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Dragon otherkin Starblade, 26, stabbed to death

Edited as of Sun 20 Feb 2011 - 17:19
Your rating: None Average: 4.2 (5 votes)

Matthew Paul Finnigan (26), also known as Starblade Enkai, died 22 September 2010 – apparently after being stabbed in a friend's apartment. The suspect, James Torrey Hill, has plead not guilty to murder and is being held in custody.

Starblade was a controversial figure in fandom, best known for inspiring the "FYIAD" meme.

Update (20 Feb 2011): More news has emerged on the killer, who apparently had a preoccupation with the idea of killing someone, and stabbed Starblade because he was "sick of his life", "sick of school", and "might as well go to jail." [tip: rodox_video]

Comments

Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

I'm gonna sound like a tard, but what's the "FYIAD" meme?

Also, do any of you think he was stabbed because of his beliefs?

Your rating: None Average: 2 (4 votes)

The first link on Google for "FYIAD" pretty much says it all (even though it links to ED)...

Frankly, I fail to see the whole picture here because nobody gives us the "why"s of this case. Does it make sense that the guy gets stabbed in his friend's apartment? By his friend? Afterall, I don't think we're talking about online friends here (where you click "Add Friend" on facebook and a person you don't even know suddenly becomes your friend)... Hell, even if you were a homophobic racist and he wasn't really your friend, would you still dare to actually end his life for his (or your) beliefs or the fact that you hate him so much?.. Would you not think about what happens when his corpse is discovered?..

Of course there are people that are capable of that, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't add up for me...

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

I've added a link. It's an unfortunate thing to be remembered for, but there you go.

I suspect given both individuals were residents in the same group of apartments and attended the same college, the issue was probably more personal than ideological - but we'll have to wait and see to be sure.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

They were also apparently both part of the same program that helps people with emotional or mental (?) problems through college.

Your rating: None Average: 2.6 (8 votes)

Fifty dollars says someone will blame "trolls" or say "fursecution" on this page before this is over.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Well, I wouldn't know, but we don't know if the friend was a fur or not. If he was, it'd be the first furry fan committing murder I've ever heard of, fictional or real. (CSI the furry didn't kill their friend, but left them in a position which lead to their demise)

Your rating: None Average: 3 (1 vote)

Furries are people too, the vast majority of murders are by someone they know, why would this be any different.
Also I was cracking a joke.
You know that does raise a good point though, if when drama comes up the fandom just said "we're people, why would not happen outside the fandom?" it would defuse MOST drama, then again most drama would end if furries just didn't give a care.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

I say that often, but as bad as furry drama has gotten, until this point I never saw anyone end up dead over it.

Which is to say a lot since it happens amongst people all the time.

I'm not surprised it happened eventually, just surprised it took this long.

I may be wrong, but if it did occur prior to this, it should be easy enough to disprove I would think.

Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

Statistically speaking it is impossible for there to not have been a furry killing another furry, it's probably just the first documented case.

........
Oh wait I made a serious post, I never do that.
I guess Starblade's friend had commando on.
There, now it's not serious.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Improbable, but until I see evidence otherwise, heck we don't even know if this guy he was friends with was even one. Not all friends of furries are furries.

Not saying it's impossible for a fur to murder, just that it is not all that common. Uncommon enough that despite having pretty much verbatim records of loads of drama over the past 1.5 decades, there are no other recorded murder cases. Something could have fallen through the cracks, but I can't say what I can't see with 100% certainty. And with how much furs pick on the smallest things on one another, murder is quite a thing to fall through the way side.

As they say on the webs, links or it didn't happen.

Your rating: None Average: 3.3 (3 votes)

I didn't know anyone actually used the expression "fursecution". I've seen people joke about it but I've never seen the phrase used seriously. Trolls clearly aren't to blame in this case.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

So sad.. so many deaths in the fandom lately.

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The longer you're in community, and the bigger the community is, deaths within will occur at higher frequency.

Your rating: None Average: 2.7 (3 votes)

According to my sources, this individual had received death threats prior to the accident. Unfortunately, a majority that heard of it didn't really believe him because of past "attention grabbing" claims. I think that's a hard lesson for some of those that make tall tales. Boy who cried wolf, for certain.

It's also a lesson that those that will do harm to you are usually those that are closer to you.

If he was a mental patient along with Starblade, there might have been no reason or motivation at all if he befriended someone more off kilter then himself.

It sucks that it had to end with such a violent and senseless death, I think everyone deserves to live their life out, unless that individual shows he thinks they have the right to cut other's short.

Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

Man...you can't even trust your friends anymore? The fuck is this world coming to?
Everyone has two faces, I guess :-/

Your rating: None Average: 2.7 (3 votes)

It really depends, I think the biggest problem with the world is that we are quick to jump between an acquaintance and a friend, so much so that the word acquaintance is almost extinct.

Your rating: None Average: 2.7 (3 votes)

I know it's gonna come off as spam, but really, the situation calls for it, cause I literally have no words.

