CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013 - #4

[samevo8]

I haven't seen any Cali pics in Tumblr (she did seem to post a pic in Dec in Quebec, but just a first person view of her seat at a cafe.)

I hear she was posting pics (eg: Seaworld) on Facebook but her current FB is private.

In past threads, people had mentioned seeing pictures she posted of her trip, possibly on Tumblr or Flickr? Does anyone have those links?

 

[anansie]

Respectfully snipped...

It looks like Fekto is a person then, because one of the comments was "I know Fekto." I wonder if LE has thought of this, or if it's wise to bring it to their attention?

Though, I'm starting to lean towards what other people have said...The graffiti has nothing to do with the case. I'm sure this Fekto guy just wanted to go to the famous Cecil Hotel and do some tagging on the roof.

It seems like the guys doing these graffiti that me and jellybeanz posted are American. I checked their profiles, the photos they post, etc.

After seeing these examples of graffiti that jellybeanz and I found - graffiti that uses the words "Fekto", "C***", "Suma" and "Her" - I really am of the opinion now that the graffiti on the Cecil rooftop is nothing but just another graffiti artist's attempt to put his mark on the notorious Cecil Hotel.

I mean, have you ever travelled on the London Tube? When it goes overground, you see LOADS of graffiti everywhere around the tracks. In hard to reach spots that sometimes makes you wonder how on earth they got there to do it? Like, you know, up on an old disused train bridge that is high up above the tube tracks? That sort of thing.

I think in their minds, they just want to "mark" these seemingly non-accessible or hard-to-access spots as a way of saying "Here I was!" to everyone that comes past.

I wouldn't be surprised if graffiti artists would want to do this to the Cecil Hotel rooftop. And since the security in the hotel is lax, they could pretty much get up there to do their graffiti if they know someone at the hotel (or if they decided to stay at the hotel themselves). I won't even discount the possibility they sneaked in. I mean, the security there isn't great.

I really don't think the graffiti has anything to do with Elisa's death.

Yeah its a bit of a mystery what these words actually mean. Maybe send a PM to the guy/guys who posted those graffiti pics and find out? If someone is that interested? But whatever they mean, I don't think they are related to Elisa's death in any way.

 

[FiveFelines]

Thanks for that info. .... Ugh, it just sounds like a horrible place to me, I'm sorry. Don't mean to offend anyone that's stayed there and liked it. I just can't imagine being her age and traveling alone like that especially in such a shady place right near skid row. When I went anywhere that young, I always traveled with friends. I don't get it. I don't understand why she did this and never will I guess because I wasn't the kind of girl to travel alone. :notgood: I just feel so bad for her family.

I think a lot of women travel alone these days (I'm not opposed to it, but I typically bring my boyfriend or a female friend). This is OT, but Elisa's story has gotten me thinking about an unsettling experience that my friend and I (both 30something women) had while in Rome a few months ago. We were staying in a hotel in a very touristy area; the hotel was billed as being for tourists, especially Americans. I wouldn't normally go for that type of thing, but we were only there for two nights and the price was right.

The first night, we were tired and came back to the hotel (nicer than the Cecil, btw, but nothing special) around 10 pm. To make a long story short, the night clerk, who had not been there when we left, claimed that there was a "security fee" of 30 Euros per person for arriving back at the hotel after 9:30 pm. Obviously, we thought this was BS and that he was joking. This goes on, back and forth for like 10 min. We're trapped there because, like in many European hotels, we had given him our room key when we left for the night. Finally he says, "Girls! I'm joking!" and gives us the key. We were not amused and hightailed it to our room with him in pursuit, yelling at us that he was only joking and not to report him. IMO, he was trying to scam us and had probably done it before.

When we got to the room, the lights flashed on and off several times. I have no idea how or why it happened, but it made us feel like he was messing with us. It was an uneasy night's sleep. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, if only because I think it goes to show that hotel employees aren't always on the up-and-up. I truly believe Elisa was killed by an employee or resident of the Cecil.

 

[Myst]

Agreed. It's ironic how the new (as of 2008) owner seems to have wanted restore the hotel (he added "Stay" if I'm not mistaken), help gentrify the area, etc. In his responses to some of the many online complaints about the Cecil/Stay (pre-Elisa), he comes off as pretty defensive, like "that was the old Cecil; now it's under new ownership, etc."

But when you think about it, it appears that they just slapped a fresh coat of paint on the rooms, tried (unsuccessfully) to remove some of the long-term residents, and added Stay (which looks nice on the website but is still located within the Cecil). Did he increase security, add cameras, or do anything else to actually make the place safer? Not that I can tell.

