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

[LaborDayRN]

Morning everyone! I'm playing catch-up here, so forgive me if any of this has already been mentioned.

Article below states that the water tank Elisa was found in was 3/4 full. This confirms in my mind that she wouldn't be able to reach up and close the lid to the tank herself. If the tank was full to the brim, then maaaaaybe (but still unlikely I think). Also - WHY was the tank only 3/4 full? When her body went into the tank, did that cause the water level to rise so much that some water spilled out?

The article also mentions a person would have to climb up the side of the tank to get inside one of them. What about that platform above the tanks? There's a red ladder that goes up there...does that ladder usually have a lock over it?

And finally, the guest of the hotel interviewed mentions they had low water pressure for "days" - was Elisa not missing for about 2 weeks? This suggests she may not have been in the water tank the whole time.

Article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/21/hotel-body-water.html?cmp=rss

So many questions. I feel like the more information that gets released to the public, the more questions I have.

The way these tanks work is that as the water level in the tank drops (from use) it doesn't maintain a constant full level. It has to drop down to a certain level before refilling occurs. So the fact that the water level was at 3/4 when Elisa was found doesn't mean that it was at 3/4 when she went into the tank (or was placed in the tank.)

 

[AnonymousD]

Elisa wore glasses - she doesn't have them on in the video. I know I would have to look at least that close to be able to press the buttons accurately - I am extremely nearsighted (but I have a prescription in the "normal" range - I'm not blind).

It's striking to me that she's roaming through the hotel and in the elevator without her glasses on. As a person who is 100% dependent on glasses (or contacts, but so far her family has only mentioned her as wearing glasses) I would NEVER go anywhere without my glasses, especially if I was on vacation in a hotel alone. I'd leave my phone before leaving my glasses.

BBM

I am also 100% dependent on glasses/contacts & I completely agree.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

The ladder is interesting no doubt about it.

Another view of the tanks...looking at the distance from the roof above the tanks, it doesn't seem it would be a very far jump...???...

This view really shows how far down it is NOT: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/02/20/article-2281485-17DAA3F7000005DC-84_634x437.jpg

But you'd have to climb up the ladder attached to the side of the building with the taller roof beside the tanks - attached ladder visible here:

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1163263!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_960/image.jpg

Great choice of pix, Tarabull!

At least this gives another possible method of getting into the water tanks... And IMO... How a perp couldget a body inside the water tanks...

Still not easy, though... Is it? :no:

 

[summer_breeze]

Welcome to WebSleuths, to all our newest members!

:welcome5:

:bump:

 

[Stratford258]

This is so sad, and my heart goes out to Elisa and her family and friends. No one should ever have to go through anything like this.

Watching the video is extremely chilling. I feel certain that she realized she was in danger and was trying to escape while seeming as nonchalant as possible.

My theory - Elisa either went up to the roof to see the view, or was asked/lured to go up there by someone. If she went up there of her own volition, I think she encountered someone else who was already up there. Maybe a maintenance worker? Maybe just some hotel employee also taking in the view.

Once on the roof, she realized this person was untrustworthy. But she didn't want to act like she felt uneasy - as a woman, I can tell you that this kind of behavior is instilled in us from a young age. We have to always be "nice." You never want to be that lady who crossed the street and the group of guys were actually not dangerous. You feel guilty for thinking that certain people might hurt you - for being prejudiced. Sometimes, you try to override that gut instinct that something is wrong.

She decides to try to casually leave the situation and heads downstairs. At some point, her glasses fall off - maybe running in the stairwell - and she decides she can go back later and get them, but must keep heading downstairs.

She walks into the elevator trying to still remain "casual." Part of the reason for the theatrical pointing at the buttons is just that she can't really see - and she's trying to be deliberate in a state of panic.

She presses all the buttons. When the elevator seems to be taking too long to close, she gets worried and does her initial "left-right" look out the elevator. She doesn't see anyone. But then maybe she hears someone - puts her back to the wall and hides in the corner. The person never shows - but the elevator still doesn't close.

