Evidence #2

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

I'm not getting the idea that he had a whole lot of time to dispose of a weapon, laptop, bloody clothes, etc. by driving somewhere and then coming back. It seems there was alot of overgrowth in their yard, could have been buried in the yard somewhere??

Absolutely. I think you'd either need a confession or psychic ability to find that weapon now. Or a real lucky break. He could have run to a wooded spot and tossed it, he could have placed the point in the ground and pressed it deep into the soil ANYWHERE. He could have tossed it into the creek that seems to run through the entire area. I imagine that LE doesn't look much farther than the crime scene for a weapon because after it leaves the scene, it could be absolutely anywhere.

Also, the laptop could have been disposed of LONG before the attack, and the bloody clothes - we don't know exactly how bloody they were or if he claimed to have held her, explaining away any blood on his clothes.

 

[ewwwinteresting]

Absolutely. I think you'd either need a confession or psychic ability to find that weapon now. Or a real lucky break. He could have run to a wooded spot and tossed it, he could have placed the point in the ground and pressed it deep into the soil ANYWHERE. He could have tossed it into the creek that seems to run through the entire area. I imagine that LE doesn't look much farther than the crime scene for a weapon because after it leaves the scene, it could be absolutely anywhere.

Also, the laptop could have been disposed of LONG before the attack, and the bloody clothes - we don't know exactly how bloody they were or if he claimed to have held her, explaining away any blood on his clothes.

Yes, I agree that the only thing he really needed to get rid of that night was the murder weapon...and a knife would be easy to dispose of, imo. The laptop would have had to disappear either earlier that day (remember he posted a blog the night before) or before LE arrived. Of course, he could have temporarily hid it close by. He was released after questioning that next morning, so had all the time in the world to retrieve it, if he wanted. It could have even been in his VX or the Acura since LE didn't search those vehicles.

 

[snapple]

Yes, I agree that the only thing he really needed to get rid of that night was the murder weapon...and a knife would be easy to dispose of, imo. The laptop would have had to disappear either earlier that day (remember he posted a blog the night before) or before LE arrived. Of course, he could have temporarily hid it close by. He was released after questioning that next morning, so had all the time in the world to retrieve it, if he wanted. It could have even been in his VX or the Acura since LE didn't search those vehicles.

True, but wouldn't LE at least kept on eye on his doings right after the murder since raven was the last one to see Janet alive. Also, if the knife is stashed around the area, wouldn't the LE do an extensive search of the area...maybe with metal detectors? ....can we assume LE did this?

 

[snapple]

I'm not getting the idea that he had a whole lot of time to dispose of a weapon, laptop, bloody clothes, etc. by driving somewhere and then coming back. It seems there was alot of overgrowth in their yard, could have been buried in the yard somewhere??[/QUOTE]
Of course if it was premeditated he would of had a hole already dug out deep in a private place....so I guess the chances of finding the knife would greatly depend on whether the murder was premeditated or a crime of passion..

 

[ewwwinteresting]

True, but wouldn't LE at least kept on eye on his doings right after the murder since raven was the last one to see Janet alive. Also, if the knife is stashed around the area, wouldn't the LE do an extensive search of the area...maybe with metal detectors? ....can we assume LE did this?

I believe we were told that LE need an extensive search with metal detectors by the creek. However, imo, they released the house too early to have actually thoroughly checked the entire property. Maybe they don't need the murder weapon??

 

[Jenifred]

I'm not getting the idea that he had a whole lot of time to dispose of a weapon, laptop, bloody clothes, etc. by driving somewhere and then coming back. It seems there was alot of overgrowth in their yard, could have been buried in the yard somewhere??

So you think that Raven planted the blood on the Durango to fit into his story?

 

[lauriej]

So you think that Raven planted the blood on the Durango to fit into his story?

...absolutely...........i think raven "planted" everything to hastliy fit into his theory...
...finding janet "on her knees"......so he could SAY so...
...then he could SAY she was on her knees while experiencing cramps normally..
...so he could SAY he was so shocked at learning that she was pregnant..( but i believe he knew that all along, and , as in so many cases, was probably THE reason he murdered her..)


...i don't think that she was ever on her knees , as raven says........he does say he rolled her over , this i believe to be true, so he could account for the blood now on him.......
...running out to the truck for his phone..........? i doubt that.............
...running out to get rid of the knife.?............yes..........

...the missing laptop??????????now that has always bothered me...........we heard very early on that she was communicating with someone online that very night...........email ? messenger ?
...looking at jersey's maps.............wow.........there are a LOT of places to toss the knife..............but i just can't see raven tossing his pride and joy, laptop ............

...with TOD within 5 or 10 minutes of raven calling 911...........and LE taking body temps once they arrived to determine TOD............it's quite astounding that raven is still a free man...........but, as SES has said, perhaps they want ALL of their ducks in a row for a slam dunk guilty.........

...raven...can run....(can move to utah.)................but sure can't hide, from the evidence............T.................O......................D...............will be his downfall..............

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

...the missing laptop??????????now that has always bothered me...........we heard very early on that she was communicating with someone online that very night...........email ? messenger ?

But remember that the first story was erroneous. What we've heard since is that she was NOT e-mailing with someone that night. A friend had seen a report on the news about a murder on Ferrand Drive, and immediately worried that it was Janet. So she apparently sent an e-mail to Janet with the thought that if Janet didn't respond by morning, she would go check on her. GM can probably fill in the details better - I don't remember if the co-worker friend of Janet's went there later that night or if she went there in the morning. But the point is that the story about Janet e-mailing or instant messaging someone that night was false as far as we now know. It was her friend who sent the e-mail after hearing of the crime.