……………………………………..________
………………………………,.-‘”……………….“~.,
………………………..,.-”……………………………..“-.,
…………………….,/………………………………………..”:,
…………………,?………………………………………………\,
………………./…………………………………………………..,}
……………../………………………………………………,:`^`..}
……………/……………………………………………,:”………/
…………..?…..__…………………………………..:`………../
…………./__.(…..“~-,_…………………………,:`………./
………../(_….”~,_……..“~,_………………..,:`…….._/
……….{.._$;_……”=,_…….“-,_…….,.-~-,},.~”;/….}
………..((…..*~_…….”=-._……“;,,./`…./”…………../
…,,,___.\`~,……“~.,………………..`…..}…………../
…………(….`=-,,…….`……………………(……;_,,-”
…………/.`~,……`-………………………….\……/\
………….\`~.*-,……………………………….|,./…..\,__
,,_……….}.>-._\……………………………..|…………..`=~-,
…..`=~-,_\_……`\,……………………………\
……………….`=~-,,.\,………………………….\
…………………………..`:,,………………………`\…………..__
……………………………….`=-,……………….,%`>–==“
…………………………………._\……….._,-%…….`\
……………………………..,< `.._|_,-&``................`\

Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

I think that's a righteous statement considering the circumstances. I will join you in a heavy *sigh...*

Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)

Heh. A few years ago, this guy stalked a good friend of mine. Chased him all around the fandom, and made some pretty threatening comments. From what I gathered after that event, he's done that a lot, and built up a solid array of enemies. The fact that there are few details being released and that a preliminary trial is being held (or was held) on October 1 is interesting. I wonder if this was self defense and the police/DA are hoping to get it to a jury trial and not wanting to taint the pool.

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He had a troubling lifestyle i wouldn't argue that, but with 20/20 hindsight vision it seems to me that when he received these threats he started to try and make amends and actually was trying to find a way to douse his reputation.

"I wish people would make a list of all the things I need to clear up so my reputation in the fandom is cleared." - Starblade (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1700224/)

But reputations are like a drug, once you have one in the eyes of others, it's harder then hell to kick the persona. First impressions are very important, not only to how those around you perceive you, but also, how you perceive yourself. In a minor way, the persona he played in turn had some part of the equation in his death. Not as much as the actions of his 'friend' had of course, but his own actions, past and present had some role in the equation. Though, in the end, that's true of pretty much anyone I suppose.

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I still wonder why this man ends up stabbed in the suspect's apartment. There's something that the police are holding back here about the victim that is contained in the motive. I mean, I don't see a motive here. If this friend was such a threat, and if he made the threats, why would starblade go to his place?

I think the threats don't exist. I think the reality is that starblade threatened and stalked the wrong person, and the police got involved, and his university told him to shape up or he was out. So I think he finally got the message and started to shape up.

Whatever happened the night he was murdered was a snap incident. The lack of motive published is disturbing.

Your rating: None Average: 4.7 (3 votes)

I watched this guy for years. He had other identities before he was "Starblade" though it's hard to get solid evidence linking him to all of them. The thing is, it seems that when he was an early teenager - around 1998 - he got on the internet and for whatever reason when immediately crazy with his dragon obsession. Finnegan actually got his start on the famous Alt.Fan.Dragons newsgroup as several different persona, such as "Talbain Nova". In fact, that was his M.O - he would make and then drop names and characters like crazy as soon as his antics got one character ostracized. Which didn't take long!

Perhaps most unsettlingly, is that he engaged in early fandom identity theft. He became particularly obsessed with two or three people in the early 'otherkin' community via A.F.D. He went onto the old Dalnet IRC network and stole the nick of one when it accidentally deregged. He then pretended to be that person for months without their knowledge, spreading truly insane stories in their name. Many related to sexual perversions.

I found out later from the actual individual in question that Finnegan, under the next alt following "Nova", began personally stalking and emailing them, constantly screaming that they had stolen his "astral identity" and he had taken their identity because, err, well, he was really them. Or something like that. And that they were trying to take over, and I swear you can't make this up, Finnegan's "homeworld". I... don't know how that works, and I've seen people believe some wild stuff in my time.

But that seemed to be the thing for Starblade. His brand of autism made him like a sponge; he soaked up whatever caught his fancy and then became totally married to it as his only reality. Be it whatever iteration of what he convinced himself was his "otherkiness" he was on that week, or a specific person who he just had to know everything about and force to be involved with interacting with himself.

One of his last journal entries on the internet expressed the desire to see a presumed conspirator - who likely didn't exist - banned from the internet itself by every ISP in the world. And I don't think he was being sarcastic. At the moment he wrote that post, he likely believed there was a way to contact the ISP Overlord and request a lifetime ban from every terminal in the world. It doesn't mean he believed that the next day.

I relate these stories anonymousely not as postmortem character assassination. I had nothing against Matthew Finnegan and stayed well out of his radar range finder, after hearing in detail my friends' experiences. I suppose it just seems worth ruminating on the profound weirdness and extremity of this personality. In a sad way, Finnegan was quite remarkable. It's just too bad that unlike many people, he couldn't find a healthy way to harness his oddity, his strange energy, and out of the box thinking. Maybe he was trying as he got older; charity asks that people at least give him the benefit of a doubt for that.