Agreed! From a link upthread, in the comment section, a local living near the Cecil points attention to one of the signs for the Hotel outside.. the one that says Low, Daily, Weekly.. 'Low' being at the top, then a blank space, then 'Daily', then 'Weekly' under that... (we have seen this sign in one of the videos linked here as well).. The local said that in the blank space to the left of 'Daily' USED TO BE ... 'Hourly'.

:what:

Sure seems to me that IF the new owner really cared about upgrading the place in the eyes of the community, he might have redone the whole sign. As well as upped the security, etc, as you pointed out.

 

[Buckeye lady]

If LAPD suspected foul play or homicide, they would have alerted the community to be vigilant of possible perpetrator. The fact that they didn't suggests they think EL's death points to an accident or suicide.

They didn't in the Mickey Shunick case. They were tracking him but didn't warn the public to be on the lookout so as to suprise him.

 

[AnotherCanuck]

I haven't seen any Cali pics in Tumblr (she did seem to post a pic in Dec in Quebec, but just a first person view of her seat at a cafe.)

I hear she was posting pics (eg: Seaworld) on Facebook but her current FB is private.

Hmm...Thought maybe it could shed some light on things...Oh well.

I'd really like to hear more about her travel plans and what she had done so far before going to LA...I don't know if it would shed light on things, but...you never know.

 

[FiveFelines]

Agreed! From a link upthread, in the comment section, a local living near the Cecil points attention to one of the signs for the Hotel outside.. the one that says Low, Daily, Weekly.. 'Low' being at the top, then a blank space, then 'Daily', then 'Weekly' under that... (we have seen this sign in one of the videos linked here as well).. The local said that in the blank space to the left of 'Daily' USED TO BE ... 'Hourly'.

:what:

Sure seems to me that IF the new owner really cared about upgrading the place in the eyes of the community, he might have redone the whole sign. As well as upped the security, etc, as you pointed out.

Yup. Apparently, I'm wrong about him being the owner. The person who replies to negative comments on TripAdvisor, etc., is the president of the management company. But he's just as culpable if you ask me!

 

[noodled1]

I know, but just playing around with the speculations on this thread about graffiti. I like linguistics and someone mentioned the graffiti again. I never gave that graffiti much thought but since all clues and news media have dried up and are just rehashing the same old stuff we heard lots of times before...

I think there is very little possibility that the graffiti is linked. Very little.

The tags are probably territorial in nature.. not sure of the meaning in the taggers world but I found a flickr account this morning with a whole section related to fecto and another with some suma references

not sure if i'm allowed to post a link to the account

 

[kingsway]

Oh My reading this brought tears to me eyes. May Elisa Rest in piece.

mjak

He didn't really know them.

Personally, I think the guy is a bit of a douche and a perv. "I worried someone had died. I hoped it was one of the parents because the girls were so lovely." Seems like he spent a lot of time at the restaurant staring at their daughters.

 

[anansie]

I think a lot of women travel alone these days (I'm not opposed to it, but I typically bring my boyfriend or a female friend). This is OT, but Elisa's story has gotten me thinking about an unsettling experience that my friend and I (both 30something women) had while in Rome a few months ago. We were staying in a hotel in a very touristy area; the hotel was billed as being for tourists, especially Americans. I wouldn't normally go for that type of thing, but we were only there for two nights and the price was right.

The first night, we were tired and came back to the hotel (nicer than the Cecil, btw, but nothing special) around 10 pm. To make a long story short, the night clerk, who had not been there when we left, claimed that there was a "security fee" of 30 Euros per person for arriving back at the hotel after 9:30 pm. Obviously, we thought this was BS and that he was joking. This goes on, back and forth for like 10 min. We're trapped there because, like in many European hotels, we had given him our room key when we left for the night. Finally he says, "Girls! I'm joking!" and gives us the key. We were not amused and hightailed it to our room with him in pursuit, yelling at us that he was only joking and not to report him. IMO, he was trying to scam us and had probably done it before.

When we got to the room, the lights flashed on and off several times. I have no idea how or why it happened, but it made us feel like he was messing with us. It was an uneasy night's sleep. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, if only because I think it goes to show that hotel employees aren't always on the up-and-up. I truly believe Elisa was killed by an employee or resident of the Cecil.

Oh you know, Italian men (I won't say all, but some) are very touchy feely and are quite creepy (maybe some women find the attention flattering, but I don't!).

