GUILTY CA - Leila Fowler, 8, murdered, 12yo charged, Valley Springs, 27 Apr 2013 - #2

[wwc02]

It has been stated that Leila was stabbed 17 or 21 times.

If this is true, that she had that many stab wounds, and she was STILL alive when police and ambulance arrrived, then that should tell police and the profilers somthing about the killer.

Not sure exactley what...

That he/she/they knew their anatomy. Or that a 2" blade was used. Or both. Wounds to the face or extremities would be telling.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

Thank you for the synopsis included in your original post. I am reading the media accounts to mean that the 12 year old was outside of the home when his sister was attacked and that he was coming in from being outside of the home when he encountered the intruder....like maybe he was playing outside or returning from a walk or something.

Thank you for your comment! It's hard to know...but based on # of articles that imply he was inside the house ("but in separate rooms") vs. outside the house, the 'inside the house' ones outnumber the 'outside' ones. If going by numbers makes sense at all (which it likely doesn't, lol).

 

[Dee10]

I missed this item:

"FBI agents confiscated several items from the home, including a large TV., but investigators say there's no word on why."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=9094894

 

[Zuckerschnecke]

I keep looking at the pictures of the garage and think maybe the perp was hiding there to rob the house and when he saw the family leave for the game, he thought no one was home. I would bet they left the door unlocked from the garage to the house. The garage does not look like where they parked their vehicle because there seems to be a boat or some other vehicle that's been parked there for some time.

Is it possible the perp was after money or something on people that may have lived in the house prior? How long did the family live there? Did they have a dog? Without knowing where Leila was found inside the house, it's hard to say if he went to her room for example to target her or if he encountered her for example in the kitchen, not expecting anyone home.

Looking at the location, and hearing the neighbors account, it seems the perp would have ran into the woods from the garage side of the house. Hopefully the dogs will pick up a trail. I can't see the getaway car theory, it would be very noticeable on that road. He's from the area and knows where to go from the other side, IMO.

So much we don't know.

 

[SCHMAE]

It has been stated that Leila was stabbed 17 or 21 times.

If this is true, that she had that many stab wounds, and she was STILL alive when police and ambulance arrrived, then that should tell police and the profilers somthing about the killer.

Not sure exactley what...

Are you thinking maybe they didn't intend for her to die? Possibly they thought they were superficial type wounds and it was to 'send a message' rather than end her life I hate to type some of the stuff I type on ws. Please forgive me Leila .

 

[Zuckerschnecke]

I missed this item:

"FBI agents confiscated several items from the home, including a large TV., but investigators say there's no word on why."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=9094894

Buying stolen items, knowingly or unknowingly?

 

[SCHMAE]

I keep looking at the pictures of the garage and think maybe the perp was hiding there to rob the house and when he saw the family leave for the game, he thought no one was home. I would bet they left the door unlocked from the garage to the house. The garage does not look like where they parked their vehicle because there seems to be a boat or some other vehicle that's been parked there for some time.

Is it possible the perp was after money or something on people that may have lived in the house prior? How long did the family live there? Did they have a dog? Without knowing where Leila was found inside the house, it's hard to say if he went to her room for example to target her or if he encountered her for example in the kitchen, not expecting anyone home.

Looking at the location, and hearing the neighbors account, it seems the perp would have ran into the woods from the garage side of the house. Hopefully the dogs will pick up a trail. I can't see the getaway car theory, it would be very noticeable on that road. He's from the area and knows where to go from the other side, IMO.

So much we don't know.

Forgive me if I'm confused but hadn't the parents been gone almost 3 hrs by the time the son called them ? That would be a mighty long wait for the perp, right?

 

[wwc02]

<snip> I can't see the getaway car theory, it would be very noticeable on that road. He's from the area and knows where to go from the other side, IMO.

There was a car noticed and reported. It is listed as an incidence in the sheriff log for that afternoon.

 

[Coco Chanel]

:twocents::twocents::twocents::twocents::banghead:Maybe he was in the house trying to steal the Tv and Leila interrupted him and that is why the FBI took the TV

 

[Theforeigner]

Are you thinking maybe they didn't intend for her to die? Possibly they thought they were superficial type wounds and it was to 'send a message' rather than end her life I hate to type some of the stuff I type on ws. Please forgive me Leila .

No that's not what I´m thinking, more like;

The killer didn´t know what it takes to kill a person.

An/or that the killer snapped and was in some kind of momental psychotic state of mind and just stabbed over and over not knowing what he/she was doing and the suddenly snapped out of it and realized what he/she had done.

 

[MsFacetious]

Fingerprints or DNA if they suspect a robbery gone wrong?

I missed this item:

"FBI agents confiscated several items from the home, including a large TV., but investigators say there's no word on why."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/state&id=9094894

 

[believe09]

The boy returned home to find his sister injured, possibly from stab wounds.

This is from another excellent set of links from Poirotryinmotion. It seems to imply to me that the boy was outside of the house at some point, only this time in pursuit of the intruder.

I would be stunned if a 12 year old was inspired to pursue an adult intruder, maybe if it were a teen I could see it. Especially one who was blood soaked-that part is inevitable I would think.

