Today's newspaper crime column is about Charlie Neeper, a homeless man who was killed in 1986 in Veterans Park in Dundalk in a dispute over a bottle of wine. A now retired Baltimore County police officer, Fred Shiflett, recalled the victim and suspect, who was arrested Aug. 19, more than two decades after the killing.

Fred isn't the only one who remembers Charlie. A reader sent me an email this morning, and I'm posting it here with his permission:

I grew up in Old Dundalk and after reading your article this morning it brought back memories of when Charlie Neeper was found beaten to death in the park.  At the time, I was 11 years old and frequented the park daily as did many of my friends.   The bush that they found him behind was right behind the library, so many  of us kids were scared to walk past that bush anymore because we thought his ghost was going to get us.  We would even scare each other with claiming revelations of his ghost.  Old Dundalk was not the Dundalk of today,  of course their were winos, but they never bothered anyone and many still had family in the community, even if the families didn't want to admit it.  Every time I visit my Dad I can't believe how much it's changed, But I'm from "Dundock" and proud of it.

                                                                                                           Thanks,

                                                                                                               R.Curry