I remember being on holiday in Italy once... with my kids and husband. They still pestered me - though I was walking at a slower/faster pace than my husband as I was trying to take a POV footage of the place. It was in a very touristy spot and was quite packed with tourists and mime artists and buskers.

Yikes...

I've never stayed in an Italian hotel though, we always opt for campsites. And there, its relatively hassle free because its loads of Germans, Scandinavians, etc. and a minority of Italian tourists. The only Italians at campsites were the ones working there, and they don't hassle people. Well.. I did opt for the better campsites though, not the lower priced ones.

Oh and we always use a hire car when travelling in Italy so we never used public transport. A Chinese girl friend of mine did use the trains there, and she said that she got pestered/chatted up by an Italian guy and the way he talked to her was like, kept swiping her hair, shoulders, face at the same time kinda thing... creepy.

 

[Myst]

The new Tumblr post is a reblog of a Virginia Woolf quote. We all know how Virginia Woolf died, right? She drowned herself in a river and stuffed her pockets with rocks to weigh herself down.

Another creepy coincidence, I guess. I'm not suggesting that EL killed herself--not at all--but I'm not ruling out the possibility of something strange going on with her Tumblr. Despite the fact that I know how the queuing in advance feature works, the number of queued posts, the sporadic pattern and volume in which they've appeared, and most recently, the nature of of the posts themselves...is strange.

Agreed! It does seem that strange "coincidental" things are going on with her tumblr. Even given the info that things can be queued etc, the contents.... given the circumstances... are strange indeed.

Because of the 'coincidental' strange postings (even if queued or reposted), am wondering if someone is messing with her tumblr?

 

[noodled1]

LAPD (and I am presuming her family) did not even know why Elisa was in L.A., let alone what dates she was there. LAPD and the Lam family presumably were not aware of her Tumblr, which is linked up-thread with her travel schedule posted on the say she booked her flight. And the articles naming the 26th as her arrival date in L.A. were posted while she was still missing, not that they are linked or anything by all the people who continue to insist that Elisa was in L.A. on the 26th. She was in San Diego on the 26 and 27, and this is backed up by the 'Speakeasy' posts on Jan. 27 (Speakeasy is the actual name of a San Diego jazz bar and Elisa was a jazz enthusiast) and the "arrival in Lala" post on Jan. 29, presumably a day or so after she checked in.

How do you know this? LAPD said she arrived in LA on the 26th of Jan, they said she had been in contact with her parents everyday until the 31st.

If they LAPD didn't know this as facts why would they present this information to the public when seeking help in her location. I think Some are placing way too much value soley on the tumblr account that's still making posts even a couple weeks after her death

To assume LAPD wasn't aware of the Tumblr account is probably to go down the wrong path. I imagine one of the very first things they did was check her social media accounts.

At this time I'm thinking to dismiss one timeline in favor of another doesn't do the discussion any good. Two viable timelines nether one proves the other wrong

 

[anansie]

The tags are probably territorial in nature.. not sure of the meaning in the taggers world but I found a flickr account this morning with a whole section related to fecto and another with some suma references

not sure if i'm allowed to post a link to the account

Yup I know

We must have cross-posted. I wrote a post along the same lines on the previous page here

[ame="http://websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8960342&postcount=545"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased CA/Canada - Elisa Lam - 21 years old - Los Angeles/Vancouver - 31-Jan-2013 - #4[/ame]

 

[littlegreycells31]

I think a lot of women travel alone these days (I'm not opposed to it, but I typically bring my boyfriend or a female friend). This is OT, but Elisa's story has gotten me thinking about an unsettling experience that my friend and I (both 30something women) had while in Rome a few months ago. We were staying in a hotel in a very touristy area; the hotel was billed as being for tourists, especially Americans. I wouldn't normally go for that type of thing, but we were only there for two nights and the price was right.

The first night, we were tired and came back to the hotel (nicer than the Cecil, btw, but nothing special) around 10 pm. To make a long story short, the night clerk, who had not been there when we left, claimed that there was a "security fee" of 30 Euros per person for arriving back at the hotel after 9:30 pm. Obviously, we thought this was BS and that he was joking. This goes on, back and forth for like 10 min. We're trapped there because, like in many European hotels, we had given him our room key when we left for the night. Finally he says, "Girls! I'm joking!" and gives us the key. We were not amused and hightailed it to our room with him in pursuit, yelling at us that he was only joking and not to report him. IMO, he was trying to scam us and had probably done it before.

