CO - Jessica Ridgeway, 10, Westminster, 5 Oct 2012 - #11

[Jersey*Girl]

Re that news report: exactly.

I'm one that doesn't believe its his first time... Sometimes serial killers/predators can go months without striking again. Sometimes years. The backpack was a clue, its placement, the water bottle, etc - all a clue even if there wasn't a letter or note in the backpack. I think there's a chance there could have been something in there. Idk... I'm curious of other missing children cases in which something that they were known to have on them at the time of their disappearance was placed out in the open for the public to find. Say maybe going back til 10 years or so? Just wondering...

 

[NC Analyzer]

This kind of rehashing used to bug me no end ("If you can't be bothered to get the basic facts right, go bother somebody else!"). Then I was talking with a guy I know slightly who is a retired cop, and he told me that's what LE does when they're working a case. They go back over what they know, over and over and over again, until somebody notices something they never noticed before, or they make a connection with another piece that had never been considered before.

It still kind of annoys me, though

Amused :great:
Yes, LE does go over the same information again and again, but not quite like what we are seeing here, LOL! The basics are still the basics and well known. Not usually part of the review process.

 

[danzn16]

I checked out Colorados RSO site and there are over 200 "violent sex offenders". Some have an unknown address. I really think something needs to be done and the violent sex offenders should not be free to roam the streets undetected. They should wear ankle bracelets. This should be law.

Agree. Especially repeat offenders

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Snipped by me.

Personally, I think his emotions at the time were elation, pride, excitement. I think he left it to brag. He's as scary as it gets.

I agree 100%. It's a taunt.

 

[absentia]

I think it's really important to note that Jessica may have walked farther and in a different direction than the park. She could have walked to the friend's house; to the rec ctr; to the school via the path or street.
we have not been told where she was when she was abducted, if LE even knows.
The possible sighting with the unicorn pillow pet at the rec ctr, if accurate, means she was not just within 3 blocks of her home.

I think one good aspect of this case is - it seems there have been many other abduction attempts. That's not a good thing but it may mean that it may be possible to avoid abduction. If it's the same guy making all these attempts, he is not always successful, which is a positive. Vigilance and skepticism of all adults by children and training how to avoid contact with adults is key.

Mom saw her out the door. Mom did not watch her walk down the street. That quote by MSM is incorrect. Mom clearly said in the interview that she saw her out the door.

I wish the reporter who misquoted mom would correct his mistake, because it continues to confuse people.

 

[carbuff]

Re that news report: exactly.

I'm one that doesn't believe its his first time... Sometimes serial killers/predators can go months without striking again. Sometimes years. The backpack was a clue, its placement, the water bottle, etc - all a clue even if there wasn't a letter or note in the backpack. I think there's a chance there could have been something in there. Idk... I'm curious of other missing children cases in which something that they were known to have on them at the time of their disappearance was placed out in the open for the public to find. Say maybe going back til 10 years or so? Just wondering...

I'm wondering the same thing.

And I'm also wondering whether they found something else that they haven't released to the press/public. Like maybe something from a previous murder or disappearance either here or in another state.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Thanks Tlcox. I have been thinking along these same lines. I think this perp has a SA history with children, but didn't expect the huge outpouring of media attention this case quickly received. I think it created an initial panic on his part and he quickly accelerated to murder out of fear of discovery. I believe his former victims were known to him (aquaintences children, relatives children, etc) but Jessica was likely his first abduction. I can see how he may have fantasized about this for some time before acting upon his urges, thus her abduction was fairly well organized, but as soon as her absence was discovered and the intense focus was on, he realized he needed to dispose of her. Dismembering her was the fastest and least obvious method available, (trash bags as opposed to attempting to dispose of the entire body). It's apparent the location he chose was not as well thought out which explains why this crime appears to be both organized in one sense and disorganized in another sense. I believe we have an experienced sexual predator who just escalated to murder.

It's hard for me to believe that this perp wouldn't know that a case like this would garner widespread national media. I feel like anyone who has ever watched the news could tell you that this story has all the sensational factors that the media loves.

 

[absentia]

good thought. that would make sense.

