CA - Malibu Creek State Park Shooting, Tristan Beaudette, 35, 22 June 2018 *Arrest* #2

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“The theory we are working with is he was shot inside the tent,” Lieutenant Rodney Moore of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told the Los Angeles Times. “We are gathering evidence… It will take some time.”

Mystery over why father was shot dead while camping with two young daughters
Okay, but here's the thing...
His family thinks it was an accident, or irresponsible gun owner. Clearly they wouldn't think it was an accident if he was shot from close range. Right? And if you are trying to say family might be involved, wouldn't they know that LE can tell the difference between a close up shot and a longer distance?
 
I don't see anybody opening the tent to shoot TB. Why do that and potentially expose (him/her)self once the shot rings out and people in nearby tents wake up and come out. There are so many trees around to hide behind. Somebody could have been in the campground but in order to shoot TB they wouldn't need to be inside the tent. I would think someone would stay as far away as possible to stay undetected. (unless it's an accident of course, but I don't see that in this case).
Having young kids myself, I'm also pretty sure that some sort of night light was used. This might very well have called attention to his tent (out of all the other campers) and if it was random then maybe just the visibility of the tent made them a target.

Another thought that came up for me today is...what about a ranger? Do they work at night at all? Any patrols? One review that someone mentioned earlier said the park was well staffed. Is there a ranger station and if so where is it located? Do they carry any weapons? The reason it came to mind is that it looks like somebody stays right around that area and knows it well. Is comfortable enough to walk around in it at night. Has access to a firearm and knows how to use it. Do rangers have these night scopes? Do they maybe hire additional staff in the peak times during school breaks? Just thinking out loud of course.

And one more thing. Whoever did this must have been so confused about no media coverage before. It sure appears that somebody was trying to hit and kill people but nobody was killed before TB. If indeed no media coverage came out of it that would have been his/her way to find out that it was unsuccessful (if the goal was a fatal shot) and the shooter typically takes off immediately (which seems to be the case). Just something that came to my mind since I know these people follow media usually.
 
Okay, but here's the thing...
His family thinks it was an accident. Clearly they wouldn't think it was an accident if he was shot from close range. Right? And if you are trying to say family might be involved, wouldn't they know that LE can tell the difference between a close up shot and a longer distance?
I was not implying family, I personally think it was a targeted hit . But from who? is the big question..... Regarding the part I bolded, WE have no idea what the family is thinking or what LE is working on right now. LE can keep the family in the dark too. My heart sees two young daughters experiencing horror that no one should go through at all. I would hope LE pays a visit to his work place to see if T was receiving threats of any kind due to his work. JMO
 
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I like that. And I'd love to hear your points for or against the various theories.
I can give it a go, but it'll probably be pretty flimsy arguments since I don't have anyone else's ideas to disagree with. :rolleyes:
Personal: Pro - Could know where he was, what his habits were (when he was likely to sleep, possibly which end of the tent his head is usually at, how sound he sleeps, etc.), and probably know some of the same things about the BIL. May have a motive that nobody else is aware of, if seen there before the shooting, could pretend to have planned a surprise visit (while hiding the weapon close by). If seen after the shooting, could send people off in some direction saying the shooter had taken off that way (and maybe had dropped the weapon if the shooter is wearing gloves.)
Con - Would not be likely to want to take a chance on one of the girls being hit, (if not the BIL) would be taking a big chance that BIL might come out sooner than expected after the shot and see/recognize the shooter, if the shot missed or wasn't fatal, TB could see the person and at the very least call out their name.
Professional (hit man) Pro - Would probably not worry about whether or not the girls were traumatized, would be likely to have the equipment needed to make the shot, would most likely have been given much of the info that a personal shooter would have, would likely have at least one alternate escape route in case something interfered with the planned one.
Con - Wouldn't be likely to know where he was going to be far enough ahead of time to check things out thoroughly, would probably have to be fairly familiar with the area to make it through the trees in the dark without being seen or injured, would need to make sure the hit was successful (which would mean opening the tent and risk someone hearing the zipper, or cutting the side of the tent which somebody would have seen and mentioned), and nobody has found anything bad to say about TB that I've seen, so it's unlikely someone would put out a hit on him.
Random Shooter: Pro - The other 7 (?) shootings were done close by, it appears to be only one shot in each incidence (I believe it was the ME who said it looked like there had only been one shot), the shootings are during pretty much the same time of day and most the same time of year, with all of the misses (and the one non-fatal hit), the random shooter doesn't seem to care if he hurts/kills anyone, so there'd be no need to check on TB, and he seems to know the area well enough to disappear quickly since there don't seem to be any witnesses that have seen even a glimpse of him.
Con- I'm not sure, but I don't believe there were many potential witnesses in the other cases, seems to use a shotgun all or most of the time, which would have been likely to have everyone outside looking for the source (and made him more likely to be seen), since LE doesn't sound real keen on the idea, a different type of firearm may have been used on TB, and just having the other tent so close by makes it too likely that someone in there might come out to use the restroom, have a smoke, or whatever.
 
