FL - Manhunt in Tampa after 4 slayings in 5 weeks, Oct-Nov 2017 #1

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dotr said:
So what makes this bus stop attractive to a possible serial killer?
imo.
rbbm.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/public...y-investigate-third-death-in-seminole/2341766
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Monica Hoffa was not really found close to the two men. And she was found on a vacant city lot, but near to a residential street. I think she went there with the shooter. She may well have either known him/her somewhat, or interacted with him/her. That's likely why he/she pumped 5 shots into Monica, to make sure she was gone...I'm thinking she could have id'd him/her...jmo
 
dotr said:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/public...y-investigate-third-death-in-seminole/2341766
rbbm.
Click to expand...
I'm re-reading articles from upthread and noticed this:

" Mariah Jackson, 18, described heavily armed police entering her Seminole Heights home shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday. "They said they were looking for a body," Jackson said. "

The 3rd victim was shot around 8pm Thursday night. The news conference was about "the discovery Thursday of another body". The article also implies that because police were in the area already, they responded fairly quickly to the shots fired at the 3rd victim. So why were police entering houses 4+ hours later looking for a body?

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Whiskers16 said:
I'm re-reading articles from upthread and noticed this:

" Mariah Jackson, 18, described heavily armed police entering her Seminole Heights home shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday. "They said they were looking for a body," Jackson said. "

The 3rd victim was shot around 8pm Thursday night. The news conference was about "the discovery Thursday of another body". The article also implies that because police were in the area already, they responded fairly quickly to the shots fired at the 3rd victim. So why were police entering houses 4+ hours later looking for a body?

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Click to expand...
rbbm
Thinking that maybe the " body " they were looking for, was a live one, with a gun.
imo, speculation.
 
liz b. said:
I'm not sure the person on vid is the shooter either.There are a couple of times when the person on vid looks to the side, like someone would do who is walking alone at night and doesn't feel totally safe. Not even totally sure it's a guy... And also agree that the shootings were likely not connected to the upswing in local real estate prices. The people killed were apparently not really benefiting from that.
One thing : on the night that Monica Hoffa was killed, someone living nearby heard 5 shots fired...and also Monica Hoffa was found on a vacant city lot, not in the street. Did she go to the lot with her killer ? So that murder may well have been quite different from the other two. I still wonder if all 3 victims knew each other in some way,and maybe knew the shooter too. jmo
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I got a different impression from watching the video. I got the impression this person was on the hunt and when he/she looked to their right, they heard noises from other people (maybe walking into their apartment??) and decided they would not be a good victim. That was my impression anyways~~of course I could be wrong.
 
Whiskers16 said:
I'm re-reading articles from upthread and noticed this:

" Mariah Jackson, 18, described heavily armed police entering her Seminole Heights home shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday. "They said they were looking for a body," Jackson said. "

The 3rd victim was shot around 8pm Thursday night. The news conference was about "the discovery Thursday of another body". The article also implies that because police were in the area already, they responded fairly quickly to the shots fired at the 3rd victim. So why were police entering houses 4+ hours later looking for a body?

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Click to expand...

Anyone use Google Maps to look at the location of the bus stop? Anyone notice the 2 young men sitting by the house there on the corner? Any thoughts?
 
dotr said:
Even the cctv video of the suspect looks strange, imo.
LE say they do not know if the individual seen is black or white, male or female.
The POI certainly has a peculiar gait, imo. sort of wobbly as if/but not - wearing high heels- and almost seems to walk with one foot in front of the other, " model" style.
imo, speculation.

[video=youtube;hvlOtGLgL2U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvlOtGLgL2U[/video]
Click to expand...

It almost seems like he/she is dragging their right foot.
 
I was wondering where the color portion of the video came from. It appears just two blocks up the road is a Wendy's. I wonder if that is where the color video is from? There is also a Value Pawn & Jewelry, Wal-Mart and a Circle K there too.
 
bluesneakers said:
It looks like they're waving at the Google car.
Click to expand...

Right~~I just noticed how skinny the one looked. I'm puzzled~~these are residential areas, didn't anyone call LE when they heard gun shots?

What about the white work van in the vacant lot where I'm guessing Monica was found?

I also found it weird that the bus travels thru residential neighborhoods. They don't do that up this way.
 
I wonder where the video came from. It looks like in the video there are multiple cars in the background which originally lead me to believe it was near an apartment complex, but when I use Google maps to look at the area~~I cannot find that rickety fence in the background. Granted it is a year later and I supposed someone could have put one up~~but~~I doubt the put a rickety one up.
 
I have been thinking about the ‘bus stop’ angle - - perhaps twisted revenge by a disgruntled HART bus driver who was recently laid off because of the route cuts that took effect on 10/8/17.

First body found 10/9/17:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/public...y-investigate-third-death-in-seminole/2341766
Benjamin Mitchell, whose body was found Oct. 9
All three victims were bus riders and all three were shot at or near bus stops.

