Where is Shelly Miscavige?

I just finished reading Janet Reitman's book, "Inside Scientology:  the Story of America's Most Secretive Religion."  Good read, and worth looking into.  I have always held that Scientology is a scam and a very dangerous cult, especially under the leadership of its current "Chairman of the Board" (because the title "Pope" was already taken and "Prophet" always has that crazy ring to it), David Miscavige.  L. Ron Hubbard was a huckster; Miscavige sounds like a psychopath.  I was struck how at the death of that old snake oil salesman, "Ron as his associates liked to call him, Miscavige's grab for power of Scientology reminded me of how Breshnev grabbed power from Khrushchev - except Pat  Broeker didn't get to go on a bear hunt.  And he didn't get a comfortable pension, either.

The most disturbing part of the book, for me, dealt with the story of Lisa McPherson.  Her story has been told many times, but I feel I want to tell it again, for this poor woman's sake,.  Lisa was special - in Scientology jargon, she reached the first step on the bridge to Nirvana by being declared "clear" . . . by a very special auditor, David Miscavige.  Except his auditing skills evidently had gorwn rusty, what with assuming the role of Heir Apparent, because Lisa proved to be more "muddled," to be kind, when her mental illness caught up with her and on November 18, 1995, she had a psychotic breakdown after being involved in a minor traffic acident - although physically unhurt, she removed all her clothes and was walking outside her car, mentally unstable. 

Now, whether you believe her condition was caused or exacerbated by Scientology, that point is moot after what happened next.  On the day of her accident, Lisa appeared physically fit; in fact, one EMT described her figure as "voluptuous."  She was taken to a local hospital and soon thereafter checked herself out against medical advice, when members of the Church came and got her.  She was taken to the Church's hotel, the Ft. Harrison Hotel in Clearwater.  Eighteen days later she was dead, on December 5, 1995.  An autopsy was performed on December 6, 1995.  Putting aside an argument as to what was the cause of death, it noted: 

The body is that of a normally developed white female who appears 32 years of age and is of average nutritional status measuring 69 inches and weighing 108 pounds. 

An orotracheal tube is in place. Intravenous puncture sites are present in the right antecubital fossa and an intravenous line is present in the left antecubital fossa. EKG pasties are present on the right and left wrists. On the dorsal aspect of the left wrist an intravenous line is present.  [This is from the "treatment" Lisa received at the Ft. Harrison Hotel, not from any emergency treatment to revive her, as she was brought dead on arrival by her Scientology "handlers" to a hospital some 45 minutes from the hotel when her health failed finally]. 

Mirror image" 1/4 inch drying abrasions are present at the tip of the nose. The nasal bone is intact. Crusted blood is present at the  nares. Crusted brown dried material is present within the mouth, on the lips; crusted (dried) material is present on the eyelids.  

The dorsal aspect of the right lower arm just above the wrist is remarkable for showing several crusted confluent dark brown lesions consistent with "insect/animal bites."  

Additionally bruises of the scaling-appearing lesions are present on the dorsum of the hands and feet also are submitted.

The report goes on and I suggest you take the time to read it.  In short, bruises and bug bites point to one thing - Lisa was tied up during those 18 days.  In a hotel room.  At death, 6'9" and weighing just 108 pounds.  What the hell happened?

To appreciate how horriic her condition was, take a look at the autopsy photos (warning:  extremely graphic and NSFW).  I note that this set does not contain the one close-up of her face.  You can see it here; I find it hard to look at.

Seeing this makes me angry, because all the Church did was cover up, cover up, and attack, attack, using the money it had at its disposal.  Nothing happened in a criminal court.  The Church reached a settlement with Lisa's family that contains the conditions of non-disclosure.

Rat bastards.  My Christianity is tested.  I don't wish eternal damnation upon anyone, but if the Lord saw fit to send Ron there, I am expecting he is saving a seat for David Miscavige.

But . . . one thing that I expected Reitman's book to touch upon is the fact that no one has seen Shelly Miscavige, David Miscavige's wife, since 2006.

In February 2011, Lawrence Wright wrote a profile of a high level defector from Scientology, Hollywood director and screenwriter, Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby).  One paragraph states:

[David Miscavige's] word is absolute, and he imposes his will even on some of the people closest to him. According to Rinder and Brousseau, in June, 2006, while Miscavige was away from the Gold Base, his wife, Shelly, filled several job vacancies without her husband’s permission. Soon afterward, she disappeared. Her current status is unknown. Tommy Davis told me, “I definitely know where she is,” but he won’t disclose where that is.

Tommy Davis is the official spokeman for the Church of Scientology.  What the hell?  When asked about someone who certainly is highly placed and well-known in the ranks of Scientology - she's the Pope's wife, fer crissake - but who has not been seen for some five years, to say, "oh yeah, I know where she is . . . but I'm not saying."

Does anyone else smell absolute bullshit in that answer?

Because before 2006, she was at David's side constantly and was said to be very protective of him, vicious almost towards those people she believed could harm him or who did not show absolute loyalty.

David Miscavige effectvely took control in 1980, and definitely was top dog with Hubbard's death in 1986.  So, for twenty years, there is Shelly, stading by her husband's side until . . . poof.

Did I use a reference to the old Soviet Union?  They had scores of people whose job was to alter old photorgaphs to remove members of the Politburo who fell from favor.  But at least the Soviets had the decency of kangaroo courts and public denouncements so you knew whether it was the gulag or a bullet to the back of the head.

Where is Shelly Miscavige?

Miscavige, a firearms enthusiast, introduced Cruise to skeet shooting at the compound, according to an ex-member who said the actor was so grateful that he sent an automated clay-pigeon launcher to replace an older, hand-pulled model.

Dead men - and women - tell no tales . . .