High Councilman arrested for filming a woman getting undressed

[bluebell]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mormon-high-priest-put-creepy-131805726.html

Quote

 

A high councilor with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was removed from his position on the administration of several Salt Lake City congregations after he was accused of filming a woman in an H&M dressing room.

Steven Murdock, an affidavit alleges, presented himself as an employee and guided the young woman, Alondra Alcala, into a room to try on clothes at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville on Tuesday. When Alcala began changing, she told officers that she saw a black object at the corner of her stall—then realized it was a phone. 

“I thought it was a joke,” Alcala told FOX 17. “I thought it was a prank, I thought somebody was just messing with me."

When Alcala emerged, Murdock reportedly came out of the next stall and tried to delete the photos. When Alcala moved to call police, Murdock’s wife allegedly stepped in to try and settle the issue “peacefully” without alerting authorities, The Tennessean reported. 

“I was kind of cornering him, kind of grabbing his arms, and I did watch him delete photos of me on his phone,” said Alcala. “Thankfully I was able to slap it out of his hand and take it and run out.”

Police arrested Murdock on a misdemeanor charge of unlawful photography, and he was later released from jail the following morning on a $1,000 bond, according to The Tennessean. 

“Unfortunately, I felt disgusted with myself. I felt like what did I do wrong, what if I wouldn’t have done this, or wouldn’t have worn this,” Alcala said. “I did feel violated, I felt gross, why is this happening to me?”

Church spokesperson Eric Hawkins confirmed Monday to WKRN-TV that Murdock was a high councilor and former bishop with the church. Both are volunteer positions, said the spokesman.

“This type of behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated from any church member,” Hawkins said. “When local leaders learned of the arrest and charges, he was immediately removed from all responsibilities.”

Murdock may also have his church privileges restricted or face a loss of membership, said Hawkins.

“It’s just disappointing to see that, especially someone in that position, isn’t meeting that same position themselves,” one parishioner told a local news station in Salt Lake City.

H&M’s headquarters said this week that the store is cooperating with local authorities in the investigation. 

“The safety and well-being of our customers is our first priority,” said the statement.

Murdock is expected to appear in court on Sept. 6.

“It can happen to anyone,” Alcala told local reporters. “Anyone can be a victim of this: men, women, children, anybody. I would just say be alert, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t be afraid to speak up, because this sort of stuff is real.” 

 

Yuck!

[Duncan]

I saw that! no pun intended😏 i'm going to throw this out there but probably not his first time

[MorningStar]

Barf! Down with all perverts! 

[LoudmouthMormon]

Quote

When Alcala moved to call police, Murdock’s wife allegedly stepped in to try and settle the issue “peacefully” without alerting authorities, The Tennessean reported. 

[and from the Tennessean story]

Quote

When police arrived, the affidavit continues, she also told an officer that Murdock's wife "approached her an asked her to settle this peacefully without getting police involved."

While we're tossing around our yucks and barfs, how about throwing some of that the wife's way?  Wife's actions were somewhere between misguided out of shock, and downright evil.

Edited August 20, 2019 by LoudmouthMormon

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

[and from the Tennessean story]

While we're tossing around our yucks and barfs, how about throwing some of that the wife's way?  Wife's actions were somewhere between misguided and downright evil.

Seriously.  She's the worst kind of enabler.  

[Tacenda]

I recently saw a news release, not front page at all, of my son's friend's father-in-law. He was caught in a chat with who he thought was a young 14 year old girl and had scheduled to meet her, but it was an undercover cop. This was a great family man and look what it has done to their lives, affected his children's and wife's lives, everything uprooted. What causes men to do these things, risk so much? I see it over and over again. 

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, Tacenda said:

I recently saw a news release, not front page at all, of my son's friend's father-in-law. He was caught in a chat with who he thought was a young 14 year old girl and had scheduled to meet her, but it was an undercover cop. This was a great family man and look what it has done to their lives, affected his children's and wife's lives, everything uprooted. What causes men to do these things, risk so much? I see it over and over again. 

All good questions Tac.  I'm not sure what is messed up with the psychologically to cause them to do it but I think it all boils down to being incredibly selfish.