When we got to the room, the lights flashed on and off several times. I have no idea how or why it happened, but it made us feel like he was messing with us. It was an uneasy night's sleep. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, if only because I think it goes to show that hotel employees aren't always on the up-and-up. I truly believe Elisa was killed by an employee or resident of the Cecil.

Goodness, that is scary....I agree that it was probably an employee or a longtime resident of the hotel that had something to do with her death. Just my opinion anyway.....Hmmm, I guess a lot of younger people nowadays do travel alone, but I am in my 30s now and me and my friends never did unless it was just going to visit a friend in another state or something. I am a weanie about being alone anyway. lol

I was reading from her blog someone posted on their website that she had thought about ECT (formerly) electroshock therapy for her depression. Sadly, she must have been seriously depressed. I still don't think she committed suicide though. The cirumstances just don't make sense. From what other people in the hotel have been quoted as saying there are lots of cameras, so I hope the police were able to get all of them and look through them. They have to provide more evidence as to what went on - given the fact that none of them were tampered with or destroyed, but hopefully the police will look into that as well.

 

[windbags]

Please have faith she wasn't on any drugs.

Why?? She could very well be on drugs based on her bizarre behavior in the elevator. You can't conclusively rule that out. And considering LE is withholding information until the toxicology report comes back implies they are at least considering it a possibility.

 

[RhiannonR]

Thanks for that info. .... Ugh, it just sounds like a horrible place to me, I'm sorry. Don't mean to offend anyone that's stayed there and liked it. I just can't imagine being her age and traveling alone like that especially in such a shady place right near skid row. When I went anywhere that young, I always traveled with friends. I don't get it. I don't understand why she did this and never will I guess because I wasn't the kind of girl to travel alone. :notgood: I just feel so bad for her family.

I used to go to clubs downtown in the 1980s ( I was in my 20s), and it was a hell of a lot worse than it is now. I used to park my car and run to the club! The Cecil area is cleaned up; you see yuppies walking their dogs. But, once you get to Main and 5th, and look down 5th ( East?), it's scary skid row time.

 

[littlegreycells31]

I used to go to clubs downtown in the 1980s ( I was in my 20s), and it was a hell of a lot worse than it is now. I used to park my car and run to the club! The Cecil area is cleaned up; you see yuppies walking their dogs. But, once you get to Main and 5th, and look down 5th ( East?), it's scary skid row time.

LOL that made me laugh when you said you had to run to the club. I am a country girl so if I had grown up in the city I would probably be more inclined to venture out alone.

 

[BunnyHop]

They didn't in the Mickey Shunick case. They were tracking him but didn't warn the public to be on the lookout so as to suprise him.

Thanks BL, they haven't warned in IOWA either re:cousins.

 

[Myst]

I think a lot of women travel alone these days (I'm not opposed to it, but I typically bring my boyfriend or a female friend). This is OT, but Elisa's story has gotten me thinking about an unsettling experience that my friend and I (both 30something women) had while in Rome a few months ago. We were staying in a hotel in a very touristy area; the hotel was billed as being for tourists, especially Americans. I wouldn't normally go for that type of thing, but we were only there for two nights and the price was right.

The first night, we were tired and came back to the hotel (nicer than the Cecil, btw, but nothing special) around 10 pm. To make a long story short, the night clerk, who had not been there when we left, claimed that there was a "security fee" of 30 Euros per person for arriving back at the hotel after 9:30 pm. Obviously, we thought this was BS and that he was joking. This goes on, back and forth for like 10 min. We're trapped there because, like in many European hotels, we had given him our room key when we left for the night. Finally he says, "Girls! I'm joking!" and gives us the key. We were not amused and hightailed it to our room with him in pursuit, yelling at us that he was only joking and not to report him. IMO, he was trying to scam us and had probably done it before.

When we got to the room, the lights flashed on and off several times. I have no idea how or why it happened, but it made us feel like he was messing with us. It was an uneasy night's sleep. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, if only because I think it goes to show that hotel employees aren't always on the up-and-up. I truly believe Elisa was killed by an employee or resident of the Cecil.

Yep, sounds like he was messing with you. Scary!

Women alone, or even with a friend, need to be careful, and aware of their surroundings.

I went to Oakland a long time ago with a friend. We booked a room with two beds so we could be together, figuring that was safer. But when we checked in, the staff said a room with two beds wasn't available (???) and gave us two rooms for the same price. These rooms were seperated by at least 15 other rooms, at each end of a hallway.

Her room had a HUGE mirror on the wall, mine only had a lil picture. We thought that was strange.

