Fact Checking “Nobody Died At Sandy Hook”, Chapter Seven

“Nobody Died At Sandy Hook”
Chapter Seven
By: Allan Powell and Kelley Watt

Let’s say you’re the kind of person who enjoys magic shows. So, you gather up the family one Friday night and head down to… well, wherever it is magicians perform these days. You splurge on front-row tickets and take your seat, ready for an evening of family-friendly entertainment. The magician finally takes the stage and starts things off by pulling a rabbit out of his hat. Sure, it’s an old trick, but the kids are thrilled, and everyone seems to be having a good time.

Then the magician spends the next hour and a half performing the exact same trick—pulling the same rabbit out of the same hat, over and over and over again. You’d be pretty pissed, right?

That’s precisely the situation we find ourselves in with Fetzer and his crew pulling the same tired trick yet again: presenting photos out of order and out of context.

For this chapter’s fact checking, I’m taking a different approach. Instead of breaking it down claim by claim, I’ll address pages (or multiple pages) at a time, highlighting specific sections. This will be much easier to follow if you have a copy of Fetzer’s book (which I sincerely hope you didn’t pay for) as well as access to the files in Connecticut’s final report, which I’ll be referencing often.

Page 118

The bottom photo on this page shows how investigators initially found Adam’s bedroom when they arrived at the Lanza home late in the evening on December 14th. It’s on page 188 of 472 in Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, which is presented in chronological order. According to Sec 4 – Primary Digital Report.pdf, this set of photos was taken between 9:30 PM on December 14th and 8:34 AM on December 15th.

The “messy” photo at the top, however, was taken after investigators had already torn the house apart during their search for additional evidence. That image comes from Book 2, 00195358.pdf, the secondary digital photography report. On the second page of that report, it states: “The following photographs were taken on December 20, 2012, as part of processing the residence.” That’s six full days after the first set of photos and makes these the last available images of the scene at Yogananda Street.

Furthermore, items seen scattered on the bed in the “messy” photo can be spotted in earlier images of Adam’s closet:

Page 119

“Note the glider pad under the leg of the headboard in order to move the bed around for picture-perfect staging.”

No other heavy furniture in the house has glider pads underneath—only the beds in both bedrooms. Even then, Nancy’s bed doesn’t have a glider pad under all four legs. You can clearly see one missing from the top-right leg on page 457 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf and even more so on pages 16 and 17 of Sec 4 – Scene Search Day 3.pdf.

But perhaps a simpler explanation is that Adam, who weighed just 112 pounds, lived alone with his fifty-two-year-old mother and might have needed these pads to move heavy furniture around more easily.

“There is no blanket or electric blanket on bed despite 28 degrees outside.”

You do realize they weren’t sleeping outside, right? Inside the house—where they actually slept—it was likely somewhere between 64 and 70 degrees. How do I know this? Because crime scene investigators took photos of the home’s thermostats. The upstairs thermostat, controlling the bedrooms, was set to 64 degrees, though the actual recorded temperature was closer to 70. Meanwhile, the downstairs thermostat shows it was about 68 degrees on the first floor. This can be seen on page 152 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf:

This is further corroborated by page 4 of Sec 4 – Primary Digital Report.pdf, which specifically mentions the recorded temperatures:

“There is no bulletin board, sports memorabilia, ipads, ipods, headphones, stereo equipment, trashcan, trophies, pictures, magazines, caged pets (such as a snake or hampster[sic]) plants, shoes or shirts, video games or flat screen TV. These items are typical in the room of a 21-year old.”

This may come as a shock, but Adam was not a typical twenty-year-old (yes, twenty—phenomenal research here, once again). So what if he didn’t own a bulletin board? Were bulletin boards even a staple for twenty-year-olds in 2012? And hamPster? Did anyone bother to proofread this garbage?

Anything that mattered to Adam was located in the computer room (like his headphones, which Allan Powell miraculously noticed and points out on the very next page) or the basement, both of which were packed with video games, computers, books, and televisions. Speaking of televisions, there’s even one in his bedroom here, but it’s not a “flat-screen,” so I guess it doesn’t count.

As for sports, Adam briefly played Little League Baseball in third and fourth grade:

While a former teammate described him as “not a good player,” Adam did enough to warrant a mention in the May 18, 2001 edition of The Newtown Bee:

TAUNTON PRESS 11, BOB TENDLER REAL ESTATE 4: Brian Kuruc and Robbie Phillips powered the offense and helped lead Taunton Press to the win. Evan Barreto and Adam Lanza were stellar in the field while Trevor Todd and Michael Coates had fine pitching performances. For Tendler, George Zaruba pitched well and led the offensive attack. Matt Iassogna and John Metcalf held the defense together.

So, while it’s highly unlikely he ever received a trophy for his efforts, it’s even more unlikely that, as a twenty-year-old far more obsessed with school shootings than sports, such trophies would’ve been anywhere other than in a forgotten box in the basement.

Regarding clothing, everyone who knew Adam reported that he exclusively wore blue polos with tan khakis or cargo pants. A large number of these can be seen hanging neatly in his closet on page 353 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf. His shoes—black, nearly identical to those found on his corpse—were stored in the garage, on the stairs leading into the house. You can see them on page 5 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 2.pdf:

Not surprisingly, Powell makes no mention of Nancy’s extensive shoe collection.

As for evidence markers, there are none in these photos because they show Adam’s bedroom as it initially appeared to investigators—first before it was searched (bottom photo) and then long after most of the evidence had been removed (top photo). The evidence markers would’ve appeared and disappeared between these two stages of documentation.

According to page 13 of Sec 6 – Scene Sketch Report.pdf, only three pieces of evidence were taken from Adam’s bedroom: an external USB drive, a hard drive platter, and a white plastic bag. All three items were located in his closet and are shown with evidence markers on page 356 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf.

Now on to the computer room photos.

The top photo was taken first—it’s on page 43 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf. The bottom photo is from page 658 (of 667) in the same document.

The white cord running across the floor is an Ethernet cable. Using the crime scene photos, you can literally trace it from the router in the basement, up the basement steps, through the living room, up the stairs to the second floor, and into the computer room. There, it would’ve been plugged directly into Adam’s PC—until he disassembled it to physically destroy the hard drive:

This cable can also be seen running into the computer room from the hallway in Adam’s staged “suicide” photos, which date back to 2010 (you know, when the house was supposedly “abandoned” or whatever nonsense Powell and Watt are peddling):

With the router located in the basement, the wireless signal in the computer room wouldn’t have been sufficient for an avid online gamer like Adam. His solution? Run a very long Ethernet cable directly to his PC. The computer was later disassembled by Adam so he could destroy the hard drive, which can be seen (alongside an empty box of Peltor “Blasts” earplugs, made for “range,” “hunting,” and “military” use) in several crime scene photos, most notably on page 23 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf: (photo goes here).

The two bowls and the “white cloth”—also known as an ordinary bath towel—are visible in both photos, so their supposed “significance” remains unclear. The towel could be there for any mundane reason. As for the chair legs, perhaps they aren’t dusty because someone cleaned them—after all, there’s a vacuum sitting just outside the room on the landing. The chair itself is clearly well-worn, as seen on page 10 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, and dust is plainly visible on the sides of Adam’s PC case (page 43 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf) and on his console collection (page 30 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf).

Now, about those papers that start appearing in later photographs (from page 446 in Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, page 646 in Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, and every page in Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 2.pdf). The claim that these are “evaluation forms for those managing the arrangement” is repeated ad nauseam with no supporting evidence. Probably because it’s not true. These papers are often front and center in the photographs, making the idea that their inclusion was some kind of “mistake” completely absurd. How could someone “accidentally” leave them in such a prominent, visible location in nearly every later-stage photo?

The clearest look we get at these papers is on page 468 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf:

It’s obvious these are simply copies of the search and seizure warrant. Compare the visible paper to page 9 of 00194593.pdf in Book 4, and you’ll see it’s an exact match—right down to the signatures:

The presence of the search and seizure warrant in these photos is further corroborated by pages 5 and 8 of Sec 4 – Primary Digital Report.pdf and Sec 5 – Back-Up Digital Image Report.pdf, respectively:

And honestly, what even is an “evaluation form for those managing the arrangement”? Not only has Allan Powell invented an entire occupation (crime scene stager), but now he’s conjured up paperwork and procedures for this entirely imaginary profession. What’s next? A detailed breakdown of their benefits package?

Page 120:

The top photo appears on page 500 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf and was taken on December 14th, 2012, sometime after 9:15 PM, as Adam’s custom-built PC had already been taken as evidence. The bottom photo, found on page 105 of Sec 4 – Scene Search Day 3.pdf, was taken three days later. By this point in the investigation, much of the house had been disturbed, and numerous items had been confiscated, which explains why the PC, hard drive, and earplugs are no longer visible. Their removal as evidence is corroborated by Book 3, 00025726.pdf.

At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if Allan Powell mistakenly believes that crime scenes must remain pristine and untouched forever. If that were true, it would be physically impossible for investigators to discover and collect evidence. The reality is that after a scene is photographed (as seen in the early primary and backup scene photos) and sketched (as seen in CFS 1200705354, Sec 6 – Scene Sketch Report.pdf), investigators are free to be as intrusive as necessary to do their job. That’s the entire reason for taking those initial photographs. From page 102 of Practical Crime Scene Analysis and Reconstruction by Ross Gardner and Tom Bevel:

The act of searching is very intrusive, taken only after the primary scene context is documented. The function of any search is to ensure that all evidence and details are noted.

As for the bottles, these are very clearly vitamins or other supplements, not medication:

What prescription medication comes with a gold label or a purple top? Or in anything other than a prescription pill bottle? It’s well-documented that Adam was a vegan and severely underweight, so these bottles almost certainly contained dietary supplements or vitamins. Unlike medication, which he reportedly avoided for its mind-altering effects, vitamins wouldn’t have posed any issue for him. These bottles were likely stored in a desk drawer—probably the open one—and removed to be examined and documented. They wouldn’t need to be entered as evidence because, well, they’re just vitamins.

For comparison, similar bottles—including ones with gold and green labels (likely Pioneer brand) or purple tops—can be seen in a kitchen cabinet on page 182 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf or in the photo above.

Page 121:

This time, it’s the bottom photo that was taken first. The top photo is page 174 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf and shows the boiler room area shortly after investigators arrived, before they searched through all those boxes for anything relevant. The bottom photo, taken much later in the day’s scene processing, is page 413 of the same document. Remember, these photos are presented in chronological order.

By this point, investigators had already shuffled things around. While it’s not clear in the tiny, low-quality photograph in Fetzer’s book, the Hoover box, portable storage unit, and black mesh bag were all moved aside to access the “brown/black canvas pistol carrying case found within box” (evidence item #46, tag #35, in CFS 1200705354, Sec 6 – Scene Sketch Report.pdf). The painter’s paper on the floor gets torn up a bit by foot traffic but is still visible in the last of the Yogananda photos, 00195358.pdf (Book 2, page 28), where it’s shown under the moving boxes.

Page 122:

The top photo is page 657 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, while the bottom photo is page 461 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf. Both were taken late in the initial processing, very close to one another in time. As such, they depict the exact same scene, captured by two different photographers.

“The question then arises of what will explain the existence of  different settings of the boiler room?”

Moving things.

“Training for creating misleading evidence is the only answer I can think of.”

Then you are an absolute idiot. Why on earth would “they” need to create different configurations of what is literally just a room full of boxes? More importantly, why would “they” leave these supposedly incriminating photos in documents released to the public—documents where numerous other photos have already been redacted?

