Looking back for the weather in September/October 1996, we were very chilly around the 13th of September reaching only upper 50's, and lows on the 23rd of 45 degree's. Perhaps Mary's planning began mid September 1996 hence the choice in clothing? Back then you would need a USA Today Newspaper for national weather or a newspaper or if you TV station did a national forecast (which many did before the advent of The Weather Channel, and the internet in order to gauge temperatures in an area). Someone from Florida, for instance, would find a high in the 50's and low in the mid 40's to be winter for them.
Just a post script about 1996:
There was no TSA so she could have flown here from anywhere with a ticket in any name
She had 7 outfits (6 velour) and the one she was wearing, leggings with a black turtle neck sweater - ready for the cold so obviously from a warmer climate (was she afraid she'd chicken out, that's why so many outfits?)
She paid for 2 nights and had 38 dollars and change left over. Did she have more money stashed away somewhere in case she did chicken out? Or were those outfits a ruse as just something to pack, or maybe to layer in case she did chicken out and was sleeping outside?
No jewelry, nor ear piercings mentioned
Medication bottle (she took medicine for something and peeled the label off and used it to transport the cyanide - all you need is a tablespoon full at the most. Even though the medical examiner at the time said cyanide was NOT easy to come by...this small amount could have been taken without detection at an employers.)
And iron and a bowl...did she have both potassium and sodium cyanide? Maybe she flushed the potassium cyanide and decided to take it with Metamucil and Crystal Light? Or did she have a pet she parted with? (Old school: use laxatives and a sugarless drink for weight loss.) The iron was used to press a maple leaf, is that all she had that for? Her outfits required no ironing.
Sheets taken off the bed (see article posted yesterday by Todd Matthews): Was she being courteous of the housekeeping staff in case she got sick and threw up? Did she think about hanging herself instead?
If she had an IUD and was probably married as the medical examiner said or in a romantic relationship... did the X-ray's show any depression on her fingers showing she wore a ring? (After years of wearing a ring you will get a depression in your bones on your fingers.)
Did she wear high heels a lot? (Dislocated toes can occur from wearing high heeled shoes - also corns and callouses on the feet would indicate if she walked a lot or was on her feet a lot. Also, carpal tunnel in the wrists was common in the 90's if where you worked was computerized and you used a complex program like Cobalt or Fortran.)
After she was in the morgue for 8 or so months her hair must have revealed the root color to confirm if this was her natural color or dyed. What was the observation before she was embalmed?
Was her DNA collected, and were her clothes (once they found out the name and address was false) gone over for fibers and trace evidence?
These are the questions I will ask the Medical Examiner's office if I get a chance to go and speak with them or talk to them over the phone or via email. Does anyone else have any other things that are bugging them or think should be asked?
