Saturday, February 15, 2014

Troy Lewis, Tragic Patriarch Who Lost Five Children In A Fire, Is One And The Same With Troy Lewis The Convicted Sex Offender From Chicago, Why These Ugly Facts Matter When Considered Against The Slumlord Practices Of People Like Paul Bertelson Who Prey Upon A Vulnerable Class Of Tenant...

Mug Shot, therefore public domain, blog post by John Hoff

Click here for a document.

Click here for another.

A Tragedy Of Biblical Proportions

Troy Lewis is a tragic figure like the Old Testament character of Job. Lewis lost five of his seven small children in a fire on Valentine's Day, and this after losing the mother of his children  Kim Davis (Kimberly Davis) to heart failure a few months back. The most cynical among us would not wish such a thing upon their worst enemies.

In light of everything being said about that second (and third) story apartment at 2818 Colfax Ave. N. and the situation with the heaters, if the ultimate report by the fire investigators lays any portion of blame upon the landlord then I hope Troy Lewis sues Paul "Slumlord Doing Good For Jesus" Bertelson until Bertelson doesn't have two nickels to toss into the church collection plate.

The fact Lewis was renting from Bertelson and the fact Lewis is indeed a convicted sex offender (smoking gun verification of THAT in the documents above, see previous article with troubling facts hinting at this situation) do not appear to be closely related facts, unless you know how slumlords habitually operate in our neighborhood where decades of bad city and county policy has allowed poverty to concentrate itself...


Slumlording 101 With Professor Bertelson

Slumlords, like the mealy-mouthed maggot Paul Bertelson, are wolves in sheep's clothing who prey upon the fact low income people with criminal records don't have a lot of choices and need to endure whatever slumlords dish out. In this instance, Troy Lewis is a convicted sex offender from Cook County, Illinois with seven small children who has already been evicted by another local slumlord, the notorious Mahmoud Khan. The precise detail of the sex crime conviction is unknown, though it was serious enough to require registration as a "predatory offender" back in 2008; a requirement Lewis ignored until brought up on charges for failing to register. The details, whatever they are, would be found in some kind of court file in Cook County, Illinois.

This is the precise class of people slumlords prey upon. The fact a sex offender doesn't get a lot of sympathy (especially from this blog, most of the time) just makes somebody like Lewis a more perfect victim for somebody like Bertelson. (And before that, Mahmoud Khan, see the document linked above listing an eviction)

This is not somebody with a lot of choices in life. So if the heaters on the second story of 2818 Colfax Ave. N. were not working or weren't putting out enough warmth, this is not a man who can call up his landlord and say, "My seven small children are cold and I'm cold, too, but not as cold as they are! By God, you better get somebody out here, Bertelson, or I'll get the city on your ass!"

No, this is somebody who has to wait, patiently, and muddle through no matter what the slumlord says, because where, realistically, is he going to go? The so-called "rights" tenants have are not something that will keep you warm in your car in Minnesota while you wait for your court date and, if you're lucky, a volunteer from a legal clinic to represent you. That's reality. And slumlords like Paul Bertelson exist in that dark, messy space between the high ideals of the law and the grim reality of winter in Minnesota in low-end rental housing.

Like A Plot By John Grisham

This situation with five dead children echoes a plot in "The Street Lawyer" by John Grisham. In that book, a woman with young children dies sleeping in a car because she has been illegally evicted. Admittedly, it's only a slight echoing of the plot because what you have are dead children and a slumlord; whatever actually happened on that second story will not be known until the fire department finishes its investigation, which is more of an art than a science.  So we have the beginning of the story. We'll see how the story ends.

Quiet, out of court settlement would be where I'd place my wager.

