Norm Resol bio

Norman D. Resol, 31, was born to David and Linda Resol of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Norm's father, David, was a laid-off steelworker collecting unemployment. His mother, Linda, worked nights as a topless dancer.

Every time the bill collectors got aggressive, the family moved, which took a toll on Norm's education, and he fell behind in basic skills. With no friends, neighbors, or family to watch Norm, Linda often took him to work with her.

When David finally landed a position loading trucks for a booming defense contractor, the family moved again and was able to purchase their first home.

Norm's middle school years were extremely tough. He showed little interest in schoolwork and defied authority. He was suspended from school so often that he missed as many classes as he attended.

He did, however, have an interest in girls, though they didn't always reciprocate. Norm also discovered he could intimidate female and male classmates to get what he wanted. Even though he was shorter and scrawnier than most boys his age, Norm bullied his way to a "young tough" reputation.

Norm's father was eventually arrested for stealing tools from his employer. He failed to persuade a judge and jury that it wasn't really stealing since he'd paid for those tools as a taxpayer, and he went to prison. Linda headed south to Mississippi with her son.

As Linda aged out of strip club work, she turned to "entertaining gentlemen callers" in the tiny apartment she shared with Norm. More than once, one of her clients knocked teenage Norm around for some perceived wrong.

Meanwhile, Norm became a regular in juvenile court for shoplifting, underage drinking, and assault. He spent most of his teen years on probation.

Later, he graduated to petty theft and burglary, pawning the electronics and jewelry, and selling bags of clothing and personal items to flea market dealers. Some dealers noticed that Norm provided them with a lot of women's shoes and lingerie, but they asked no questions.

Norm's 20s were a string of convictions for minor offenses. Plea bargains, overcrowded prisons, and the comparatively low priority of solving property crimes minimized his jail time.

One week after a stint for passing bad checks, Norm decided to celebrate by bringing a bottle of champagne to a woman who worked at one of his favorite pawnshops. The evening did not end well, once Norm decided that, after the woman drank his champagne, she no longer had the option of saying no.

Norm's court-appointed attorney negotiated a deal with the prosecutor, and Norm pled guilty to sexual battery. He went to a state penitentiary instead of a county jail for the first time. When he was released, he was required to register as a sex offender.

Through a church program that transitioned released inmates back to society, Norm worked part-time as the church's janitor. He supplemented his income by working at a local photography studio, where he first met Barbara Dubois.

Norm became the president of the one-member Barbara Dubois Fan Club and mailed her a $5 bill to help her achieve her goals. Barbara's mother investigated Norm and complained to the photographer about him. Norm lost his job there, and then the church fired him after he was found peeking into the women's restroom through a hole in the wall. 

Two weeks later, Norm was hired as the night shift custodian at the Yoknapatawpha County Conference Center. He included his prison record on the application but also provided a recommendation from church officials.

At the YCCC, Norm's personnel record is clean. He shows up on time, completes his work, and rarely calls in sick. He keeps to himself and has no friends at work. He has been cautioned for dawdling while cleaning up around the pool when women are relaxing in the area. Two female guests complained that Norm was "creepy" but had no specific charges.

Co-workers have gossiped that Norm both drinks and sleeps on duty and often fails to lock closets and other doors. Management is monitoring the situation, but hasn't taken any formal action. To date, nothing has been found missing.