AL AL - Brittney Wood, 19, Mobile, 31 May 2012 - # 6

[zwiebel]

Brittney just seems to have paid the price for what others have done in so many ways, and she's still paying now. It is so wrong.

I hope something breaks in this case, I really do.

 

[Bit Analyzer]

I don't believe I said cousins, but if I did I apologize. Second cousins twice removed or whatever that makes them. The point is that there is a relation. I also believe it's in AJ's nature to help others. I have read he has done it with complete strangers. Knowing that, I have to believe that he would have done what he could to help someone who is in some way related to him, more so than a complete stranger. However, the alleged and deprived acts of Brittney's more immediate family have understandably cut that off as even a possibility. That's not a slight on AJ. That's just an example of yet another way the allegations of rape/abuse have harmed Brittney or her investigation.

Reedus, you do not need to apologize, on the other hand, I apologize to you for unintentionally implying that you might have stated such. My point, admittedly poorly conveyed, was that keeping in mind the two are not cousins, and acknowledging the fanaticism of football in the state of Alabama, if the accomplished football player and University are not inclined to take up the cause, there could be other ways to get the message out, at a local football venue, with a broad audience. I agree with you that the rapes and allegations against the uncle is likely the reason someone would choose to not get personally involved.

This is O/T, but I hope it helps explain where I am coming from on the "relation" issue. In my opinion, too much hope and anguish is being expressed about a relationship that may exist to some degree, or may not exist at all. The fact, as I understand it, is Brittney and FB player have an uncle in common. I earlier lamented who knows their uncle's, wife's, sister's daughters? On my mother's side, I have 3 uncles. I have met on a few occasions relatives of an aunt married to one of these uncles. I have seen them and swapped a few words with them at weddings and funerals. I doubt I would recognize them without being reintroduced, as we do not live in the same communities. The second uncle never married, thus a moot point. The third uncle was 15 years younger than my mother and he has lived a troubled adult life. Early in my parents marriage, this uncle was sowing his wild oats, so they thought, through his high school years. My grandparents (his parents) passed away during his second year of college. He dropped out, drugs and alcohol became his steady diet, along with a girlfriend who was also strung out on drugs and alcohol. He asked and received money from my parents during this time. When my parents realized he wasn't making anything of his life, they offered him a deal. If he would straighten up his life and go back to college, they would pay for his tuition and books. This was in the 70's. He took them up on the offer, got a job and finished his degree. Fresh out of college, he had a decent job, then went back to his old ways of life: enter old girlfriend, who by then had two children and was pregnant with his child. They get married. My parents bought them food, helped pay their rent, and hospital bills. A few years pass, uncle gets caught red-handedly stealing from my parents. Then came the ultimatum: no more relationship until he straightens out his life and pays them back. This is the last we ever heard from him. I knew his wife (my aunt) but none of this aunt's family. If my estranged uncle came into my life asking for help finding a niece or nephew of his, I would be leery at best to get personally involved. Everything I would do would be anonymous. I think I would not feel any more "connected" to that theoretical situation than I do to the many missing children I read, pray and contribute toward finding.

IMO, there was a point I was trying to make with the personal example of relations. The FB player charitably encourages children with cancer. He may not feel as connected to the Brittney cause as some would like, or he may be contributing in unknown ways. We need to leave it be, and move on. It serves no purpose to question his or a college's lack of obvious participation in a cause we feel strongly about. (Reedus, the previous statement wasn't directed to anyone in particular, especially not you.) Sorry for the long post. I am admonishing myself for contributing to this relation subject. These days, I have little time on my hands, as I share caregiving responsibilities with my sisters during my father's end stage of life. I may not comment often, but I do read regularly, and pray that Brittney be found alive and thriving somewhere far away from the environment she grew up in.

 

[chicagofa13]

I just saw a glorious piece on the glorious football player and his even more glorious coach and school. Wanted to throw up. I believe they do play a part in her case getting zero attention. They don't want scandal of any kind (look at penn state) coming their way. That person has to know there is family drama. It is up to the news media to report it. And they won't. Too bad someone national won't do it.