 

[golfmom]

But remember that the first story was erroneous. What we've heard since is that she was NOT e-mailing with someone that night. A friend had seen a report on the news about a murder on Ferrand Drive, and immediately worried that it was Janet. So she apparently sent an e-mail to Janet with the thought that if Janet didn't respond by morning, she would go check on her. GM can probably fill in the details better - I don't remember if the co-worker friend of Janet's went there later that night or if she went there in the morning. But the point is that the story about Janet e-mailing or instant messaging someone that night was false as far as we now know. It was her friend who sent the e-mail after hearing of the crime.

My understanding is that a few former co-workers heard a report on t.v. about an UNNAMED woman murdered in the area where Janet lived and became concerned. The next morning, after being unable to reach Janet they went to her home and discovered police, crime scene tape and reporters.

 

[golfmom]

I've been just kindof looking back over things that we've previously discussed. Ya'll know, hindsight is 20/20 and I thought this was interesting.

We know that Raven has never been declared a POI by the police department. But, look at this quote:

"On Thursday, Durham police Cpl. B.E. Bradley was granted to a warrant to search a 1998 Dodge Durango belonging to Raven Abaroa, the victim's husband. The warrant indicates that the day before, police had searched the SUV and the home the couple rented in western Durham off Sparger Road.

After police interviewed Raven Abaroa earlier on Thursday, they asked a judge for permission to search the vehicle for evidence a second time, the warrant said.

"Information disclosed during that interview has suggested that further scientific testing is needed to determine the relationship of the vehicle to the homicide," the warrant said."

At the time that was released, we knew the Abaroa's had three vehicles. Most of us assumed that Raven drove the VX that night. What we now know is that Raven drove the Durango and that the Accura and VX were not at the home. So can someone explain to me HOW LE could have ever gotten a 2nd search warrant AND HOW would the Durango have any relationship to the murder ... IF it wasn't there when Janet' was murdered???? If the Durango was sitting in the driveway and the murderer tried to steal it, well ... that's a relationship. BUT, if Raven had the Durango that entire evening, that clearly implies that LE wants to determine what relationship Raven had to the murder.

eta: So any guesses on what Raven told LE that allowed them to get that 2nd search warrant?

 

[newkid]

eta: So any guesses on what Raven told LE that allowed them to get that 2nd search warrant?

Maybe it has to do with the time frame, the paramedics worked on Janet. I also wonder if the reason they tested for pregnancy at the autopsy is because of Raven's cramps statement.

 

[golfmom]

Maybe it has to do with the time frame, the paramedics worked on Janet. I also wonder if the reason they tested for pregnancy at the autopsy is because of Raven's cramps statement.

I'm still struggling what triggered LE to think that the Durango had a relationship to the murder when Raven is saying that the Durango was with him all evening long.

Could he have changed his story and raised their suspicions? hmmmm

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Could he have changed his story and raised their suspicions? hmmmm

I think that it could be any inconsistency at all. Anything that made them zero in on him as a likely suspect. Or perhaps it is the time frame. Something about his alleged actions after arriving home. Maybe they only took samples from the outside of the car because he claimed that the car had been locked but after the interview, they decided to do more testing inside? Although I would hope that they would have done that in any case.

 

[Annandale1998]

GM I think this is a huge question. And as far as I can remeber it has not been stated what they found in the second search. I looked at all the samples they took. They seemed to have done a pretty good job. My guess would be that he said Janet had left something in there, or maybe they were going to look for more soccer equipment. Maybe Raven said he was somewhere (soccer game)or had something.The police didn't recall seeing this item and got a hunch. Hadn't someone somewhere down the line ask why there wasn't any soccer equipment confiscated that we know of?

Or maybe when he described where he searched for this"phone" and the blood traces didn't match up?

 

[golfmom]

GM I think this is a huge question. And as far as I can remeber it has not been stated what they found in the second search. I looked at all the samples they took. They seemed to have done a pretty good job. My guess would be that he said Janet had left something in there, or maybe they were going to look for more soccer equipment. Maybe Raven said he was somewhere (soccer game)or had something.The police didn't recall seeing this item and got a hunch. Hadn't someone somewhere down the line ask why there wasn't any soccer equipment confiscated that we know of?

Or maybe when he described where he searched for this"phone" and the blood traces didn't match up?

Annadale, I think it's pretty hard to get a 2nd search warrant based on a hunch, but your idea of the phone search and blood trace evidence is interesting. If there was a discrepancy there I think that a judge would issue another warrant.

 

[Annandale1998]

I'm sitting here looking at the search warrant. Why would it say there were fired and unfired bullet casings collected? Maybe this has been brought up , or is trivial. Someone please clue me in.

 

[SouthEastSleuth]

I'm sitting here looking at the search warrant. Why would it say there were fired and unfired bullet casings collected? Maybe this has been brought up , or is trivial. Someone please clue me in.

Hi Annandale -

My guess has always been that some of those words used in the warrant are just pro forma, in that they list things they would take IF they are present, etc. And in this case, as they first thought they were responding to a "gunshot," I think they list things of that nature just routinely. JMO...

 

[Annandale1998]

Good point. I figured it was trivial. Thanks!

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Since nobody mentioned this yet, I thought I should. It appears by the medical examiner's report that a sexual assault kit was done during the examination of Janet's body.

ETA the quote from the report: "... the shirt is retained along with a sexaul assault kit that includes a blood sample."

My thought is - if they did a sexual assault kit, and are still saying that the crime was not random, AND they released all of her clothing besides her shirt, then sexual assault is not a likely motive at this point.