Page 123:

The bottom photo (page 363 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf) was taken first, as evidenced by the fact that the clip is still in the gun. This scene is further documented in four additional photos in Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf (pages 443–446), showing the gun in the same state and position.

As is standard procedure, the gun was photographed in its original location, secured by removing the clip and checking whether it was loaded, and then returned to the floor. This allowed investigators to expose the residue (or “matter”) and an empty shell casing (marked with evidence marker 26 on page 378 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf). At that point, the top photo (page 375 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf) was taken. Clearly, residue does not defy gravity to “drip” or “fall” to the side of an object. But as we’ll soon see, gravity seems to be a tricky concept for Allan Powell.

While blood is still plainly visible on the nightstand, wall, and sheets, the goriest photos have—unsurprisingly—been redacted. Those blacked-out photos, Allan? They’re called redactions. If you’re confused about why something has been redacted, consult the redaction index. It’s not difficult.

Page 124:

“The Savage 22lr (long rifle) is boxed and cable-tied in this image before being used as a prop along with a magazine and (oddly) two expended cartridges. It looks like a factory boxed item. That is how the stagemanagers received the rifle from FEMA to use in the sham setting.”

This claim is utter rubbish. These photos were taken during the firearms survey, which you can view in Sec 15 – Firearm Survey – Savage.pdf. According to the digital image report, the photos were captured at the Lanza residence on December 15, 2012, at 1:23 PM—a full day after the shooting. What you’re seeing is standard procedure for processing weapons at a crime scene. The rifle was placed in a cardboard evidence box, like the ones shown here:

From an article on packaging firearms at crime scenes:

“A sturdy box is used as the collection and packaging medium. Several slits are put into the bottom of the box. This allows flex-cuffs to be inserted through the slits in the box to create safety straps around the firearm to secure it in place during transport.”

Finally, Adam’s Bushmaster was also surveyed and stored in the exact same manner—inside a cardboard evidence box—as detailed in document 00057444.pdf:

Pages 124-125:

“There’s pretend blood on the muzzle but it’s not very convincing.”

What is this even based on? How is it “not convincing”? Isn’t the entire purpose of “pretend” blood to look indistinguishable from the real thing? So how exactly does the author claim to differentiate between the two based solely on these photos?

And while we’re at it, if this were some grand conspiracy, why wouldn’t the cops just use actual blood for something of this supposed magnitude?

For comparison, here’s what dried blood looks like on the blade of a knife. Notice how it looks identical to the dried blood on the gun:

Page 125:

These bullets clearly do not have uniform damage, despite Powell’s claim. Once again, readers are shown only a small, low-quality version of this photo (page 21 of Sec 8 – Autopsy.pdf) and spoon-fed what they’re supposed to be seeing. Here’s a much higher-quality version of that same photo, so you can judge for yourself:

It’s also on this page that we see yet another favorite tactic of Fetzer and his merry band of bullshit artists: claim a piece of evidence is missing, and then, when confronted with the supposedly “missing” evidence, dismiss it as a cheap forgery—without offering a shred of proof. Powell employed this strategy back on page 123 with the following claim:

“Nancy didn’t bleed much according to the images for having four shots to the head. The general rule with headshots is that the heart keeps pumping blood because of which wounds evince a large quantity of blood.”

But now we’re shown an image from page 665 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, where you can clearly see a significant amount of blood pooled beneath Nancy Lanza’s head. Powell pivots and offers the utterly bizarre claim that this isn’t blood at all, but a “pomegranate-seed colored stain.” How does he differentiate between the two? He doesn’t. Instead, we’re told it’s “not the color of dried human blood,” without any actual support for this assertion.

The fact is that the appearance of dried blood varies depending on factors like the volume, the material it saturates, and the lighting in photographs. That said, the blood in this image is entirely consistent with other examples of bloodstains on white fabric. For example, here’s an image of dried blood on a white pillowcase from a Bronx motel:

There’s also a straightforward explanation for why there’s no “corpse wearing polka-dot pyjamas” visible: it had already been removed from the room. Per page 7 of Sec 5 – Back-Up Digital Image Report.pdf, Nancy Lanza’s body was removed sometime between pages 567 and 568:

This image—again, image 665 of 667—was taken very late in the scene processing. Why would investigators leave a body in place for that long? It’s absurd.

And as for the claim about the blood being “missing” from the reflection in the bed frame? Powell seems to be implying that this is some kind of vampire blood, invisible to mirrors. In reality, the reflection shows the bottom of the bed, not the top where the blood is located. Misinterpreting basic visual cues is a recurring theme in Powell’s work, and this is no exception.

Page 126:

More nonsense about an “evaluation form” (which is, yet again, just the search and seizure warrant) and “electric blankets,” despite a thermostat clearly set to 64 degrees and the obvious presence of regular blankets on Nancy’s bed.

Next, we’re shown a small, low-quality version of the photo from page 240 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf and told that if we “magnify” it, we won’t see any “blood or brain matter.” Well, no kidding. This photo was taken from the second-floor landing, looking into a dimly lit bedroom, and captures maybe the bottom 75%-80% of Nancy’s bed. Given that she was shot in the head, most of the blood is behind her—on the wall, on the nightstand, and underneath her. Those areas, naturally, are not visible in this particular shot.

As for why this photo even exists: part of an investigator’s job is to document the scene as it was discovered, before any evidence is moved or disturbed. This includes capturing doors, entryways, and other relevant context. The investigator taking this photo was undoubtedly aware of Nancy’s body in the master bedroom, as the tactical unit had already discovered it. Numerous detailed photos of her body were taken, as corroborated by the primary photo report (page 4 of Sec 4 – Primary Digital Report.pdf):

And the back-up photo report (page 7 of Sec 5 – Back-up Digital Image Report.pdf):

All of this is routine investigative procedure, and anyone claiming otherwise is either ignorant or deliberately misleading.

