littledog

I've held off from commenting, but some things are going to have to be clarified by the deceased's friends.

1. The deceased was in Thailand for approx. 30 days and not a long term resident as has been stated by some.

2. The deceased had visited Thailand previously, and that is how he is reported to have met his g/f.

3. He is reported to have been recovering from wounds sustained on the battlefield and yet he was fit enough to train in muay thai? I don't know what version he was studying, but from what i know about the activity, it is grueling, intense and can inflict serious injury, even if in training only. I wonder what type of injury he sustained that would allow him to take on muay thai?

However, let's assume that he was indeed injured. Would he really be looking to get into a big punchout, particularly if he was nursing an injury?

4. My experience with veterans particularly those that have been in severe combat situations is that they tend to be mellow peaceful guys. They've had their share of fighting and are not looking for more. Yes, there are exceptions, but the locals describe Mr. Longfellow as a decent fellow, so I can't see him looking for trouble.

5. I don't know how many people have talked to some of the younger US service personnel, but it may come as a surprise to you, that they are for the most part, polite and well mannered. Yes, they can get into problems, but that is a reflection of their yourth, and not their uniform. If anything, these guys are more restrained than guys of similar age that have not been in the service. Simply put, most of these guys don't go looking for fights. Honest, they don't.

The more I read up on this case, the more that I get the feeling that Mr. Longfellow merely stood up to a bully. And therein lies the tragedy. What some of the earlier smartasses don't get is that when guys like Mr. Longfellow are removed from the picture, the nasty people try and take over. It's people like Mr. Longfellow that keep the idiots in check and make it safe for some of us to get about and do our jobs.

An incredibly sad , sad story.

He was in Phuket earlier that year then went home for a few weeks before coming back. Probably 5 mths in total he was in Phuket. He had old scars but they didn't affect him training, he wasn't nursing a broken arm or anything like that. He was one of the nicest guys anyone could ever meet, everyone liked him.

Did I read earlier that Lee found out where he lived from someone at the bar???

Shawn was a great guy and did not deserve this. Can't quite believe this has happened.

I hope Lee rots in jail for this.