CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013 - #1

[Catchew]

I'm still new at this, so not sure what can be quoted from the FB Find Elisa Lam page, but someone posted there that the video had been edited by LAPD and it's "implied that there should be other people inside the lift and just removed by the police". Is this possible? I haven't seen this implied anywhere myself, but is it possible the LAPD could remove anyone else appearing in the video (perhaps to protect privacy?).
I am not familiar with photoshopping or if this could even be done on a video. I just found that statement on FB curious. How would this person even know that? I couldn't find mention of the video being edited in any of the articles I read.

 

[Catchew]

FWIW There is a review of the Cecil on exepdia.ca from someone in Vancouver posted Feb. 13th and in it he/she says, "the elevator in the hotel had been down for couple of hours in one day". Doesn't say when the reviewer stayed there. Maybe a coincidence, or maybe the elevator wasn't working when Elisa was there, too. MOO.

 

[Sillybilly]

I'm still new at this, so not sure what can be quoted from the FB Find Elisa Lam page, but someone posted there that the video had been edited by LAPD and it's "implied that there should be other people inside the lift and just removed by the police". Is this possible? I haven't seen this implied anywhere myself, but is it possible the LAPD could remove anyone else appearing in the video (perhaps to protect privacy?).
I am not familiar with photoshopping or if this could even be done on a video. I just found that statement on FB curious. How would this person even know that? I couldn't find mention of the video being edited in any of the articles I read.

I saw that Catchew, and yes it is done. Toronto Police child exploitation team did it a few years back with a pic of a very young child being victimized by a pedophile .. they were able to block out the child and distribute just an image of the surroundings worldwide and were finally able to identify the location, and ultimately identify her.

So, we don't know whether the person who made the comment is an insider or just taking a wild guess.

 

[bigpicthinker]

Got more info on the man who abducted my daughter from Santa Cruz in November including home address and driver license number and called it into crimestoppers this morning. The man had taken all her belongings out of her apartment and put them in a storage spot. He mailed her the key last week and she got the management to open it, the locker was filled with her belongings and other women's as well, whereupon she and the management sealed the unit with a new lock and sent video to police working the case. I am wondering if any contacts were deleted from the phone, he has controlled my daughters phone and deleted contacts as well as sent strange texts to family members

 

[tarabull]

Ok, just reviewing some of the initial news reports...

:waitasec:

This reporter - live - from The Cecil prior to the presser says "...Authorities say the woman was also taking medication and may have some type of mental health issues...(at 1:15 sec mark)

And also "that investigators DO suspect foul play..."

Watch it here: http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=69016&sitesection=latimes&VID=24334290

 

[Buckeye lady]

Not sure if Elisa's parents & sister are still there as the snip below is from the 14th, but they were (also) present the day of the presser held infront of The Cecil:

snipped...Her final destination was Santa Cruz. Lam’s family doesn’t know why she stopped in Los Angeles.

Fadel says her parents are now in Los Angeles aiding in the investigation but declined to make a public comment. Fadel asks Martinez if Lam could be running away from something or someone. “No, the unusual part is she was in contact with her parents every day. That’s the only strange thing the LAPD sees. The contact just stopped.”

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/02/13/lapd-hoping-new-video-will-lead-to-missing-canadian-woman/

Someone in our family has paranoid schizophrenia and at times he will be mad at everyone, will not answer the phone etc., will not call anyone. Do you think in her mind, she is mad at her family for some imagined reason?

 

[Deleted member 96356]

Hi sleuths,

I joined here because of this case! I was sent a link to the elevator footage last week and haven't been able to stop thinking about it... Have gone through this thread so HOPE I haven't asked any questions I should know the answer to, if so you have my apologies.

- I'm confused on the timeline; can someone explain when this footage was captured, vs when she was due to check out, vs when she was last seen by hotel staff?

- as a hockey fan I can tell you it's very, very common to travel for games when your team is on the road (and you can get good tix); fans will even join up via message boards; I don't know about Elisa being an avid hockey fan BUT it would not be unusual (imo and imx) for someone to be more "open" to hanging with people she encountered from her home town, e.g. Elisa meeting Vancouverites in town for the game; I'm not sure why we are often more trusting or open to strangers who happen to come from our own city or even country, but it seems to be that way

- she was in regular contact with her family, but they don't know why she went to Los Angeles? really? she's traveling alone, they expected her to go to Santa Cruz, and that question wouldn't come up?

- the fact (if I have this right) that she didn't plan to stay in Los Angeles after San Diego, coupled with her awful choice of hotel... is it possible she met someone in San Diego or en route from San Diego and landed in LA because of them? and they affected her choice of place to stay? I can't see a single girl traveling alone choosing such a dangerous place, or at least staying more than one night, but maybe if she had been told/recommended to stay there, or knew someone else who would be there...

- the farm "job" in Santa Cruz... the university there has an innovative farming program, and there are lots of organic farm programs nearby - perhaps that was the sort of "job" she was headed for? going to learn on a farm, which would make more sense to me than her going all the way from B.C. to pick artichokes for $5/hour (or whatever awful wages undocumented workers are getting today)...

- I hope the hazy info from her family re: her possible mental illness, why she was in LA, etc, is due to instructions from LE and not because the parents are somehow trying to shield her reputation or don't want to talk about anything "imperfect" regarding their daughter; no one cares about drugs, farms, depression, or anything else so much as finding Elisa!

- I'm confused about the phone; is LE saying it was in the room but don't want to talk about it, or don't want to talk about it at all (and therefore aren't saying whether it was even there)

- regarding someone else being in the elevator and their image was edited out, when I watch the video I don't see much room for someone in there given her range of movements, and I don't see her avoiding anyone/anything with her body (e.g. moving around them), nor does she acknowledge anyone; not that I see, but maybe someone else here has picked up on something to indicate another person in there?; on the other hand, upon re-watching it occurs to me that right before she begins that weird talking/singing sequence in the hall it COULD be that she is startled by someone to her right, laughs and puts her hand to her chest (like "omg, you scared me") and then starts doing that thing with her fingers splayed, like she's joking about being creepy or creeping around, then starts talking and waving her hands, counting, etc.; is it possible someone did show up at that point and their shadow or image was edited out? even if they didn't have anything to do with her later disappearance, releasing this video could prompt their memory and hopefully have them call LE

- we know she had a check out date for her hotel, but did she have a check-in date for the farm, or any Amtrak reservations, etc.? something to indicate she had planned her trip farther than LA?

Okay, I'll be quiet now. Thanks very much for any thoughts/answers.

 

[tarabull]

FWIW There is a review of the Cecil on exepdia.ca from someone in Vancouver posted Feb. 13th and in it he/she says, "the elevator in the hotel had been down for couple of hours in one day". Doesn't say when the reviewer stayed there. Maybe a coincidence, or maybe the elevator wasn't working when Elisa was there, too. MOO.

or maybe it IS a recent review & the elevator was down while LE were conducting their investigation...

:waitasec: (in my mind - it's possible the elevator was working fine, that Elisa had very likely pushed the HOLD DOOR button (even maybe more than once) which does infact HOLD the DOOR - for a set amount of time. IF i was in LA atm I would certainly be there trying that elevator HOLD DOOR button!!! so we would know for sure...however, i would not go where she was ALONE knowing what i know today)

Also in response to your post about the video --- the way the counter clock is distorted so we can't see the date, time & that lapsing imho supports the possibility it was altered prior to release. (iirc, LE also said they didn't know what time it occurred...which they can say almost whole-heartedly having distorted date time stamp)

:cow:

My BIG question atm --- is there footage of Elisa leaving the building...???

IF so, next question --- why not release IT instead...???

ETA:

:welcome: HAWKSGIRL! GREAT first post!!!

 

[Kaliste]

Hi sleuths,

I joined here because of this case! I was sent a link to the elevator footage last week and haven't been able to stop thinking about it... Have gone through this thread so HOPE I haven't asked any questions I should know the answer to, if so you have my apologies.

- I'm confused on the timeline; can someone explain when this footage was captured, vs when she was due to check out, vs when she was last seen by hotel staff?

- as a hockey fan I can tell you it's very, very common to travel for games when your team is on the road (and you can get good tix); fans will even join up via message boards; I don't know about Elisa being an avid hockey fan BUT it would not be unusual (imo and imx) for someone to be more "open" to hanging with people she encountered from her home town, e.g. Elisa meeting Vancouverites in town for the game; I'm not sure why we are often more trusting or open to strangers who happen to come from our own city or even country, but it seems to be that way

- she was in regular contact with her family, but they don't know why she went to Los Angeles? really? she's traveling alone, they expected her to go to Santa Cruz, and that question wouldn't come up?

- the fact (if I have this right) that she didn't plan to stay in Los Angeles after San Diego, coupled with her awful choice of hotel... is it possible she met someone in San Diego or en route from San Diego and landed in LA because of them? and they affected her choice of place to stay? I can't see a single girl traveling alone choosing such a dangerous place, or at least staying more than one night, but maybe if she had been told/recommended to stay there, or knew someone else who would be there...

- the farm "job" in Santa Cruz... the university there has an innovative farming program, and there are lots of organic farm programs nearby - perhaps that was the sort of "job" she was headed for? going to learn on a farm, which would make more sense to me than her going all the way from B.C. to pick artichokes for $5/hour (or whatever awful wages undocumented workers are getting today)...

- I hope the hazy info from her family re: her possible mental illness, why she was in LA, etc, is due to instructions from LE and not because the parents are somehow trying to shield her reputation or don't want to talk about anything "imperfect" regarding their daughter; no one cares about drugs, farms, depression, or anything else so much as finding Elisa!

- I'm confused about the phone; is LE saying it was in the room but don't want to talk about it, or don't want to talk about it at all (and therefore aren't saying whether it was even there)

- regarding someone else being in the elevator and their image was edited out, when I watch the video I don't see much room for someone in there given her range of movements, and I don't see her avoiding anyone/anything with her body (e.g. moving around them), nor does she acknowledge anyone; not that I see, but maybe someone else here has picked up on something to indicate another person in there?; on the other hand, upon re-watching it occurs to me that right before she begins that weird talking/singing sequence in the hall it COULD be that she is startled by someone to her right, laughs and puts her hand to her chest (like "omg, you scared me") and then starts doing that thing with her fingers splayed, like she's joking about being creepy or creeping around, then starts talking and waving her hands, counting, etc.; is it possible someone did show up at that point and their shadow or image was edited out? even if they didn't have anything to do with her later disappearance, releasing this video could prompt their memory and hopefully have them call LE

- we know she had a check out date for her hotel, but did she have a check-in date for the farm, or any Amtrak reservations, etc.? something to indicate she had planned her trip farther than LA?

Okay, I'll be quiet now. Thanks very much for any thoughts/answers.

Welcome! Happy to have you here!

 

[dotr]

Welcome to WS, HawksGirl and all other new posters I may have missed!
This is a very strange case.

 

[Hejlena]

While I respect the need for privacy, I'm really confused about the lack of recent public pleas from her family and friends.

I guess I'd really like to hear an answer to the best of their knowledge of what they see in the elevator video.

Yes-she has a history of xyz and that could be whats going on there or

No, she has no history that we know of that would explain any of what we saw on the video

I guess I wonder if indeed there is a mental health issue involved, if there is some shame keeping family from acknowledging it? I hope not.

I believe the video is stopped three times beginning at 2:56. Don't know why, but it does throw a bit of a wrench into my earlier thoughts that she might have been experiencing some type of mental health crisis.

But the lack of anything recent news-wise or plea-wise has me confused.

I hope she is safe

 

[Hejlena]

I also wanted to add-while I do not believe she is playing any kind of game with another living person, I can say that, at that age my friends and I were totally doing stupid stuff like that all the time. Speaks to my maturity to this date ; )

 

[branwynbreeze]

While I respect the need for privacy, I'm really confused about the lack of recent public pleas from her family and friends.

I guess I'd really like to hear an answer to the best of their knowledge of what they see in the elevator video.

Yes-she has a history of xyz and that could be whats going on there or

No, she has no history that we know of that would explain any of what we saw on the video

I guess I wonder if indeed there is a mental health issue involved, if there is some shame keeping family from acknowledging it? I hope not.

I believe the video is stopped three times beginning at 2:56. Don't know why, but it does throw a bit of a wrench into my earlier thoughts that she might have been experiencing some type of mental health crisis.

But the lack of anything recent news-wise or plea-wise has me confused.

I hope she is safe

It seems in a lot of cases family do not want any seemingly "dirty laundry" out there. IMO it greatly impedes the public to assist. I can understand LE not saying anything in an ongoing investigation, but if it were my family member I'd be the family loose cannon. You never know what little detail may help.