 

[WhoaIsMe]

Before I say anything else.... tonight my husband and I drove to New Orleans. We stopped for gas at the TA at the GB exit and we also picked food at Arby's across the street. Arby's sits back off the road a good ways and I noticed a trailer park beside it. Does anybody know if Brittney knew someone who lived there?

Now this..

I said earlier why I think the press won't make an AJ connection and in my description of Alabama football fans I hinted at something else - IMOO it would not help Brittney's cause to do it.

Surely some of you have read articles where it was brought up in the comment section. I know I have, and the tone from the rest of the commenters changed right away. No longer were people concerned about Brittney, suddenly they were outraged that the beloved player was being slandered in some way. Comments in all caps, no mention of Brittney, just a bunch of "BACK THE BLEEP UP".

How will it help BW to create a situation where the public views another as the victim and not her? They 'know' him. They like him.

I really don't understand why some are so hung up on this angle. As somebody said up thread, I would deny knowing this family. If I were related to these people, even remotely, I would become Peter. I would.

For what it's worth, judging by some post here the perceived hostility toward AJ (and his whole university) will not be imagined either.

Beyond any of that, I believe that some in her family already know where she is. I don't think they will talk for AJ or the whole University of Alabama. Somehow the police have to find a way to get this information out of them.




All MOO

 

[fringles]

Well.. Hi. I'm yet another WS powerlurker- been reading since Caylee but very rarely post. I just spent the last four days reading everything about Brittney on here and while I definitely haven't come up with anything magical (every time I thought of something one of you brilliant people would post it three posts later!) I do have a few notes/ideas that I wanted to share (though I have to admit this might be just because I've been so absorbed that my brain can't think of anything else!).

I'm hopefully not going to break any TOS here- but I do apologise if I do!

1. the MySpace names of DH and BW seem to be related but I couldn't make sense of them. then I thought - does BW mean 'moll' instead of 'mall'? Could imagine her hearing the term but never seeing it written down and taking a guess at the spelling. Would make way more sense. Presumably the myspaces were made a fair while ago - maybe this was a sort of family in-joke, BW and her uncle were close and while it would be pretty dark humour given the later revelations I don't see that as below this family.

2. the 'too high to remember' text. I'm presuming this was checked out. I can imagine someone not remembering content in a text (sort of) but the only reason I can imagine the text being deleted (particularly if a person was intoxicated) would be if it contained info about something illegal (particularly if these two people texted almost exclusively about that stuff) or if the person sending the text told you to. Which you might not really remember but you might act on at the time iykwim.

3. Carrying on from this idea, I did have a theory that maybe BW had gone to DHs to pick something up, then this person asked her to bring it to them, or she offered to. That makes sense to me as well, with the call/text before that- as though an arrangement was being made. It's maybe possible that someone drove her to Grand Bay for this drop off. NO idea what couldve happened after that though, or how it would fit in.

4. About the phone. I don't want to criticise Zeaux *at all* because those posts were so informative, and I have the greatest admiration and sympathy for her/him and how they've handled this situation. however w/r/t the GPS and sim-swapping. From what I gathered she kept the same phone she had when she was on a plan and merely swapped in a pre-paid SIM. Btw I can think of two v obvious reasons why a person would do this- but I think the likeliest one is to do with tracing calls etc- particularly if LE was looking at ones family.

Anyway, if you swap a new SIM into a smartphone, that phone will usually keep all the same settings, info, apps etc. In other words if she had GPS on it before it would've stayed operative when she put the new SIM in. I don't quite know what to make of this because I do believe Zeaux about the phone she used at that time not having GPS. I was wondering whether there was any evidence of her having mobile Internet in the month or so before she went missing? perhaps she couldn't afford prepaid Internet fees, so was only using the call/text functions- but do you need data for GPS? If it should work even without data, maybe what happened is that her new SIM was being used in a new, different and less functional phone. Which would imply that her old phone was elsewhere, for some reason. Either that, or GPS was intentionally switched off at some point- but I don't know if that's possible?

