GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 # 2

Yep and inserting himself in the search is also a way to know what everyone else knows.

mysterygirl said:

Yep and inserting himself in the search is also a way to know what everyone else knows.

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Exactly! Or steer it in a direction that is beneficial to someone with something to hide...

Lomaker said:

If he is guilty and knew eventually people would be looking for her it would be easy for him to interject himself into their search under the guise of the worried neighbor (much like the way he comes across in the interviews where he goes on and on about how he could've helped her if only he'd known).

He would probably have heard voices and people milling around outside her apt (their front doors are very close in proximity) and could have popped out with any number of responses to immediately join them in their search.

He also would probably have seen the note left on her door by the landlady and known others would be looking for her shortly.

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Absolutely.
Remember that story about how when her dog was hit by a car a while back, McDaniel ran out across the street to help her? He involved himself with her however he could IMO.
Now, if he killed her, he'd be on high alert at all times, knowing eventually someone would come looking for her. If he saw the police that Wednesday night, he'd know a missing person's report had been filed. He'd know that he'd have to get rid of any parts of her he had left ASAP, and he'd know he'd have to start looking helpful and concerned. The thing is, as close as their apartments are, he had to know the cops would be suspicious as HELL if he said he didn't hear a single thing. There can't be more than 5 feet between the two doors to the apartments, thin walls. He knew they'd look at him to some degree.

If someone has is a serial killer, is it possible they would travel? Or do they continue to kill in an area they are familiar with? And if a killer dismembers a body, would that continue if they kill again?

This guy may be book smart but he sure doesn't seem too street smart.

His interview bugged me from the get go because it seemed so phony over concerned.....just not genuine.

Happygo said:

If someone has is a serial killer, is it possible they would travel? Or do they continue to kill in an area they are familiar with? And if a killer dismembers a body, would that continue if they kill again?

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Serial Murderer Mobility Classification [Hickey, 1986]:

-Traveling Serial Murderers: 34% of 431 total studied

-Local Serial Murderers: 52% of 431 total studied

-Place-Specific [those who kill in a specific location such as their home like John Wayne Gacy did with the majority of his victims]: 14% of 431 total studied

Average number of victims per classification:

-Traveling type=6-12 victims
-Local=5-9
-Place specific-9-17

Dismemberment is usually something a serial killer either does with some/most of their victims or not at all.

I am not completely convinced SM is the one. I would prefer he was. I could rest easier at night if I knew he was the one. However, too many things are left open. Starting with who would risk hiding a body in an apartment where the resident still had full access and was still moving things out? You are risking them popping in or sending someone to retrieve items at any time. And it is right in front on the main road. Too many eyes.

Also, who would move a body from apartment to apartment? That leaves multiple opportunities to be seen. This is an area where a lot of people travel by foot. You don't need to hear a car or see headlights to be seen by someone. Very, very risky.

As for the key, I wonder if it was common knowledge he had a key. I am still leaning towards a manager giving him the key for convenience, but now denying it. It is too strange that he could get one without it being provided by management. And, if the key were common knowledge, it could explain how he ended up involved in the search of the apartment. He could have simply said, "I have a key if you want to check inside."

Running across the street because her dog got hit by a car. If I see someone I know a little all upset, and there is no one there with them, I tend to step up. It is a human nature thing when you see someone upset and alone. Doesn't mean someone is a sicko because they provide comfort to an acquaintance.

If it is him, I hope DNA nails him, or dental records, at least. I am not comfortable with him going down for being a little strange. Even if he broke in to apartments and stole condoms. That is really strange, but not a murder. He may need some help on that end, but it does not make him a killer. Plus, don't the victims have to come forward and agree these things were stolen? Makes me wonder if they have them on board.

I want the right person to go down for this because that gets them off the streets. If it is him, go for it! Prove it completely. Because if there is a chance someone else did this, that means a crazed killer is still on the loose.

angelanalyzes said:

I can say with relative confidence that the majority of the apartments are vacant. There were 3 cars max in the lot at midnight, the next day 2 other than my own. I noticed that they are leaving lights on in the vacant apartments at night now.

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Good grief! Even a mildly perceptive person would have know EXACTLY when she was coming and going! It's just so sad.

There are a few loose ends, but I feel like they are taking their time with the forensics because they can. SM is in jail right now-he cannot run or easily commit suicide. I feel like they will end up arresting him, but right now are just figuring out exactly how it was done since they do have the time.

At this point, I would be surprised if it wasn't him especially with the more recent searches and forensics found on the body.

If it isn't him then...well, hopefully the forensics clearly leads to someone else.