She looks out again - this time the person is there. She attempts to explain her behavior to them, or maybe is arguing with them as they try to sweet talk her into going back upstairs. She seems to be counting off a list of things - maybe the things that she needs to do that prevent her from going back to the roof, or maybe the things that the perp did to frighten her. I think this person was harassing her - and not necessarily just on the roof. Perhaps there was something going on in the days before the elevator video happened. The theatrical hand movements are keeping with the attempt to look casual. The slight smile as she reenters the elevator is out of nervousness and, again, trying to be casual. Notice at this point she doesn't hide again - she knows the person is out there.

Maybe she hears their footsteps going down the hall. She looks out again. She jumps out - no one is visible. However, at this point the person has somehow managed to disable the elevator. I feel 100% certain the perp is an employee of the hotel. They know how to remain off camera and they know how to stop the elevator.

Finally, with the elevator not moving and no sign of the perp, she decides to just walk downstairs. This is when the person captures her - and we don't know what happens - but they eventually try to hide her body in the tank.

I don't think this hotel person knows what happens when you hide a body in a tank. It wouldn't make sense for someone who knows that to actually try to hide a body there.

Isn't it weird that they have not talked about having any video from in the hallway or on the roof itself?

Again - this is terrible and sad. I hope that the LAPD catch this perp quickly and bring Elisa and her family some justice.

 

[Stratford258]

. But, why press only that row of numbers? I speculated on this the page before - there has got to be a reason she chose those and not any of the others, IMO.[/QUOTE]

Hmm...dunno. Maybe because if you pressed only one row of numbers, presumably they're either all even or all odd. It would make the elevator skip floors.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

I think you could be right! Seems logical to me it also looks as if she is talking to someone outside that elevator by her hand motions!


An M Knight Shyamalan movie!

Yes.... I still can't erase the thought that there was another person(s) at the elevator with Elisa at the time of this video...

Possibities include:

- another (innocent, not related) guest of the hotel...

- another person "playing" WITH Elisa at the elevator for giggles... (Maybe even a child)

- A person playing pranks ON Elisa by pushing elevator buttons, running, hiding, etc.

-A person with more nefarious intent following Elisa, pushing elevator buttons, preventing her from making her intended destination...

Since LE made the choice to make this video public... I am thinking more of the last possibility...

JMO

 

[ErnestBorgnine]

. But, why press only that row of numbers? I speculated on this the page before - there has got to be a reason she chose those and not any of the others, IMO.

Hmm...dunno. Maybe because if you pressed only one row of numbers, presumably they're either all even or all odd. It would make the elevator skip floors.[/QUOTE]

Read my post above. I think I answered it in the first paragraph.

 

[mollymae]

The way these tanks work is that as the water level in the tank drops (from use) it doesn't maintain a constant full level. It has to drop down to a certain level before refilling occurs. So the fact that the water level was at 3/4 when Elisa was found doesn't mean that it was at 3/4 when she went into the tank (or was placed in the tank.)

Ahh, okay - thanks for clearing that up. I am many things....a plumber is not one of them

 

[Stratford258]

Yes.... I still can't erase the thought that there was another person(s) at the elevator with Elisa at the time of this video...

Possibities include:

- another (innocent, not related) guest of the hotel...

- another person "playing" WITH Elisa at the elevator for giggles... (Maybe even a child)

- A person playing pranks ON Elisa by pushing elevator buttons, running, hiding, etc.

-A person with more nefarious intent following Elisa, pushing elevator buttons, preventing her from making her intended destination...

Since LE made the choice to make this video public... I am thinking more of the last possibility...

JMO

I agree - I think this video is edited. There is a moment where there appears to be the shadow of another person in the elevator with her - not her own shadow (could also be weird surveillance video anomalies though). Also - towards the end when the video stalls a couple of times - there could have been someone walking in front of the elevator that has been edited out.

