My experiences regarding the abduction of Isabel have primarily left me with the impression that internet discussion of missing children is where reason and accountability go to die, and speculation and disinformation thrive.
I would like to commend the websleuths community for demonstrating that this is not necessarily universal. I can appreciate the deductive reasoning and critical thinking and hesitation to jump to conclusions and speculation.
Spice-Nine said:
With that said, IMO it's more likely NMc is a well intentioned, possibly, too eager guy who took it upon himself to search tunnels for a missing child. Living in such close proximity to the Celis', it is possible NMc learned of Isabel being missing when her family initially searched for her in the neighborhood.
The use of two vehicles (the Jetta and the other, was it a hatchback?) may be attributed to something as simple as where each car was parked at his home and in which car it was easiest to leave. LE watched him when he returned to the Jetta, possibly returning home. Maybe gf was waiting with breakfast prepared, something they agreed upon when he left their home. Once engaged with LE, he may have remembered he was due home hence, his sudden exit. Also, LE reported the gf was headed to work which could explain NMc needing to return the Jetta to gf. Later, when NMc was noted by LE to be in the other vehicle, he was then in his own car.
This is pretty close.
The Celis boy rang my doorbell. Sergio and his two boys were going door to door. At that point, there was one police car on our street (I think, possibly two) and I saw one officer knocking on the door across the street.
I talked to Sergio for a moment. Then I dressed and left to look through the wash. I took the Jetta because our other vehicle (a Taurus) had a blown headgasket and was barely driveable. Enough to get me to work, but for everything else we were using the Jetta. In both cars, I keep flashlights, water, blankets, etc.
When I reached the park, I remembered the tunnels to the north, so I grabbed the flashlight.
In the wash, I encountered a man sleeping, who I seem to have wakened. He was carrying a backpack, wearing a hat, and wearing a shirt that read "Affordable Auto Sales" on the front lapel. I suspect this is the same man Mr. Lutlzenburger reported, but I don't know that. I called home and told Alicia about him. He appeared vagrant. During my walk, I found the bedding described in the document dump. I thought they were curtains. They were very fresh in a dirty wash and seemed unusual.
Toward the end of the wash, I flagged down a motorcycle cop. When I started to describe the bedding and the man, the officer said "That's great, but I'm looking for a little girl right now." At which point I told him "I know, that's why I'm telling you this."
At that point, he listened to what I had to say and then rode off. He couldn't have seemed less interested.
When I reached the park, I saw a squad car. I approached it and told him that I'd already told the other cop about it. He never left his car, he smiled and said thanks. I had been walking in the sun for a couple of hours, I was hot, hungry and thirsty.
When I returned to my house, it was a different scene than I'd left that morning. There were numerous squad cars. I saw what was obviously a detective walking down the street. I approached him and again reported what I'd seen. Maybe 30 minutes later, he came to my house with his partner and I rode along with them and showed them the bedding, then they interviewed me and left.
Later, the dog handler came by and asked to see my shoes. I offered them to him, but he declined. They are just sneakers, Saucony. I don't own any Wolverines (or whatever the boots in the doc dumps are).
Later they came by and asked to look through the back yard. They were looking through both of my neighbor's yards as well. I offered to have them look through the house but they declined. Then maybe an hour later, they served the warrant and interviewed Alicia and I. They told us the dog hit on our front yard. I don't know if it was the same dog that searched the wash, and I don't know the ins and outs of dog sniffing. It seems normal that a dog that smelled me in a wash all day might have hit on my house. I really don't care. They should have torn our neighborhood apart that day, if they'd have wanted to dig up my floorboards or knock down my walls, I'd have let them. No stone should be left unturned. I think TPD felt bad about both the way my name has been handled in the doc dump, and the way they served the warrant despite my repeated cooperation and volunteering, which is why they wrote me the letter. I told them the night they served the warrant "You can do whatever you need with my consent, I'm an innocent person and I am counting on you do your jobs. I need you to prove that." They've told me that I'm not a suspect, the told me that night after searching my house. I understand they can't say that publicly, and have no problem with it. I offered them my phone, my computer, my clothes, etc. The warrant only covered the house, so they accepted my consent (which they hadn't asked for, I just offered it). They did whatever they did to the cars and house, and took the phone, shorts (I think, maybe a shirt) and computer. I got the computer and phone back a few weeks later.