SaMy said:

That's another thing that bugs me! I've asked it before, but I would love to know how McD got involved in the search when her friends came by? Did he just pop his head out his front door at midnight to ask what they were doing? I think he must have completely inserted himself into their "search". I wish I knew what kind of statements he was making to her friends at that point.

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I dunno, I think that this could have been completely innocent. As someone had said before - thin walls, close quarters - I can imagine a couple different scenarios in which he does indeed just pop his head out. Heck, if someone was pounding on the door next to mine, possibly calling my neighbor's name, I'd pop my head out. Or they could've had no luck getting a response at her door, and decided to knock on his because they saw a light on. I dunno.

~snipped for length~

PsychoMom said:

Also, who would move a body from apartment to apartment? That leaves multiple opportunities to be seen. This is an area where a lot of people travel by foot. You don't need to hear a car or see headlights to be seen by someone. Very, very risky.

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I have thought that as well. But knowing how dark that front porch is and how hard it would be to see someone dragging something from one side to the other in the pitch black, it doesn't seem that much of a stretch. Especially if done between say 2-5 AM, when hardly anyone would be passing by.

PsychoMom said:

I am not completely convinced SM is the one. I would prefer he was. I could rest easier at night if I knew he was the one. However, too many things are left open. Starting with who would risk hiding a body in an apartment where the resident still had full access and was still moving things out? You are risking them popping in or sending someone to retrieve items at any time. And it is right in front on the main road. Too many eyes.

Also, who would move a body from apartment to apartment? That leaves multiple opportunities to be seen. This is an area where a lot of people travel by foot. You don't need to hear a car or see headlights to be seen by someone. Very, very risky.

As for the key, I wonder if it was common knowledge he had a key. I am still leaning towards a manager giving him the key for convenience, but now denying it. It is too strange that he could get one without it being provided by management. And, if the key were common knowledge, it could explain how he ended up involved in the search of the apartment. He could have simply said, "I have a key if you want to check inside."

Running across the street because her dog got hit by a car. If I see someone I know a little all upset, and there is no one there with them, I tend to step up. It is a human nature thing when you see someone upset and alone. Doesn't mean someone is a sicko because they provide comfort to an acquaintance.

If it is him, I hope DNA nails him, or dental records, at least. I am not comfortable with him going down for being a little strange. Even if he broke in to apartments and stole condoms. That is really strange, but not a murder. He may need some help on that end, but it does not make him a killer. Plus, don't the victims have to come forward and agree these things were stolen? Makes me wonder if they have them on board.

I want the right person to go down for this because that gets them off the streets. If it is him, go for it! Prove it completely. Because if there is a chance someone else did this, that means a crazed killer is still on the loose.

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I don't think that he is a sicko because he helped her when her dog got hit by a car. I don't think he's a sicko because he helped search or seemingly became upset when she turned up dead. Hypothetically, if he is guilty, it informs the motives behind all those things he did and casts them in a new light but standing alone without the cloud of dark suspicion they are decent things a decent human being would do.

It is the fact that he admittedly stole condoms from neighbors [using his master key] that makes me raise an eyebrow, that really isn't in dispute. I can imagine that in a complex so informal as Barristers there might have been some arrangement for him to have a master key in lieu of a proper superintendent, but that is super hinky and improper and honestly I find it doubtful that anyone would be ok with that arrangement.
Part of me hopes that he isn't guilty, because that level of deceitful, feigned innocence and harmlessness is terribly disturbing, but I haven't seen a single thing that points me in a direction away from him. The inferences just weigh heavily against him, and I was kind of rooting for his innocence the first few moments I heard of his arrest. He has an adorable quality to him in a certain light.
I'm not sure that if he did it he did move the body from apartment to apartment, unless it was from hers to his. Their doors were so close it would have been very easy, especially if he took her apart before he moved her from her apartment.
I imagine if he did keep her in the downstairs apartment, it's because he had some way of knowing the comings and goings of the tenant. He may have devised a fail-safe of some sort. We don't even know if he left the apartments in the days between Lauren's death and discovery.
But consider this:
If he felt he left no evidence of himself on whatever he was keeping in the downstairs fridge, if anything, SO WHAT if the tenant came back and found her? If McD did this, he was willing to dump her torso on the side of her apartment just to get it out of his house. Why would he be so concerned about the tenant discovering her torso in the off chance they checked the fridge? If no one knew McDaniel had a master key, it's not like finding her torso in that fridge downstairs would point to him anymore than finding her torso in their proverbial backyard.

mysterygirl said:

Yep and inserting himself in the search is also a way to know what everyone else knows.

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True, and by entering Lauren's apartment with her friend he could explain away his fingerprints being found. They checked her phone, her laptop, and I wonder what else.

