TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #4

[ThoughtFox]

With respect, I wasn't saying she was an extrovert who was friends with everyone. I was simply saying that through school functions, she would have spoken with and maybe gotten to know parents and teachers, yet it seems like we haven't heard from any of them.

Yes, but not knowing her that well, they probably just don't want to get involved. That's what I meant. It may be that while Gail helped out at the school, she just didn't make that many friends. Sometimes parents come for every function, but they don't mingle - just a personality thing.

Teachers really can't get involved in family problems, for the same reason they remain silent in the Kyron Horman case. First of all, they respect the privacy of the children involved. Secondly, if they suspected problems but never reported anything, they and the school can be held liable for that. So I really don't expect any teachers to say a word about this unless they are called before a Grand Jury some day.

Then again, there have been a couple of other friends besides Susie and Arlene who have been mentioned in the press: Alaine Gray and Maria Gallavan. Not being close to the search, maybe it just seems like there aren't that many friends coming out to speak to the media when there really are.

I think they're just afraid to go on the record right now. After all, the husband has already told Arlene in Alabama to stop interfering with the search, whatever that means, so I bet her other friends are just being cautious. However, we don't know what they told LE in private. I think her other friends have been extremely brave to speak up as they have. Most people won't do that, especially in a small town. It takes real guts to go on the record.

 

[JBean]

It was Gail who called-I dont know if she was in motion at the time, if her phone was in motion at the time, or if she was pulled over somewhere.

I concur.The only thing I would add/clarify is that she was in the car.

 

[Sleuthy1]

I understand the frustration regarding turnout for searches-but I feel that in terrain such as Signal Mountain, it is prudent and virtually essential to have professionals search. If they want civilian volunteers to beef up the warm bodies, the proper way to handle it would be to be broken up in teams, with a team leader who is a professional searcher. The professional will have radios, grids and instructions regarding search techniques and the chain of custody. There will be EMT's available and other emergency personnel. There might be ground support with dogs and air support with helicopters.

To be blunt, this isnt a hike-we are talking about a recovery search...the recovery search being for evidence of course.

The community is pretty small-I sent an email to the town manager who stated that there was no problem hanging posters in common areas such as libraries, town offices and post offices etc. They had no desire to add her to the website, which was my original request.

:twocents:That would be fine with the local volunteers ... IF... local LE or local SAR teams had been dispatched over the past, almost 5 weeks, since Gail went missing (April30,2011). BUT ... there has been NO OFFICIAL SEARCH for Gail at all ... none that any local LE is sharing with ppl in the immediate area ... Local MSM have not heard of any organized "official" searches for Gail since she went missing either ... or believe me ... I think they would run that story in a split second, for all to be made aware of any official search efforts. I don't think that making the public aware of an OFFICIAL search would be "tipping" any1's hand,so to speak...do you? So people who genuinely care about finding Gail have been forced to call on local volunteers to search for Gail themselves ... and btw, I am told that they have been in close contact with local LE, who said they (local LE) have no problem with ppl looking for Gail and forming their own search endeavors. :twocents:

 

[Pearl*]

:twocents:That would be fine with the local volunteers ... IF... local LE or local SAR teams had been dispatched over the past, almost 5 weeks, since Gail went missing (April30,2011). BUT ... there has been NO OFFICIAL SEARCH for Gail at all ... none that any local LE is sharing with ppl in the immediate area ... Local MSM have not heard of any organized "official" searches for Gail since she went missing either ... or believe me ... I think they would run that story in a split second, for all to be made aware of any official search efforts. I don't think that making the public aware of an OFFICIAL search would be "tipping" any1's hand,so to speak...do you? So people who genuinely care about finding Gail have been forced to call on local volunteers to search for Gail themselves ... and btw, I am told that they have been in close contact with local LE, who said they (local LE) have no problem with ppl looking for Gail and forming their own search endeavors. :twocents:

I keep wondering if LE has good reason to believe she's not in those woods but can't say so. Because of the considerable dangers involved, I'm not sure it is wise for volunteers to take the risks without some hint they are on the right trail.

