AZ - Isabel Mercedes Celis, 6, Tucson, 20 April 2012 - #24

[eileenhawkeye]

Just saw the update from TPD. The Chief said there were about 2000 leads so far, it has cost $1mil for the investigation but the saddest part was there are only two detectives on Isa's case full time. Just two. I don't see how he said that with a straight face to be honest. jmo

It should be on KOLD/Tucsonnewsnow website later to watch.

Only two? Here are some comparisons:

JonBenet: 8 officers on 1st anniversary....2 officers by 4th anniversary
Kyron: 8-10 officers on 4-month anniversary, 1 officer on 1st anniversary
Lisa: 8 officers on 2-month anniversary, 4 officers on 6-month anniversary

The $1 million dollar figure came out around May. I wonder if they spent "too" much money in the beginning, and now they are forced to continue the investigation at a much lower level. As you can see from other cases, two officers for a four-month old case where a 6-year-old girl was either murdered by a family member or kidnapped by an intruder seems very low.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Oh, I just thought of something else since there's a whole two detectives working on Isa's case it could be the case has been taken over by the FBI. We won't ever know until an arrest. Kidnapping across state lines or to Mexico. It would involve something big though.

I hope they find Isa as she should be home enjoying her birthday. That has to be hard on the them.

Maybe the family redecorating Isa's room is for a special tv exclusive. Maybe a paid exclusive. I really hope they don't do that walk through of the home. Many have sold pictures ect...for money.

Why wouldn't we know if it was taken over by the FBI? That wouldn't a secret.

I don't think the redecorating is for a paid exclusive. This case hasn't been in the national media in months. Why would they revive the case when there hasn't even been any big developments?

 

[Dr. Know?]

Why wouldn't we know if it was taken over by the FBI? That wouldn't a secret.

I don't think the redecorating is for a paid exclusive. This case hasn't been in the national media in months. Why would they revive the case when there hasn't even been any big developments?

For one, it's only been since 4/21/2012. That's just 4 months going on 5. It went silent after May 21st iirc. 2 month investigation & the LE announce a $1mil dollar budget. Casey Anthony didn't even get charged with that much after 6 months in babysitting the street from protesters and live cams!

Gd, back when Haleigh Cummings went missing the family admitted the house had a few faults like laundry etc...on the floors to block the back door. When the walk through on NG was presented it was tidied up but so bare as though no one did a thing in that house.

We haven't heard anything out of the family other than pray & paper your street. Nothing else. There seems to be a change of hands on fb pages, twitter died a long time ago, and now the redecorating of her room. If a family member wanted to do dishes right away, maybe it was a mess. I associate mess with a family or someone depressed about something. It's amazing what a depressed or unhappy family can live like. I've seen it in my lifetime. jmo

 

[pieper4]

In viewing the Birthday footage tonight I was very distressed by a gesture made. Maybe I'm just old, but thrice tapping one's chest in the Catholic faith is a sign of extreme pain or regret/guilt. It chilled me to the bone to see that.

 

[iSleuth]

For one, it's only been since 4/21/2012. That's just 4 months going on 5. It went silent after May 21st iirc. 2 month investigation & the LE announce a $1mil dollar budget. Casey Anthony didn't even get charged with that much after 6 months in babysitting the street from protesters and live cams!

Gd, back when Haleigh Cummings went missing the family admitted the house had a few faults like laundry etc...on the floors to block the back door. When the walk through on NG was presented it was tidied up but so bare as though no one did a thing in that house.

We haven't heard anything out of the family other than pray & paper your street. Nothing else. There seems to be a change of hands on fb pages, twitter died a long time ago, and now the redecorating of her room. If a family member wanted to do dishes right away, maybe it was a mess. I associate mess with a family or someone depressed about something. It's amazing what a depressed or unhappy family can live like. I've seen it in my lifetime. jmo

I agree with you. Redecorating her room is hinky and makes my heart ache for Isa. Think about it...redecorating her room- goes against every instinct. Parents do anything to preserve traces of their kids childhood- even if there is no tragedy. How many children's room sit in the exact same state after children leave for college! let alone if the child has tragically departed.

I would like to know the statistic of kids who have died from illnesses, whose innocent parents redecorated their rooms within 6 months?

I know 2 moms ( very well- close friends) who have had small children pass away. You do not want to know from such pain. I promise you. It was years before they were able to function at all let alone- "move on" and they did not care about appearances their own, or their houses for quite some time.

One still refers to her daughter (who passed away from autoimmune disease at 5 years old and who would be 22 )in the present tense. That one family moved to a new home- eventually. The other family, added on to their home- interestingly -the room that their baby was in for only a few months 19 years ago- was not touched. Both families formed foundations that help uplift others- one is a Holiday toy drive, one is a whole wing at Boston Children's hospital.

I see the redecorating as bazar - and -a sign of..guilt.

:maddening:

 

[pieper4]

Why wouldn't we know if it was taken over by the FBI? That wouldn't a secret.

I don't think the redecorating is for a paid exclusive. This case hasn't been in the national media in months. Why would they revive the case when there hasn't even been any big developments?

If still involved, I would think the FBI might not want to advertise their involvement if they were simply lying in wait for a break or adequate evidence. In general the FBI doesn't like to tout being stalled out. That's just my opinion.

 

[Lark2]

Just my random thoughts: Redecorating a room might be a misnomer - maybe they are replacing carpet etc that was destroyed in evidence collection.