Page 127:

“The Central Vacuum hose and toilet cleaner in the foreground suggest that a Maid Service has already been called”

Yes, a maid service was called in, yet there are no vacuum lines on the carpets, and there are dirty dishes in the kitchen sink (see page 111 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf). Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Or—and this might shock you—Nancy Lanza owned a vacuum (which is fully visible on the landing, not just the hose) and some toilet cleaner. You know, like nearly every other homeowner on the planet. And toilet cleaner next to a bathroom? Gasp! Clearly, a nefarious plot is afoot.

As for the lack of visible blood in these distant, poorly lit shots, we’ve already covered that extensively. But why isn’t the “polka-dot body in pajamas” visible here? Maybe because people typically sleep under their blankets. Didn’t Allan just ask how the Lanzas stayed warm? Come on, man, pick a lane.

Once again, this is all corroborated by the primary photo report Powell obviously didn’t bother reading, which explicitly states that Nancy’s body was photographed both with and without bedding:

“From the lie of the coverlet, the fake corpse appears to have no feet.”

Except there are clearly feet at the end of the bed, visibly elevating the “coverlet”:

They’re even more obvious here, in this still taken from the crime scene video walkthrough:

Why on earth would they use a “fake corpse” without feet? Does such a thing even exist?

“If the scarlet coloured material is intended to simulate blood, it has defied the law of gravity as a liquid and has failed to flow down on to the bedsheet.”

I’m admittedly a little confused here, but I suppose the implication is that authorities hastily applied fake blood right before these photos were taken, not giving it enough time to “run down the bed sheet”… right?

But let’s think this through: if someone is lying in the middle of a relatively flat mattress, why would blood pooling underneath them magically flow off the sides of the bed? That’s not how gravity works! I challenge Allan Powell to spill his juice box in the middle of his bed and report back on the results.

Page 128

“In setting up this room, as in all the other rooms, the participants were graded. The graders were dumb enough to leave their evaluation forms.”

As we’ve already established, the so-called “evaluation form” is simply the search and seizure warrant, as corroborated by the digital image reports. We’ve gone over this already! But while Allan Powell has repeatedly claimed it’s an “evaluation form,” this is the first time he’s introduced the bizarre idea of participants being graded. Even if such a ridiculous system existed anywhere outside Powell’s imagination, why on earth would authorities use one of the most high-profile crime scenes in American history as a live training exercise? Only Powell, who brings zero relevant experience to the table, could “know” that for sure.

Now, about those alleged “dumb” graders leaving their forms behind: they’d have to bring these forms into the scene, carefully place them in the center of each shot, leave them there while photographing the scene, miss them in the review process for over 65 images, and then publish the photos for public consumption. They couldn’t even edit them out—odd, considering Powell insists they’re tech wizards capable of staging green screen trickery (remember Chapter Five?). Or maybe their inclusion was intentional? Sure, because that makes any sense at all.

Regarding Powell’s “Exhibit 17,” the photo of the so-called “dressing table” is found on page 476 of “Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf.” The reason no “head” or “red coloring” is visible is because this photo shows only a small portion of the bed where the blankets fold over, closer to the bed’s center than the headboard. The shape beneath the covers clearly suggests a human form.

As for the stains in Powell’s “Exhibit 17,” those only appear after Nancy’s body had been removed, which didn’t happen until somewhere around page 568 of the same document. Thus, the body was still present for this earlier photograph.

“The colour and configuration of the bedframe and of the chest appear different to other images of them.”

This claim is utterly baseless. Powell doesn’t provide any examples, but it’s safe to assume he’s once again ignoring basic photography principles—like the effects of flash lighting. Throughout all the images, the wood in Nancy’s room consistently appears dark, and the furniture’s configuration remains unchanged. The implication here seems to be that investigators were swapping out entire beds and furniture pieces between photos for no apparent reason—a claim that’s breathtakingly stupid, even for what’s already a spectacularly stupid chapter.

The “bloodless” photo of Nancy’s bed comes from page 2 of “Sec 4 – Scene Search Day 3.pdf” and was taken during the third day of processing. By this point, nearly all of Nancy’s bedding had already been removed as evidence. This is documented in “Sec 11 – Evidence Reports.pdf”:

What little staining remained on the bed is mostly obscured by the fitted sheet, which had been pulled off and bunched up on top of the mattress. However, even in this state, you can still make out a few areas of staining that perfectly align with what’s seen in earlier photos:

“The job of a forensic photographer is to document images as they are originally found”

This is kind of true! So, good job, Allan—you’re halfway there! But documenting the scene as it was originally found is only part of a forensic photographer’s job. And in this case, that part of the job had already been completed… two days before this photograph was taken.

Literally hundreds of photos of the Lanza home as it was initially found exist. In fact, many of them are featured in this very book—albeit in an absurdly deceptive manner.

Page 129

The top photo in question is from page 452 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, which clearly explains the presence of the search and seizure warrant. And for what seems like the hundredth time now, the warrant was intentionally included in nearly every photo after page 445:

The rest of this paragraph devolves into subjective drivel about how Nancy Lanza’s house should look, according to Powell. For example, I suppose it’s meant to be suspicious that Nancy had an area rug in her “south living room” (which Powell conveniently ignores) but not in her dining room. Or that there are “no chair pads” in a room that was obviously more for display than for use. Adam ate in his computer room, as evidenced by the two white bowls found there.

The accusation that Nancy’s curtains and rods are “cheap” is equally baseless. Powell provides no evidence to support this claim. The curtains appear to be made of silk or satin—or something similar—but what do I know? Most of my furniture comes from Ikea. And even if they are cheap, so what? Some people, myself included, don’t see the point in spending a fortune on curtains. Nancy’s priorities clearly leaned toward her impressive shoe collection.