Per link recently posted she was taking meds (if I hear vid correctly). Could stopping them cause any issues? This is coming out after how many days missing???

 

[Seajay]

Welcome to our new sleuthers in this case. Happy to have lots of extra eyes.

At the one point when she's outside the elevator, around the time of doing the hand motions, she is smiling. I don't know what that means but it seemed a few times like she was talking and smiling as if engaged in conversation with someone.

I have to say, I had to go to the Woman's Shelter on Skid Row one time to do a panel and I was scared to death. People sleeping on the sidewalks, I had to step over them to get in to the shelter. Tents lining the street where we had to walk to get to our car. People milling about at all times day or night. Graffitti everywhere. I can't even imagine staying someplace down there.

So her stop in Los Angeles wasn't on her itinerary?? She was suppose to go from San Diego to Santa Cruz? I wonder what would have possessed her to go to L.A., and stay in a place in that area. There are much better places to stay there, albeit more expensive.

 

[Seajay]

While I respect the need for privacy, I'm really confused about the lack of recent public pleas from her family and friends.

I guess I'd really like to hear an answer to the best of their knowledge of what they see in the elevator video.

Yes-she has a history of xyz and that could be whats going on there or

No, she has no history that we know of that would explain any of what we saw on the video

I guess I wonder if indeed there is a mental health issue involved, if there is some shame keeping family from acknowledging it? I hope not.

I believe the video is stopped three times beginning at 2:56. Don't know why, but it does throw a bit of a wrench into my earlier thoughts that she might have been experiencing some type of mental health crisis.

But the lack of anything recent news-wise or plea-wise has me confused.

I hope she is safe

I've noticed this in a lot of cases of the missing. The family wants to keep their secrets and they don't want to believe the secrets are connected with the loved ones disappearance. One bit of information can lead in the right direction, but the family doesn't realize that or hopes their loved one is found without revealing it.

People like to protect their dirty laundry. It's smelly, it stinks, but it is theirs and they do not like sharing it with the world.

Why this girl was traveling, where she was going, what her frame of mind was, is all important to following her likely moves, yet the family doesn't understand this, they want her found and their secrets intact. IMO, MOO, JMO

 

[TxLady2]

The hallways and doorways video up thread might help to narrow down hotel layout - tho it's real tough to watch.

It begins on 7th floor cruises the (orange?) hallways (FAST) - and does the same on & takes the stairs down to 6th and 5th floors (both dark greyish?) - none of these are the one we see Elisa enter the elevator on...based on wall colour and what's across from the elevator - we see a picture instead of a mirror.

There's probably a good chance they haven't renovated...lately...agreed...???...

It also seems there are bathrooms around the elevators & some floors also have kitchens real close by them too...!!!...???

So many places for a creeper...imho...moo... :moo:

The other video review the guys ride the elevator up to the 14th floor which is light blue so again not the floor Elisa tries to leave.

Anyways, my point in this is the video of Elisa on the elevator didn't happen on floors 14, 7, 6, 5 or the lobby...

Not sure if or how it might help but maybe later...i dunno.

Regardless anyone else feel like this ??? :banghead:

Where is Elisa...???...???...???

ETA: I apologize for HOGGING the thread....REALLY SORRY.

Great points. Don't apologize for hogging, you've had some good insights and I enjoy reading your thoughts.
I couldn't watch the tour video, looked like the camera was bouncing and turning flips, it hurt my eyes too much. I have macular degeneration and I have problems when there is too much movement going on in the picture. Sorry.

 

[TxLady2]

Also from your link:



______________________________________





http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/world/archives/2013/02/20130215-070258.html

What do you make of "wandering aimlessly"...???...Is it so/assumed since she entered elevator and left the elevator without leaving the floor and/or going anywhere...???...

How do they KNOW wandering aimlessly unless there IS more video...otherwise it seems SHE WAS trying to go somewhere...no??? UNLESS this was NOT the floor she was staying on....

The camera for that video only shows the interior of the elevator and a small space just across from the doors. If there was more to that video, it still would not show a different area.... unless there is another camera in the elevator pointing at another angle out the door, or there are cameras in the hallway. Either the reporter was using their own interpretation, or there are more videos of her that LE has not released yet. You can bet that they won't release anything until their investigators have gone over them thoroughly, though.

