Five Years

Five years ago today I wrote my first blog post about a missing contractor in Iraq. If you had tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I would still be following that same story five years later, I wouldn't have believed you.

Fast forward, five years later.

Because of this blog, I've 'met' a lot of people from an incredibly wide range of backgrounds. They share an interest in the events in Iraq 2003 at Ultra Services - the disappearance of Kirk von Ackermann and the death of Ryan Manelick. Today, there remain more questions than answers.

In August of 2006, the US Army's CID determined Kirk von Ackermann was abducted and killed by insurgents in a botched kidnapping attempt. A presumption of death certificate was issued for von Ackermann. The case of his colleague, Ryan Manelick, remains open.

There are those who would like to believe von Ackermann and Manelick's employer, John Dawkins, was responsible. Until proven otherwise, I believe John Dawkins is innocent. In fact, I believe Dawkins was intended to be the victim - and that Kirk von Ackermann was killed due to mistaken identity. While there may well have been fraud at Ultra Services, I don't believe it is connected to what occurred.

To be crystal clear - I am, as far as I know, the only person who believes in the above version of events.