Yes, It's The Same Troy Lewis

The documents above shows that Troy Lewis, born January 23, 1954 and convicted in Chicago of a sex offense, came to Minnesota where at first he didn't properly register as a predatory offender. This same Troy Lewis is associated with Kimberly Davis ("Kim Davis") and lived with Kim Davis. The addresses linking Lewis and Kim Davis are smoking gun proof there are NOT two people named Troy Lewis, one a sex offender and the other a tragic figure who just lost five children and, a few months ago, the mother of his children Kim Davis.

Sadly, even more tragically, these men are one and the same man. This man is both deserving of our sympathy and the kind of person most people with good sense would hold at arm's length in light of his criminal record.

The addresses where Lewis and Davis lived together can be found by comparing the two "Been Verified" reports, above. The most recent address, 2818 Colfax Ave. N., is apparently too recent to show up on the Been Verified report.

It would be less messy to simply see "2818 Colfax Ave. N." on the reports, but the link between Troy Lewis and Kimberly Davis and the addresses where they both resided is proof enough when you compare the information in the two reports. If there's another Troy Lewis, age 60, associated with a Kim Davis and living with her at the same addresses, well, get a big steel umbrella because odds are we'll be hit by an asteroid in the next five minutes. (Yeah, the report says "59 years old" but look at the birthday listed and do the math. Step it up, "Been Verified," you're slipping)

Where To Go From Here?

How many more people have to die in burning buildings in North Minneapolis, or leap from burning buildings in North Minneapolis, before this city cracks down on slumlords the way it should? I would prefer a more sympathetic figure than convicted sex offender Troy Lewis to serve as a symbol of the class of people victimized by slumlords, but you can't trade in one reality for a different reality the way you can trade in a Honda.

This is what we have. Troy Lewis, warts and all. I know some people won't like this information being aired, but look on the bright side. Now you won't have to worry the information will come to light at an inconvenient moment. It came to light and so what? This man still deserves our sympathy.

And unless some kind of wild, unexpected, out-of-this-world facts come to light about the source of this fire...

Slumlord Paul Bertelson still needs to be sued.

54 comments:

Johnny Northside! said...

I am copying and pasting some commentary from a previous blog posting on this topic, as follows:

Anonymous Anonymous said...
YOU ARE A RACIST,ANTI BLACK PRO WHITE PIECE OF DOG POOP ONT HE BOTTOM OF ALL OUR SHOES... REGARDLESS OF HIS PAST HIS FRICKIN KIDS DIED!!!!!!!!!THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS PAST!!!!!! YOUR A BORED, LAME, PATHETIC, WASHED UP VET WHO UNCLE SAM NO LONGER NEEDED TO FIGHT YALL WHITE MANS WAR!!!!! KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!! HE HAS N NEITHER HAVE WE EVER TRIED TO HIDE HIS PAST!!!!!!!!! SO YOU DIDNT TELL US SOMETHING WE DIDNT KNOW!!!!! I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING YOUR DUMB ASS NEEDS TO KNOW N THINK ABOUT!!!!! FORMER SEX OFFENDER N ALL SON OF A BITCH!!!!!! HE HAS N HAD F U L L FUCKING SOLE AND LEGAL CUSTODY OF HIS FUCKING CHILDRENNNNNNNN!!!!!!SO WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT SAY??????!!!!!!!!!!GET THE FUCK OFFLINE WITH YOUR UNETHICAL,DEFAMATION OF A MAN WHO FIVE CHILDREN DIED, WET DOG(CUZ LORD KNOWS YOU SALTINES SMELL LIKE WET DOGS WHEN YALL GIT WET!!!!) SMELLING ASS!!!! WHAT YOU NEED TO BE BLOGGIN HONKEYYYYYY IS ALL YOUR MUTHAFUCKIN WET DOG SMELLING KIDS SHOOTIN UP OUR MUTHAFUCKING SCHOOLS!!!!!! YOU SORRY ASS EXCUSE FOR SPACE AND AIR!!!!!! FUCKKKKKK OFFFF N DIE!!!!! NOW GO BLOG THE NEXT MFING SCHOOL ONE OF YOUR FUNKY ASS KIND KIDS SHOOTING UP ANOTHER SCHOOL!!!!!! N ON BEHALF OF ALL MY MFING FAMILIES NAMES YOU WERE DRAGGING THROUGH THE MUD ON YOUR OTHER BLOG... THE FERGUSONS, CHAMPIONS,POWELLS,GOMEZ,NUNN,SLAUGHTERS,MCCASKELS,BOBOS,LLOYDS!!!!!! KISS ALL OUR MFING ASSES!!!!!!!!FUCK YOU UNCLE SAM REJECT!!!!! FU

February 15, 2014 at 9:05 PM
Delete
Anonymous Anonymous said...
GET THE FUCK OFF MY FAMILY!!!!
SON OF A BITCH... HE HAS FIVE DEAD CHILDREN!!!! THE LEWIS FAMILES!!!!!

February 15, 2014 at 9:08 PM
Delete


Blogger Johnny Northside! said...
Yes, well, I find myself not in agreement with a convicted sex offender having legal custody of children. And since you say there's no attempt to hide facts I don't see why you'd be the least bit mad over an airing of facts.

February 15, 2014 at 9:25 PM
Delete

Johnny Northside! said...

Here's a question for the commenter, if the commenter knows:

How old was the victim?

And I'm not just pulling that out of nowhere. I have a really good reason to ask. So riddle me this.

How. Old. Was. The. Victim?

Johnny Northside! said...

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/24734139/memorial-vigil-planned-for

"Lewis said he bought a space heater because he told the landlord three of the heaters didn't work, but the landlord hadn't fixed the problem."

Lewis was certainly not in a position to push or demand. Sounds like Lewis was forced to make do with space heaters and, well...

This.

Slumlord Paul Bertelson?

Kiss your slumlord empire goodbye. This is the writing on the wall.

Anonymous said...

Do you think the media will report Troy's sex offender status or will they just keep asking for donations?

Anonymous said...

I see a lot of dialog that no one should expose any details regrading the possible sex offender status in this instance.

It could be there is no connection and this father loved and cared for his children very much.

However, I do not see any officials coming forward to deny this connection.

I think if there are flaws in the system which condemn other children to this situation we need to explore and learn from this tragedy.

Anonymous said...

I see where you're going. If judging by the age of the kids and the fact that Kim Davis was supposedly 31 when she died of a heart attack, Troy Lewis had impregnated her when she was a minor, then he would have committed another crime and arguably shouldn't have had custody of any kids. Your attempt to tie the fire to Bertelson is tenuous unless there's more evidence. As has been reported, his license for the property had recently been updated, after his having completed necessary work. Three of the radiators in my house "don't work" (well) and I use space heaters. Am I trying to murder my family? They sell a lot of space heaters at Target. Are they now considered WMD? Bertelson may be at fault, but the mere fact that he rented to Lewis doesn't show that.

Anonymous said...

Why do you let blacks be racist in their posts and not others?

Anonymous said...

Question: If Lewis had custody of 7 minors and was collecting AFDC on those kids, his monthly subsidies would have been substantial. So why was he living in Bertelson's run down piece of shit tenement?

Anonymous said...

REPOST:
No the facts DO NOT need airing and only a piece of shit blogger like you, John Hoff, would make such a blog post.
You are an unethical hack, the lowest life form on earth. You are a vermin, a parasite that preys on the tragedy of others. You are a heartless bastard who should rot in Hell with the likes of binLaden, Hitler, and Saddam.

Johnny Northside said...

In regard to the question about posts with racist content...there was a post where racism specifically directed at this blogger was mixed with a substantive commentary acknowledging the reality of the sex crime conviction by the unfortunate Mr. Lewis. I approved the comment on the basis of the other commentary.

Johnny Northside! said...