ROUTES:
http://www.gohart.org/Style Library/GoHart/pdfs/system_map_local.pdf
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART)
HART FY2018
SYSTEM REDESIGN
BEGINNING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2017

At link - http://www.tbo.com/news/transportat...s-to-get-around-life-could-get-harder/2340074
The map on the left shows HART's existing coverage, while the map on the right shows the coverage that will go into effect on Sunday [October 8, 2017]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/transp...-most-riders-but-cut-service-for-more/2327779
The route changes are part of a HART overhaul culling the system's 41 routes to 34. HART officials said this should improve service for about 80-percent of riders.
"If they're on one of the major routes, chances are their service will get better or at least stay the same," said Marco Sandusky, HART's director of government and community relations.
But those who rely on routes with poor ridership might see their route disappear entirely.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/transp...or-overhaul-of-bus-network-route-cuts/2326268
The cuts don't stop with routes. Eagan said staff cuts are expected but did not say how many.
[…]
For the most part, the changes will come all at once. That means the community can expect a period of several harried days, if not weeks, as riders and drivers adjust to a new system.
 
CoolJ said:
Does anyone know where the surveillance video came from? And why is the video following the POI?
Click to expand...
rbbm.
http://www.fox13news.com/news/local...connection-to-seemingly-random-shooting-death
The video was recorded from a nearby home's surveillance camera and shows a man walking in the area of the shooting at around the time that it happened. Police aren't sure who he is or if he had anything to do with the crime, but they want to talk with him because he might be the only one who knows anything about it.

Dupree hopes someone contacts police with information.

"It would be a relief [if there was an arrest], but then it would also be anger at the same time," she said. "The only question I want to know is, 'why?'"
Click to expand...
 
mollyx said:
A few things...while not "cold" by any standards, nights have been cooler. Many Floridians, such as myself, have been wearing jeans/long pants and hoodies at night. Especially since the days have still been humid and in the upper 80s. Once you've lived here long enough, your cold tolerance goes waaaay down :p

The person in the video is a POI, not a suspect. They do walk like they know the area and are probably a local, making the same walk they do every night to get home. I do not believe they are the shooter.

Regarding anger at gentrification...yeah, Seminole Heights is experiencing some, but some areas have always been fancy and desirable real estate. It is an incredibly diverse area, but also pretty close-knit. For someone to be shooting people as a way to stop gentrification just seems...kind of like a plot for a bad movie.

Lastly, I don't think the shooter is on foot. All of the shootings take place a couple blocks from very busy roads. Both Nebraska and Hillsborough are main arterial roads, allowing anyone in a car to easily blend in with traffic.

I think this person just wants to shoot people. No political, religious, or social motive...just the thrill of taking a life. Which is honestly scarier than any of the aforementioned motives.
Click to expand...

bbm (bolded by me) I've had the same thoughts -- it would be difficult, and very risky to find someone to shoot while just walking around -- there's got to be a vehicle involved -- probably not a bicycle -- an accomplice in a nearby car -- alone but leave the motor running for a quick departure -- shoot while driving by the victim? As someone said earlier, gang initiation? Or as simply a lark?

The victims getting off the bus are thinking about what they're gonna do when they get home, or they are tired from the day they've worked/studied -- they're not really alert, they just want to get home and relax, or get on with the next chore. Easy targets -- the the shooter, IMO, has got to make a quick getaway. The DP heard shots on one killing, hurried over, and not a trace of anyone. A car. Even a motorcycle would probably be too noticeable, and it might stand out in the neighborhood.

And one more thing,

:welcome6: to Websleuths, mollyx!! We're glad you're here!!


:cheer::cheer:
​
 
badkitty203 said:
It almost seems like he/she is dragging their right foot.
Click to expand...

I noticed that, too -- I thought maybe it was a limp or one leg might be a bit shorter than the other. But this individual may not be the shooter -- where did he/she hide when LE rushed over the night they heard shots?

And there's this,

:welcome6: to Websleuths, badkitty!! We're glad you're here!!

:happydance:




​
 
borndem said:
I noticed that, too -- I thought maybe it was a limp or one leg might be a bit shorter than the other. But this individual may not be the shooter -- where did he/she hide when LE rushed over the night they heard shots?

And there's this,

:welcome6: to Websleuths, badkitty!! We're glad you're here!!

:happydance:




​
Click to expand...

Thank you!


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Link includes many photos and the video.
Is this the suspected serial killer who has shot dead three people in 11 days in Tampa? Police release video of hooded person walking away from fatal bus stop shooting

  • Cops in Tampa, Florida have released video of person of interest in serial slays
  • Person has a distinctive gait but police aren't sure if it is a man or woman
  • Desperate plea to the public for information with $25,000 reward on offer
  • Investigators have turned to FBI profilers for theories about the killer
  • Two men and one woman were gunned down seemingly at random
  • Cops saturating the neighborhood heard shots that killed latest victim
  • Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-873-TIPS
Click to expand...

4597776900000578-5007303-image-a-48_1508735583655.jpg


4597776200000578-5007303-image-m-47_1508735569268.jpg

Eerie surveillance video from the first shooting shows a tall, thin person walking with a distinctive loping gait. Police have cautioned that they aren't sure from the footage of the individual's race, or even whether it is a man or a woman
Click to expand...
​
 
Excited to see this covered on GMA this morning! Hope the person on the video is identified soon.
 
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