Your rating: None Average: 3.5 (2 votes)

I'm being a little OCD with this comment but I think his fursona should be Starblade Enkai, not Enaki.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Goodness, yes, it should be. Thanks for the note.

Your rating: None Average: 1 (3 votes)

He was killed by a juggalo.

The suspected murderer's myspace page.

http://www.myspace.com/katlover08

Ctrl+F Juggalo

Betting 100:1 this is what Huey Freeman would call a 'nigga moment.'

Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

The colors, they burn!

Your rating: None Average: 3 (1 vote)

This isn't going to be bode well for autistic/aspergers furs. As if we don't have enough issues as it is....

Your rating: None Average: 2.5 (2 votes)

Well, Starblade , and his killer, were both Juggalos. They both had heavy negative influences, and both had history of making violent threats against others.

That one of them ended up on the pointy end of a knife shouldn't surprise anyone, really.

Your rating: None Average: 3 (1 vote)

Starblade was an Objectivist, though he'd really be *anything* if he thought it a way to get closer to certain people.

How did you know his murderer had a history of making threats?

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

I read his facebook page.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)

Juggalo, human, furry...whatever you are. Anyone can kill anyone. We don't know why this person was killed, we don't know the whole story. What I can tell you is this, it's always best to be cautious of what you say, of who your friends with, in or out of the fandom, there is always danger lurking somewhere. But I am sure some of you know that, but not all. It's a shame someone had to die over something.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Or die over nothing, which is possible as well...

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It's an obstacle in life that we are cursed with, "we" as in any form of life. Death sucks :\ I had my share of drama in the past, but I hope it doesn't end this way. It's sad.

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Shit, there essentially was no motive, the guy wanted blood, and Matthew was an easy target, he didn't know the guy was going to attack him. He was very trusting in person, and befriended those who many wouldn't because he had sympathy for them, those rejected as he was in certain situations, misunderstood souls, such as his murderer, who apparently had anger issues. Too bad teaching yourself calculus when you're 12 and quantum physics in highschool doesn't teach you who you can and cannot trust. I wish I could say more, but it has to wait till after the trials, which should start in a couple months. Once those are over, and the evidence is unleashed, and hopefully the murderer is in jail, more can be known.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (5 votes)

But anyways, may he rest in peace.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Amen.

Your rating: None Average: 4.5 (2 votes)

its sad to see another otherkin go.. just knowing he is a dragon-kin makes me feel like cousins..

FURSECUTION!!!

Collie and Lace

Your rating: None Average: 5 (3 votes)

There's some more thoughts on this from Baxil that I think are worth linking for future readers.

Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)

More news has emerged on the killer, who apparently had a preoccupation with the idea of killing someone, and stabbed Starblade because he was "sick of his life", "sick of school", and "might as well go to jail." [tip: rodox_video]

Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)

Jesus, at least honorable people commit suicide when they feel that way...

Sadly it seems my "die over nothing" comment was accurate.

Your rating: None Average: 2.8 (11 votes)

Fuck you, I'm a dra -- URRKKK!!!!!

Your rating: None Average: 4.2 (5 votes)

Kind of in poor taste there.... though I would lie if I didn't have a version in my head that was of his tombstone saying "Fuck you, I was a dragon."

I don't make light of murder, though death is another story.

Your rating: None Average: 1.8 (6 votes)

Police have discovered photographic evidence of the moment of murder:

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge2.html

Your rating: None Average: 1.5 (2 votes)

ED makes a mockery of his murder. Along the lines of the quote " " -Shortly after being stabbed to death.

Your rating: None Average: 4 (2 votes)

What does ED not make a mockery of?

Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)

My quote was better.

Your rating: None

So, what happened with this case? Was the killer sent to the electric chair?

Your rating: None

No, but he was sentenced to 26 years to life.

Your rating: None

I hate seeing people victim blaming Starblade for what happened to them. I knew them online from the time we were kids and I also met them offline a few times when we were adults. We were friends, I know Star liked to stir the pot online, but shi was actully a really kind person. Shi struggled with social cues and was a little naive in rl. Her killer took advantage of this and her kindness which made her an easy victim because shi did not fight back. The killer was a sociopath who had tried and failed to kill two others the same day. The court transcript is online but fair warning it will give you nightmares. I talked to Star a few weeks prior to hir death and shi told me how cool shi thought the person who ended up hir killing was. It is heartbreaking to thinkbabout what this individual did and to see people making fun of hir and dragging hir name through the mud. Shi did nothing to deserve this, and shi is not a joke.

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About the author

GreenReaper (Laurence Parry)read storiescontact (login required)

a developer, editor and Kai Norn from London, United Kingdom, interested in wikis and computers

Small fuzzy creature who likes cheese & carrots. Founder of WikiFur, lead admin of Inkbunny, and Editor-in-Chief of Flayrah.