Rumor reaches Johnny. I have a number. I'm not publishing it because my information is tenuous and not given to me by anybody who will go on record, and not given to me firsthand.

I ask the question again, out loud.

What. Was. The. Age. Of. The. Victim?

Anonymous said...

to the anonymous commenter who poses the question that why would troy lewis rent bertelson's crap shack if he had substantical subsidy coming in for all those kids.

This is the exact point that The Hoff has been trying to make. Sex offenders and other serious convicted criminals have very few options - pretty much like.. no options, well, one option - slumlords like Bertelson.. and slumlords like Bertelson KNOW this.. so they rent these crap shacks at exorbitant amounts of money with ridiculous terms and then rake in the dough... and when shit happens like heaters stop working and the slumlords don't do anything.. the sex offender renter isn't really going to be rattling a lot of cages b/c they don't want to lose the one and only option they found to house all of them.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:21 AM

The question is: Would you subject another low income family to those conditions in order to make a profit?

Anonymous said...

Why does my gut instinct tell me those children are better off in heaven than where they were?

Who gave this guy custody of 7 kids? That's the real question I wanna know.

Anonymous said...

I think you are letting your obsession and hatred for sex offenders cloud your judgment.
You posts are way out of line. Period. No person could be as cold hearted as you are coming across.
The guy just lost his children, have some sympathy.

Anonymous said...

According to the Illinois Adult Sex Offender Search website, the record for Mr. Lewis states "Victim Over The Age Of 18". Not a very specific age, but a reliable source. :) http://www.isp.state.il.us/sor/

Anonymous said...

http://www.homefacts.com/offender-detail/ILE96D1025/Troy-Lewis.html

Johnny Northside! said...

Somebody sent me this link to the Illinois sex offender registry, but it doesn't give me anymore information than I already had, unfortunately.

http://www.isp.state.il.us/sor/offenderdetails.cfm?SORID=E96D1025&CFID=103844901&CFTOKEN=bf15e249aa09aec4-3CE248EC-AD0B-1F7E-566CB56E671D1E26&jsessionid=ec30cf590b32886854131d51777823e6c247

Anonymous said...

So as long as others put substantive commentary in their racially charged tirades that's okay with you?

Anonymous said...

Troy Lewis should not have custody of any children the comment above is ABSOLUTELY correct, sadly those children are in a MUCH better place. These are not his only children. All of his other children avoid him at all costs. He is a monster. It is tragic the way these children's lives were lost, however the horrors they did/would have endured living with the evil that is Troy Lewis would have been far greater. Thank you for sharing the truth about this disgusting man.

Johnny Northside! said...

No, here's how it is...

I have to weight each comment. And I usually reject racial commentary. But sometimes there is a factual assertion that...

You know what? I'm tired of explaining it to you. And I'm particularly tired of the sort of commenter who comes along, freaking day after day, and says, "Why can't I make pro-white racial comments" and constantly wants to point to some little comment here, some little comment there, to make their point that, oh gee, somebody wrote something racist so now YOU want to write something racist, too, for what? To sort of balance things out?

Grow up. And also I will reject comments on the basis of the-sky-is-green if I feel like it. The constant obsession with "why can't I submit pro-white race comments" is stupid and sickening and your arguments won't change my position. Say something substantive or waste your effort typing, that's the name of that tune.

Johnny Northside! said...

To the commenter whose comment I rejected saying I (Johnny Northside) am "done" now.

Take a look at my most recent blog post and see how "done" I am, fool.

Anonymous said...

You only balance yourself out or try and negate others assertion that you are racist by ONLY publishing comments that are disparaging or racist towards whites. What is up with that John?

Anonymous said...

You're right, sir, to compare him to Job. While he's playing the part of grieving farther, if you do a little digging, you'll find that about 30 or so years ago when he was the "loving farther" of 4 kids in Harvey, IL there was a shooting in the home while the kids were there. He was shot 5 times, and his cousin who was in the house too, died from his injuries. The shooting was due to Mr. Lewis' actions. Wherever he goes, death seems to follow.