That leads to the circular reasoning that if they had a clue to believe such a search was worth the risks, then surely an official search with trained personnel would be taking place.

It's so hard to know what is right to do. There are very good people on this mountain who want to help, but the level of urgency has changed in my opinion. I'm afraid we could very quickly turn a recovery effort into a rescue mission.

The question of whether mistakes were made on the part of LE in the initial stages after Gail's disappearance is a totally different issue, in my opinion, and is not relevant to what happens now regarding a search.

 

[Pearl*]

Yes, all this time I had assumed she was talking to her sister from the car, then the discussion here got me thinking, "do we know where she called from?"

It looks like believe09 may have answered the question.....we just don't know.

If we can, I'd like to put a zoom lens on the time frame between dropping off the kids and getting off the phone with her sister. Is it possible to pin more specifically the time of drop off, the time of leaving again, and the time of the last phone call? With Gail's demeanor as described by the neighbor who last saw her, I have trouble picturing her as capable of dialing the phone while driving. I'm also thinking there would surely have been some clue in that phone call, as to whether she were driving, parked, etc. Are there any details of the call that can be revealed? Duration of the call, circumstances of ending the call, etc.?

 

[JBean]

If we can, I'd like to put a zoom lens on the time frame between dropping off the kids and getting off the phone with her sister. Is it possible to pin more specifically the time of drop off, the time of leaving again, and the time of the last phone call? With Gail's demeanor as described by the neighbor who last saw her, I have trouble picturing her as capable of dialing the phone while driving. I'm also thinking there would surely have been some clue in that phone call, as to whether she were driving, parked, etc. Are there any details of the call that can be revealed? Duration of the call, circumstances of ending the call, etc.?

I think the critical time period is after getting off the phone with her sister after she dropped off the kids and after she left the subdivision(read after she drove past Susie Button). IMO, that is where the black hole swallows her up.
With the information that has been made available we can only speculate at this point.

 

[Pearl*]

I think the critical time period is after getting off the phone with her sister after she dropped off the kids and after she left the subdivision(read after she drove past Susie Button). IMO, that is where the black hole swallows her up.
With the information that has been made available we can only speculate at this point.

How far could she have gotten between driving past Susie and getting off the phone? Any idea how many minutes could have passed? I know there's only one way out of the subdivision. Do we know if she could have gotten that far?

 

[Columbo]

How far could she have gotten between driving past Susie and getting off the phone? Any idea how many minutes could have passed? I know there's only one way out of the subdivision. Do we know if she could have gotten that far?

I hope this doesn't sound frustrating, but it seems like there are just too many unknowns in this situation to ascertain anything for sure.

We aren't even sure if she was on the phone when she passed Susie, are we?

We don't know how long the phone call was--wherever she was when it started.

Anything we say is going to be pure speculation. There's nothing wrong with that--looking at different possible scenarios, etc., but it just seems like grasping at straws without more solid information. IMO:banghead:

Veering away from this a little, I'd still like to know if LE searched the Signal Mtn. house. If not, then I guess they must have good reason to believe that nothing evil happened there. I thought it was part of good investigation to do so anyway. There's an awful lot of hinky going on in this case. IMO

 

[JBean]

How far could she have gotten between driving past Susie and getting off the phone? Any idea how many minutes could have passed? I know there's only one way out of the subdivision. Do we know if she could have gotten that far?

Well, all I am saying is that we know she drove past Susie and we know she made at least one phone call and it all happened around noonish after dropping off the kids. No clue if it was simultaneous or if one came before the other. The reason this is important is because we know,for sure, that she left the house in her jeep and left the kids behind.

After that, she dropped off the face of the earth, yet her cell phone pinged in the area of the mountain on 5-2. If there were additional calls inbetween that time LE surely knows but is not revealing to the public.

LE is keeping most, if not all, info close to the vest. To me, that speaks volumes. But what those volumes say is subject to my own interpretation. To me, it says she met with foul play.