 

[Sillybilly]

Okay, i broke the bank and watched the videos on youtube. The first one was a 2:39 min one that cut off early, so i watched the 4:00 min one that shows the door closing and opening, closing and opening at the end. Use full screen mode :

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TjVBpyTeZM"]Elisa Lam Video - YouTube[/ame]

Personally, I don't see anything THAT unusual with Elisa's behaviour or mannerisms. Maybe she had to go to the bathroom and was squiggling around a bit, maybe when the elevator wasn't going anywhere, she took the opportunity to step into the hall and do a bit of chi gong or something to relieve tension ... dunno.

When I pause the video and click through frame by frame however, I do see something weird AFTER we see her leaving the elevator for the last time and the door is actually closing/closed. There is some type of unusual shadow that appears to be moving inside the elevator (starting around the 2:58 mark and afterward), when there should be zero movement recorded by the camera. Then when the door opens again, the pattern on the hall flooring seems to be semi-obscured as if something has passed across it. Maybe it's a fluke of some type, but it has me curious. Could be what led that poster on the FB site to believe the video has been edited to remove something.

Having said that, Elisa's behaviour and direction of her head, etc ... nothing seems to coincide with anyone else being in the elevator with her. So yes, I'm wondering IF the video has been spliced and did in fact record someone on the elevator after we see Elisa for the last time. Could also be why the date/time stamp is blurred so the public can't see the time differential. Mind you, if LE didn't want us to see it, why even include that portion of the video?

 

[Lindsaym]

I feel like none of her friends are helping with getting info out, I wonder why that is?

This isn't true -- I haven't been on WS for a while, I heard of her case because one of her close friends posted a plea on Reddit (I won't link as I can never keep track of which sites are verboten here) for help in finding her.

To paraphrase that person's remarks (because I think I'm not supposed to quote directly) --

(begin paraphrase)

Elisa never did drugs, not even cigarettes, and rarely drank alcohol. But she is something of an airhead who maybe isn't always as observant of her surroundings as she should be, and [because of her boisterous personality?] tends to draw attention.

She is also a bit sheltered, but is a lovely person who really, 99% certainty, was NOT leading some double life/carrying some secret that might explain this disappearance.

Also, as to why she chose a hotel in a crappy neighborhood, it's probably because she didn't do the full research she should have.

(end paraphrase)

The friend deleted the main body of his/her post a couple of days ago -- maybe because the vast majority of the responses were, "How stupid your friend was to stay in that area of LA!" But his/her comments (replies to the replies) are still up.

 

[AnonymousD]

Okay, i broke the bank and watched the videos on youtube. The first one was a 2:39 min one that cut off early, so i watched the 4:00 min one that shows the door closing and opening, closing and opening at the end. Use full screen mode :

Elisa Lam Video - YouTube

Personally, I don't see anything THAT unusual with Elisa's behaviour or mannerisms. Maybe she had to go to the bathroom and was squiggling around a bit, maybe when the elevator wasn't going anywhere, she took the opportunity to step into the hall and do a bit of chi gong or something to relieve tension ... dunno.

When I pause the video and click through frame by frame however, I do see something weird AFTER we see her leaving the elevator for the last time and the door is actually closing/closed. There is some type of unusual shadow that appears to be moving inside the elevator (starting around the 2:58 mark and afterward), when there should be zero movement recorded by the camera. Then when the door opens again, the pattern on the hall flooring seems to be semi-obscured as if something has passed across it. Maybe it's a fluke of some type, but it has me curious. Could be what led that poster on the FB site to believe the video has been edited to remove something.

Having said that, Elisa's behaviour and direction of her head, etc ... nothing seems to coincide with anyone else being in the elevator with her. So yes, I'm wondering IF the video has been spliced and did in fact record someone on the elevator after we see Elisa for the last time. Could also be why the date/time stamp is blurred so the public can't see the time differential. Mind you, if LE didn't want us to see it, why even include that portion of the video?

Interestingly enough, 2:55 mark is the first time the numbers at the bottom of the video appear to pause, which was brought up by another poster earlier in the thread. It happens 2 more times, at 2:56 & 2:57. All of the other time on the video the numbers are running steadily with no pauses....