CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013 - #3

[catatonia]

Interesting thought, but for me, she doesn't look scared enough, assuming this is (probably) the first time ever, someone threatens her with a gun.

 

[samevo8]

So are the toilet that is seen in the video posted on the Chinese site ([ame="http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/zXVG4fgvfTk/"]test2_ÔÚÏßÊÓƵ¹Û¿´_ÍÁ¶¹ÍøÊÓƵ test[/ame]) is actually a toilet + shower room? Are there no shower/toilets in the rooms (or maybe only for some rooms), as in a hostel set up?

Hotel Cecil Warning Sign - "Awful place! Just got escorted out by security because I was visiting a friend in a room. Apparently there's NO VISITORS ALLOWED ANY TIME. They told me I had to just show my ID downstairs and I would be fine. And then they told me I had to leave and wouldn't even let me go back for my bag!"

View from the Elevator - Common area shower / bathroom, and another door with red plaque. What's it say?

Room bath - "Make note of the shower curtain rod. The rod and curtain are what demarcate the shower area from the rest of the bathroom. That’s right, at the Cecil Hotel, you no longer have to choose between showering and pooping! Actually, that’s not true. The shower nozzle is angled away from the toilet and towards the back wall. Even if it weren’t, the water pressure isn’t sufficient to reach the toilet."

 

[carole]

FYI - Although Alvin Taylor is an RSO I seriously doubt he had anything to do with Elisa's disappearance. According to the following website I believe he is legally blind or blind in one eye. I don't think there is much chance a 67 year old partially blind guy is going to get a body into a water tank on top of the roof.

Also according to his address listed on this site I believe he lives on the 10th floor of the hotel.

JMO

http://www.sorarchives.com/directory/CA/T/Alvin_Taylor_1072663

But according to someone who recently stayed at the hotel, he has an adopted
son who was there (link upthread). He would most likely be stronger and younger.

 

[Xavier]

Something that I find very interesting in the video is, how at 1:05, the suspect gets EL off camera. Yes, it's only for a moment, but it happens.

Elisa Lam Video - YouTube

What I find so interesting about this, is the suspect lets her go. Not only does he let her go, but he counts to 20.

I'm serious, you can time it on a watch. The suspect gives her 20-seconds to leave. Try it. Starting at 1:30, the moment she enters the elevator, he gives her exactly 20-seconds to use the elevator to leave.

I believe this rules out sex crimes. If this was a sex crime, the video would have ended at 1:05. If the initial purpose of this encounter was murder, the video would have ended at 1:05.

Two times in the video we can clearly see EL place at least one hand on the back of her head, which causes me to assume she has the other hand as well. The position of having both hands on the back of your head tells me that she has a gun on her.

If she has a gun on her, and the suspect attempted to let her go, then this can only be one of two scenarios; she either got mugged or someone thinks she's trespassing.

At first I thought there might have been a mugging of sorts, but I'm now doubting that. A mugger wouldn't operate on the floor he's staying on, so he would just run. The only reason why someone would kill EL for failing to leave the floor, would be someone who thought EL was trespassing.

No, I don't mean security. I mean an occupant of the 14th floor.

Good post -- Why do you say she was trespassing on the floor? It's a hotel, who trespasses? Unless the Cecil has weird rules for guests, so does the Cecil not allow freedom to puruse through the hotel?

Odd

 

[OCSlacker]

So are the toilet that is seen in the video posted on the Chinese site (test2_ÔÚÏßÊÓƵ¹Û¿´_ÍÁ¶¹ÍøÊÓƵ test) is actually a toilet + shower room? Are there no shower/toilets in the rooms (or maybe only for some rooms), as in a hostel set up?

Hi, I saw these photos and that review on a website. I believe it was written some time ago and from the looks of it before the renovation.

No, the photo of the shower,sink, toilet is of a private bath room. The showers and toilet in the hall are in separate rooms

 

[samevo8]

It appears her plans in SD were:

"Now that I’m rested and well, starting tomorrow I should venture outside more.

1. Seaworld

2. The Zoo

3. Museum because it’s free!!!!

4. Whale watching at Coronado/Point Loma ?"

Posted Jan 25th (http://nouvelle-nouveau.tumblr.com/post/41414644630/today-i-slept-took-a-long-hot-shower-stuffed)

I am also wondering what Elisa did in San Diego and what she did before she disappeared in LA. Those answers are probably on her private Facebook page and in her emails, texts, etc. Those parts of the timeline are what are missing. The rest is pretty clear.

 

[Joe Friday]

Hi, I saw these photos and that review on a website. I believe it was written some time ago and from the looks of it before the renovation.