 

[F. Lee]

Local, and Confused.
I hope this isn't one of those "we may never know the answer to that" situations. That's what it feels like at this point. If LE knows there was foul play they haven't in any way projected that to the community or asked us or professionals for ongoing searches. What are we to make of that?
I live on the other (front) side of the mountain and everybody here is concerned about Gail and her children. Nobody knows what to think or do to try and help. No call to action from LE or really her family in the past couple of weeks. Did Gail's siblings discover something that sent them home? Didn't one of them comment that in looking at things during the first part of Gail's being missing that they had discovered things about both Gail and MP that they didn't know?
I agree that there is little evidence/clues/statements to help us know what we can do. Not even a monetary reward for information to help find Gail? Seems that would be the least her husband could do. We look to comments in newspaper articles for information -- I read (weeks ago) the name of MP's alleged girlfriend, where she works (or worked); but is that fact or rumor? I know more about a Jeep Rubicon and Wetumpka that I thought possible. I look for the Jeep but know little else I can do.
One thing I did in an effort to "help" is to take a drive. I drove from Gail's house on Signal (I live 7 minutes away) to the Mountain Creek Road area (where MP's mother lives). That drive took me 13 minutes, not the 25 minutes I've seen other places. Something about the drive out of her subdivision to Mountain Creek Road feels strange to me. Mountain Creek Road is the area where her cell phone last pinged. Does anyone know where "everybody" was during the time the cell phone last pinged?
We're left feeling helpless to know what to do because many or us can't physically search our dangerous woods and sinkhole areas. I pray that someone is making sure the children have gentle explanations, comfort, love, and assurance. I can pray for that.

 

[Emeralgem]

After following the Haleigh Cummings case for over two years now, right now I just cannot deal with another case where LE blatantly displays hinky actions or shall I say non actions in reference to a missing child or an adult...JMHO

 

[looking4lost]

How far could she have gotten between driving past Susie and getting off the phone? Any idea how many minutes could have passed? I know there's only one way out of the subdivision. Do we know if she could have gotten that far?

Do we know what cell service she has? AT&T gets horrible to no service on Ridgerock. There's also a little "black hole" on Miles Rd if she was headed down the W road. If I were her, I would wait to get out of the neighborhood to make a call. Suzy lives across the street, so unless she was on the phone as she pulled out of the drive, I would think she would wait at least until out of the driveway before making a call. But maybe her sister called her which makes all of this irrelevant.

 

[Emeralgem]

Local, and Confused.
I hope this isn't one of those "we may never know the answer to that" situations. That's what it feels like at this point. If LE knows there was foul play they haven't in any way projected that to the community or asked us or professionals for ongoing searches. What are we to make of that?
I live on the other (front) side of the mountain and everybody here is concerned about Gail and her children. Nobody knows what to think or do to try and help. No call to action from LE or really her family in the past couple of weeks. Did Gail's siblings discover something that sent them home? Didn't one of them comment that in looking at things during the first part of Gail's being missing that they had discovered things about both Gail and MP that they didn't know?
I agree that there is little evidence/clues/statements to help us know what we can do. Not even a monetary reward for information to help find Gail? Seems that would be the least her husband could do. We look to comments in newspaper articles for information -- I read (weeks ago) the name of MP's alleged girlfriend, where she works (or worked); but is that fact or rumor? I know more about a Jeep Rubicon and Wetumpka that I thought possible. I look for the Jeep but know little else I can do.
One thing I did in an effort to "help" is to take a drive. I drove from Gail's house on Signal (I live 7 minutes away) to the Mountain Creek Road area (where MP's mother lives). That drive took me 13 minutes, not the 25 minutes I've seen other places. Something about the drive out of her subdivision to Mountain Creek Road feels strange to me. Mountain Creek Road is the area where her cell phone last pinged. Does anyone know where "everybody" was during the time the cell phone last pinged?
We're left feeling helpless to know what to do because many or us can't physically search our dangerous woods and sinkhole areas. I pray that someone is making sure the children have gentle explanations, comfort, love, and assurance. I can pray for that.

I'm local and confused also, and like you, I too feel helpless since I cannot physically search due to a bad knee..

 

[Emeralgem]

I may have missed a confirmation, but does anyone know for certain she talked to her sister on the phone when she returned to Signal Mtn from Alabama? I know we have confirmation she spoke to her sister around 6:30 am on the morning of the 30th before she left Alabama but do we know for certain she spoke to her sister after she arrived home? TYIA

 

[Columbo]

Do we know what cell service she has? AT&T gets horrible to no service on Ridgerock. There's also a little "black hole" on Miles Rd if she was headed down the W road. If I were her, I would wait to get out of the neighborhood to make a call. Suzy lives across the street, so unless she was on the phone as she pulled out of the drive, I would think she would wait at least until out of the driveway before making a call. But maybe her sister called her which makes all of this irrelevant.

bolded by me.

I'm pretty sure JBean said that Gail made the call, the one around noon. Correct me if I am wrong!

 

[Columbo]

I may have missed a confirmation, but does anyone know for certain she talked to her sister on the phone when she returned to Signal Mtn from Alabama? I know we have confirmation she spoke to her sister around 6:30 am on the morning of the 30th before she left Alabama but do we know for certain she spoke to her sister after she arrived home? TYIA

I think this is for certain, also. See post #509

 

[hollyblue]

Well, all I am saying is that we know she drove past Susie and we know she made at least one phone call and it all happened around noonish after dropping off the kids. No clue if it was simultaneous or if one came before the other. The reason this is important is because we know,for sure, that she left the house in her jeep and left the kids behind.

After that, she dropped off the face of the earth, yet her cell phone pinged in the area of the mountain on 5-2. If there were additional calls inbetween that time LE surely knows but is not revealing to the public.

LE is keeping most, if not all, info close to the vest. To me, that speaks volumes. But what those volumes say is subject to my own interpretation. To me, it says she met with foul play.

JBean, could you clarify if there was only one phone ping on 5/2? In the beginning, it was near Walmart, then later the base of the north side of the mtn. There is a cell tower on top of the building opposite the WM, so it could have caught the ping???

Locals: Little confusion: people here have mentioned about the ping near Suck Creek Rd?......isn't that opposite of the north side....and near the tower?

Thanks.

 

[MacGyver]

Veering away from this a little, I'd still like to know if LE searched the Signal Mtn. house. If not, then I guess they must have good reason to believe that nothing evil happened there. I thought it was part of good investigation to do so anyway. There's an awful lot of hinky going on in this case. IMO

I agree with you for a couple of reason:

1. 
   If MP had nothing to do with Gail's disappearance, wouldn't you want them to look because it is the last place she was see alive?

• 
  And if you don't allow them to search, aren't you making yourself look bad?

But then, there isn't much MP has done to make himself look good--even with his dropping the suits. Too little, too late, IMHO.

I can't believe Gail Marie has been gone 35 days and it feels like no progress has been made! Gail Marie, where are you???

 

[JBean]

JBean, could you clarify if there was only one phone ping on 5/2? In the beginning, it was near Walmart, then later the base of the north side of the mtn. There is a cell tower on top of the building opposite the WM, so it could have caught the ping???

Locals: Little confusion: people here have mentioned about the ping near Suck Creek Rd?......isn't that opposite of the north side....and near the tower?

Thanks.

here you go.
[ame="http://websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6577423&postcount=195"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #4[/ame]

 

[JBean]

I agree with you for a couple of reason:

1. 
   If MP had nothing to do with Gail's disappearance, wouldn't you want them to look because it is the last place she was see alive?

1. 
   And if you don't allow them to search, aren't you making yourself look bad?

But then, there isn't much MP has done to make himself look good--even with his dropping the suits. Too little, too late, IMHO.

I can't believe Gail Marie has been gone 35 days and it feels like no progress has been made! Gail Marie, where are you???

Keep the Faith MacGyver. I am willing to bet that progress has been made.