Johnny Northside! said...

You say that's a fact but for me to believe it's a fact or do anything useful with it, I need links to some kind of proof.

Anonymous said...

This poor man was deep In the throes
Of grieving for the death of his children's mother's recent death by cancer. Suddenly his tragic world is
Closing in. How will he parent SEVEN
STAIR-STEP CHILDREN? He cannot fathom this overwhelming situation.
Doctors might say Mr. Lewis is severely depressed; PTSD diagnosed.
A person can take but so much...

Anonymous said...

He says he is a viet nam vet, if he was born in late 55 the numbers don't add up. I was there, all the Americans were out by 1973. Not to say it is not true, but I think documentation is in order. The poor man has lost five children my prayers are with him.

Anonymous said...

To person commenting at 9:20 PM:
Due to the numbers of people named Lewis and the numbers of shootings and murders in Harvey more information is needed.
Drop some relatives names, an address, some dates.

Harvey is off the hook when it comes to shootings and violence of all types. 25000 population and in the list of 100 most dangerous cities in the USA.

Anonymous said...

You are correct that you will never "change your position." A racist never does! (and you ARE done; it is only a matter of time).

Anonymous said...

Munchausen by proxy?

Anonymous said...

Thanks to John for bringing forth the truth and posting the evidence. Looks to me like another scum was using innocent children as his meal ticket. How many of those kids were born AFTER his conviction, and who keeps pumping out kids when they have no income? Oh, yeah, never mind...

Anonymous said...

John, I have been posting for a long time. You, regardless of what any twerp may say, are not racist. That is cut and dry and any thinking person "DONT" have to think twice.
You have to have input, desire, and motivation and a lot of half-ass decent instincts to continue to show an interest in, and, live in NOMI. Unless you were born, bred, and came back, whatever.
Keep up the good work knowing that you have people that haven't scratched the surface with relevant information and the ongoings of NOMI past and present.
Consider us your secret weapons if you must... I would. You do have them, and more than you know.
Rest in peace,little sweet darlings. We all love you.

Johnny Northside! said...

"Vietnam?"

No, the claim was made in the media he is a former Marine who was in Desert Storm (1990-1991) so that math DOES add up. It was not clear if Troy Lewis made that claim or if, in fact, it was made by somebody else on his behalf and he never made such a claim at all.

Johnny Northside! said...

I took a screen shot in case I ever need to prove this stuff later--stuff on the internet might disappear, who knows?--but one media entity which aired the claim he was a "former Marine" was KARE two days ago in the article "5 siblings killed in North Minneapolis fire." This blogger wishes to see some proof of that fact before uncritically swallowing it.

Anonymous said...

I am am immediate family member of Troy's and YES he's an evil bastard!!! Those children lost their lives for nothing!! BECAUSE OTHERS CHOSE TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT HE WAS A MONSTER AND SHOULD'NT HAVE CUSTODY OF THEM!!!

Anonymous said...

I am am immediate family member of Troy's and YES he's an evil bastard!!! Those children lost their lives for nothing!! BECAUSE OTHERS CHOSE TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT HE WAS A MONSTER AND SHOULD'NT HAVE CUSTODY OF THEM!!!

Johnny Northside! said...

Look, anybody can get on the internet and say anything, so if you want me and others to believe you would you PLEASE email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Git the facts kim didn't die of cancer

Anonymous said...

WOW We can go on for hours about mr.Troy Lewis & his kids where should i start his son are some murders just like him & his daughter from harvey ill fake rapper/ rapist a good five years ago his jaway was on the news for him & his friend raping a girl from Dolton looks like they git it from dad troy has many more children from different women whom are very very scared of him & all them like kimberly davis was forced into prostitute

Johnny Northside! said...