This second possibility could also explain why, after Elisa finally walks off to the left, there seems to be another person's hand briefly touching the left edge of the elevator frame. I don't think that is Elisa's foot, because the angle doesn't make sense.

 

[tarabull]

The luring tactic is quite a possible scenario. The only thing that doesn't sit right with me is that she didn't have her glasses. I think she would take her glasses with her if she were going to look at the view (unless she wore contacts). I wish we knew what items of hers they found in her room or elsewhere - glasses, cell phone, etc.

Someone up thread, I forget who, pointed out that glasses 'get in the way' sts in a romantic situation...perhaps Elisa left the spectacles behind in her room on purpose.

I dunno kids, I'm grasping, such a bizarre mystery.

 

[Stratford258]

I am freaked out that one of my comments was #666.

Old superstitions are hard to break.

 

[mollymae]

Respectfully snipped...

But she didn't want to act like she felt uneasy - as a woman, I can tell you that this kind of behavior is instilled in us from a young age.

^^^ This. My mother always told me when walking alone to be alert, to look people directly in the eye and never to "look like a target" or appear afraid.

 

[Catchew]

Quote:
But, why press only that row of numbers? I speculated on this the page before - there has got to be a reason she chose those and not any of the others, IMO.

Hmm...dunno. Maybe because if you pressed only one row of numbers, presumably they're either all even or all odd. It would make the elevator skip floors.
Read my post above. I think I answered it in the first paragraph.

The quotes seem a bit messed up here, but the part in bold was my question, and I was referring to my theory from the previous page:
[ame="http://websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8900512&postcount=635"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013[/ame]

 

[The Cheese]

Elisa's autopsy is this morning so hopefully we will have some answers later today.

Rest in peace, Elisa. Prayers to Elisa's family.

Investigators hope an autopsy Thursday will unravel the mystery of how Elisa Lam died, after the missing Vancouver woman’s body was found in a water tank on the rooftop of a Los Angeles hotel earlier this week.
Police are still trying to determine if Lam’s death involved foul play or if she was the victim of a bizarre accident.


http://bc.ctvnews.ca/autopsy-hoped-to-reveal-how-elisa-lam-died-1.1165941#ixzz2LYZbH8dH

 

[laces]

Wow! You all are on a roll. I am just getting here. What a spooked out videotape, huh? I was on an asian site and some onlookers were speculating that Elisa Lam was actually telling her story with her hand gestures. Interesting, to be sure. I hope this is solved rapidly. It does look like an inside job due to the location of the body, I must say. Desperate place for someone to hide his misdeed.

laces

 

[jetsetsam]

It looks to me that at least some people in the hotel knew how to get up on the roof without setting off the door alarm.

http://news.yahoo.com/body-found-la-hotel-water-tank-may-missing-010024324.html


There is graffiti on the side of the platform for the towers.

It's not big BABOOM graphics that's intended to be seen from other buildings.

Graffiti is a marker to people other than the person doing the graffiti.

It's small scale, like "buy drugs here from Boozer".

The only other way is the fire escape, which would have to be accessed from the window at the end of a hall.

So there is a recent history of people going up to the roof.

 

[jetsetsam]

I think the police should talk to Booger in F803.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

snipped...The rooftop where the body was found by a maintenance worker responding to complaints of low water pressure contains four large water tanks. Each has a small, sealed opening.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...-found-in-la-hotel-water-tank/article8829698/

(Still looking for more info than that...)

Sooo... Each water tank "has a small, sealed opening" .....

I imagine that opening refers to the opening where water is pumped in, and pumped out? :dunno:

However... This information makes me start thinking there may be other openings into the tanks instead of just the big ol' (seemingly heavy) metal lid...

And, therefore... There MAY be more than one way to enter/exit (or "help" someone enter/exit) each tank?

Just thinking out loud....

JMO

 

[Dr Hua Sheng]

Update from CNN (my Italics)

"Firefighters work to remove a body found inside a water tank on the rooftop of the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles on Tuesday, February 19. A young woman's body had likely been decomposing for more than two weeks, police said."