The second half of this page is a real gem, further showcasing Powell’s apparent misunderstanding of how mirrors work. Yes, when you photograph in the direction of a mirror, your reflection will appear. This happens with any reflective surface, as evidenced repeatedly in the crime scene photos (I lost count after a dozen examples):

But acknowledging the presence of crime scene investigators—complete with proper gear—would mean admitting that these photos document an actual crime scene. That doesn’t fit the narrative, so instead, Powell labels them “stage managers.” These so-called stage managers, however, are dressed exactly like crime scene investigators. Conveniently, Powell provides no evidence to support this ludicrous claim, likely because such “stage managers” don’t exist.

In one case, we’re shown another reflection (from page 94 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf) that clearly depicts an investigator wearing white coveralls, latex gloves, and a protective mask:

Then Kelley Watt steps in with the truly bizarre claim that there are “mattresses” stacked in the dining room. At first, I thought this must be a typo or autocorrect error. But then it hit me: if you have no idea what you’re looking at—like these people clearly don’t—you might mistake the side of a couch dividing the “south living room” and dining room (visible on page 6 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 2.pdf) for a stack of mattresses:

Spoiler: it’s just a couch, washed out by the photographer’s flash. You can even see where the seat cushions meet the back pillows.

This mistake could’ve been avoided had Watt looked at the very next page of the same file, which shows the other half of the space. Here, the couch in question is visible on the left:

Further corroboration can be found by cross-referencing Watt’s supposed source—the couch on page 53 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf—with the home’s layout as depicted in Sec 6 – Scene Sketch Report.pdf:

Page 130

There’s nothing remotely “odd” about the first photo, and it was certainly not taken “from above.” That’s such a bizarre conclusion to jump to that I’m left wondering if Allan Powell has ever even seen the original image. For reference, the photo can be found on page 428 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf.

Since this was taken by the backup photographer, what we’re actually seeing is the primary scene photographer—clearly bending over. This explains why the top of his head, as well as his legs, are visible around the corner in Nancy’s room:

“None of  them seem to be wearing protective gear, which suggests that they are not forensic experts but photographers”

No protective gear? How many photographers does Allan Powell know? Do they usually stroll around wearing white Tyvek jumpsuits and disposable gloves? What we’re seeing here is the standard-issue protective gear for forensic investigators:

The second photo, from page 453 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, showcases Powell’s remarkable ability to invent problems where none exist. He declares the room “suspicious” due to a lack of coffee table books—despite one, Country Ways and Wisdom, sitting directly beneath the search and seizure warrant. It’s clearly visible on pages 52–54 of the same document. Additionally, there are more books on a basket next to one of the chairs and on the large bookshelf:

Powell laments the absence of candlesticks while ignoring two candles in plain sight: one on the coffee table (in a blue holder) and another on the table between the chairs. That same table also holds a plant, and there’s a fern atop the bookshelf—despite Powell’s apparent belief that plants must exclusively reside in dining rooms, which, for the record, features a terrarium.

And no magnifying glass? Guess I don’t live in my house either, by his logic.

Regarding the breached doors in the “north living room,” yes, the tactical unit forced entry—just as they did with the front door, garage door, and inner basement doors. That’s how tactical teams operate:

So what exactly does Powell expect in this situation? Law enforcement ran the plates on the Civic found at the school, which was registered to Nancy Lanza at 36 Yogananda Street. At that point, they had not yet positively identified Adam as the shooter and were still operating under the possibility of multiple assailants. When officers arrived at the Lanza home, they had no clue what to expect—or who, or what, might be inside.

As detailed in the Connecticut Department of Safety report (Book 6, 00122995.pdf, page six), neighboring homes were evacuated, a perimeter was established, snipers were deployed, and the bomb squad was called in case the house had been rigged with explosives (a legitimate concern after James Holmes’ booby-trapped apartment, just five months earlier).

But apparently, in Powell’s fantasy land, they should’ve sent two unarmed cops to knock on the door and politely wait for someone to answer. Powell’s complete lack of law enforcement experience, coupled with his apparent allergy to common sense, is truly something to behold.

Page 131

“The water bottles in the freezer compartment would have expanded to split the bottles if they had only arrive at least for three hours after Nancy had been shot.”

That’s the actual sentence, as printed in this book, which was at one point sold for twenty US dollars—thirty if you wanted it autographed. No lie, I’ve read it at least two dozen times, and I’m still not entirely sure what Allan is trying to say. My best guess? He’s claiming water bottles will split if left in a freezer for more than three hours… which is odd, because I’ve accidentally left water bottles in the freezer overnight without issue. Sure, the water froze, but the bottles themselves were perfectly fine.

Let’s just say this is possible. Maybe Nancy kept the freezer temperature lower than usual—after all, this was a backup fridge, and its freezer compartment appears to be dedicated solely to water bottles. While the temperature settings panel is visible in this photo and on page 323 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, it’s tough to read. It does appear to be set somewhere in the middle.

But more importantly, Allan Powell completely ignores—or conveniently overlooks—the fact that the safety seals on these bottles are broken, which clearly indicates they’ve already been opened. Some bottles even show visible condensation, which wouldn’t be present if they were unopened:

The simplest explanation? Either Nancy or Adam opened the bottles, drank or poured out a bit, and then placed them in the freezer. I do the same thing before workouts so that my water is ice-cold.

“The  filling of the shelves in  both the refridgerators [sic] indicates that it was performed by a left handed person, being filled to the left.”

I never knew there was a left-handed or right-handed way to fill a refrigerator. Seriously. I had no idea this was a thing. I’m still not convinced it is. At least, I don’t believe there’s any physiological reason people stock their refrigerators in a particular way. Regardless, the claim has been made, so let’s indulge it for a moment (and no longer than a moment, because it’s utterly ridiculous).