Re that news report: exactly.

I'm one that doesn't believe its his first time... Sometimes serial killers/predators can go months without striking again. Sometimes years. The backpack was a clue, its placement, the water bottle, etc - all a clue even if there wasn't a letter or note in the backpack. I think there's a chance there could have been something in there. Idk... I'm curious of other missing children cases in which something that they were known to have on them at the time of their disappearance was placed out in the open for the public to find. Say maybe going back til 10 years or so? Just wondering...

 

[NC Analyzer]

It's hard for me to believe that this perp wouldn't know that a case like this would garner widespread national media. I feel like anyone who has ever watched the news could tell you that this story has all the sensational factors that the media loves.

Unfortunately, not all cases garner this kind of attention. Many aren't covered at all.

 

[Ladylub]

Personally think the backpack was put there to be found. I do not feel the same way about where he put Jessica. I do not think he cared if she was found or not.

Do not think he hiked there or rode a bike he had to do it by car/truck etc. I would look at someone like they had 10 heads if they carried anything odd shaped in the middle of the day or night on their backs or bike. I think she was killed somewhere else and moved there. For some reason I think if the murder happened there the police would have taken more time in that area hunting for that one clue that would tie it all together.

 

[Bravo]

Concerns me that Jessica has not been completely recovered. Hate to say it but i do wonder if the parts not only were to make LE's job just a tad longer on the ID and perhaps his "trophies"

 

[brighidin]

Raw video of family interview:
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/09/family-of-jessica-ridgeway-makes-first-public-statement/


It can also be found in the timeline and media thread:
[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187312"]Jessica Ridgeway, *no discussion*: Timeline and Media thread - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

Most people already know this, but if you post a new article here, you might want to post it to that thread as well. It makes everything easier to find (easier than wading through 11+ threads, anyway!)

 

[SurfieTX]

Re that news report: exactly.

I'm one that doesn't believe its his first time... Sometimes serial killers/predators can go months without striking again. Sometimes years. The backpack was a clue, its placement, the water bottle, etc - all a clue even if there wasn't a letter or note in the backpack. I think there's a chance there could have been something in there. Idk... I'm curious of other missing children cases in which something that they were known to have on them at the time of their disappearance was placed out in the open for the public to find. Say maybe going back til 10 years or so? Just wondering...

The only one I can think of is Luka Magnotta, but his victim was not a child.

 

[pinto]

BBM
I have seen this mentioned a few times, and I think it was brought up because there was speculation that her clothes were found in her backpack, and secondary speculation that she might have changed her own clothes as opposed to the perp removing or changing them. FWIW, I have 2 preteen girls, two teen nieces, and volunteer at my daughters school, so I have been around this age of girls for 5 years or so, and I have seen this 'sneaking clothes my parents don't allow' behavior, but almost always towards the 14, 15 year old range, where they can borrow it from friends or buy it at the mall on their own. A fifth grader with no older siblings would be unlikely to have access to obtain their own clothes, and most fifth graders aren't drawn to the type of scandalous clothes that parents don't allow, anyways. When I hear that a 5th grader "wants to dress like a teen", my experience leads me to assume that means Abercrombie jeans, hollister hoodies, etc..not booty shorts or halter tops or anything that a parent wouldn't allow. Give them a few more years for that kind of foolishness

Plus, schools have dress codes, and they are fairly strict for the younger ones (short and skirt length, etc.).

 

[brighidin]

Unfortunately, not all cases garner this kind of attention. Many aren't covered at all.

True, but a stranger abduction of an adorable blond haired girl is more likely to catch the media's interest.

(Of course, it might not be a stranger abduction, but it seems like one now.)

 

[SDT]

While I usually agree with profilers and the general perp profiles for these cases, I want to point out something that ocurred to me.

I know that these profiles are usually based on past cases and statistics over many years. The one thing that I have noticed in the last 10-20 years is how much people and generations have changed. It seems as if perps are becoming younger and violent crimes are not as unheard of from even the youth of today. It seems to me that a lot of people walking around from the ages of 10-35 are more or less desensitized to violence...unlike that of 30+ years ago. Our youth today grows up with shows like CSI, Identification Discovery, violent video games, and many gorey (sp?) stories can be read anywhere on the internet. Access to violence seems to be everywhere today.

