James Dake and Darryl Vest
Springfield, MO - Our member Talking Jesus is a pretty good guy. For those of you who don’t know him well (or at all), he’s the kind of guy who spends a lot of his time helping those less fortunate in the Springfield, Missouri area. On a given day, TJ can be found stopping in at homeless shelters to check on guys who he hires to work for his company. Sometimes, homeless guys will hang out in an anteroom of TJ’s office if the weather’s bad or it’s too early to get a ride to work. Sometimes they come in for impromptu counseling. And sometimes, a guy doesn’t show up because he’s dead.
A few weeks ago, a guy named James Dake - “Call me Jamey”, he said - came in to see Talking Jesus at his office. The man was young, only 33, but looked older. And he was trembling. The shakes, the sidelong glances at the walls, the generally disheveled appearance told our guy TJ all he needed to know.
“You’re here about a job?” TJ asked Dake. Dake nodded that yeah, he was.
TJ put his hand on Dake’s shoulder. “Man, you know I can’t work you when you got the DTs like that.”
Delirium tremens is a condition where the alcoholic body doesn’t have enough alcohol in it to stabilize itself. Severe alcoholics may start out drinking to get drunk, but after awhile their bodies make a switch, and they’re drinking to be normal. Without alcohol, they get shaky, sick, and often hallucinate. A sober drunk is more dangerous on a jobsite than a drunk guy who is normally sober.
Talking Jesus told Jamey Dake to come back in a few days. And a few days later, Dake walked in to TJ’s office again. But this time, he wasn’t shaking. In fact, he was perfectly functional, except that he reeked of alcohol.
“Man, you know I can’t work you when you’re drunk like that,” TJ said. Dake grinned sheepishly and said yeah, he knew it. TJ realized the vicious cycle: can’t work sober, can’t work drunk. So he sat down with Dake and told him he understood, and would try to help him.
“Listen,” TJ said, “I can help you get into rehab. We’ll go talk to your probation/parole officer and get you into treatment. You ever do treatment while you were in prison?” TJ is good at the background checks. Dake had been in prison over the years for assault, stealing, DUI, and even child endangerment related to being drunk and not taking care of things at home. Alcohol seemed to be a big monkey on James Dake’s back. And yeah, he’d done treatment. It hadn’t stuck yet.
Talking Jesus thought Dake might have one more decent shot at humanity in him. So he said, “Look. If we get you into rehab and you bring me a certificate of completion, I’ll work you and help you get on your feet. I got some guys over in some apartments that can use another roommate, they’ve been clean awhile. When you get out of rehab we’ll get you in over there.”
Dake agreed, said he’d go talk to his probation/parole officer and come back.
Two weeks later, James Dake was dead.
Last Monday night, June 23rd, Dake went over to some low-rent slum apartments in Springfield to meet up with his old prison buddy Darryl Vest. Vest was on parole, too, and he and Jamey Dake had been through substance abuse treatment together up in Fordland, Missouri, while they were in prison.
Vest, 43, has done time for domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon. And Vest is not known to be a good guy. All TJ’s workers pretty much know each other, and Vest is one of the guys TJ wouldn’t hire because he has a mean streak. Vest had been ordered to complete anger management training and had skipped out on it and on his parole. TJ had a note to be on the lookout for Vest and to call police if he saw him come in.
Monday night, Jamey Dake went up the stairs to Darryl Vest’s apartment and asked for a beer. He really, really needed a drink. He’d been sober for hours, and he was broke, and he was shaky and sick and needed the beer to get him through until he could panhandle or borrow enough for a real bottle.
Vest responded by asking Dake why he didn’t have a job. Vest had been able to come up with some work through people who, unlike Talking Jesus, were unconcerned with things like violent streaks or parole violations. He was getting paid cash by his new employer and was not gonna share his beer.
Dake, desperate, grabbed for a beer anyway. It was the last thing he ever did, other than get beat and fall down a flight of stairs.
Darryl Vest beat the life out of Jamey Dake. He choked him with his bare hands and pummeled him with his fists, kicking Dake down the stairs and into the apartment courtyard, where Dake lay in a pool of blood. Then Vest took his beer and left the apartment.
Three hours later, at 11:15, Vest returned to find Dake dead in that same pool of blood. He knocked on a neighbor’s door, told them they had a body in their courtyard, and went back upstairs. But given that the blood trail ended at Vest’s apartment, it wasn’t a big stretch for Springfield police to arrest Vest at the scene.
Darryl Vest has been arraigned on a charge of second-degree murder and is being held at the Greene County Jail on $250,000 bond. And Talking Jesus really wishes Jamey Dake had taken him up on that rehab offer.
12 responses so far ↓
1
Holy Crap
Jun 29, 2008 at 11:02 am -Thank you for sharing this info about Talking Jesus. Although this story has a tragic ending it is uplifting to hear about a person who truly tries to help those who are less fortunate or trying to get back on the right track. Talking Jesus is truly a special person who doesn’t give excuses but actually helps those who need it and want it.
Talking Jesus keep up the good work! I’m sure you have greatly impacted lives and changed them for the better. I’m sorry you have heartbreaks like this, but I’m sure the success stories make it all worth it. You are really someone to look up to and for the rest of us to strive to learn something from. You really have your priorities in order — helping others over the concern of the all mighty dollar. The world is a better place with people like you here.
2
Hippiepoet
Jun 29, 2008 at 12:13 pm -Wow, Imp. I am very impressed. I’ve always liked TJ, and now I like him even more.