[The Nehor]

1 minute ago, Tacenda said:

I recently saw a news release, not front page at all, of my son's friend's father-in-law. He was caught in a chat with who he thought was a young 14 year old girl and had scheduled to meet her, but it was an undercover cop. This was a great family man and look what it has done to their lives, affected his children's and wife's lives, everything uprooted. What causes men to do these things, risk so much? I see it over and over again. 

Welcome to the age of readily available anonymously accessible pornography. Please try not to run away screaming.

[Tacenda]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

Welcome to the age of readily available anonymously accessible pornography. Please try not to run away screaming.

I'm about out of posts, so may need to edit this post. What do you mean, "please try not to run away screaming"?

[Thinking]

8 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Seriously.  She's the worst kind of enabler.  

She might be more than an enabler.

[The Nehor]

Just now, bluebell said:

All good questions Tac.  I'm not sure what is messed up with the psychologically to cause them to do it but I think it all boils down to being incredibly selfish.

In this specific case I would guess an addiction to the thrill of risk mixed with the rush you can get exercising power and control over someone by secretly violating them.

For his wife to be so cognizant of what was going on to try to talk her out of it instead of reeling in shock suggests she may have been supportive....either to try to satiate her husband’s creepiness or she enjoyed it as well. Most perverts operate alone or with those “in on it” and do not bring an unwitting spouse along for obvious reasons.

If the story as reported is true the sad thing is the punishment will probably not be very high.

[The Nehor]

7 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

I'm about out of posts, so may need to edit this post. What do you mean, "please try not to run away screaming"?

I am suggesting this is a horrible era and encourage everyone not to run away screaming even though doing so is a rational response. Nothing directed at you specifically.

[bluebell]

9 minutes ago, Thinking said:

She might be more than an enabler.

Maybe.  

[ALarson]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

In this specific case I would guess an addiction to the thrill of risk mixed with the rush you can get exercising power and control over someone by secretly violating them.

For his wife to be so cognizant of what was going on to try to talk her out of it instead of reeling in shock suggests she may have been supportive....either to try to satiate her husband’s creepiness or she enjoyed it as well. Most perverts operate alone or with those “in on it” and do not bring an unwitting spouse along for obvious reasons.

If the story as reported is true the sad thing is the punishment will probably not be very high.

Maybe not legally, but the pain and embarrassment this will cause his family is sad.  Just imagine if you were one of his kids?  Ugh.

And the neighbors are talking....and at least saying nice things about him to the press:

Quote

 

People who live in Murdock’s neighborhood were very quick to stand up for him, describing him as a great man with a beautiful family.

Neighbors confirmed Murdock used to be a bishop at his ward in Holladay before serving on his stake’s high council.

One man, who asked to remain anonymous, said he just listened to Murdock’s speak at his ward a couple months ago.

“I enjoyed his talk, thought he seemed dynamic and personable,” the man said. “I do feel really bad for his family and hope that they can all recover from this, but I was pretty disappointed… I would guess that he’ll be released.”

 

 

[ALarson]

11 minutes ago, Thinking said:

She might be more than an enabler.

I agree.

Quote

 

Alcala said she confronted Murdock and witnessed him trying to delete the lewd photos from his phone. She also said Murdock’s wife tried to convince her to make a “deal” by not calling police.

“Thankfully I was able to slap (the phone) out of his hand and take it and run out,” Alcala said.

Arresting documents state that Murdock “guided her to an open dressing room stall.”

 

Is that last sentence referring to him or his wife ("Murdock")?  Weird....

[bluebell]

1 minute ago, ALarson said:

I agree.

Is that last sentence referring to him or his wife ("Murdock")?  Weird....

I read it as referring to him.

[HappyJackWagon]

4 minutes ago, ALarson said:

Maybe not legally, but the pain and embarrassment this will cause his family is sad.  Just imagine if you were one of his kids?  Ugh.

And the neighbors are talking....and at least saying nice things about him to the press:

 

That was one of my first thoughts as well.

The guy is a serious creeper. Maybe the wife is too, but my first thought was that she wanted to avoid the pain and embarrassment for her husband, herself, and her entire family. Her attempt to "cover it up" was really just an attempt at self-preservation. Who knows what the impact will be to the family re: church, but also financially, and socially.