It all makes me wonder how and why we really don't see the profiling of perps changing much over the years. Are we pidgeon-holing ourselves when we aren't looking at trends from the last 20 years?

This was a random thought I had while reading and wanted to share...maybe see what you all think?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I think it's really important to note that Jessica may have walked farther and in a different direction than the park. She could have walked to the friend's house; to the rec ctr; to the school via the path or street.
we have not been told where she was when she was abducted, if LE even knows.
The possible sighting with the unicorn pillow pet at the rec ctr, if accurate, means she was not just within 3 blocks of her home.

I think one good aspect of this case is - it seems there have been many other abduction attempts. That's not a good thing but it may mean that it may be possible to avoid abduction. If it's the same guy making all these attempts, he is not always successful, which is a positive. Vigilance and skepticism of all adults by children and training how to avoid contact with adults is key.

It was reported early on that LE does have a witness that saw Jessica around 8:30 that morning walking to school. Of course LE will ask this witness to remain mum until the predator is caught, imo. They will not want it known exactly where she was seen at the time and they probably want to make sure the witness is safe until he is caught too and its also possible that this witness is a minor.

IMO

 

[21merc7]

What, if any, connection did Jessica and her family or friends have to the subdivision the backpack was left at?

 

[Sleuths4Me]

He could have been driving to work and saw an opportunity. Does anyone know if the police have done road checks on the street to see who exactly passes this way during the time frame? That is how Russell Williams got the attention of police investigating the disappearance of Jessica Lloyd. They set up a road block a week after she disappeared to see who regularly passed by. Of course, the person could have changed his route but you never know.

where her house is and the way she walked to school isn't right off a "main" street, it sits back a bit off the main road intersection. The perp had to drive about a mile or so off the main road (wadsworth) and then go into the neighborhood which can be confusing if you don't know the area...I feel it is someone who lives in that neighborhood..we just need to find out who.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I am thinking along these lines too. I look at the map from her house to the park and I just don't see how the timing could have been THAT PERFECT that a complete stranger who happened to be driving down HER STREET, on the day when she had some kind of mix-up with meeting people, when the weather was cold enough that kids were getting rides, Friday before holiday weekend - it all just seems a little too perfect to have ALL these circumstances fit the way they do. I can't believe the serendipity that would bring all these situations together, and that is why I think it is someone who:

Knew the street;
Knew her pattern of going to the park to meet her friends;
Knew her mom worked overnight shift;
Knew she would trust this person;
Could even be a parent or older sibling of someone who had some conflict with her, or was jealous of her and they opted to take out this rage on her. And I cannot conjure up what was done to her, I can't imagine someone being able to mentally do this kind of thing. With that being said, I also believe this was the first time.

We think this person is lucky or smart, but there is a lot we don't know and I think we're giving him too much credit. We don't know everything the cops know. But they are not going to make a move until they know they have everything in order. I'm sure they have an idea and I think it's going to sicken us all.

Respectfully, there have been child abduction murders where it just seemed too circumstantial to possibly be a stranger. And yet it was.

Kimberly Leach was 12 years old and had her first class of the day in a temporary building adjacent to the main building of her school, then she went into the main building for her second class of the day. The day she disappeared, she had forgotten her purse after her first class of the day so she went back out to get it.

Ted Bundy intercepted her, coerced her into his stolen van and was gone before anyone realised Kimberly was missing.

Looking at the circumstances, you'd think it had to be someone working in or around the school but it wasn't. Circumstances just fell together in all the wrong ways so that Kimberly was outside at the same time Bundy happened to prowl by.

Predators tend to be always looking for those tiny gaps where there is a potential victim with no other witnesses. It often looks like the abduction had to have been meticulously planned and in one sense, it is. The predator had already worked out in his mind all the details of what he intends to do and all he is doing is watching for the right opportunity. That tiny window of opportunity where a potential victim is out of sight of witnesses for as little as 30 seconds.

So it can be a random but planned crime.