Rumor. Gossip. Scuttlebutt. Innuendo. None of this can be looked into without something a lot more solid. How about you start with some NAMES?

Anonymous said...

Anon @4:38p - get your facts straight. Troy Lewis is all that you said and more, however the case against his son was thrown out because it was proven the girl in that case was LYING. His son is NOT like his father...AT ALL.

Anonymous said...

THIS SHIT NEEDS TO STOP! 5 KIDS LIFE'S HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY DO U MOTHERFUCKERS EVEN GIVE A FUCK?

Anonymous said...

The transitional standard for 8 people is $916/mo in cash and $972 in food. For EIGHT PEOPLE. A 2-bedroom on the northside runs about $1000. You call that substantial?!

Anonymous said...

http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&dDocName=cm_002009&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased

Anonymous said...

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/search/apa?zoomToPosting=&catAbb=apa&query=north+minneapolis&minAsk=&maxAsk=&bedrooms=2&housing_type=&excats=

Johnny Northside! said...

Point me to the particular and specific add you are referencing with that link and tell me what you find of interest about it. Also tell me any proof you have that ad is connected in some way with this story or topic?

Anonymous said...

This is so wrong of you to post information like this .... unless you know the story behind his conviction you really should be quiet... I feel sorry for you. It must be hard to carry such a heavy weight of hate you have for people of color or those who are poor. Why not investigate why its so hard for an African American to be employed in Minnesota? I can't count the times Ive been looked over for a job because I didn't kiss a white persons ass!...There are truly some wonderful White people whom I have helped and have helped me it's so hard not to hate everyone for people like you because there are more racist in Minnesota than any other state I have lived in. You sure know how to kick a man when he is down GOD WILL REPAY YOU...

Anonymous said...

You no nothing of my family all his kids are in contact with him...this comes from a fat piece of shit who I'm sure of never raised their own kids..Who put their mother in a nursing home cause your slob ass cud barely take care of themselves..you car thief get off her phone and give her ha shhit back. Your a fucking waste of space and you'll burn in hell bitch for dishonoring your mother!

Anonymous said...

Don't believe that fat hateful bitch who put their mom in a nursing home stole her sick mothers car money and cell phone who forced her mother to raise her son...and has nothing else to do but spread lies and do drugs around their adoptive child for which she uses as a stable income cause she weighs over 300 pounds....you price of shit....We no who you are anonymous?

Anonymous said...

What's your name immediate family member . ..Your a lying fat piece of shit who locked their mom in a nursing home..Who uses their adoptive child as a paycheck every month...Your not a lewis get it straight...anonymous? Naw ur funny bitch

Anonymous said...

Thanks we no who you are....but as everyone can see your a miserable liar ..everything you have tried to do have not worked get a life bitch from troy lewis daughter!

Anonymous said...

Johnny this liar who your speaking with is wasting your time she's hateful...she don't no our family she had a baby at fourteen who she gave to her own mom to raise and now has given up on her mother and placed her in a nursing home...everyone has a background ....that's how we learn and strive to become better people..Your reasoning behind making the death of my sister's and brothers a spectical is beyond any understanding....you've said all that you can say...does that make you feel better is this helping your family in anyway...i don't expect you to care because you don't no me..i just ask that you stop encouraging this tom foolery ...with my deepest respect

Anonymous said...

This is a sad, sad tragedy. No matter who the father was. My question is - why is the landlord at fault? What evidence do you have that he was a slumlord? I've been in two of his properties and they were really nicely looked after. Why are we always looking for someone to blame? This sounds like it was a horrible accident. Can't we support each other instead of talking like this? Blogger and commenters included. No wonder our neighborhood has a bad name...we sound like idiots. I'm so disgusted. May those beautiful children rest in peace, and may their father and sisters find peace as well. I hope the landlord does too...I imagine this is very hard for him.

Anonymous said...

I'm confused is John white or black? I ask that question with all seriousness. I can't tell...