You can call Alan J. Hruby many things, but you'll never be able to compare him to Professor Moriarty. Until a couple of weeks ago he was a freshman at the University of Oklahoma--one who enjoyed the finer things in life. You know, jaunts to Paris, Louis Vuitton shoes and wallets, and finally a weekend at the Dallas Ritz-Carlton with no questions asked.
Yes, there is nothing quite like the fast and luxurious life style of the uber wealthy. Unfortunately Alan Hruby didn't financially qualify to be a member of that rare breed and although he appeared to be convinced otherwise, neither did his family.
His father, John Hruby had been the owner and publisher of the Duncan, Oklahoma daily paper until he sold it a few years ago. Recently he had gotten back in the business when he took over two weekly publications. One in Marlow, OK and another in Elgin.
For those of you with decent memories Duncan is the same place which produced those three criminal masterminds, Chancey Luna, Michael Jones, and James Edwards. In August of 2013 they made news all across North America and Australia when they gunned down Aussie baseball player, Christopher Lane while he was in town visiting his girlfriend. Initially one of them told local police they did it because they were bored. That story has changed now, probably because they found decent criminal lawyers and it finally dawned on them life without parole is kind of a serious thing. The current excuse is they thought the weapon used in the murder was loaded with blanks. That's right, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it was all just a practical joke gone a tad awry.
But we digress.
The Hruby family, besides John and Alan, consisted of John's wife Joy and the youngest child, 17 year old, Katherine. They could, by every measure, be considered not only successful, but part of the local upper class. The key word there being, "local." Let's face facts, being able to own a large, lovely, home and employ a full time housekeeper in Duncan, OK, doesn't mean you can do the same thing in the Hamptons.
Tragically, Alan Hruby couldn't comprehend that nugget of harsh reality. He was already on probation for taking out a credit card in his grandmother's name and running up a $5,000 tab during a trip to Paris. His father turned him into the authorities for that one. He was found guilty of credit card fraud and ended up on probation.
In Norman, the home of OU, it is reported he somehow got a $3,000 loan which he couldn't pay back. In addition he was being looked at by police as the person who had stolen blank checks from a friend of his grandmother and had used them in order to finance new adventures. More darkly, in a story written by Nolan Clay in today's The Oklahoman, the family housekeeper told police Alan had choked his mother last Christmas when they argued about his spending.
The housekeeper, who had worked for the Hrubys for years, also told police Alan and his sister rarely got along because he was such a pain in the ass to their parents. So much so it has been reported John Hruby decided he'd had enough. A few weeks ago he cut his son off financially. The very instant he did, life for Alan Hruby became utterly intolerable--so much so he went from a wannabe trust fund playboy with no sense of restraint, or responsibility, to a killer.
In the early morning hours of October 9th Alan made a surreptitious trip home in order to steal his father's 9.mm hand gun which was always kept in the old man's truck. He was even smart enough to leave his cell phone back in Norman, so no one could use it to tell where he'd been. Even with such a precaution it didn't take long for things to stray from the plan. He was stopped by Duncan police that night, although it isn't clear whether it was before, or after he stole the weapon. He gave the officer some song and dance about having forgotten his driver's license, then gave him a fake name. The cop bought the bullshit, issued him a ticket, and let him go.
Later that day he made a second trip home. He apparently killed his mother first, while she was in the kitchen, then his sister when she came in from washing her car. When his father arrived home from work he finished the foul business by shooting him. Then, doing what he does best, he stole his mother's credit card and after driving back to Norman, took off with some pals to party hearty at the Dallas Ritz-Carlton.
Rose Marie Chavez, the housekeeper, discovered the bodies on Monday morning the 13th. Alan was contacted, arrived in Duncan soon thereafter--and--according to police, put on quite the show of grief. They were having none of it. Within 24 hours he was in the slammer, technically for violating his probation.
Before he confessed, Clay reports, he told the cops he had driven to the Marlow office of his parent's newspaper on the 8th so he could get his Mom's credit card for the trip to Dallas. His OU roommate told them he never left Norman on that Thursday. What sealed the deal though was a quick look at the Oklahoma Pike Pass history of his vehicle. That's right, instead of traveling back roads, the deadly little goof used the H.E. Bailey Turnpike to get to Duncan both times on the 9th, handing the police an accurate, time stamped, history of his travels.
Clay writes when authorities searched his parent's home they found six different fake ID's with his mug on them. When he broke down and confessed he told investigators he killed his parents to get the family's property and money. He shot his sister to death so he wouldn't have to split it with her. Well, why not? Twice as much money goes twice as far, right?
Actually, in the twisted world of Alan Hruby, twice as much money would simply get spent twice as fast. He had that sort of taste for it.
It is a long way from the Ritz-Carlton to the Stephens County jail. At first blush it is tough to adequately compare the accommodations. The Duncan lockup certainly doesn't have those embroidered white bathrobes the Ritz-Carlton provides its guests with.
It would probably be a good idea for young Hruby to pal up with Messrs Luna, Edwards, and Jones as quickly as possible. Hey, it always helps to have friends when arriving at a new location.
And--after all--in situations such as these, a sophisticated young man of means never wants to seem a mere tourist.
10-22-14
Reminds me of the talented Mr. Ripley.
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