CA CA - Elaine Park, 20, Glendale, 28 Jan 2017

[NateG]

Elaine and the guy took a uber to go to the movies with a bunch of cars available at that home, including hers. The car situation is weird. If she wasn't the one who left the car there (which, I don't really believe it was her), then it couldn't have been someone alone. Whoever did it, had help.

If the Elaine was abducted shortly after leaving the boyfriend's house by more than one person, this kind of changes the "movie" playing in my mind about how Elaine could have been abducted. See below:

Two person scenario:

1. Two kidnappers somehow stop Elaine who is driving home around 6:30am on a chilly Saturday morning.
2. The kidnappers take her in their car without damaging her car interior or exterior. Elaine is a tough, strong woman. Is she fighting back? How did they subdue her or convince her to stay quiet?
3. One of the kidnappers drives Elaine's car to the PCH while the other follows in their car.
4. The kidnapper driving Elaine's car arrives at the PCH, leaves the keys and all of Elaine's possessions, then gets back into the vehicle his/her partner is driving closely behind in. Elaine is also still in this vehicle.
5. The boyfriend's house is approximately 10 miles away from where Elaine's car was dumped so let's say it would take 20 minutes for the drive and maybe 30-40 minutes in all for the abduction and car dumping.
6. If sunrise in that area of Malibu during late January 2017 occurred at about 6:55am, then most of this abduction could have occurred under the cover of darkness, adding another savvy element to a seemingly skilled abduction.
7. There's a lot of evil duos out there like Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the Menendez brothers and Elizabeth Smart's kidnappers. The question is, who are the ones who operate out of Calabasas and Malibu? If we're talking about a skilled kidnapping duo prowling this area, the list of potential suspects gets much smaller.
8. Can someone poke holes in this theory? It's good to build it up and tear it down a few times to see if it holds water.

 

[Evilxelvis138]

If the Elaine was abducted shortly after leaving the boyfriend's house by more than one person, this kind of changes the "movie" playing in my mind about how Elaine could have been abducted. See below:

Two person scenario:

1. Two kidnappers somehow stop Elaine who is driving home around 6:30am on a chilly Saturday morning.
2. The kidnappers take her in their car without damaging her car interior or exterior. Elaine is a tough, strong woman. Is she fighting back? How did they subdue her or convince her to stay quiet?
3. One of the kidnappers drives Elaine's car to the PCH while the other follows in their car.
4. The kidnapper driving Elaine's car arrives at the PCH, leaves the keys and all of Elaine's possessions, then gets back into the vehicle his/her partner is driving closely behind in. Elaine is also still in this vehicle.
5. The boyfriend's house is approximately 10 miles away from where Elaine's car was dumped so let's say it would take 20 minutes for the drive and maybe 30-40 minutes in all for the abduction and car dumping.
6. If sunrise in that area of Malibu during late January 2017 occurred at about 6:55am, then most of this abduction could have occurred under the cover of darkness, adding another savvy element to a seemingly skilled abduction.
7. There's a lot of evil duos out there like Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, the Menendez brothers and Elizabeth Smart's kidnappers. The question is, who are the ones who operate out of Calabasas and Malibu? If we're talking about a skilled kidnapping duo prowling this area, the list of potential suspects gets much smaller.
8. Can someone poke holes in this theory? It's good to build it up and tear it down a few times to see if it holds water.

A few questions in my mind is

1. how do we know when her car was dumped? It wasn’t found until a few days later iirc.

2. If it was just a single perp they could have dumped it after the crime and walked to somewhere close by and caught an Uber/ maybe a bus off the pch. One could walk for a while around there in the daytime and wouldn’t be suspicious.

3. What kind of two person team would both have that killer mindset? Any law enforcement personnel in that area with a brother? Stop Elaine with the cop car/ any car with just those red flashers? Shine a light in her eyes and show a badge, maybe get her nervous about a DUI or a ticket? Then load her in the non cop car and use that to tail the dump.

 

[NateG]

A few questions in my mind is

1. how do we know when her car was dumped? It wasn’t found until a few days later iirc.

2. If it was just a single perp they could have dumped it after the crime and walked to somewhere close by and caught an Uber/ maybe a bus off the pch. One could walk for a while around there in the daytime and wouldn’t be suspicious.

3. What kind of two person team would both have that killer mindset? Any law enforcement personnel in that area with a brother? Stop Elaine with the cop car/ any car with just those red flashers? Shine a light in her eyes and show a badge, maybe get her nervous about a DUI or a ticket? Then load her in the non cop car and use that to tail the dump.

These are some solid points you make. Some thoughts below in red.

1. how do we know when her car was dumped? It wasn’t found until a few days later iirc. Unless some new eyewitness, photo or video evidence is unearthed, I don't think we'll ever know when Elaine's car was abandoned on the PCH. This is definitely a huge hole in this theory.

2. If it was just a single perp they could have dumped it after the crime and walked to somewhere close by and caught an Uber/ maybe a bus off the pch. One could walk for a while around there in the daytime and wouldn’t be suspicious. It would take longer, but a single perp could definitely have pulled this off on a quiet Saturday morning. The one thing that bothers me about the single perp theory is context or reason for that person's presence, i.e., what is this person doing in that area early in the morning on a Saturday in January? Was he a construction worker that showed up early for his shift, a rich person's "problem cleaner", an actual kidnapper looking for a target? It's a challenge to identify a plausible perp that is alone in the area at that moment and has the time and skill to pull this off.

3. What kind of two person team would both have that killer mindset? Any law enforcement personnel in that area with a brother? Stop Elaine with the cop car/ any car with just those red flashers? Shine a light in her eyes and show a badge, maybe get her nervous about a DUI or a ticket? Then load her in the non cop car and use that to tail the dump. Was Elaine scared of cops? Did she have a criminal record? Cops definitely have proper context as they're supposed to be patrolling the area. However, it seems bonkers to think that there are partner cops or a cop with a non-cop partner that work at the local PD that have been responsible for the disappearances/murders of various people who have gone missing while in the area possibly including Elaine and Mitrice Richardson. I guess the Golden State Killer was a former cop, but it's really hard to make this leap with such little evidence.

 

[Stella]

I had to laugh when one podcaster didn't know what "on again/off again" relationships meant. It means they would either break up and make up on a regular basis or she was more into him than he was into her. The latter sounds about right, considering he is rich, young, good looking, out to have fun. The kind of guy who can have his pick. What kind of "boyfriend" doesn't pick up his girl for a date? Sounds more like he considered her a friend and she considered him as someone to make a commitment to. Unsuccessfully.

 

[Lusitana]

I had to laugh when one podcaster didn't know what "on again/off again" relationships meant. It means they would either break up and make up on a regular basis or she was more into him than he was into her. The latter sounds about right, considering he is rich, young, good looking, out to have fun. The kind of guy who can have his pick. What kind of "boyfriend" doesn't pick up his girl for a date? Sounds more like he considered her a friend and she considered him as someone to make a commitment to. Unsuccessfully.

Wow, really? I thought that on again/off again relationships were a rite of passage lol.
To be fair, I don't think Elaine had any trouble having her pick either. It seemed like she was popular, not Calabasas rich, but she was one of the cool kids. These relationships are always weird for the "outsiders", the dynamic is always weird and it usually goes both ways, meaning that it doesn't have to be her always reaching out to him and that he probably reached out to her too. And the fact that they are young contributes to that whole mess.

 

[tarabull]

I just came across this video by Danelle Hallan. Over 2 years old, but it is still a decent refresher. Good to see she provided some much needed exposure to Elaine's case.

Bumping this for those of us who haven't seen it.

Where are you Elaine?

 

[CastlesBurning]

Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

 

[moonlightview]

Bumping this for those of us who haven't seen it.

Where are you Elaine?

I would be interested in knowing if Malibu PD or LAPD ever thought to obtain Car Video taken from along that rout? There are Limosine services Private Security, All manner of local transit 24/7 on PCH Hwy 1. Easily obtainable... I wonder?

 

[JnRyan]

I would be interested in knowing if Malibu PD or LAPD ever thought to obtain Car Video taken from along that rout? There are Limosine services Private Security, All manner of local transit 24/7 on PCH Hwy 1. Easily obtainable... I wonder?

I remember reading about 2 1/2 to 3 years ago that a PI was asking for any videos - GoPro, cell phone, etc. - and there was a potential reward. But I never heard anymore after that point.
New reward marks 1-year anniversary of when La Crescenta’s Elaine Park went missing – Daily News

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The last time anyone saw 20-year-old Elaine Park was in the early-morning hours of Saturday, January 28, 2017. Elaine had driven to her on-again, off-again boyfriend’s family’s home in Calabasas, California the previous evening. Elaine’s mother says the young man told her that Elaine had suffered some type of panic attack around 4 a.m. the next morning. He said despite his efforts to have her stay, Elaine drove off in her car. Security images from the property show Elaine’s car leave the home, although authorities aren’t certain who is driving. Three days later, Elaine’s 2015 Honda Accord was spotted parked on the shoulder of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The vehicle was unlocked and the key was still in the ignition. Authorities found Elaine’s cell phone and other personal belongings inside the car. Anyone with information regarding her case is urged to contact the Glendale Police Department at (818) 548-4911.
Seven years of Dateline's Missing in America: 156 still missing

 

[BlackCore]

Hi guys! Any news? How are things going with unlocking the iPhone Elaine?

 

[mlhenn]

Elaine Park – The Charley Project

Last updated February 23, 2021; distinguishing characteristics and clothing/jewelry description updated.

• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white sweatshirt, denim shorts, and possibly gray sweatpants and a necklace with the letter E.
• Medical Conditions: Park suffers from depression.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Asian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Park is of Korean descent. She has the following tattoos: a dagger and flowers on her right arm, a rose on her left shoulder and a cow skull and a moth on her left arm. Photos of some of the tattoos are posted with this case summary. Park's ears and nose are pierced, and she wears heavy makeup and mascara. At the time of her disappearance, her hair was waist-length and had blonde tips.

 

[Lusitana]

Elaine Park – The Charley Project

Last updated February 23, 2021; distinguishing characteristics and clothing/jewelry description updated.

• Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white sweatshirt, denim shorts, and possibly gray sweatpants and a necklace with the letter E.
• Medical Conditions: Park suffers from depression.
• Distinguishing Characteristics: Asian female. Brown hair, brown eyes. Park is of Korean descent. She has the following tattoos: a dagger and flowers on her right arm, a rose on her left shoulder and a cow skull and a moth on her left arm. Photos of some of the tattoos are posted with this case summary. Park's ears and nose are pierced, and she wears heavy makeup and mascara. At the time of her disappearance, her hair was waist-length and had blonde tips.

Anyone notices anything new? I feel like that information was already known, or am I wrong?

 

[mlhenn]

Anyone notices anything new? I feel like that information was already known, or am I wrong?

I’m not familiar with her case. Maybe a tattoo added to list? Sorry I can’t be of help.

 

[Lusitana]

I’m not familiar with her case. Maybe a tattoo added to list? Sorry I can’t be of help.

I don’t think so... the necklace has been mentioned too, I believe. I will have to read on the case again.

 

[mlhenn]

I don’t think so... the necklace has been mentioned too, I believe. I will have to read on the case again.

It’s possible there’s not any NEW info but her page on The Charley Project site just didn’t have all the details listed previously & it was just updated a couple days ago.

 

[data_nerd_2005]

I am skilled in web scraping, with a specialty in social media. I was thinking of scraping twitter and Instagram for posts/photos between the time she was last seen and when the car was found to try to see if a more accurate "date found" can be established. Does anybody know if there is already an established date for when the car was first confirmed at the spot where it was found?

 

[Evilxelvis138]

I am skilled in web scraping, with a specialty in social media. I was thinking of scraping twitter and Instagram for posts/photos between the time she was last seen and when the car was found to try to see if a more accurate "date found" can be established. Does anybody know if there is already an established date for when the car was first confirmed at the spot where it was found?

Could posts near the gps of the car be discovered too?

 

[data_nerd_2005]

Could posts near the gps of the car be discovered too?

Potentially, but not easily. I think the best bet is to search by location. I am focusing on Instagram currently because a lot of people seem to post videos driving down the pacific coast highway in Malibu. If anybody wants to help me with this case, I have some tasks people can help with.

1. Finding names of stores/beaches near the site where the car is found. The more names, the more Instagram locations I can search.

2. I have made a google sheets with links to the insta pics and videos I have found during the dates (1/28-2/2) of the PCH in Malibu. If anybody has time to use google earth or zoom in to see if any cars could be Elaine's, please lmk. I am focusing on data collection right now but the analysis for clues related to Elaine (such as seeing her car or NOT seeing her car on a certain date in the location where it was found) might take a long time.

I feel like there HAS to be some pic or video missed by police that shows her car at an earlier date. It is insane that no other proof has come forward in the busy location in which her car was found. Somebody must have recorded something, even if they don't realize that they did.

 

[data_nerd_2005]

Ok, so far I have found 2 pics, that although too blury to zoom in, might be able to show if Elaine's car was there on the 29th. I will try to contact the people to see if they have other photos or a better quality pic of the original photo.

Update: One of the people took a high quality drone video on the 27th at the location where the car was found. Hopefully he or people he was with might still have photos from the 27th-29th that could lead to a breakthrough !