Let’s start some photos of the fridge in the kitchen, which Powell claims is “filled to the left”:

Huh. Everything actually looks pretty balanced here, especially all that frozen edamame. Sure, the shelf with the large water bottles near the middle might be slightly heavier on the left, but the actual number of items is the same on both sides. If anything, there seems to be a preference to stock items away from the door. For instance, on the freezer side, items seem to gravitate to the right. This makes sense:

1. Keeping things near the door makes them harder to access.
2. You’re likely opening the door with one hand (right side with the right hand and vice versa) and tossing an item in with the other.

Now let’s examine the basement fridge:

The freezer is about as evenly stocked as it gets. The top row of the fridge is also evenly distributed, with a slight lean toward just left-of-center. Again, this seems more about accessibility than handedness. You open the door with one hand and reach in with the other; items slightly left of center are easier to grab. But what the hell do I know? I’m not the refrigerator ergonomics expert Allan Powell clearly is.

Oh, and sure, most items on the bottom shelf of the basement fridge sit toward the center or left. What a bombshell! Truly groundbreaking analysis here.

“Here’s the study with no laptop or printer and the evaluation form on the Chesterfied chair.”

The laptop and printer had already been confiscated as evidence by the time this photo was taken. The very next page includes a photo of the printer with an evidence marker on it! How could you possibly miss that?

Page 132

“Ryan is wearing a graduation gown different to the one in his graduation video.”

Do either of these two realize that graduation photos and the actual ceremony don’t happen on the same day? Ryan’s studio graduation photos were clearly taken before he received his official cap and gown. This is blatantly obvious from the fact that he’s not wearing the traditional gold tassel.

“Workman’s tools are on scene before evidence markers are laid down. This is another image which should not have been allowed to escape by the stagers to public scrutiny.”

These “workman’s tools” consist of a $20 claw hammer, a single screwdriver, a pencil, a $10 tape measure, possibly a drill, and some drywall anchors. You know, the kinds of items that are likely found in literally every home on the planet. It’s pretty clear they were going to be used to hang the hideous planter sitting right on the floor next to them.

If these basic tools were somehow “evidence” of scene staging, why would they even need to be photographed, let alone become the focal point of the photo? And how would the people responsible for redacting these photos have missed such glaringly obvious items?

“Stage managers’ bottles of water are caught in photos. My (Allan’s) guess is that there were three of them. * I (Kelley) think the house was being lived in as a security measure against anyone gaining access in pursuit of DNA or other evidence.”

These two can’t even agree on a singular narrative, which really makes you wonder how or why they thought co-authoring a chapter together was a good idea. Embarrassing.

“The whole house has electricals from 2008 or earlier. A Dell Inspiron laptop Image 25 and a Brother MFC printer fax from around that era.”

The Brother MFC-J825DW was released in 2011. Literally all you had to do was Google it.

From the item’s Amazon listing:

Date first available at Amazon.com: September 1, 2011

There’s also an iPhone 4S box sitting right on the floor next to the printer, in plain sight. The iPhone 4S launched on October 14, 2011. Despite its glaring presence in the source photograph, it’s mysteriously ignored. Meanwhile, the phone itself is visible on the white ottoman in the north living room (see pages 66, 77, and 78 of “Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf”):

This phone is confirmed to have belonged to Nancy Lanza, as detailed in “Sec 13 – Supplemental Reports.pdf”:

REVIEW OF NANCY LANZA’S CELLULAR TELEPHONE RECORDS

On Tuesday May 14, 2013 at approximately 1330 hours this writer reviewed Nancy Lanza’s cellular telephone records. The records were sent to me via email from Detective Alison Peters of the Western District Major Crime Squad for my reivew.

The records detail the activity on Ms. Lanza’s Apple iPhone Model 4-S with the telephone number: [redacted]

And then there are the numerous non-electrical items from after 2008:

• Page 161 of “Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf”: The November 2012 issue of Smithsonian Magazine:

• Page 84 of the same file:
  • Zagat’s Guide to New York City Restaurants, 2012 edition.
  • A New Orleans guidebook from 2012, a city Nancy visited that December.
  • A Paris guidebook from 2009.
• Page 667: A copy of Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever”, released on September 27, 2011.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Page 133

“The paper shredder is full. What would Nancy have had that required that much shredding? Those setting up the fake scene for a pretend murder, however, have a lot of paperwork they wouldn’t want seen.”

By that logic, what does anyone have that requires shredding? Why do personal shredders even exist?

Nancy probably shredded the same types of things any normal person with a shredder would—junk mail, old receipts, outdated personal documents—and didn’t bother emptying the bin after every use. You know, like the rest of us. Personally, my shredder usually fills to the point where it’s about to burst before I finally get around to emptying it.

Also, what exactly about a “fake murder” would generate this much paperwork? Better yet, why would it generate any paperwork? Why would this imaginary team of “stagers” shred their supposed documents on location? Did they bring their own shredder, or did they just gamble on Nancy having one?

And if shredding was so critical, why were they shredding while the investigation was still ongoing? This photo was taken on the evening of the 14th—plenty of time left in the investigation, which makes the whole premise even more ridiculous.

“Ryan has a Connecticut AAA card and lives in Queens”

At the time of the shooting, Ryan lived in Hoboken, NJ—not Queens, NY. Whether he still lives there, I have no idea. He also previously lived in Connecticut and didn’t leave the area until sometime after graduating from Quinnipiac College in 2010. Allan and Kelley should know this, considering they commented on Ryan’s graduation photos earlier in this very chapter.

As for his AAA Connecticut card, it’s from 2009, back when he was still living and attending school in the area, and it expired in August of 2010:

“Adam has a New England AAA card and lives in Sandy Hook?”