[clarkgoble]

4 hours ago, Duncan said:

I saw that! no pun intended😏 i'm going to throw this out there but probably not his first time

Almost certainly. And it makes one wonder what else he's guilty of if he feels confident to do this sort of thing. I can't see him avoiding excommunication particularly given his place of responsibility.

37 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

The guy is a serious creeper. Maybe the wife is too, but my first thought was that she wanted to avoid the pain and embarrassment for her husband, herself, and her entire family. Her attempt to "cover it up" was really just an attempt at self-preservation. Who knows what the impact will be to the family re: church, but also financially, and socially.

Yeah, not to get political, but both my wife and I were aghast on the weekend hearing what the wife tried to do. Reminds me the tales of Hilary Clinton covering up Bill's escapades. I suppose it's possible in this case the wife has been emotionally browbeaten, but it sure looks awful. 

[Duncan]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

I recently saw a news release, not front page at all, of my son's friend's father-in-law. He was caught in a chat with who he thought was a young 14 year old girl and had scheduled to meet her, but it was an undercover cop. This was a great family man and look what it has done to their lives, affected his children's and wife's lives, everything uprooted. What causes men to do these things, risk so much? I see it over and over again. 

ever watch that that show "to Catch a predator" with Chris Hansen? on ABC or NBC or PVC or something. There was a documentary some time ago on CBC on why do men cheat,if it's on youtube check it out

[bluebell]

40 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

That was one of my first thoughts as well.

The guy is a serious creeper. Maybe the wife is too, but my first thought was that she wanted to avoid the pain and embarrassment for her husband, herself, and her entire family. Her attempt to "cover it up" was really just an attempt at self-preservation. Who knows what the impact will be to the family re: church, but also financially, and socially.

That was my interpretation of her motives as well. 

[The Nehor]

2 minutes ago, clarkgoble said:

Almost certainly. And it makes one wonder what else he's guilty of if he feels confident to do this sort of thing. I can't see him avoiding excommunication particularly given his place of responsibility.

Yeah, not to get political, but both my wife and I were aghast on the weekend hearing what the wife tried to do. Reminds me the tales of Hilary Clinton covering up Bill's escapades. I suppose it's possible in this case the wife has been emotionally browbeaten, but it sure looks awful. 

This is worse. While the Clinton escapades were bad the women he was with at least consented. That coverup was to protect public image. This coverup all but guaranteed an increase in the number of victims.

[clarkgoble]

3 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

This is worse. While the Clinton escapades were bad the women he was with at least consented. That coverup was to protect public image. This coverup all but guaranteed an increase in the number of victims.

Umm. You know that's not correct? Right? But looking bad, I probably shouldn't have brought up politics. It's apt to derail the discussion. My apologies. I'll drop that angle.

In any case this guy is apt to be excommunicated and likely is going to have a lot of expenses for the criminal trial. 

[The Nehor]

6 minutes ago, clarkgoble said:

Umm. You know that's not correct? Right? But looking bad, I probably shouldn't have brought up politics. It's apt to derail the discussion. My apologies. I'll drop that angle.

In any case this guy is apt to be excommunicated and likely is going to have a lot of expenses for the criminal trial. 

I was referring to the events while he was in office specifically. Yes, there were other accusations before that that did not involve consent.

But yeah, it is irrelevant.

He probably will not be excommunicated until the criminal prosecution is over but I am betting there was an immediate release from his calling. Release generally happens even if church leadership is unsure if the crime actually happened or even is convinced they are innocent.

[The Nehor]

1 hour ago, ALarson said:

Maybe not legally, but the pain and embarrassment this will cause his family is sad.  Just imagine if you were one of his kids?  Ugh.

And the neighbors are talking....and at least saying nice things about him to the press:

 

I don’t buy the neighbor’s story. He was on the High Council and his talk was allegedly interesting and lively? Yeah, odds are against that.

Edited August 20, 2019 by The Nehor

[mfbukowski]

1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

Welcome to the age of readily available anonymously accessible pornography. Please try not to run away screaming.

Women do not seem to understand why it is such a problem or that it is such a problem. But discussing actual differences between men and women is verboten.