Victim: Alexis Murphy, 17, missing from Shipman, VA, 03 August 2013 - #5

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So... Tire tracks that may or may not be related to the case? Alrighty..
 
KDub said:
The tread on the back tire is much beefier then the front tires, IMO they are mud tires in the rear. (Just to add, my husband and I own a repair and performance shop so I hope my opinion would stand for something haha) Doesn't really matter though since it doesn't appear by looking at the photo that these are a match.. I really hope some new information is released soon.
Click to expand...

I am wondering if the back tires are newer too.

Can you tell from that bad track photo what brand of 4 wheel drive truck and/or tire would make such a slim imprint? ( my "men" have absconded to the swamp )
 
While I can't help on tire tracks, I don't even know what car tracks should look like after all the cases involved with tracks :eek:, I can comment on the DNA report.

If familial DNA was used to link a case it is a cold case. Not this one. DNA may be linked to a crime that had DNA that has not been matched up in the system. In this case, I would think they have RAT's DNA now, especially after the felony charge, and can run that. With a familial DNA different case there was no matching DNA in the system yet. So whomever the perp was hadn't had DNA taken yet. *At least I think that is how that works, ha.

Very happy to see this man reported the tracks and took so much interest in them. What is that chain thing by the tracks?
 
IMO- I have a feeling that forensics can tell fairly quickly if a tire mark is similar & since they didn't rush out & search the property, I'm guessing it isn't. However, it could certainly be an accomplice (or involved vehicle)! Glad they got a mold of it while they could! Excellent job by the property owner!!!
 
VaBchLady said:
IMO- I have a feeling that forensics can tell fairly quickly if a tire mark is similar & since they didn't rush out & search the property, I'm guessing it isn't. However, it could certainly be an accomplice (or involved vehicle)! Glad they got a mold of it while they could! Excellent job by the property owner!!!
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i agree. i think they would have been out there searching immediately if they had any inkling it was similar. again, it's good to know there are observant citizens who want to help and are looking for things out of place
 
Observations on tires:
Rats tires are older tires. The Goodrich all terrains no longer have "Radial" on them like RATs tires do. The Jurrassic Park movie jeeps have the same model of tire, and that was made in 1993.
http://www.jurassicjeep.com/reference/bfgoodrich-all-terrain-ta-ko/ This is shown white letters out, RATs are black letters out.

IMO, the tires tracks shown are one set over another. If you look at the right side of the picture, the two sets of angled treads have more space between them than at the right of the picture. The treads are even of different widths (the ones on the left are wider than the ones on the right) This indicates to me that the rear tires partially obscured the front tire tracks (which would be expected). IMO, what we see on the picture is the outside angled treads on two separate tires, not two sets of angled treads on one tire. The angle of these treads are consistent with what I can see on RATs vehicle (and about a million other trucks).

Picture here:
http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/exclusive-source-tells-abc-13-he-found-tire-tracks-on-his-property-authorities-to-search-area
 
At least local media still talking about Alexis. First we've heard her name other than the brief mention on Sunday about faith, family, etc. Anything to keep the locals focused!! Throw us a bone LE! Small insignificant pieces to keep the interest!! Doesn't have to be major that would affect their case! Attn spans are short than a skeeter's peter, IMO!

Tire tracks, wonderful that a land owner noticed and called LE. THIS is what will find Alexis. No maybe not these tire tracks, but local landowners noticing things different on their property! Those tips need to keep coming in. And unless LE has STRONG evidence that Alexis is still alive, they need to ask for people to search around their property and notify of them of anything out of place! Strangely without being asked, some are thinking she was sold, being held somewhere, etc., and won't be out looking! JMO!
 
Locals, I notice the ground in the tire track pictures and video has a specific color and texture to it. Is the dirt like that from Charlottesville to Lynchburg, or does it change color/texture depending on what location you are at? I know when I travel through Nevada, there are some sections where the dirt/sand is a bright orange color, but not so other places. It brings to mind that if LE has dirt/mud samples from RATs vehicle, they would know if the color/texture was even possible as a match for anything found on the vehicle.
 
zapped said:
Could tires mounted on 22 inch rims leave tracks like that?

It definitely looks like a truck to me but just wondering.
Click to expand...