5. I am interested in why the general consensus from everyone including LE seems to be that she maybe wasn't at Grand Bay. Wasn't there a statement saying her phone was there but they have no proof that she was? That's definitely possible of course, but I haven't seen that statement before- normally it seems to be LE saying the person was somewhere due to pings, or at least that they believe it likely. Like, to believe otherwise you'd think they'd have a reason kwim? The fact that she wasn't on camera is something but I can think of many reasons why she might not be- she stayed in a vehicle while she was there, or she was merely nearby- in a place there weren't cameras. Anyway, I don't know either way and I think there are some clues in people's behaviour that suggest maybe she wasn't- but I'd like to know why people seem quite sure of it (though this is probably a rhetorical question!).

6. With the abuse. I'm so horrified and saddened and I sort of don't want to think too much into it because I feel that unless there is a direct way for it to bring BW home (aside from someone talking, which I wish they would, but I don't know that anything here would help with that) I'm not sure that it's worth it- I just hope the victims are getting the help they need. However, I do wonder whether there was some kind of sick 'payment' thing going on, and if perhaps there was a 'debt', and that BW was a, for want of a better word, collection on that.

7. finally, I know none of this is really 'sleuthing' or helpful and I wish it was- I wish I could help in some way and I just hope she is found, or that she is safe, and that anyone involved in her disappearance is punished fully.

Finally- is talk about possible deleting of messages/phone hacking completely off limits?

 

[ktgirl]

2. the 'too high to remember' text. I'm presuming this was checked out. I can imagine someone not remembering content in a text (sort of) but the only reason I can imagine the text being deleted (particularly if a person was intoxicated) would be if it contained info about something illegal (particularly if these two people texted almost exclusively about that stuff) or if the person sending the text told you to. Which you might not really remember but you might act on at the time iykwim.

Respectfully snipped by me.

Hi Fringles! Thanks for coming out of lurkdom to add to BW's case! We're glad to have you! This case needs more eyes!

For some reason, I keep thinking this communication that took place wasn't a text but a phone call. The person was too high to remember the conversation. I keep seeing it referenced as a text, but for some reason I thought we had originally heard it was a call.

"Not remembering" makes more sense for a text than a call to me because it seems like LE could get Brittney's phone records (if not the records person she last communicated with who doesn't remember) & see what the texts said. I remember that in the Casey Anthony trial, LE has days of records of the exact text conversations she had on her cell. Seems like they could get a missing person's texts.

 

[ktgirl]

Before I say anything else.... tonight my husband and I drove to New Orleans. We stopped for gas at the TA at the GB exit and we also picked food at Arby's across the street. Arby's sits back off the road a good ways and I noticed a trailer park beside it. Does anybody know if Brittney knew someone who lived there?

Respectfully snipped by me for space.

Did you see any of Brittney's missing fliers there?

And that is a good question about that trailer. Good investigating!

 

[ktgirl]

Sorry I'm taking over the thread here w/ my posts. Fringles' post had me thinking back to the very start of the case.

I remember Wendy Wood Holland making a very big deal of stressing that she or Donnie told Brittney she could come see Donnie if she found her own ride. This seemed like a strange thing to say or stress & I think she even went on about how BW never had a ride.

This always seemed strange to me, like she was trying to make a point that Donnie (or maybe even Wendy) didn't pick BW up from her mom's.

For some reason this has always stood out to me as hinky. Not sure why exactly, aside from the fact that I'd never complain publicly about my missing nephew (who is 17 & doesn't have a car or license) never having a ride. That wouldn't really be my focus if he were missing. It sounded like a slight to BW, too - like. "oh that girl never has a ride." Making a point to publicly slight a missing person/family member like that is hinky.

 

[rolltidemom]

I just saw a glorious piece on the glorious football player and his even more glorious coach and school. Wanted to throw up. I believe they do play a part in her case getting zero attention. They don't want scandal of any kind (look at penn state) coming their way. That person has to know there is family drama. It is up to the news media to report it. And they won't. Too bad someone national won't do it.

IMOO One would be very naive to think that all members of the media would go above and beyond to keep any kind of scandal that concerns the University of Alabama hush hush. I mean there has to be some members of the media that are Auburn fans and would take this and run with it, right? :waitasec:

 

[fringles]

Respectfully snipped by me.

