TX TX - Caleb Harris, 21, Texas A&M University student, Corpus Christi, 4 Mar 2024 #2

[SMK777]

Could CH be a victim of sextortion? There has been a rise in these cases in which the perpetrator holds some digital record of the victim- nude photo or maybe involved in a sex act. The perpetrator threatens to release the digital record to family, friends, and social acquaintances. The worst cases I have heard have resulted in the victims committing suicide. Maybe in this case CH was told that if he didn't go along with the perpetrators demands, the digital record would get sent out. Speculating here. MOO.

That’s something I hadn’t thought of in terms of Caleb, but I actually read an article the other day explaining that this kind of blackmail is on the rise. Good observation! Quite plausible.

 

[SMK777]

Thank you for the reminder about what he left behind. Sounds like he did not plan to be gone long, to me. I do wonder about the alleged sighting of him near the bridge (obviously possible and I guess not too far to walk barefoot).

Something about this, though, makes me wonder if he had his encounter with someone closer to his apartment - certainly can't see him going much further than the bridge. Walks the dog, maybe encounters this someone (maybe someone he trusted or knew), takes the dog back, goes back out.

This scenario gives me hope that LE has an idea of who this person is. It could be Snapchat based if he already knew the person. It's my understanding that Snapchat doesn't store messages, but I think it stores data (about which devices are involved in a conversation). Things wouldn't make sense in terms of laws about digital services if they didn't. It would not be easy to track down everyone that Caleb had recently Snapchatted, I'm sure. But that surely explains the need for the digital experts of the FBI.

I think this will be solved, I sure hope so.

IMO.

I hope you’re right, yes; and that the FBI and others will be able to solve it soon.

 

[Bigditch]

Why are the last 3 seen as not

Why are the last 3 seen as not feasible?

Hi SMK777,
Gut feeling and research.

It was foggy, visibility was hindered. I think the perp or perps must be people that lived close by, or someone who drives for a living and is comfortable navigating crappy weather conditions.
Or Caleb just sort of fell into their lap.
~
A bar employee or owner seems unlikely. I thought the bars closed early on Sunday night, but some are open until 2 AM. Still wouldn't it be more likely a crime would take place at or near a bar on the weekends when there's lots of (blurry eyed witness) roaming about.

If it was a random confrontation turned crime scene there would be clues. The fog conditions would make hiding situational evidence difficult. Someone working at a local convenience store in a small town might not own a car (to transport a vic.). Maybe they take the bus to work? Plus, it would depend on whether or not their schedule synced with Caleb's movements that night.

The only 24-7 convenience stores in Caleb's immediate area that were open 24-7, Checkout 5602 SPID, there is also an Exxon gas station on site. Perhaps Caleb was abducted there and forced into a vehicle.

Circle K 3801 Rodd Field Rd, & SPID (close to home, someone followed him from The Cottages)
Circle K 5636 Weber Rd. & SPID (close to home, someone followed him from The Cottages)

ALL of these convenience store locations are linked to Corpus Christi Traffic Cams. The other convenience stores in the area appear to close at 1 AM.

An Uber driver has the victim's coordinates. It did seem to take a long time to fill and deliver C's order. Even though it was 'a no contact order'. I'm sure Caleb wanted to see his lunch for the next day safely inside before going to bed. Maybe he started walking toward the convenience store to help the driver find his place in the fog. He's offered a ride, someone's hiding in the backseat.

My Top Potential Suspects or People of Interest are:
Someone who lived at The Cottages. They had opportunity via proximity. Motive, misadventure. In the pic with the dog there is an apartment window illuminated in the background??? / knows victim

Long haul truck driver. Opportunity to hide someone in the trailer. Motive / nefarious personal intent / likely doesn't know victim

Online predators / Night Stalkers a) Caleb arrives at the Exxon on SPID looking for his food order/ he gets jumped, perp doesn't know the victim. b) Perp or perps know the victim, the area, the overpass on Ennis Joslin Rd. someone from a previous encounter who Caleb has rejected, someone who has possibly installed a tracking device on C's phone? (lies in wait for the perfect opportunity).

 

[SMK777]

Hi SMK777,
Gut feeling and research.