Talking Jesus…right on, man. I’d hug your ass if I were in Springfield. I see why the Imp keeps you around.
Sad story, truly it is. Having a monkey on your back is no goddamn fun. Just saying.
3
WryBread
Jun 29, 2008 at 12:15 pm -It’s so easy to get hooked on drugs — and alcohol is a legal drug — and so hard to get off the hook. Thank you for trying to help, TJ. This man was someone’s baby boy once, someone’s brother, friend, and maybe is someone’s father. RIP.
4
Absynthe
Jun 29, 2008 at 12:18 pm -Wow..I didn’t know this about TJ. We need more people like him in this world!
I can understand in more ways than one, about addictions, whether it be alcohol or drugs. I remember very clearly a day 27 years ago when my dad took his last drink..he was always a good father, but he has become a awesome father, a wonderful grandfather and one of my best friends!
I also remember the times that he could not get out of bed without grabbing a bottle of whiskey, to stop the shakes and to gain some control so he could function.
I grew up and moved on..becoming an addict myself, but my choice of addiction was marijuana and pain pills. I did this for 25 years. I was always dead set against Meth, many of my friends used it, but I chose not too.
Well in 2005 I tried Meth for the first time, over a five week period I smoke it 5 times. On May 25, 2005 I was arrest for possesion of less than 3 grams. On my 40th birthday I was sentenced to 180 days in prison. I had until April 15th to report to jail and then be sent down state.
I went and did my time. When I returned home I attend Drug and alcohol class, which I successfully completed and I have certificate to show my completion.
May 25, 2008 I celebrated 3 years of sobriety. I also mentor young women who are recovering addicts. I would also like to return to school and get a degree in the substance abuse field.
Sorry for going into such great detail, but I basically wanted to state that I can relate to James and other addicts. I am really sorry that he had to die over a beer. I am sure that inside of his shell he really was a wonderful person and had a lot to offer. I am sure that he had people out there that really loved him despite his addiction. I bet that they were frustrated with his addiction and had probably tried everything they could to help him.
But like they say and it is true, an addict won’t change until they are ready. Maybe he was ready, maybe this time it would have worked for him. But I guess we will never know!
5
SoUncool
Jun 29, 2008 at 1:07 pm -Rest in peace James Dake. You didn’t deserve this. TJ, thank you for sharing this story with Imp so that she could pass it on to all of us.
6
Ruby
Jun 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm -Thank you, Jesus, for all that you do (Talking Jesus, that is!)
That Mr Dake is a nice looking man. What a sad waste of a life.
Thankful, I am, to never have been around addiction as a child, and my heart goes out to everyone who hasn’t been so lucky. Addictions suck.
7
solange822001
Jun 29, 2008 at 8:53 pm -Talking Jesus, I had no idea you did so much for the homeless community. I’m so proud of you! I’m sorry for what happened to poor Jimmy, I know the desperation that you get when you are addicted to something and need more now, I’m sure the poor guy didnt mean any harm, god knows he sure didnt deserve this.
8
TalkingJesus
Jun 29, 2008 at 9:15 pm -I think that Satan put Imp up to this story. It would be like him to ruin my reputation like that!
But honestly - what’s really sad about this story is that Darryl could have been the victim of a crime like this on the right day. Believe me: I am in no way standing up for Darryl. I think that he needs more punishment than the law will allow. But I dealt with him in my office as well. And I could tell that somewhere, without the years of alcohol abuse, he could have been a decent member of society.
After this I will look a little differently at the assholes we have on the front page. They will still be assholes. They will still need more vengeance than they get. But I will wonder what some of them could have been under different circumstances.
9
petrina
Jun 30, 2008 at 2:02 am -i feel like i have a lot to say about all of this, and really, there is so little to say as well.
absynthe - thank you for trusting enough to share your story. just letting us hear it is a great gift so thank you.
jebus - yes. we are all tragic figures in our own epic tragi-comedies. the flap of the butterfly wing in tibet causes the gulfcoast hurricane, and all that yang. remember not to play the ‘what if’ game. you gave them both the tools, they get to decide what to do with them. it takes what it takes. you are a good man.
imp - thanks for writing it and writing it the way you did.
it is a nice reality check.
10
funkmama
Jun 30, 2008 at 8:24 am -You are a great person, TJ. I am sorry you had to be witness this senslessness. You sound like an awesome guy…
11
thepooh5
Jun 30, 2008 at 11:02 am -TJ, I had no idea of the depths of your community service. You are to be commended. I’m sorry you had to put a mark in the “lose” column, but like another poster stated, I’m sure your “win” column makes it all worth while.
God bless and keep you and all those who work with you to help those less fortunate. My hat’s off to ya!! - well, if I wore a hat.
12
crimenthusiast
Jun 30, 2008 at 7:42 pm -TJ,
What a wonderful job you are doing. My ex-husband and father of my 14 yo has struggled for years with cocaine addiction. But unlike success stories that I am sure you have, he continues to fall into the vicious cycle of addiction. He has found people like you willing to help an ex-addict, but at some point his addiction gets the best of him and he ends up back in prison for theft or something stupid. Luckily, he has not resorted to violence that I know of, other than what I endured while we were married.
It upsets me that those with addictions who are given a chance to better themselves won’t or just can’t, yet some that want that chance aren’t given it because of their history. It seems that you are willing to help anyone and will do what you can to help them survive. You should be commended for the great work you do. This world definitely needs more people like you.
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