First off, it’s a AAA pre-paid American Express card, not a membership card:

Secondly, New England is a region that includes Connecticut—which, in case you need reminding, is where Sandy Hook is located. Allan Powell thinks it’s a state, doesn’t he? Why didn’t anyone correct such an embarrassing mistake before publishing this book? Unsurprisingly, AAA Southern New England does in fact serve Connecticut. Don’t believe me? Go to AAA’s website, enter 06470 (Newtown, Connecticut’s zip code), and see for yourself. Spoiler alert: you’ll be redirected to AAA Southern New England’s site, which clearly states: “Serving AAA Members in CT, MA, NJ, & RI.” CT is the postal abbreviation for Connecticut, Allan.

“These plastic mats are in an unrealistic condition if Adam Lanza was on the computer all hours.”

What exactly is a “realistic condition” for plastic mats? Powell doesn’t bother to provide metrics or examples. Less flattering photos of this allegedly brand-new mat clearly show fading, deep divots, and other wear entirely consistent with long-term use:

Moreover, we’re supposed to believe the mat is too pristine to have been in use, yet Adam’s computer chair—visible in many of the same photos—looks like this:

“The room is too sparsely filled.”

What does this even mean? How cluttered does a computer room need to be before Allan Powell deems it “authentic”? And, like the school before it, is there some magic threshold where it becomes too full to be believable?

More importantly, Powell is being outright deceptive. The photo in question is from page 105 of Sec 4 – Scene Search Day 3.pdf. As clearly indicated by the filename, these photos were taken on December 16th, 2012—the third day of the search. By this point, over twenty items had already been confiscated from this room alone. Earlier photos, such as the one on page 11 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, show a much less “sparse” room.

“There are no books in the bookcase for someone who supposedly shrinks from the world.”

Because they’re all in his bedroom closet:

“There are no super hero comics”

Not every twenty-year-old reads “super hero comics,” and there’s absolutely no evidence suggesting Adam Lanza was a fan. It’s as if Allan Powell is basing his expectations of the Lanza household on stereotypes of fourteen-year-olds from the 1980s.

“The games are from 2008 and the machines from the same period.”

So, the carpet saver is too new, but the video games are too old? Makes perfect sense, thanks for clearing that up.

While the computer room contains vintage games and consoles (like a New-Style Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast), newer games can be found in the basement. And sure, some of those are a whopping four years old—because clearly, no one ever plays four-year-old games, right? That must explain why “Super Mario Bros.” stopped being played in 1985.

Powell is clearly grasping at straws here, conveniently ignoring the fact that Adam was primarily a PC gamer. Additionally, his console collection does include newer games, like:

• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010, PSP)
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360, still hugely popular years after release).

Oh, and maybe he didn’t have many brand-new console games because his Xbox 360 was broken:

“No Spiderman, Star Wars; only a Matrix poster.”

Why is Spider-Man a separate category from “super hero comics”? And why Spider-Man specifically? Is Allan Powell under the impression that Spider-Man is somehow the universal gauge of pop culture normalcy? This isn’t meant as a personal attack (though I’m happy to personally attack Powell for penning one of the dumbest chapters in the history of written words), but I’d bet anything that Allan Powell predates recorded history. There’s no other explanation. “WHERE ARE HIS SPIDERMANS?”

And no “Star Wars,” you say?

The top photos clearly show VHS copies of the original trilogy: Return of the Jedi, Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars (from left to right). The bottom photo includes the DVD collection of the same trilogy. So Adam owned the original Star Wars trilogy in multiple formats.

Also, what about the Pikmin or Luigi’s Mansion posters in the basement? No love for those, Allan?

Page 134

“Adam was reported to have a huge spread sheet, where The New York Daily News reported that investigators discovered, “a chilling spreadsheet 7 feet long and 4 feet wide that required a special printer, a document that contained Lanza’s obsessive, extensive research —in ninepoint font—about mass murders of the past, and even attempted murders.” But none of the photos we have reviewed suggest any kind of research, much less a special printer or a spreadsheet of that size. If it had been in the home, surely it would have been the subject of photographs. But there appear to be no printer, no spreadsheet and no indications of Adam having done any research on mass murders or any other subject.”

There is zero evidence that this spreadsheet was ever physically printed out by Adam—or anyone else for that matter. This allegedly enormous document does not appear anywhere on the list of evidence seized from the Lanza home (Final Report, Book 3, 00025726.pdf). The sole source for this claim is Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News (wait, I thought conspiracy theorists didn’t trust the mainstream media?), who repeats this now third-hand information from an anonymous “law enforcement vet” who allegedly heard of the spreadsheet’s existence from a Connecticut state police officer.

Notice how carefully the Daily Mail hedges this claim (emphasis mine):

Connecticut State Police found the 4ft wide document in Lanza’s harddrive that was so big it required a special printer after the December 14 attack that left 26 people dead.

The spreadsheet was found on Lanza’s hard drive—not in a box in the basement, a safe, or anywhere else. On. His. Hard. Drive. From the Review of Electronic Evidence (Book 4, 00194691.pdf):

While the spreadsheet was not included in the final report, it was eventually made public after the Hartford Courant’s five-year legal battle to obtain Adam Lanza’s personal documents—a case that reached the Connecticut Supreme Court:

At 401 rows and 17 columns, it is, of course, a far cry from the mythical seven-foot-by-four-foot monstrosity that supposedly required some kind of “special” printer, as Powell and Watt suggest. If anyone insisted on printing it (and why would a technically savvy 20-year-old bother?), it would neatly fit onto four standard pages of paper when oriented correctly.

Beyond the spreadsheet, there’s a mountain of evidence showing Adam did extensive research on mass murders—a lot. From the same Review of Electronic Evidence (which Allan Powell clearly hasn’t read):

Page 135

The top photo is from page 654 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, taken on December 15th. The middle photo is from page 18 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 2.pdf, taken on December 17th. Finally, the bottom photo is from page 163 of Sec 4 – Primary Scene.pdf, taken on December 14th. This means these three photos were taken on three different days, with only the bottom photo representing the original state of the scene before investigators began their search for evidence.