It was foggy, visibility was hindered. I think the perp or perps must be people that lived close by, or someone who drives for a living and is comfortable navigating crappy weather conditions.
Or Caleb just sort of fell into their lap.
~
A bar employee or owner seems unlikely. I thought the bars closed early on Sunday night, but some are open until 2 AM. Still wouldn't it be more likely a crime would take place at or near a bar on the weekends when there's lots of (blurry eyed witness) roaming about.

If it was a random confrontation turned crime scene there would be clues. The fog conditions would make hiding situational evidence difficult. Someone working at a local convenience store in a small town might not own a car (to transport a vic.). Maybe they take the bus to work? Plus, it would depend on whether or not their schedule synced with Caleb's movements that night.

The only 24-7 convenience stores in Caleb's immediate area that were open 24-7, Checkout 5602 SPID, there is also an Exxon gas station on site. Perhaps Caleb was abducted there and forced into a vehicle.

Circle K 3801 Rodd Field Rd, & SPID (close to home, someone followed him from The Cottages)
Circle K 5636 Weber Rd. & SPID (close to home, someone followed him from The Cottages)

ALL of these convenience store locations are linked to Corpus Christi Traffic Cams. The other convenience stores in the area appear to close at 1 AM.

An Uber driver has the victim's coordinates. It did seem to take a long time to fill and deliver C's order. Even though it was 'a no contact order'. I'm sure Caleb wanted to see his lunch for the next day safely inside before going to bed. Maybe he started walking toward the convenience store to help the driver find his place in the fog. He's offered a ride, someone's hiding in the backseat.

My Top Potential Suspects or People of Interest are:
Someone who lived at The Cottages. They had opportunity via proximity. Motive, misadventure. In the pic with the dog there is an apartment window illuminated in the background??? / knows victim

Long haul truck driver. Opportunity to hide someone in the trailer. Motive / nefarious personal intent / likely doesn't know victim

Online predators / Night Stalkers a) Caleb arrives at the Exxon on SPID looking for his food order/ he gets jumped, perp doesn't know the victim. b) Perp or perps know the victim, the area, the overpass on Ennis Joslin Rd. someone from a previous encounter who Caleb has rejected, someone who has possibly installed a tracking device on C's phone? (lies in wait for the perfect opportunity).

Thanks for such a thorough explanation!
Lots of food for thought, and hopefully LE are exploring these possibilities.

 

[61Montcalm]

You’re right. I recall a case in the early ‘80s where a woman was lured, raped and killed via a personal ad about a water bed. I also read a book about a man in the early 1900s who placed personal ads looking for older brides who had been widowed, with the intent to marry, murder, and gain inheritance. So the internet and apps are an expansion of what’s always been part of human criminality.

There was a case on here back in 2014 in Detroit where a SK was contacting women and murdering them after they responded to escort ads on something called backpage I think it was. The women ended up murdered and their bodies found in cars in the Outer Drive Hayes area on Detroit's east side.

MI - MI - JAMES C BROWN, Backpage Killer, Sterling Heights, convicted Feb 2014

Victimology shows more commonalities Two of the four victims were about to celebrate their birthdays. All four women were in their 20s. And three of the four women had children, with Natasha Curtis, the last victim to be tentively ID'd, just a few weeks into her third pregnancy per her...

www.websleuths.com

Hopefully this is not the case with Caleb.

 

[Sundog]

Even the $50,000 reward offered by Caleb's family hasn't flushed out any good leads, as far as we know.

Caleb Harris' family doubles reward money leading to missing student's safe return

TAMU-CC student Caleb Harris has been missing since March 4th, 2024. The Harris family has doubled the reward money from $25,000 to $50,000 leading to information on his safe return home.

www.kristv.com

 

[SMK777]

Even the $50,000 reward offered by Caleb's family hasn't flushed out any good leads, as far as we know.

Caleb Harris' family doubles reward money leading to missing student's safe return

TAMU-CC student Caleb Harris has been missing since March 4th, 2024. The Harris family has doubled the reward money from $25,000 to $50,000 leading to information on his safe return home.

www.kristv.com

Yes, there’s been a baffling lack of leads in this case.

 

[RobinCAL]

TIMELINE OF CALEB'S DISAPPEARANCE
Sunday - March 3rd, 2024

• Caleb Harris spends evening hours playing video games with his roommates and mutual friends, including a former high school classmate who lives in Colorado.

Monday - March 4th, 2024

• 12:56 am: A doorbell camera at a nearby apartment captures Caleb, his roommates, and his friend playing with a roommate's puppy in the parking lot of his off-campus apartment complex. All 3 young men return to the apartment, and the friend leaves shortly after.
• 2:20 am: One of Caleb's roommates tells him he is going to bed. Caleb lets him know he is going to stay up and order snacks for his lunch later that day.
• 2:44 am: Caleb shares a Snapchat video with his younger sister showing him walking the puppy to what appears to be the apartment complex parking lot.
• 3:03 am: Caleb sent a Snapchat photo to one of his friends living in San Antonio showing what appeared to be a small bridge over a drainage ditch on the 1900 block of Ennis Joslin. A few hundred feet from the entrance of the apartment complex.
• 3:12 am: A cell phone tower picks up Caleb's cell phone last shared location
• 3:20 am: The Uber driver delivers Caleb's order and leaves it outside near the front door per his request.
• 11:00 am: One of Caleb's roommates discovers the Uber Eats order outside the front door. He notices Caleb's pick-up truck is parked right out front, and Caleb's wallet and keys are left behind. His roommates start to look for Caleb and call the police to report him missing.
  
  via Caleb Harris' family doubles reward money leading to missing student's safe return

 

[Rosydecember]

There was a case on here back in 2014 in Detroit where a SK was contacting women and murdering them after they responded to escort ads on something called backpage I think it was. The women ended up murdered and their bodies found in cars in the Outer Drive Hayes area on Detroit's east side.

MI - MI - JAMES C BROWN, Backpage Killer, Sterling Heights, convicted Feb 2014

Victimology shows more commonalities Two of the four victims were about to celebrate their birthdays. All four women were in their 20s. And three of the four women had children, with Natasha Curtis, the last victim to be tentively ID'd, just a few weeks into her third pregnancy per her...

www.websleuths.com

Hopefully this is not the case with Caleb.

Oh backpages… what an awful site that turned into. Thank god it was shut down… MOO

 

[LauraAnne]

Even the $50,000 reward offered by Caleb's family hasn't flushed out any good leads, as far as we know.

Caleb Harris' family doubles reward money leading to missing student's safe return

TAMU-CC student Caleb Harris has been missing since March 4th, 2024. The Harris family has doubled the reward money from $25,000 to $50,000 leading to information on his safe return home.

www.kristv.com

But the reward is only offered for the safe return of Caleb. Anyone who had a lead such as a boyfriend/friend acting oddly the next day, blood in his vehicle, black eye, unaccounted for during time frame, etc., wouldn't stand to gain anything at all by reporting it, and would surely lose the friend if it's all innocent. Crimestoppers used to offer rewards for resolution of cases, which is much more helpful. At this point it seems Caleb's family could offer a million dollar reward for his safe return, and it's unlikely that would turn him up. Very sad.

 

[SMK777]

But the reward is only offered for the safe return of Caleb. Anyone who had a lead such as a boyfriend/friend acting oddly the next day, blood in his vehicle, black eye, unaccounted for during time frame, etc., wouldn't stand to gain anything at all by reporting it, and would surely lose the friend if it's all innocent. Crimestoppers used to offer rewards for resolution of cases, which is much more helpful. At this point it seems Caleb's family could offer a million dollar reward for his safe return, and it's unlikely that would turn him up. Very sad.

Yes, there needs to be a reward for any information which leads to the discovery of what prevented Caleb from returning home on March 4, which would cover basically all scenarios. I’m wondering if Crime Stoppers would still be applicable for this case, outside of the reward that the father has put forward.

 

[flowershop]

Yes, there needs to be a reward for any information which leads to the discovery of what prevented Caleb from returning home on March 4, which would cover basically all scenarios. I’m wondering if Crime Stoppers would still be applicable for this case, outside of the reward that the father has put forward.

I strongly suspect it's not being offered because LE is already confident of the bad actor(s) and the scenario which led to CH's disappearance. MOO

 

[Marie A]

But the reward is only offered for the safe return of Caleb. Anyone who had a lead such as a boyfriend/friend acting oddly the next day, blood in his vehicle, black eye, unaccounted for during time frame, etc., wouldn't stand to gain anything at all by reporting it, and would surely lose the friend if it's all innocent. Crimestoppers used to offer rewards for resolution of cases, which is much more helpful. At this point it seems Caleb's family could offer a million dollar reward for his safe return, and it's unlikely that would turn him up. Very sad.

I agree with what you are saying.

I think that the way this reward was offered (wording) hindered possible leads/ tips from being given.
I have thought that from the start.
They should re-think the wording or offer a second reward for leads/ tips that solve the mystery of Caleb’s disappearance.
Lots of money was donated from the public to two different GO FUND ME accounts and not used to solicit tips - only for his SAFE return.
Now close to $100k has been donated!
The odds of a “safe” return dwindle daily.
That’s A LOT of donated money.
That money should be given for any tips that lead to Caleb period (as it should have been from the start) - the “safe return” stipulation may have stopped some from reporting tips.
I hope they rethink the wording or start a second fund for helpful info leading to Caleb or leading to solving his mysterious disappearance.
IMHO

 

[TIGER0822]

CH disappeared without his wallet, his car, his keys, in which scenario is walking away without these item(s) least likely?

1. Leaving, walking away to start a new life?
2. Self harm?
3. Abduction?
4. Planned meet up?
5. Death by misadventure?

I would rule out planned meet up.
Walking away to start a new life is a toss up.
Self harm, abduction and death my misadventure are most likely in this scenario.
MOO.

 

[TIGER0822]

I agree with what you are saying.

I think that the way this reward was offered (wording) hindered possible leads/ tips from being given.
I have thought that from the start.
They should re-think the wording or offer a second reward for leads/ tips that solve the mystery of Caleb’s disappearance.
Lots of money was donated from the public to two different GO FUND ME accounts and not used to solicit tips - only for his SAFE return.
Now close to $100k has been donated!
The odds of a “safe” return dwindle daily.
That’s A LOT of donated money.
That money should be given for any tips that lead to Caleb period (as it should have been from the start) - the “safe return” stipulation may have stopped some from reporting tips.
I hope they rethink the wording or start a second fund for helpful info leading to Caleb or leading to solving his mysterious disappearance.
IMHO

I agree.

 

[SMK777]

I strongly suspect it's not being offered because LE is already confident of the bad actor(s) and the scenario which led to CH's disappearance. MOO

I hope so, and I hope an arrest will soon be coming if Caleb was harmed.

 

[SMK777]

CH disappeared without his wallet, his car, his keys, in which scenario is walking away without these item(s) least likely?

1. Leaving, walking away to start a new life?
2. Self harm?
3. Abduction?
4. Planned meet up?
5. Death by misadventure?

I would rule out planned meet up.
Walking away to start a new life is a toss up.
Self harm, abduction and death my misadventure are most likely in this scenario.
MOO.

Why rule out a planned meet up?

 

[branmuffin]

CH disappeared without his wallet, his car, his keys, in which scenario is walking away without these item(s) least likely?

1. Leaving, walking away to start a new life?
2. Self harm?
3. Abduction?
4. Planned meet up?
5. Death by misadventure?

I would rule out planned meet up.
Walking away to start a new life is a toss up.
Self harm, abduction and death my misadventure are most likely in this scenario.
MOO.

Somehow, a young man who has his own truck, fishing kayak, has his education and living accommodations paid for by his parents and receives an allowance from them doesn't sound like someone who would leave all that behind.
I am firmly in #5 where he got embroiled in a situation he went to voluntarily and underestimated the risks involved because he'd done it before.

 

[SMK777]

I am firmly in #5 where he got embroiled in a situation he went to voluntarily and underestimated the risks involved because he'd done it before.

Agreed: That is definitely the most likely scenario, and far more likely than leaving of his own volition, self-harm, random accident or homicide, and sex-trafficking abduction. I think statistically it beats the others.

 

[Warwick1991]

I don't pretend to have any answers about this case - I'm baffled. When I think of the unlikely possibility of a young, fit male becoming a victim of a predator, I remind myself that it does happen. Randy Kraft, a serial killer of many young men, managed to kill young, fit US Marines and others in the prime of life. Although many of his victims were hitchhiking otherwise vulnerable, not all were. Some of Kraft's methods are still uncertain. Of course, there are also robberies and opportunistic crimes that can befall someone of any age or sex.