Several weeks later we read in the news that the hotel we had stayed at was raided. That's a long story, but one of the things we noted was that the staff had been using the room they put my friend in, and it had a two-way mirror. :what:

Now I check all mirrors in hotel rooms, and if there is one in question, I'll put a sheet over it. lol

 

[samevo8]

I've posted something on this previous (as some others), but from her Tumblr, you can see the following plans.

1. Posted Jan 6: "Next leg of my whirlwind adventure: the West Coast

Meet-up applications now accepted for Vancouver, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Opispo, Santa Cruz, San Jose and San Francisco.

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS HIGHLY HIGHLY APPRECIATED AND NEEDED!!!!" (http://nouvelle-nouveau.tumblr.com/post/39814624647/next-leg-of-my-whirlwind-adventure-the-west)

Comment: She was coming back from Toronto (prior to that, she was in Ontario I believe). Swinging through Vancouver (where she had her send off party in January around the 22nd. http://nouvelle-nouveau.tumblr.com/post/41136655450/i-had-a-catch-up-reunion-with-high). This was her original plan.
Something that stood out from this posting was the "meet-up" invitation to her Tumblr followers. Wonder if she ever ended up meeting up with anyone.

2. Posted Jan 7 (flight info): "I just got my flightbook’d

Vancouver: Jan 18 - 22, San Diego: Jan 22 - 27

and the rest is to be written…" (http://nouvelle-nouveau.tumblr.com/post/39940752951/i-just-got-my-flightbookd-vancouver-jan-18)


Comment: A bit ironic end statement in that, indeed much has been written across the world on her trip.

3. Posted Jan 13: "Planning planning planning for the West Coast tour…

Sigh turns out I won’t be making as many stops as I’d like

Vancouver, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and San Francisco

I really want to stop by San Luis Obispo but alas…we’ll see

Suggestions and meet-ups still highly appreciated"

Comment: Her plans change a bit. No SLO for her. I've been to SLO. Nice relaxing place, but not much to do there (I thought about attending college there.)
And again, she solicits "meet-ups." Guess she wanted to meet people on her trip.

4. Posted Jan 25. Her plans for San Diego (while presumably in San Diego): "Today I slept, took a long hot shower, stuffed myself silly with a $3 dinner. It has been most productive and enjoyable.

I seriously have done nothing in San Diego that is out of the my normal routine at home.

I DO WHAT I WANT

After all, I like my home comforts and every now and then I do something entirely impulsive and reckless like tell a guy I just met I like him…….

I do like people watching at the hostel.

Now that I’m rested and well, starting tomorrow I should venture outside more.

1. Seaworld

2. The Zoo

3. Museum because it’s free!!!!

4. Whale watching at Coronado/Point Loma ?"

http://nouvelle-nouveau.tumblr.com/post/41414644630/today-i-slept-took-a-long-hot-shower-stuffed

Comment: I remember reading about her posting pics from Seaworld on her Facebook. Guessing she stayed at a hostel in San Diego since she mentions people watching at a hostel (she stayed at a hostel mid Jan in Toronto but I have a hunch she mentions a hostel again because she's in one.) Her comment "I do something entirely impulsive and reckless like tell a guy I just met I like him" makes me think "hmm.." and "oh no" at the same time.

5. Posted Dec 21. She talks about her plans in Santa Cruz/Santa Clara (this has been talked about in regards to the WWOOF organic farm): "I am in power planning mode for my upcoming first wwoof trip to Santa Cruz California next month and I’m trying to see if I can enroll in some sort of beginners comp sci programming class because god knows I know NOTHING OF COMPUTERS which is unacceptable in this age. 8 years know how to hack into my computer and I know how to cut and paste.

BUT turns out the UCSC has their extension/adult education in freakin SANTA CLARA which is like in San Jose which is FAR I mean I can’t travel there and ughhh I don’t like online courses too much because I learn better in person and it’s just wtf THERE IS A CAMPUS RIGHT NEAR ME WHY CAN’T I JUST LIKE AUDIT A COURSE OR SOMETHINGGGGG"

Comment: My gf from Vancouver tells me that WWOOF's are pretty popular up there. Me being from Cali, I've never heard of such a thing (although I coincidentally do live close to Santa Cruz.) I do find her comment about the distance a bit humorous, but understandable since she takes public transportation and probably doesn't drive.

Anyway, this may have been the seed that motivated/convinced her to go to Cali and her West Coast tour. That is, the WWOOF and the comp sci class.

Hmm...Thought maybe it could shed some light on things...Oh well.

I'd really like to hear more about her travel plans and what she had done so far before going to LA...I don't know if it would shed light on things, but...you never know.