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

[dotr]

Similar case, other side of the globe..
http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110518-279311.html
"On Monday morning, residents of Block 686B noticed that their tap water was unnaturally frothy and discoloured.

Soon after, the body of 30-year-old Indonesian maid Ruliyawati was discovered in one of eight water tanks atop the 15-storey block. She worked for a family on the sixth floor.

While it is not known when the body ended up inside the tank, The Straits Times reported yesterday that residents had heard screams at 7am, and that many had used water from their taps before supply was cut off at 11am.

A 27-year-old Bangladeshi maintenance worker from Sergent Services has been arrested in connection with the case.

The incident has put the spotlight on access to a Housing Board block's water tank.

Rooftop-access keys are under "strict control", said Mr Soon.

The Town Council will issue a copy of the roof-access door's key to those carrying out maintenance and emergency lift-rescue work.

"The rule is that the key can be given to only the supervisors (of the sub-contractors) carrying out their work. But for rescue service, of course, the key has to be given to the rescue operator, who may not be a supervisor," he added.

Other than the occasional spot check, the Town Council staff conduct checks on the rooftop once a month, he said"

 

[Indy Anna]

snipped..."It appears that the location of the water tanks is very small and configured in a very tight way so it's a little more difficult to get the body out," Faden said.

Investigators will then determine whether there was foul play or "a very, very strange accident" occurred, Faden said.

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/st...TE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-02-19-20-30-13

A very, very strange accident? Like, she got lost on her way to the pool? To go skinny dipping? :banghead: Poor Elisa. They still think she's a madwoman. I wonder if they've located any of Elisa's clothing yet. I hope LE goes through and searches all of the rooms.

One thing that strikes me about the elevator video is that no matter which button Elisa pushes, the elevator doesn't move. I had the impression that she was afraid of someone. Maybe she had an encounter with someone elsewhere in the hotel and felt intimidated by that person. I'd wondered if when the elevator refused to move and she stepped out the final time, she noticed a different person - possibly a hotel employee - and conversed with him. I tend to agree with the poster who suggested she was using Japanese sign language - perhaps an indication the other person is of Japanese descent.

I'm thinking that the person who followed Elisa - a hotel employee - locked the elevator so it wouldn't move. The first couple of times Elisa looked out, I think she was checking to see if someone was holding the button outside of the elevator. Whether it was the same employee who locked the elevator or a co-conspirator, I think the employee told her she needed to take the stairs, which is how she ended NEAR the roof. Obviously, she wasn't there the entire time, but I wonder what other rooms are near the roof, where she could've been held against her will/ where her body could be hid.

 

[tarabull]

snipped...Footage from a KTLA news helicopter showed firefighters and police officials milling around four large rooftop water tanks, two of which had been opened.

...Firefighters will use specialized tools to get the body out, said Los Angeles Fire Dept. Capt. Jamie Moore. The body will have to be removed from the tank in good enough condition that it can be analyzed.

...The LAPD told CBC News that the rooftop had previously been searched, though it's unclear if the water tanks had been checked. There is no security camera on the roof.

...LAPD Sgt. Rudy Lopez said anyone could have opened the tanks, but access to the rooftop should have been restricted.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/19/missing-woman-body-found.html

[eta: Why leave out a ladder is required to get to the top of the dayum tanks...!!!...!!!...???]

 

[LaborDayRN]

Oh no!! I just got home from a 12 hour day and signed on to see if there was any news. I'm heart broken about this. I was so hoping we would find out she was safe. Now I have to go back and read the details of how she was found. Her family is in my prayers. RIP Elisa.

 

[dotr]

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20061629,00.html
Here is another case involving a water tank, one of several that seemed to have either occurred in India, or to persons of Indian heritage..


"There are no fibers to study, no DNA to scrutinize, no witnesses, no motive. Not a single shred of evidence to tuck under a microscope. The killing of Geetha Angara, 43—a brilliant chemist and mother of three who was strangled and dumped in a giant water tank in the New Jersey water-treatment plant where she worked—has become, her family fears, an unsolvable mystery. "Someone ruined our lives, and I need to know why," says Angara's distraught husband, Jaya, 51, a banker. "Why would someone murder my Geetha?"

What makes the case even more baffling is that from the start, police have known just where to find the killer. The plant in Totowa, N.J., is well-guarded, so the attacker almost certainly had to be one of its 85 employees"

 

[AnonymousD]

I'm heartbroken & I never knew Elisa.

When I log on to WS, my bookmark is to the Located Forum.....when I saw Elisa's name, my heart sank & I even said, "NOOOOOOO!"

My thoughts & prayers are with Elisa's family & friends.

 

[AnonymousD]

I have to get some sleep, but I need a question answered. I hope you guys can help me understand.

Why does the Cecil Hotel have 4 water tanks for the hotel's water supply? I'm in the country, and although some people do still have water wells (we do for our geothermal unit), the majority of homes & businesses are hooked up to county/city water. No need for any type of on site water tanks, you just tap into the water line that goes along, and under, the roadside.

I realize there are businesses that catch their rainwater & reuse, but it's clear the Cecil isn't that type of place, and those tanks aren't open on the top.

Is it just so late my brain isn't working correctly? I can't figure out why they have these 4 water tanks. I mean, I want to understand *how* the water in the building works so I can focus on what happened to Elisa. Gah, I sound like a weirdo.