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Lomaker said:

~snipped for length~



I have thought that as well. But knowing how dark that front porch is and how hard it would be to see someone dragging something from one side to the other in the pitch black, it doesn't seem that much of a stretch. Especially if done between say 2-5 AM, when hardly anyone would be passing by.

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Exactly. Case in point: http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr...769051&Signature=tXwK3XDreDrXkvh/1zHrEPD6Qug=

In the same vein as is discussed upthread about if SM is the perp reasons he would want and be motivated to interject himself into the search.. To be "in the know" was reason given.. As well as to steer the search and investigation in a certain direction was another reason mentioned..

I cannot express just how very laser focused my intuition was on particular points of that on camera interview that McD gave.. And one of those particular points was the mysterious email.. I believe with all my gut instinct that not only it wasn't Lauren but I am almost certain it was McD that authored and sent the email.. I would bet money on if the friends were asked about what went on in Laurens apt when they were searching for her that late night.. I would bet that McD will be the one that brought up possibly gleaning some info from her personal laptop.. Therefor opening the door and guiding the friends thru the direction of possible "Macon Hoodlums" breaking in and being the perp.. I know it is said that it was sent to one guy in Atlanta(this info per McD, says he can't recall guys name).. I immediately thoughtA) could possibly be a made up person and email.. As a bona fide way of getting the break in info out there without alarming anyone to Laurens fear and B) was just how damn convenient that theone person that she sent the email too loved away in another city.. Not in the same city and could easily come rushing over to check on LG..

I am really leaning on us finding out the email recipient is fake.. Because if he was real then why would Lauren have been discovered missing days before.. She sent it sat night.. Yet no one knew about it Gil it was read on her laptop.. Mysterious recipient never even called or checked on LG after getting an alarming email..

My bets that there is no true person. It sime motive was to be found and read after the fact on Laurems outbox of her email.. And that's exactly how McD had it played out therefor attempting to direct focus to burglars..

Jmo..

As a graduate of Mercer Law, and a resident of Macon, I have been following this story closely. I simply wanted to add that Mercer Law is a different law school experience. It's not "The Paper Chase." The students there truly are like family...its not cutthroat, its a bonding experience. Just a small thing to keep in mind when weighing how these individuals might have related to each other. Especially as to how SM would have been comfortable joining in the search with her friends.

Hello All:

This is a very interesting thread and my first post. It has been awhile, but I formerly practiced law in Macon and can't imagine how this tragedy is impacting such a small and close-knit legal community, not to mention this young woman's family.

angelanalyzes said:

We don't even know if he left the apartments in the days between Lauren's death and discovery.

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FWIW, In regard to the above quote, I have spoken with some folks at the law school who confirmed that SM was attending the BarBri prep class leading up to the discovery of the victim's body. These classes generally run on weekday mornings for about 3-4 hours and are delivered either as a live or video-taped lecture on a specific bar exam topic. The classes are not typically held on the weekends, but this schedule varies from state to state.

I can't imagine committing this horrific crime and then sitting through bar prep classes.

angelanalyzes said:

You don't need power tools to dismember a body. If he took care of the machetes he collected like my cousin does with his 1 machete, you could almost shave with the blade. My cousin sharpens his machete [he and I both have always been big on collecting bladed weapons, weapons in general] to the point that it is razor sharp and can literally cut hair. The sharper a machete is, the more it will sever in one swing. If you swing a machete correctly, you make sure you aim the widened tip of the blade at your target, not the southern end of the blade shaft. If someone were listening it would sound at most like maybe someone was hammering something but most likely it wouldn't be a discernibly suspicious noise.

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You have a fascinating range of knowledge. I'm glad you're posting on this case.

Welcome to WS mercerlaw!

In the vein of "student's being like family" and "a bonding experience".
I find it odd that not one person besides his Mom and Aunt, in that one brief news story and the elderly neighbor have come forward to talk about McD.

Even if he were a complete social introvert, he still attended classes and interacted with people on a daily basis. Do you know who he hung around with or maybe what he did for fun in his off time? Anything?

Knox said:

Welcome to WS mercerlaw!

In the vein of "student's being like family" and "a bonding experience".
I find it odd that not one person besides his Mom and Aunt, in that one brief news story and the elderly neighbor have come forward to talk about McD.

Even if he were a complete social introvert, he still attended classes and interacted with people on a daily basis. Do you know who he hung around with or maybe what he did for fun in his off time? Anything?

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This has been on my mind too. Even if he is a total loner, surely someone must have had some interaction with him outside of family and law school, right? It's very possible I know little about the work ethic required to make it through law school, but being from Macon I have known plenty of people who made it through while still engaging in extracurricular activities. The only people other than the ones Knox mentioned that I know of are people in the comments section on macon.com and a handful of people here in town - but they all have only known him because they had one or two classes with him.