Hi Fringles! Thanks for coming out of lurkdom to add to BW's case! We're glad to have you! This case needs more eyes!

For some reason, I keep thinking this communication that took place wasn't a text but a phone call. The person was too high to remember the conversation. I keep seeing it referenced as a text, but for some reason I thought we had originally heard it was a call.

"Not remembering" makes more sense for a text than a call to me because it seems like LE could get Brittney's phone records (if not the records person she last communicated with who doesn't remember) & see what the texts said. I remember that in the Casey Anthony trial, LE has days of records of the exact text conversations she had on her cell. Seems like they could get a missing person's texts.

Hey thanks for the welcome! I know what you mean- I can only remember for certain that they said 'ping' but from memory the earlier ping was a call and the second a text- that could be wrong though.

I think there's a time limit on how long texts can be retrieved for, but I do hope that when they asked the last person she communicated what she said and they couldnt remember then LE did whatever was needed/possible to find out.

It does seem weird overall either way. I mean you might have close to zero recollection of what someone said but you'd presumably remember *something* about it. I guess we just have to assume that whatever it was was found not to be relevant to her disappearance. But I do wonder given the factors whether it might not have seemed important but in the greater scheme of things makes a difference. Just seems odd for her phone to turn on for this one moment- even if it wasn't her who had it I'd like to know why this person was contacted - whether they were expecting BW to be in touch that eve maybe.

 

[fringles]

I remember Wendy Wood Holland making a very big deal of stressing that she or Donnie told Brittney she could come see Donnie if she found her own ride. This seemed like a strange thing to say or stress & I think she even went on about how BW never had a ride.

This always seemed strange to me, like she was trying to make a point that Donnie (or maybe even Wendy) didn't pick BW up from her mom's.

For some reason this has always stood out to me as hinky. Not sure why exactly, aside from the fact that I'd never complain publicly about my missing nephew (who is 17 & doesn't have a car or license) never having a ride. That wouldn't really be my focus if he were missing. It sounded like a slight to BW, too - like. "oh that girl never has a ride." Making a point to publicly slight a missing person/family member like that is hinky.

Um I think it might be me taking over! Sorry all.

This did always seem strange. Why did she want to be so clear about it? Makes me wonder- this lot aren't the sharpest and there are several times when I think they've said things that give something away without meaning to.

One answer could be I suppose that she didn't want anyone to think DH or WWH picked BW up. But why? Did she think at that point that she could really get away with 'She was never here'?

But *speculating* maybe it's even more than that. Was she afraid someone saw something that happened on their way to the river? Or did she and DH maybe have an argument about it- he said he'd go get her and WWH got angry? Maybe that's why she remembers it or sees it as such a key point.

 

[NotPenny'sBoat]

I just saw a glorious piece on the glorious football player and his even more glorious coach and school. Wanted to throw up. I believe they do play a part in her case getting zero attention. They don't want scandal of any kind (look at penn state) coming their way. That person has to know there is family drama. It is up to the news media to report it. And they won't. Too bad someone national won't do it.

Indeed: http://espn.go.com/college-football...-special-bond-starla-chapman-college-football

I recall vividly the Myspace photos of him sitting on the couch with good old Uncle Dustin on Christmas...I have a feeling that no one in the family is surprised about the charges against DK. He just exudes "child molester."

 

[NotPenny'sBoat]

Respectfully snipped by me.

Hi Fringles! Thanks for coming out of lurkdom to add to BW's case! We're glad to have you! This case needs more eyes!

For some reason, I keep thinking this communication that took place wasn't a text but a phone call. The person was too high to remember the conversation. I keep seeing it referenced as a text, but for some reason I thought we had originally heard it was a call.

"Not remembering" makes more sense for a text than a call to me because it seems like LE could get Brittney's phone records (if not the records person she last communicated with who doesn't remember) & see what the texts said. I remember that in the Casey Anthony trial, LE has days of records of the exact text conversations she had on her cell. Seems like they could get a missing person's texts.

BBM Unfortunately I can't remember who reported this information (I keep thinking it was Zeux or a media source), but I recall that it was a text message.

