁹⁾ According to the criminal complaint, Freemore said he and Seagraves were “tripping on drugs” when they came up with the plan for Goucher's murder, which was to “meet him, scare him and kill him.”

Freemore said that he had stabbed Goucher in the neck and stomach, and that Seagraves stabbed Goucher in the neck. To support his story, he told investigators that Seagraves had stolen a DVD of the movie //Eagle Eye//, and that police would find the DVD if they searched Seagreaves' home.²⁰⁾

Investigators obtained a search warrant for Seagraves' home, where they found the stolen DVD along with with wood-handled knives similar to one found at the murder scene.²¹⁾

After his home was searched, Seagraves went to the Swiftwater police barracks, accompanied by his mother, and willingly spoke with police. He did not implicate himself in the murder, and told police that he'd never talked with or communicated with Goucher.²²⁾

According the criminal complaint against him, Seagraves initially told police that Freemore was supposed to meet up with Goucher in January, but did not. He said Freemore sent a MySpace message and a text message to Goucher two weeks prior to the murder, to which Goucher did not respond. Seagraves said Freemore sent a text message to Goucher a week prior to the murder, and they agreed to meet for sex. When Goucher did not show, Seagraves said Freemore sent him several text messages to find out why. Seagraves also said Freemore was embarrassed about being gay, and did not want people to know.

Twenty minutes into the interview, Seagraves said he “has problems remembering things because he is bipolar and has to take time to think about things.” Police left the room, to give Seagraves and his mother an opportunity to speak privately.²³⁾

Five minutes later, police continued the interview.²⁴⁾ Seagraves admitted to being in Goucher's car, but said he found it abandoned. He said he went inside the car but did not attempt to move it by pushing it or driving it.²⁵⁾ At that point, Seagraves' mother ended the interview, telling police that she and her son should talk to an attorney before going any further.

Seagraves' MySpace Profile

According to the criminal complaint, on the following day, police spoke to two anonymous individuals who said that Seagraves had admitted helping Freemore kill Goucher, and had changed his MySpace name to ThrOwtStabba. When asked why, Seagraves replied “because I did it.” When questioned about what he did and to whom, Seagraves said, “I can't tell you or I'll go to jail for the rest of my life,” and added, “dude they are never going to find the body we left no evidence.”

Goucher's car was found on February 10, in Price Township, just off Snowhill Road.²⁶⁾ Evidence in the car led police to interview Freemore.²⁷⁾

Goucher's body was found on February 11, 2009, at around 1 p.m., in an area along Snowhill Road, near where his car had been found.²⁸⁾ A cleaver and a six-inch knife were found near the body. The handle of the knife was wrapped in duct tape. A further search of the area turned up a roll duct tape similar to the tape on the knife handle.²⁹⁾

Freemore was hours after Goucher's body had been found. Freemore was charged with planning Goucher's murder along with Seagraves.³⁰⁾

According to the complaint against Seagraves, a knife similar to the one near Goucher's body, with Seagraves' fingerpring on it, was found under a bridge near the murder scene.³¹⁾ Seagraves was arrested in February 18, 2009.³²⁾

A hearing in the case was scheduled for March 5, 2009, but was continued because the judge was in talks to hold the hearing at the county courthouse, with more space and security personnel, as many people from the community, as well as the families of the victim and suspects, are expected to attend.³³⁾

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• Michael Goucher Newscast 1
• Michael Goucher Newscast 2
• Shaw Freemore Arrested
• Ian Seagraves Arrested
• Michael Gougher's Aunt and Uncle Remember Him
• Michael Goucher - The Journey to Here
• Michael Goucher's Funeral

• Michael Goucher Memorial Page - MySpace.Com