If my bolded part is correct of the events, would that mean a silencer was used. I am not a gun person . I still think deep down this article was a bit fabricated with those facts.

There is no way to totally silence a gun. SIlencers only muffle the noise a bit. A gun shot with a silencer would still be extremely loud, especially in the early morning stillness of the campground.
 
“The theory we are working with is he was shot inside the tent,” Lieutenant Rodney Moore of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told the Los Angeles Times. “We are gathering evidence… It will take some time.”

Mystery over why father was shot dead while camping with two young daughters

I somehow missed that the Sheriff said they think he was shot inside the tent. Or do they just mean that was his location but not necessarily the shooters? Like they would say someone was shot in their car as an example which wouldn't mean the shooter would have to be inside the car?
 
I somehow missed that the Sheriff said they think he was shot inside the tent. Or do they just mean that was his location but not necessarily the shooters? Like they would say someone was shot in their car as an example which wouldn't mean the shooter would have to be inside the car?
I think it's bad wording. He needs to clarify because there has been a lot of confusion from this statement.
 
I somehow missed that the Sheriff said they think he was shot inside the tent. Or do they just mean that was his location but not necessarily the shooters? Like they would say someone was shot in their car as an example which wouldn't mean the shooter would have to be inside the car?
I think a lot of articles were misquoted. LE needs to update if possible.
 
I was not implying family, I personally think it was a targeted hit . But from who? is the big question..... Regarding the part I bolded, WE have no idea what the family is thinking or what LE is working on right now. LE can keep the family in the dark too. My heart sees two young daughters experiencing horror that no one should go through at all. I would hope LE pays a visit to his work place to see if T was receiving threats of any kind due to his work. JMO

I wondered about that. How would his move to a new job play into a possible thret at work, I wonder?
 
I somehow missed that the Sheriff said they think he was shot inside the tent. Or do they just mean that was his location but not necessarily the shooters? Like they would say someone was shot in their car as an example which wouldn't mean the shooter would have to be inside the car?

bbm

That's the way I read it. Victim was in the tent. No indication where the shooter was. moo
 
This bugs at me. if it was intended to kill, why only one or two shots and not know if you hit your target? How could the shooter actually be sure he hit anyone? Was he just randomly shooting at a tent, any tent, and not a specific occupant? Even with a small night light inside the tent, it would be difficult to pick the man out and not risk hitting a child. I just cannot imagine this as a targeted hit yet.
 
I somehow missed that the Sheriff said they think he was shot inside the tent. Or do they just mean that was his location but not necessarily the shooters? Like they would say someone was shot in their car as an example which wouldn't mean the shooter would have to be inside the car?

It could go either way.

