Tom Meekma's eyes shifted to his television screen. The words pierced the national airwaves, quickly immersing the country. "Don't eat, don't sleep, because we are coming for you." There is little doubt the tragic kidnapping and murder of Samantha Runnion struck certain chords for the retired sheriff of Dodge County, Wis.

He had likely responded to similar cases during his 10-year career. It was the way in which Sheriff Mike Carona, his counterpart from Orange County, addressed a vigilant nation the evening of
Thursday, July 18, 2002, that caught Meekma's eye. The compassion. The courage. The risk of guaranteeing that a man capable of taking a 5-year-old girl from her own front yard and the nest day killing her would be found and brought to justice.

Carona’s demeanor caught the attention of Dr. Irene Matz (Human Communication Studies). She was one of millions who watched the case unfold on national television. When the police arrested Alejandro Avila July 18—three days after Runnion’s body was found in Riverside County-many saw Carona as a hero. Matz also saw him as a prime example for the new paradigm of leadership she was researching.

“It was such a high-profile case that I just got caught up in it,” Matz said. “Not only the horrific nature of the abduction and the murder but also the leadership component of it.” Matz waited a few weeks before calling the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. She spent the time reading newspapers and filing video footage on the case, compiling a list of questions for her first of two interviews with Carona.

“He was very receptive to me,” Matz said. “I am sure he must have done some kind of investigation on who I was. They were giving me information and evidence that people didn’t have. They really trusted me.” Matz learned that Corona had an extensive support network already in place and that, right after the case broke, he had identified the leaders of key organizations in the area.

“(Carona)” had a friend who worked for the Los Angeles department and was involved in the (1992) riots,” Matz said. “Once of the problems (that department had) was not knowing who the different leaders of each of the areas were.” Matz felt compelled to focus her case study on the communication process and leadership that took place over the four-day span. Already a five-time published author, she contacted Mickael Terault, the director of publications for Sheriff Magazine.

A detailed timeline of events, an account of eyewitness testimony and evidence, and a discussion of Carona’s leadership comprise the eight-page article published in the national trade publication’s July-August 2005 edition. Matz said she was asked by the sheriff’s department to hold publication until after Avila’s postponed trial and sentencing. The long downtime gave her a chance to reflect on the incident, check her facts, and prepare for the emotional task of being a reporter in the courtroom.

“The night before the trial began, I went to bed thinking, ‘Do I want to go?’” Matz said. “I knew it would be emotional. I knew it would be heart-wrenching.” Still, she went, the first to arrive at the courtroom and one of the last to leave. The professor recounts many of her observations throughout the case study. “Death,” came the jury’s decision, read aloud by the court clerk.

For a moment, time stood still. This excerpt, taken from Matz’ powerful but eloquently written lead paragraph, is telling of her personal investment in the case. Nearly three years of her life. One of Matz’ greatest struggles initially was deciding if her case study would be scholarly synopsis or a practical account. The nature of the case made the decision for her. “My goal was that people would read this and be able to take something away from it and do their job better,” Matz said.

When Meekma emailed Sheriff Magazine on July 18, 2005, to commend the professionalism of Carona he watched on television three years ago, he was equally impressed by Matz’ article.
“The article about the Runnion case should be adopted as ‘required reading’ for every police agency in the United States. What an excellent ‘in-service’ training tool this could be!” Meekma wrote in his email.

It appears Matz, who has plans to interview individuals from Riverside County and write a more scholarly account of the collaboration for publication in either a criminal justice or communications journal, has accomplished her goal.

Contributed by Kevin Metz (Journalism 06)