Not car tires. Most tires on 22 inch rims are high performance with wide tires and treads similar to all season tires. Not good for mud or snow. They would easily get stuck in the mud. Fancy rims can bend if you hit a pothole and tires can easily burst. My son laughed at me when I put fancy rims on my old Toyota Camry. He said women don't need rims on their cars. LOL!! The tires and fancy rims can cost between $1500 to $2500, or more, just for a car..

Young people think it's not cool to ride around with dirty rims. They must look clean at all times.
 
Ghostwheel said:
Locals, I notice the ground in the tire track pictures and video has a specific color and texture to it. Is the dirt like that from Charlottesville to Lynchburg, or does it change color/texture depending on what location you are at? I know when I travel through Nevada, there are some sections where the dirt/sand is a bright orange color, but not so other places. It brings to mind that if LE has dirt/mud samples from RATs vehicle, they would know if the color/texture was even possible as a match for anything found on the vehicle.
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Yes, this area is known for its red clay although there are other soil types as well, especially in some of the flatter areas east of town where it is just "dirt" or more grayish clay. But in the mountainous areas (and all of my property) the soil is fertile red clay. Nelson and other points south of Cville have had a lot of rain this summer so there is mud (slippery which is why the truck that left those marks slid down a small embankment) when normally in August the soil has the texture of brick. Lucky for making molds of tire tracks. I also noted in the video that they said LE will search the property but they aren't sure when---to me, that could indicate that they are there right now and don't want to be disturbed or want to tip someone off.
 
And, the red clay/mud that's all around here is very difficult, if not impossible, to get out of clothes! :banghead:
 
From the article;

The road is very steep and very rocky and is only supposed to be used by four wheelers, but the land owner says the tracks didn't appear to come from a four wheeler at all.

"The tracks go to the top of the mountain turn around and go back down. It's a full sized truck because I did the measurements between the wheels and it's a full sized vehicle," the land owner told ABC 13.

http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/...art=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9215115

It's important to note that the Sheriff's department has not been able to say at this point if that tire track matches Randy Taylor's truck.

The Sheriff's Department does tell ABC 13 that they plan to search the property at some point, but there is no word on when that may be.

Just to be clear, ABC 13 was not on any land without the property owner and not in any area that could have potential evidence.



BBM... Hi all, I just noticed this comment in the article and wanted to ask, couldn't this statement by the news station mean that they could've taken images of any sets of tires, possibly even land owners?

Just an FYI.. I've not been able to watch the video yet so this statement may be moot.

Moo and all that...
 
Ravynne said:
From the article;
BBM... Hi all, I just noticed this comment in the article and wanted to ask, couldn't this statement by the news station mean that they could've taken images of any sets of tires, possibly even land owners?

Just an FYI.. I've not been able to watch the video yet so this statement may be moot.

Moo and all that...
Click to expand...

RSBM:

If you look at how wet & muddy the trail is- I can't imagine these imprints would be from before RAT was arrested.


http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/...ks-on-his-property-authorities-to-search-area
 
Ghostwheel said:
Locals, I notice the ground in the tire track pictures and video has a specific color and texture to it. Is the dirt like that from Charlottesville to Lynchburg, or does it change color/texture depending on what location you are at? I know when I travel through Nevada, there are some sections where the dirt/sand is a bright orange color, but not so other places. It brings to mind that if LE has dirt/mud samples from RATs vehicle, they would know if the color/texture was even possible as a match for anything found on the vehicle.
Click to expand...
VA's finest red clay. Bedford Co, Campbell Co., Roanoke Co, Botetourt Co., Nelson Co., Appomattox, Amherst, Charlottesville, etc. gosh trying to remember them all, but basically most of the counties surrounding Nelson have red clay soil. As you get closer to the coast, more sandy soil. Red clay stains clothing, and when wet, can be as slippery as ice/snow covered. Without good tread, vehicles will get stuck when it's wet. JMO from living in a nearby county.
 
momrids6 said:
RSBM:

If you look at how wet & muddy the trail is- I can't imagine these imprints would be from before RAT was arrested.


http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/...ks-on-his-property-authorities-to-search-area
Click to expand...

You may very well be right but I do know that red clay holds its form even after getting rained on repeatedly. I have horses turned out on red clay, and when they leave deep hoofprints in the clay, it can rain many times before the clay is smoothed over again. The water will actually just sit in the grooves and sink into the soil but unless there is a really big downpour, it is not completely flattened back out. So, it would be interesting to know what large rain events have taken place in the Tyro area recently. And of course, if there is a second person involved, those tracks could have been made much more recently....
 
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