The couch was moved to photograph the cardboard target behind it. This process is documented on pages 410–411 of Sec 4 – Primary Scene.pdf. By page 458, the couch was back in its original position.

As for the grocery bags, they are from Mrs. Green’s Market. According to a boyfriend of Nancy Lanza, she often visited the Westport, CT, area—35–40 minutes away—to shop at “high-end” grocery stores. There are Mrs. Green’s locations in both New Canaan and Fairfield, situated just east and west of Westport.

Page 136

The two “moving fern” photos were taken five days apart. The top photo is from page 455 of Sec 4 – Primary Scene.pdf, taken on December 15th. The middle photo is from page 19 of Farr – House Scene Photos.pdf, taken on December 20th.

Chronologically, our first look at these ferns appears to be on page 318 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf. At that point, the ferns are sitting on the banker’s boxes to the right of the open washing machine. By page 456 of Sec 4 – Primary Scene.pdf, the banker’s boxes have been moved, likely to be searched as they may have contained evidence. To access those boxes, the ferns were simply shifted a few inches to the left, onto the washing machine lid.

This is how evidence is handled during an investigation—items are moved to thoroughly search the area. There’s absolutely nothing suspicious or unusual about this process.

“The tube of ointment disappears; a pen moves sideways; the phone and its battery rearrange themselves; the Science Club ID conveniently displays itself.”

The photo on the right, from page 216 of Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf, shows how investigators initially found this area. The “Science Club ID” that Powell references is actually a Newtown Technology Team ID and was already displayed in its original state.

The photo on the left, from page 525 of Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf, was taken later in the crime scene processing. This is evident by the presence of evidence marker #21, which corresponds to six pieces of evidence: the LG cell phone, a memo pad, a folding wallet with miscellaneous ID, a USB device, a Honda key (likely a spare for the Civic), and Adam’s Capital One Visa.

As for the tube of ointment—who cares? It was irrelevant to the investigation and was likely moved aside so investigators could access the far more significant wallet beneath it. This is how evidence is processed during a thorough search, and there’s nothing unusual about it.

“Since when does a 20-year-old keep phone wallet, etc. in a bathroom cupboard at the lowest level?”

Who doesn’t have a junk drawer? Is this just an American thing? The LG phone is an old flip phone, unlikely to be anyone’s primary cell phone in 2012, just as the wallet is unlikely to hold any significance since it contained only “miscellaneous ID.” So why would it matter where these items were stored? This cupboard also held loose change, arcade tokens, and an old digital camera—hardly the curated possessions of someone meticulously organizing their valuables.

And while we’re on the subject, less than twenty pages ago Allan claimed Adam was twenty-one years old, which is incorrect. He can’t even keep Adam’s age straight!

Page 137

“The garage door on the right shows Adam Lanza didn’t drive the Honda out of that car space. There’s a box blocking the broken roller door which wouldn’t have raised or closed.”

So the garage door just remained open all the time because of a single box? That’s the logic we’re working with here?

The truth is, no one knows for certain if Adam’s Civic was in the garage that morning. It’s entirely possible, but it could just as easily have been parked in the driveway. Not that it matters, because the box Powell is referring to wasn’t there at the time Adam left the house—it was moved there later during the investigation.

Our first clear look at the garage area comes from either page 137 of “Sec_4_Primary_Scene.pdf” or page 203 of “Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf”, depending on which was taken first. Both conclusively show that the box was not in front of the door on the night of December 14th. There is nothing obstructing the door at all:

In contrast, Powell’s photos are from page 93 of “Sec 4 -Scene Search Day 3.pdf”, taken on the 16th, and page 651 of “Sec 5 – Back-up Scene 1.pdf”, taken on the 15th—after the box had been moved into place as part of the investigation process.

“And of course the man who delivered the oil didn’t see the wrecked door even though he had to pass it to fill the oil tank. He didn’t investigate and did not call the  police.”

If the implication is that Adam simply drove through the garage door (spoiler: he didn’t), then why does it even matter whether the door could open or close afterward? Either way, it wouldn’t have been in good shape.

But Adam didn’t damage the garage door; this was one of the tactical team’s breach points during their entry. Naturally, the oil delivery man—who told police he visited the home between 9:30 and 10 a.m.—wouldn’t have seen the garage door in this condition. Why? Because the breach occurred hours later.

This chapter would’ve benefited greatly if at least one of its two co-authors had bothered to read the final report. From CFS 1200705354, “Sec 1 – Initial Reports.pdf”:

“Neither wood lice nor earwigs stay in houses during winter. That is their mating season and they seek out the garden in which to mate and live. The image is fabricated.”

There’s no telling how long these dead insects have been stuck in the tape, but look at us—suddenly we’ve got an amateur entomologist in the mix!

For the record, woodlice absolutely come indoors during winter weather as they seek warmth and moisture. They typically reproduce in the spring and summer, not mid-winter. As for earwigs, I couldn’t find anything suggesting they only stay outdoors during early winter. In fact, they’re known to seek food and shelter indoors when conditions get harsh.

I’d love to see Powell’s source for this bizarre claim. Oh, wait—he doesn’t provide one. What a shocker.

“The faked oil bill has been placed in the letterbox early on a frosty morning as one more fake effect to create the impression that a family was living here, which the evidence presented here refutes.”

So now the oil bill is fake too? Based on what exactly? Powell never says, because—surprise, surprise—there’s no basis for that claim. And the “evidence” presented here? Well, that’s just typical Powell sleight-of-hand.

Next: Chapter Eight: “Setting The Stage: Refurbishing The School” by Allan William Powell