Two full-time detectives seems resonable to me for a department that has already answered the What questions and identified (though not publicly) the suspects.

Suprised to hear the dollar amount being commented on again by TPD. It's like they're keeping a running tab and are going to present someone with a bill when she's found.

 

[passionflower]

redecorating a room reminds me of Hailey Dunn....her mother did the same and moved soon after.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

"We're trying to get her room nice and pretty, just fix it up. That's where my concentration has been, but it's really hard for me to see her picture and know she's not going to be here for her birthday," said Becky Celis.

Isabel's father, Sergio Celis added that they would never lose hope. They wanted her room to be ready, in case they got the call from police that she would be coming home tomorrow.

http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/19381341/celis-family-makes-plans-for-isabels-7th-birthday

So many contradictions! Becky "knows that (Isabel's) not going to be here for her birthday", but Sergio wants her room to be ready "in case they got a call from police that she would be coming home tomorrow."

I wonder what the Celis boys think about the birthday festivities for their "missing" sister :waitasec:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

In viewing the Birthday footage tonight I was very distressed by a gesture made. Maybe I'm just old, but thrice tapping one's chest in the Catholic faith is a sign of extreme pain or regret/guilt. It chilled me to the bone to see that.

Yes, and with the words, "Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault."

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Balloons. Donuts. Redecorating her room.

I want to punch my fist through a wall.

Where are you, Isa? Why won't they look for you? You should be opening presents and eating cake.

And returning to school, probably starting second grade.

 

[iSleuth]

Yes, and with the words, "Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault."

This is interesting. I wonder if the custom ritual of tapping the chest might vary from culture to culture. I asked my fiance this question as he is catholic ( irish and puerto rican) he said" tapping chest three times during the rosary service is part of the rosary for mourning." Particularly the first 7 days for people of Latin descent.

Would it vary?
TIA

Happy Belated Birthday Isabel. We miss you!

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Just my random thoughts: Redecorating a room might be a misnomer - maybe they are replacing carpet etc that was destroyed in evidence collection.

Two full-time detectives seems resonable to me for a department that has already answered the What questions and identified (though not publicly) the suspects.

Suprised to hear the dollar amount being commented on again by TPD. It's like they're keeping a running tab and are going to present someone with a bill when she's found.

If you look at my post on the other page, you'll see that by the four-month anniversary in cases like JonBenet, Baby Lisa, and Kyron, there were still about 8 officers working on each case. I would say that LE had a main suspect(s) in all of those cases too very early on. What is the difference between those cases and Isabel's? Is her case the rule, and they are the exception? Or vice versa?

The media asked how much money was spent during the investigation, so LE answered the question. It is not unusual for the investigation cost to be publicized consistently during high-profile cases.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

If still involved, I would think the FBI might not want to advertise their involvement if they were simply lying in wait for a break or adequate evidence. In general the FBI doesn't like to tout being stalled out. That's just my opinion.

But if you go on the FBI's website, you can see all the cases that they are working on. There are missing children, fugitives, unsolved murders, etc. I could understand the FBI not holding press conferences or issuing statements, but keeping their involvement a complete secret? I have never seen that in any case.

 

[3x1ymama]

This is interesting. I wonder if the custom ritual of tapping the chest might vary from culture to culture. I asked my fiance this question as he is catholic ( irish and puerto rican) he said" tapping chest three times during the rosary service is part of the rosary for mourning." Particularly the first 7 days for people of Latin descent.

Would it vary?
TIA

Happy Belated Birthday Isabel. We miss you!

Tapping the chest is also done at the beginning of the Mass while acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of God's mercy. Where I am, it is mostly the older folks who tap their chest. The younger folks usually just say the words.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

This is interesting. I wonder if the custom ritual of tapping the chest might vary from culture to culture. I asked my fiance this question as he is catholic ( irish and puerto rican) he said" tapping chest three times during the rosary service is part of the rosary for mourning." Particularly the first 7 days for people of Latin descent.

Would it vary?
TIA

Happy Belated Birthday Isabel. We miss you!

I know it as a sign of humility and penitence for sin.

 

[~n/t~]

Happy Birthday Isa. We won't forget you. :rose:

 

[Madeleine74]

Only two? Here are some comparisons:

JonBenet: 8 officers on 1st anniversary....2 officers by 4th anniversary
Kyron: 8-10 officers on 4-month anniversary, 1 officer on 1st anniversary
Lisa: 8 officers on 2-month anniversary, 4 officers on 6-month anniversary

Probably a function of several factors including what other crimes have come in that require resources (Bolder, CO = low crime area), visibility of the crime, budget, whether the FBI is involved or not, etc, etc.

 

[Lark2]

Probably a function of several factors including what other crimes have come in that require resources (Bolder, CO = low crime area), visibility of the crime, budget, whether the FBI is involved or not, etc, etc.

Others to add: Complexity, amount of resources expended intitially, progress on the case. There are so many variables that could affect the number.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I didn't know media asked the question. I watched the KOLD coverage and the reporters stated they had asked for a status update via a phone call and were awaiting a response, leading me to believe that the TPD decided what to put in the update.

Was there an actual press conference where the chief was answering questions, perhaps on another station? I know that the cost had been reported previously in a prior press conference.

The question was asked by the media:

"Tucson News Now has put in a request with TPD to find out how many leads detectives have gone through, how many officers are assigned to the case, where their search efforts are focused and how much this investigation has cost the city.