Good for him if he gave no thought to it and chased the intruder away.

 

[Dee10]

:twocents::twocents::twocents::twocents::banghead:Maybe he was in the house trying to steal the Tv and Leila interrupted him and that is why the FBI took the TV

Interesting, I wonder how large of a TV though? I wonder if there was a fingerprint maybe in blood? But, still why would they have to physically take the TV? Things that make you go hmmmm...

 

[believe09]

I know the numbers are against me, but a stranger/stalker intruder theory would make way more sense to me if there was a belief that Leila was alone in her house at the time of the attack on her. Which would mean her brother returned and either interrupted the attack or the intruder was fleeing any way.

I have a harder time grasping any of this if he were home at the time. If he were some where else in the house with some kind of electronic on, like a TV or video game, the intruder would have been aware as well.

:banghead: What a senseless, terrible crime.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

I keep looking at the pictures of the garage and think maybe the perp was hiding there to rob the house and when he saw the family leave for the game, he thought no one was home. I would bet they left the door unlocked from the garage to the house. The garage does not look like where they parked their vehicle because there seems to be a boat or some other vehicle that's been parked there for some time.

Is it possible the perp was after money or something on people that may have lived in the house prior? How long did the family live there? Did they have a dog? Without knowing where Leila was found inside the house, it's hard to say if he went to her room for example to target her or if he encountered her for example in the kitchen, not expecting anyone home.

Looking at the location, and hearing the neighbors account, it seems the perp would have ran into the woods from the garage side of the house. Hopefully the dogs will pick up a trail. I can't see the getaway car theory, it would be very noticeable on that road. He's from the area and knows where to go from the other side, IMO.

So much we don't know.

They hadn't lived there very long--at least not long enough for two neighbors in a 'close and friendly' neighborhood to get to know them, at least:

Hall said when she didn’t know the family that lived in the house. When she returned from town, law enforcement officers were hesitant about letting her go back home. “Thank goodness, the battalion chief knew me, so they let me in,” she said. “My husband had a harder time when he came home five minutes later because he was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, which fit the description of the suspect, except my husband doesn’t have long hair.
...
Kimberly Lacasse also lives five or six houses away from where the death occurred.
“We are a really close, friendly neighborhood,” she said, “but that house had been rented a couple of times, and I hadn’t met the family yet.”
http://www.uniondemocrat.com/News/Local-News/Valley-Springs-murder-update

ETA: How good of these neighbors to rally around such a new family going through such a major tragedy; memorial fund set up the first banking day after the murder, and candlelight vigil the next. Loving community.

PRESS CONFERENCE: Monday, 4/29

In a hastily called news conference, Calaveras County sheriff's Capt. Jim Macedo identified the father of Leila Fowler as Barney Fowler and the mother as Krystal Walters.
The names of the parents hadn't previously been released.
As Macedo spoke, Fowler and Walters - both solemn and declining to speak, and with Walters near tears at times - stood in the background. Macedo said Leila's parents wanted to convey their requests that their privacy be respected, but also that a memorial fund had been set up for their daughter. A vigil is also planned for Tuesday night.

Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2013/04/29/2692480/police-guard-calif-school-during.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Faythe13]

Buying stolen items, knowingly or unknowingly?

I was wondering if it was for blood spatter analysis.

 

[believe09]

OK-the house had been rented before. That gives us another possibility or two. A previous occupant or the friend of a previous occupant would have known the layout of the house and perhaps wouldnt have sparked the notice of the dog across the street.

So maybe something was left behind when a previous tenant left?

 

[Faythe13]

I suppose at this point, anything is possible. I just want justice for Leila. Poor kid.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

OK-the house had been rented before. That gives us another possibility or two. A previous occupant or the friend of a previous occupant would have known the layout of the house and perhaps wouldnt have sparked the notice of the dog across the street.

So maybe something was left behind when a previous tenant left?

I believe LE has ruled out burglary or robbery as intent/motive, though. There is no evidence of break-in or anything having been taken. (Links upthread.) Also, 21 stab wounds is not something a robber does; if he did it because she witnessed his being there, he'd likely have stabbed the brother as well. Surely an intruder would know she wouldn't be there all alone in the house, and would have gone searching out the babysitter if a foiled robbery attempt so enraged him or caused him to want to eliminate witnesses.

 

[MsFacetious]

I don't think it should be assumed that a robber wouldn't do this.
No motive REALLY makes sense in this case. She was 8 years old.

People in this community don't always lock their doors.
If someone breaks into an unlocked house, there wouldn't be forced entry.

Someone may have assumed the whole family left together.
If someone is high and breaks in looking for something to steal...
Could have been looking around the house, checking out electronics and stuff.

Then encounters Leila and panics... killing her.
If you have just KILLED a little girl you probably are going to forget about robbing the place.
Probably aren't going to be thinking about checking the house for other people either.

We don't have proof HE saw the brother just that the brother saw him.

It could be a lot like Heather Dawn Church.
He killed her and then took her body with him to hide the evidence.
Her brother was asleep and unharmed.