No, the photo of the shower,sink, toilet is of a private bath room. The showers and toilet in the hall are in separate rooms

Are you talking about this review written back in 2008?

http://www.joeydevilla.com/2008/11/...-or-my-review-of-the-cecil-hotel-los-angeles/

 

[carole]

So are the toilet that is seen in the video posted on the Chinese site (test2_ÔÚÏßÊÓƵ¹Û¿´_ÍÁ¶¹ÍøÊÓƵ test) is actually a toilet + shower room? Are there no shower/toilets in the rooms (or maybe only for some rooms), as in a hostel set up?

Some of the rooms have shower and toilet - they are the most expensive. Other cheaper rooms do not have shower or toilet - the hall showers and toilets are for those rooms. We don't have confirmation of which type room Elisa had.

 

[Xavier]

[QUOTE=FutzBucket;8945288]Something that I find very interesting in the video is, how at 1:05, the suspect gets EL off camera. Yes, it's only for a moment, but it happens.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TjVBpyTeZM&feature=player_detailpage#t=65s"]Elisa Lam Video - YouTube[/ame]

What I find so interesting about this, is the suspect lets her go. Not only does he let her go, but he counts to 20.

I'm serious, you can time it on a watch. The suspect gives her 20-seconds to leave. Try it. Starting at 1:30, the moment she enters the elevator, he gives her exactly 20-seconds to use the elevator to leave.

I believe this rules out sex crimes. If this was a sex crime, the video would have ended at 1:05. If the initial purpose of this encounter was murder, the video would have ended at 1:05.

Two times in the video we can clearly see EL place at least one hand on the back of her head, which causes me to assume she has the other hand as well. The position of having both hands on the back of your head tells me that she has a gun on her.

If she has a gun on her, and the suspect attempted to let her go, then this can only be one of two scenarios; she either got mugged or someone thinks she's trespassing.

At first I thought there might have been a mugging of sorts, but I'm now doubting that. A mugger wouldn't operate on the floor he's staying on, so he would just run. The only reason why someone would kill EL for failing to leave the floor, would be someone who thought EL was trespassing.

No, I don't mean security. I mean an occupant of the 14th floor.[/QUOTE]






Good Post FUTZ -- you've some good theories I did'nt think of

It does look like someone's controlling her in some way

Why would she be trespassing? I don't get that

And someone has to be very, very strong to carry EL on the ladder, up the water tank and pull her up/over into the huge tank

Or since she's complying to his demands pretty noticably, maybe the perp got EL to climb into the tank herself?

There are so many suspects I'd imagine and lots of clues, especially with video cams to help

 

[OCSlacker]

Are you talking about this review written back in 2008?

http://www.joeydevilla.com/2008/11/...-or-my-review-of-the-cecil-hotel-los-angeles/

Yep, that's the one

 

[kingsway]

Something that I find very interesting in the video is, how at 1:05, the suspect gets EL off camera. Yes, it's only for a moment, but it happens.

Elisa Lam Video - YouTube

What I find so interesting about this, is the suspect lets her go. Not only does he let her go, but he counts to 20.

I'm serious, you can time it on a watch. The suspect gives her 20-seconds to leave. Try it. Starting at 1:30, the moment she enters the elevator, he gives her exactly 20-seconds to use the elevator to leave.

I believe this rules out sex crimes. If this was a sex crime, the video would have ended at 1:05. If the initial purpose of this encounter was murder, the video would have ended at 1:05.

Two times in the video we can clearly see EL place at least one hand on the back of her head, which causes me to assume she has the other hand as well. The position of having both hands on the back of your head tells me that she has a gun on her.

If she has a gun on her, and the suspect attempted to let her go, then this can only be one of two scenarios; she either got mugged or someone thinks she's trespassing.

At first I thought there might have been a mugging of sorts, but I'm now doubting that. A mugger wouldn't operate on the floor he's staying on, so he would just run. The only reason why someone would kill EL for failing to leave the floor, would be someone who thought EL was trespassing.

No, I don't mean security. I mean an occupant of the 14th floor.

Doesn't mean she has a gun to her head. A "body language expert" thinks it means she wanted to be "sexually available". It could also mean that she was thinking, "what should I do now?"

 

[GlobalGirlyGirl]

Interesting thought, but for me, she doesn't look scared enough, assuming this is (probably) the first time ever, someone threatens her with a gun.

I agree. Though, I believe when she first gets back into the elevator all disheveled and starts pressing all those numbers, something spooked her before. When she gets out the second time, someone startles her, and she believes she talked her way out of it. She turns and goes left, giving up on the elevator. I wish she just went back into the elevator and waited until it closed because I think someone was avoiding being on camera.

 

[FutzBucket]

Good post -- Why do you sya she was trespassing on the floor? It's a hotel, who trespasses? Unless the Cecil has weird rules for guests, so does the Cecil not allow freedom to puruse through the hotel?