I'm explaining all of this here because, as I said, I appreciate the critical thinking displayed.
I think that my situation is a helpful example of the pitfalls of speculation without information. The document dump has very little information about that morning. And the omission of some of that information is taken by many on the internet to be a lack of information. In fact, it's likely the opposite. I chose not to disclose the man I encountered or the bedding for quite a while because I felt that details about those two things were specifically withheld in the doc dumps by TPD. It's difficult to defend yourself while simultaneously refusing to discuss pertinent information. But that's what I did in the past.
Everything I've discussed here is known by TPD, including much more that isn't released. TPD knows my timeline, my alibi etc. All of the questions that I've heard posed on the the internet regarding me and this investigation were answered sufficiently by TPD on the day of the abduction.
I had a hard time with this previously, as the discussion about it was with irrational, sensationalist, intellectually dishonest people. My introduction to the internet as it relates to Isabel's abduction began with a libelous article and interview by a blogger, and I didn't take well to it. TPD served the warrant with a SWAT team. Between that and the libelous accusations and speculations of internet lunatics, I have a hard time not letting my emotions become involved in any discussion about it.
But here I am. I feel that until Isabel's return or the resolution of this investigation, my name will forever be smeared on the internet. So I continue to defend myself. I've seen some pretty ridiculous things in these threads, but I'm not here to fight with anyone or call anyone names, so I simply won't comment on them directly.
To summarize some of the key things people in this thread and along the internet have found suspicious about me :
1. I abruptly ended my conversation with the officer. I did in fact, pretty abruptly say "I'm hungry, I'm going home." or something to that effect. I approached LE voluntarily three times that morning. Nothing suspicious about that.
2. I was seen loitering by Mr. Lultzenburger. This is a clear misrepresentation of the information in the doc dumps. He did not identify me. I was not that man.
3. I was in the vicinity of discovered bedding. I reported the bedding. That in and of itself might seem suspicious I guess.
4. I was walking around in the middle of the morning with a flashlight. Both my cars have flashlights. I decided to search the tunnels so I grabbed one. I also grabbed a gun before I left my house. I don't see that carrying a firearm and flashlight when searching for a child you were just told was "kidnapped" is suspicious, but who knows.
5. I took the Jetta. It was the primary car for the household. I own both cars, they're both mine. (I have actually sold the Taurus and bought a Camry and gave the Jetta to my brother. Someone in this thread said I owned a truck, which I didn't at the time, but do now).
6. A warrant was served at my house. According to PIO Sgt. Maria Hawke, numerous houses were served in that 48 hour period, with the SWAT team. As I said, I understand. No stone unturned. I wish they'd have just said "Yes." when I asked them several times "Do you want to search my house?" But TPD has apologized to me personally and publicly acknowledged my good citizenship as it regards to this. We all make mistakes, owning up to them and making amends is good enough for me, no need to hold a grudge. I think a libelous internet blogger could learn a lesson there.
I quickly left my house to help search. This is unusual, it seems. A few of my neighbors did as well, but I think most just stood in their front yards or went back into their houses. My neighbor and his boys were searching for their sister/daughter. One of the boys had just collapsed in my front yard in tears. While it seems unusual I guess that I left to search, it seems alien to me to NOT want to help. I guess that's a personal matter for each and everyone of us. But I simply couldn't walk inside and eat breakfast and say "Well, good luck with all that." after a little boy just told me "My sister was kidnapped last night and I'm trying to find her."
If websleuths members have additional questions about anything they think is suspicious, I will entertain addressing those as well.
As I haven't seen it posted, I'm including the letter that TPD sent me. They sent it specifically after I e-mailed links to the libelous blog article and interview, it's the direct reaction of TPD to that libel. They are obviously mum about much of this investigation, so this is the best they could or would do. I think it's sufficient.
I have read that it's unusual that I continue to defend myself on the internet. The internet doesn't end. This stuff lingers. If you google my name, libel and speculation and misrepresentations of the truth are the top hits. I don't think it's unusual at all to want to put the truth out there, so that if people find this stuff, my side will be told right there along side it.
I challenge any of you to wake up one morning and find your name spread across the internet as a possible child abductor and do differently.
lease:
