GUILTY CA - Erin Corwin, 19, pregnant, Twentynine Palms, 28 June 2014 - #6

[necco]

Will a potato gun shoot rocks? Here's the thing ... EC told her friend in TN that CL was taking her shooting (in JTNP). Suppose he was taking her to teach her how to shoot a potato gun, or just out for fun shooting a potato gun. Then it wouldn't matter how long it took to reload or whether it always worked, and "point blank range" would do for a perfect shot. She'd be watching him load it, how fast could he pull it up/point/shoot? If she was just knocked down by it and otherwise not seriously injured, he could always say it went off by accident as he was about to hand it to her. Surely he could hit her hard enough with a potato to knock her out ... and if those guns will shoot rocks, there you go.

Since potato guns are generally homemade, there is no set answer for some of these questions, but that are good questions. Yes, a potato gun could shoot a rock. Basically, it will should anything that fills the barrel enough so that when the trigger (valve) is used, there is enough propellent behind it to shoot the object. Diameters vary, as do speeds, accuracy, length of barrels, types of valves and propellents. Without seeing it, we just have no way of knowing how long it would take to load or pull up and shoot.

 

[Coquette]

Hi there. Newbie here. I wanted to address the question of ponds in the area near the base. I have a weekend place in Joshua Tree and my husband and I often have dinner at the 29 Palms Inn which is very close to the base entrance. It's a stunning property with a great restaurant. It's frequented regularly by military people as a special ocassion spot or for cocktails and some music. There's a pond on the property called the Oasis of Mara. It would be an easy place to deposit something casually without being seen. IMO. We often stroll around there ourselves at dusk. Have a cocktail... Deposit some evidence... Normal couple out doing there thing. One never knows. I just wanted to offer some local insight.

I am happy to dip my toe in. :newhere::newhere::newhere::newhere::newhere::newhere:

 

[necco]

Are you saying your can put a .40cal bullet in a potato, load it in a potato gun and shoot someone?

You could, in theory, do this. However, the WHOLE bullet, casing and all, would end up being shot and the primer on the casing would not be fired. You wouldn't end up with an empty shell casing, the whole bullet (the shooting part and the shell casing) would be in the potato guts wherever they ended up.

 

[Plumeria5]

Regarding NL's Pinterest pages ~ The pins seem pretty normal to me. She focuses on her husband a lot, maintaining a long marriage, and ways to make relationships better. Also ways to handle, deal or survive people who are annoying, dishonest or disingenuous. Nothing alarming imo.

My eyes were tiring and just when I was about to leave the page, a pin caught my eye. It features a drawing of a man and woman in a boat putting something into a lake. The caption read something like, 'don't ask me what it is, just help me.' Then NL wrote, 'thought this was funny'.

Seeing the pin gave me head tilt (especially under the circumstances). Especially because I don't or wouldn't think the idea is funny at all, ever.

Another observation is NL announces her great relationship under pins by nodding to CL and their tight relationship, being best friends and such but, at the same time, some of her pins hint at her confusion or sadness. Probably almost everyone can relate to having ups and downs so, in and of themselves don't mean very much but, under the circumstances, noted. I see a woman who values her marriage but may have been sensing it slipping away. Yet, she was trying to find ways to pull CL toward her. Apart from the current circumstances of Erin being missing, (especially if it turns out NL is innocent of any involvement), my heart feels for any woman who is trying to make sense of betrayal and the pain associated with the experience.

Then, there is the boat "joke". :thinking:

Can you post the link for her Pinterest?

 

[NEmom]

Wait, a potato gun is usually powered by hair spray or propane or methane or... it's made of PVC and does not shoot bullets. Look up potato gun on Google. He didn't shoot bullets with a potato gun.

The link I posted said specifically .40 shell casings

 

[nic331]

This is my first post, but I've been creeping on this site for ages I don't know if this has already made an appearance but I thought it added another interesting rumor to the many already in the mix. I'm not sure if this site is an acceptable link but I figured it fell under social media and just had to be identified as rumor, etc
<modsnip>

 

[NEmom]

<Mod Snip> Why would he shoot someone with a potato gun when he has several real guns. The casings found in the car mean the bullets were shot by a normal gun. A potato gun would not eject casings. So that gun does exist and is missing.

Maybe ballistics can't be matched to potato guns. Who knows

 

[nursebeeme]

This is my first post, but I've been creeping on this site for ages I don't know if this has already made an appearance but I thought it added another interesting rumor to the many already in the mix. I'm not sure if this site is an acceptable link but I figured it fell under social media and just had to be identified as rumor, etc
<modsnip>

welcome! we are glad you are here!

 

[anyoldtime48]

<Mod Snip> Why would he shoot someone with a potato gun when he has several real guns. The casings found in the car mean the bullets were shot by a normal gun. A potato gun would not eject casings. So that gun does exist and is missing.

Potentially WAY less blood and tissue left laying around for starters.

 

[goldenbear]

We should not underestimate CL when it comes to any kind of guns. This is his area of expertise . If he used a traditional gun it is unregistered. If he used a potato gun he can claim an accident. If he used ice there would be no trace of the missile.

 

[ChopperRN]

Regarding NL's Pinterest pages ~ The pins seem pretty normal to me. She focuses on her husband a lot, maintaining a long marriage, and ways to make relationships better. Also ways to handle, deal or survive people who are annoying, dishonest or disingenuous. Nothing alarming imo.

My eyes were tiring and just when I was about to leave the page, a pin caught my eye. It features a drawing of a man and woman in a boat putting something into a lake. The caption read something like, 'don't ask me what it is, just help me.' Then NL wrote, 'thought this was funny'.

Seeing the pin gave me head tilt (especially under the circumstances). Especially because I don't or wouldn't think the idea is funny at all, ever.

Another observation is NL announces her great relationship under pins by nodding to CL and their tight relationship, being best friends and such but, at the same time, some of her pins hint at her confusion or sadness. Probably almost everyone can relate to having ups and downs so, in and of themselves don't mean very much but, under the circumstances, noted. I see a woman who values her marriage but may have been sensing it slipping away. Yet, she was trying to find ways to pull CL toward her. Apart from the current circumstances of Erin being missing, (especially if it turns out NL is innocent of any involvement), my heart feels for any woman who is trying to make sense of betrayal and the pain associated with the experience.

Then, there is the boat "joke". :thinking:

Do you have a link to the pinterest? I can't find it.

 

[necco]

We should not underestimate CL when it comes to any kind of guns. This is his area of expertise . If he used a traditional gun it is unregistered. If he used a potato gun he can claim an accident. If he used ice there would be no trace of the missile.

OK. I'm all for thinking outside the box, but this is 29 Palms, California in June. There is no way he could manage to keep an ice bullet (loaded into a tradition shell casing) cold enough to load it, shoot it, and hit his target. Unless maybe he was working with something supercooled. He doesn't have access the the Mythbusters science budget.

Potato gun and claiming an accident is believable. Unregistered firearm is most likely, imo. Maybe there's a chemist floating around who will correct me, but I don't think the ice bullet is possible in this situation.

On the other hand, goldenbear, you may just have a future in mystery writing, because I never would have considered an ice bullet.

 

[bucit]

I think its going to be a long while before we hear of anything else significant. I think the police want to do all they can to try and locate a body or crime scene before any last resort circumstantial case attempt. Meanwhile, probably going over and over anything and everything they can possibly use. And then who knows what sort of forensics they may still be waiting on (physical and computer). I think most of us are all sure who did this now, and hope justice will eventually be served. Along with that, I hope we find out exactly what happened in detail.
Im still not so sure theyll ever get a conviction with out a crime scene or body. legally speaking, there is a chance this may never be "solved". These two may not be considered smart, but so far, they definitely have the advantage with no crime scene or body and seemed to realize conviction of them is difficult if the body isnt found. They probably counted on that from the start and planned it as well as they could as far as committing the actual homicide.

 

[Plumeria5]

Potato guns CAN propel an item so fast they break the sound barrier. At that speed, with the right location, anything could kill. Even beanbag guns used for crowd control in places like Northern Ireland have resulted in fatalities, as have rubber bullets.

It wouldn't be a guarantee though, and they take long enough to reload that if you didn't kill with the first shot, your victim could be a mile away if they could run fast.

In other words, no one with 3 IQ points and access to anything else, even a tire iron, would plot a murder with a potato gun.


OT: Also, wow, there are a lot of people on here who like to engage in the wanton destruction of foodstuffs. Rock on, crazy friends, and be careful.

BBM

Remember necco, we don't know the IQ level of the killer/s...:giggle:

 

[LadyLems]

Spud gun, Rock Gun, Marshmallow Gun, Rubber band Gun heck for that matter bullets made out of ice. Just when you think something is impossible you find out different. Just my two cents worth.

 

[nursebeeme]

well, I tend to think they got this guy currently on his spud loader but what he actually did is not related.

that being said.. he still is charged for a felony on it and I think they are using it to hold him over. That is my two cents. And I DO want to know where in the hello the gun is that shot those spent shells found in the car.

Don't forget.. it would seem spud loader was found after he was off post so registration? not so much. my biggest question: why hide that 21 in the closet? witness said she didn't know it was there. Can a 21 fire 45 rounds?

 

[tvscum]

Where was CL on Dec. 22, 2013, the date of the ball and chain post Mistress post?

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f273/mistress-1431391/#post14355810

that post was 10-25-2012, 08:23 AM

 

[mikkismom]

Bullet caliber information:

http://www.gunnoob.com/HandgunGuides/BasicBulletGuide.aspx

 

[Plumeria5]

that post was 10-25-2012, 08:23 AM

Ok, where was he on 10/25/2012?

 

[anyoldtime48]

Potato guns CAN propel an item so fast they break the sound barrier. At that speed, with the right location, anything could kill. Even beanbag guns used for crowd control in places like Northern Ireland have resulted in fatalities, as have rubber bullets.

It wouldn't be a guarantee though, and they take long enough to reload that if you didn't kill with the first shot, your victim could be a mile away if they could run fast.

In other words, no one with 3 IQ points and access to anything else, even a tire iron, would plot a murder with a potato gun.


OT: Also, wow, there are a lot of people on here who like to engage in the wanton destruction of foodstuffs. Rock on, crazy friends, and be careful.

Perhaps not kill, but I bet a direct hit could at the least knock someone out out cold and make it a ton easier to heave them into a vertical mine opening. More work if they are fighting you, eh?

Honestly though, all this talk of veggies and fruits as harmful/deadly projectiles. If I'm in the kitchen, I'd go straight for the old iron skillet or good ol' real chrome toaster. Might not get much for velocity, but still put a dent in one's skull.

I'm really in tomato and avocado mode though today. Firing right into a sandwich. Organic if anyone cares.