I can give it a go, but it'll probably be pretty flimsy arguments since I don't have anyone else's ideas to disagree with. :rolleyes:
Personal: Pro - Could know where he was, what his habits were (when he was likely to sleep, possibly which end of the tent his head is usually at, how sound he sleeps, etc.), and probably know some of the same things about the BIL. May have a motive that nobody else is aware of, if seen there before the shooting, could pretend to have planned a surprise visit (while hiding the weapon close by). If seen after the shooting, could send people off in some direction saying the shooter had taken off that way (and maybe had dropped the weapon if the shooter is wearing gloves.)
Con - Would not be likely to want to take a chance on one of the girls being hit, (if not the BIL) would be taking a big chance that BIL might come out sooner than expected after the shot and see/recognize the shooter, if the shot missed or wasn't fatal, TB could see the person and at the very least call out their name.
Professional (hit man) Pro - Would probably not worry about whether or not the girls were traumatized, would be likely to have the equipment needed to make the shot, would most likely have been given much of the info that a personal shooter would have, would likely have at least one alternate escape route in case something interfered with the planned one.
Con - Wouldn't be likely to know where he was going to be far enough ahead of time to check things out thoroughly, would probably have to be fairly familiar with the area to make it through the trees in the dark without being seen or injured, would need to make sure the hit was successful (which would mean opening the tent and risk someone hearing the zipper, or cutting the side of the tent which somebody would have seen and mentioned), and nobody has found anything bad to say about TB that I've seen, so it's unlikely someone would put out a hit on him.
Random Shooter: Pro - The other 7 (?) shootings were done close by, it appears to be only one shot in each incidence (I believe it was the ME who said it looked like there had only been one shot), the shootings are during pretty much the same time of day and most the same time of year, with all of the misses (and the one non-fatal hit), the random shooter doesn't seem to care if he hurts/kills anyone, so there'd be no need to check on TB, and he seems to know the area well enough to disappear quickly since there don't seem to be any witnesses that have seen even a glimpse of him.
Con- I'm not sure, but I don't believe there were many potential witnesses in the other cases, seems to use a shotgun all or most of the time, which would have been likely to have everyone outside looking for the source (and made him more likely to be seen), since LE doesn't sound real keen on the idea, a different type of firearm may have been used on TB, and just having the other tent so close by makes it too likely that someone in there might come out to use the restroom, have a smoke, or whatever.

Love this list. It makes me feel like we should have an on-going list of pros and cons for the various theories. Just for the heck of it.
 
And if you are trying to say family might be involved, wouldn't they know that LE can tell the difference between a close up shot and a longer distance?

Except that in this case, it appears that LE (and/or EMS) couldn't tell the difference between a gunshot wound to the torso and a gunshot wound to the head.

It was the coroner who reported the GSW to the head as the cause of death. LE was reporting the COD as a shot to the upper torso. I'm not sure that LE could 'know' anything about a GSW that they never saw.

The coroner would have some conjectures about distance based on the wound and POI but even these would be limited.

IMO LE needs to make some clarifications here, if for no reason other than in the interest of public safety. A lot of people use that park and travel on that road.
 
Here's another question from an inexperiencedcamper.:

The 2 year old:
wakes and needs to have her diapers changed. You'd definitely need a light for that. Where do you put the dirty diapers?
The 4 year old. I'm guessing the 4 yr old was out of diapers. So say they wake up and need to go to the bathroom? Do you slog them in the dark to the latrines or do you let them do it somewhere in the woods? Would you need to tote both kids because you don't want to leave the 2 year old alone?
Camping alone with little kids sounds difficult....and not much fun.

With littles preparation is key. The 2 year old is probably potty trained too or in the middle of doing so bc of big sister, so most likely she would be in pull-ups (type of underwear style diapers) during the night, which are sturdy enough to sleep in all night and both girls probably have rule of no fluids past 7:00pm. And mom probably had Dad take the training potty, so both girls can go in there should the need arise during pm and therefore no trip to cold, foreign possibly spider filled dirty restroom needed. In case of changing necessary during middle of night, every great camper comes prepared with many, many, many, many, many trash bags especially when camping with littles.
 
I have a tendency to do that with most things - you don't ever want to go out to eat with me!

I would love to go out to dinner with you. I do the same thing. We could still be putting out pros and cons when they close the restaurant :D

But seriously -- in this case, I can't see any evidence that would eliminate any possibility we've thought of.
 
I would love to go out to dinner with you. I do the same thing. We could still be putting out pros and cons when they close the restaurant :D

But seriously -- in this case, I can't see any evidence that would eliminate any possibility we've thought of.
I guess the most likely explanation is that someone hired the random shooter to kill TB?
 
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