Odd

The Cecil is located in Skid Row, which is a very poor and dangerous part of LA. It's filled with paranoid schizophrenics, drug addicts, criminals, and the very poor.

I believe EL was confused over which floor she was on. I believe this confusion could cause EL to attempt to enter the wrong room. This sort of action in such an area could be very upsetting to the occupant in that room at the time EL attempted to enter.

I believe she upset the suspect who is mentally ill, and this suspect saw her as a threat and tried to get her to leave, and when she wouldn't leave, he thought this confirmed she was a threat, and so he sealed her in the water-tank.

 

[samevo8]

Interesting that she's having that animated "conversation" to the right side of the hallway, which appears to be the direction of the hallway shower/toilet. Wonder if someone came out of the shower or toilet at some point (right before she starts that animated hand waving/finger counting thing.)

I agree. Though, I believe when she first gets back into the elevator all disheveled and starts pressing all those numbers, something spooked her before. When she gets out the second time, someone startles her, and she believes she talked her way out of it. She turns and goes left, giving up on the elevator. I wish she just went back into the elevator and waited until it closed because I think someone was avoiding being on camera.

 

[Xavier]

The Cecil is located in Skid Row, which is a very poor and dangerous part of LA. It's filled with paranoid schizophrenics, drug addicts, criminals, and the very poor.

I believe EL was confused over which floor she was on. I believe this confusion could cause EL to attempt to enter the wrong room. This sort of action in such an area could be very upsetting to the occupant in that room at the time EL attempted to enter.

I believe she upset the suspect who is mentally ill, and this suspect saw her as a threat and tried to get her to leave, and when she wouldn't leave, he thought this confirmed she was a threat, and so he sealed her in the water-tank.

WOW... good theory, you seem to know LA pretty well

Sounds very, very possible, makes sense

 

[Xavier]

Interesting that she's having that animated "conversation" to the right side of the hallway, which appears to be the direction of the hallway shower/toilet. Wonder if someone came out of the shower or toilet at some point (right before she starts that animated hand waving/finger counting thing.)

Great point SAM -- So do the guests at the Cecil live there along time, like an apartment?

Has LA LE even tried to consider your theory by looking for residents??

A long term resident would know the hotel pretty well

 

[samevo8]

Don't know what LA LE is doing. However, I read that a good number of the people who stay at the Cecil are long term residents, like the old man on the 3rd floor who complained about flooding above his floor. He's lived there for something like 31 or 32 years.

As someone else pointed out to me, the cheaper rooms are more like a traditional hostel, where one needs to use a common restroom/shower in the hallway (no restroom/shower in the cheap rooms.)

Great point SAM -- So do the guests at the Cecil live there along time, like an apartment?

Has LA LE even tried to consider your theory by looking for residents??

 

[LASC]

Something that I find very interesting in the video is, how at 1:05, the suspect gets EL off camera. Yes, it's only for a moment, but it happens.

Elisa Lam Video - YouTube

What I find so interesting about this, is the suspect lets her go. Not only does he let her go, but he counts to 20.

I'm serious, you can time it on a watch. The suspect gives her 20-seconds to leave. Try it. Starting at 1:30, the moment she enters the elevator, he gives her exactly 20-seconds to use the elevator to leave.

What suspect? Has there been a new security video, a recent news report or some other kind of verification that there was another person standing outside of the elevator? I assume there has been since you're stating this as fact.

 

[FutzBucket]

What suspect? Has there been a new security video, a recent news report or some other kind of verification that there was another person standing outside of the elevator? I assume there has been since you're stating this as fact.

Okay, let's consider the basic options; she's alone or someone's there in the hall.

If she's alone, then she's crazy, or on drugs, or ghosts. I don't really believe any of those. If this was the case, I don't think anyone would really be making a big deal about this case.

Which means someone's in the hall.

 

[Xavier]

The Cecil is located in Skid Row, which is a very poor and dangerous part of LA. It's filled with paranoid schizophrenics, drug addicts, criminals, and the very poor.

I believe EL was confused over which floor she was on. I believe this confusion could cause EL to attempt to enter the wrong room. This sort of action in such an area could be very upsetting to the occupant in that room at the time EL attempted to enter.

I believe she upset the suspect who is mentally ill, and this suspect saw her as a threat and tried to get her to leave, and when she wouldn't leave, he thought this confirmed she was a threat, and so he sealed her in the water-tank.

This is what I believe to be happening behind the scenes. The killer was well aware of the camera in the elevator. I believe the killer ran up and jammed something into the side of the call button in the hallway. Thus keeping the button pressed, and the door open.


Did the perp have a drug?