 

[The Cheese]

Police in Los Angeles confirmed the body retrieved Tuesday from the water tank of the hotel where Vancouver resident Elisa Lam was last seen Jan. 31 as that of the missing student.

snip

“It is her. They’ve confirmed it with the body markings,” Officer Diana Figueroa said Tuesday evening. “It is under investigation, I don’t have anything further.”

Figueroa said it was too early to say how Lam was killed.

snip

Police said the discovery of the body is being treated as a homicide investigation.

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/02/1...-of-la-hotel-where-vancouverite-was-last-seen

 

[LaborDayRN]

My heartfelt sympathies and condolences to Elisa's loved ones.


One article says authorities are no longer so sure it was foul play. Really?!? I find it very remarkable that it took roughly three weeks from the time she went missing for guests to start complaining of low water pressure. When did she end up in the water tank?

I wish we could see what the tanks are like. How long was she on the roof? Was she possibly locked up there? If the tanks are open, was she trying to get water? So many questions. I'm so so sad.

 

[LaborDayRN]

There's a picture of the roofs and the 4 water tanks here -

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/l...Where-Missing-Woman-Elisa-Lame-191886411.html

I guess I should have read further........

 

[Indy Anna]

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20061629,00.html
Here is another case involving a water tank, one of several that seemed to have either occurred in India, or to persons of Indian heritage..


"There are no fibers to study, no DNA to scrutinize, no witnesses, no motive. Not a single shred of evidence to tuck under a microscope. The killing of Geetha Angara, 43—a brilliant chemist and mother of three who was strangled and dumped in a giant water tank in the New Jersey water-treatment plant where she worked—has become, her family fears, an unsolvable mystery. "Someone ruined our lives, and I need to know why," says Angara's distraught husband, Jaya, 51, a banker. "Why would someone murder my Geetha?"

What makes the case even more baffling is that from the start, police have known just where to find the killer. The plant in Totowa, N.J., is well-guarded, so the attacker almost certainly had to be one of its 85 employees"

I wonder if this is a common method of disposing of a body in Asian countries. If so, that could also infer that the killer is likely of Asian descent.

I'm very curious who other guests and tenants saw talking to Elisa during her stay, particularly on the last day she was seen, and especially anyone she seemed skittish around.

 

[LaborDayRN]

I've worked in several hotels.

Sometimes there is not an elevator to the roof, only a stairway.

And when there is an elevator, it's a service elevator that you need a key for.

And then the door to the roof is always locked, for security reasons.

And bodies usually sink when they are put in water.

Sink to plug outlets which are at the bottom of the tank.

Which means the body probably hasn't been there 3 weeks.

Thanks for all the great info. Sadly, it looks as if poor Elisa was a victim here. What kind of animal DOES this?

 

[dotr]

I wish we could see what the tanks are like. How long was she on the roof? Was she possibly locked up there? If the tanks are open, was she trying to get water? So many questions. I'm so so sad.

Sounds like you had a long hard day LaborDayRN and this is sad and disturbing news,hope you get a nice cup of tea and put your feet up!

 

[LaborDayRN]

I know the FEL fb page is now closed - it's understand right...???...i'm just reflecting, since it seems there was a killer/killers on the loose the entire time Elisa was being labelled C R A Z Y

So did anyone see the post i'm speaking of???

ETA: (The one i refer to in MY LAST POST)

I truly don't think anyone here was trying to "label" Elisa as crazy. I think everyone here was very concerned for her safety and trying to put the pieces of a very mysterious puzzle together.....trying somehow to make sense of it all.

 

[The Cheese]

More confirmation from reporters -

Bruce Claggett ‏@BruceClaggett
Sad news tonight. Confirmed #ElisaLam's body found in water tank on top of Cecil Hotel in LA. 21 y/o #UBC student missing for 3weeks

BEN WILSON ‏@benwilson1130
UPDATE: Body found on roof of Cecil Hotel in #LosAngeles is that of missing 21 year old #UBC student Elisa Lam. #LAPD confirmation.

 

[tarabull]

Hey AnonymousD

I hope this helps provide the answer to your questions about the tanks...and that you can get some sleep...

Scroll down for info on roof top watertanks:

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_tower"]Water tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

[LaborDayRN]

Sounds like you had a long hard day LaborDayRN and this is sad and disturbing news,hope you get a nice cup of tea and put your feet up!

Thanks Dotr. It's a long day but I work 12 shift regularly and it means full time is only 3 days a week. But coming home to this news....even though I didn't know her I was praying for a good outcome. These kinds of crimes I'll never get used too.

 

[Sillybilly]

I feel so sad to come here and find this news tonite. It truly hurts the heart.

We all wished so very hard for a different ending for our little lady.

Thoughts and special prayers to Alisa's family and all who loved her.

Rest in Peace, Elisa
:rose::rose:

 

[tarabull]

I truly don't think anyone here was trying to "label" Elisa as crazy. I think everyone here was very concerned for her safety and trying to put the pieces of a very mysterious puzzle together.....trying somehow to make sense of it all.

I wasn't pointing fingers at anyone here...there were plenty of snips posted that were reported by the media.

Yet another observation.

 

[tarabull]

Thanks for all the great info. Sadly, it looks as if poor Elisa was a victim here. What kind of animal DOES this?

Only a S A V A G E...