 

[WhoaIsMe]

Respectfully snipped by me for space.

Did you see any of Brittney's missing fliers there?

And that is a good question about that trailer. Good investigating!

I didn't go into the TA but my husband did and when I asked him he said that he didn't see any.

 

[NotPenny'sBoat]

Hey thanks for the welcome! I know what you mean- I can only remember for certain that they said 'ping' but from memory the earlier ping was a call and the second a text- that could be wrong though.

I think there's a time limit on how long texts can be retrieved for, but I do hope that when they asked the last person she communicated what she said and they couldnt remember then LE did whatever was needed/possible to find out.

It does seem weird overall either way. I mean you might have close to zero recollection of what someone said but you'd presumably remember *something* about it. I guess we just have to assume that whatever it was was found not to be relevant to her disappearance. But I do wonder given the factors whether it might not have seemed important but in the greater scheme of things makes a difference. Just seems odd for her phone to turn on for this one moment- even if it wasn't her who had it I'd like to know why this person was contacted - whether they were expecting BW to be in touch that eve maybe.

BBM -- I wonder what the time limit is? I wonder if they checked this person's phone?? I never even thought of that!

 

[NotPenny'sBoat]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents about the whole football angle to this...I honestly don't think that there is any conspiracy going on to hide information or keep things out of the media. There are a LOT of missing persons cases that don't get much media attention at all...and unfortunately, if Brittney were a rich kid with a good upbringing (a la Natalee Holloway), the national media would be reporting on this constantly. At least there are people like the ones in this thread who don't want her to become just another forgotten girl -- too bad she didn't have this kind of support back when everyone knew where she was.

 

[fringles]

BBM -- I wonder what the time limit is? I wonder if they checked this person's phone?? I never even thought of that!

I can't recall- it was mentioned earlier in the threads that they can sometimes salvage texts but not always and not forever. But yeah I also really hope they checked this persons phone!

 

[WhoaIsMe]

5. I am interested in why the general consensus from everyone including LE seems to be that she maybe wasn't at Grand Bay. Wasn't there a statement saying her phone was there but they have no proof that she was? That's definitely possible of course, but I haven't seen that statement before- normally it seems to be LE saying the person was somewhere due to pings, or at least that they believe it likely. Like, to believe otherwise you'd think they'd have a reason kwim? The fact that she wasn't on camera is something but I can think of many reasons why she might not be- she stayed in a vehicle while she was there, or she was merely nearby- in a place there weren't cameras. Anyway, I don't know either way and I think there are some clues in people's behaviour that suggest maybe she wasn't- but I'd like to know why people seem quite sure of it (though this is probably a rhetorical question!).

I have thought throughout that she probably wasn't in Grand Bay because of the way WWH kept trying to put distance between Brittney and Fairhoipe/Stix River. Going so far as to say she was never there, yet a neighbor claims to have seen her on a swing. Considering with that what DH did in the following days of Brittney being last seen and the fact that "her" last communication was by text it seemed too convenient.

I may be wrong

 

[WhoaIsMe]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents about the whole football angle to this...I honestly don't think that there is any conspiracy going on to hide information or keep things out of the media. There are a LOT of missing persons cases that don't get much media attention at all...and unfortunately, if Brittney were a rich kid with a good upbringing (a la Natalee Holloway), the national media would be reporting on this constantly. At least there are people like the ones in this thread who don't want her to become just another forgotten girl -- too bad she didn't have this kind of support back when everyone knew where she was.

^ THIS ^ This is exactly why I think the media isn't all over her case.

 

[fringles]

I have thought throughout that she probably wasn't in Grand Bay because of the way WWH kept trying to put distance between Brittney and Fairhoipe/Stix River. Going so far as to say she was never there, yet a neighbor claims to have seen her on a swing. Considering with that what DH did in the following days of Brittney being last seen and the fact that "her" last communication was by text it seemed too convenient.

I may be wrong

I agree with you- but why would someone take her phone to Grand Bay? I can see wanting to place her somewhere where it could look like she was running off- but there must be closer places for that. It feels like either she *was* there for some reason, or someone wanted it to *look* like she was - for some reason.