I live in Superior , CO, so this event has hit very close to home for me. I apologize in advance for being long-winded...if anyone has any questions about the suburban NW Denver-Boulder area, I am happy to answer as best I can.
I wanted to add my interpretations based upon my observations and my knowledge of the area...I have no experience in law enforcement, psychology or any other relevant professional field. Now that the focus shifts from locating Jessica, to bringing her killer to justice, I wanted to add my impressions on what may be a profile of this person.
I'm sure most of you have already viewed the area via Google (or otherwise), but the location where the backpack was dropped is not exactly an easy place to reach by accident. I believe it's more likely that the backpack was dropped at a pre-determined location and that the person who dropped the backpack was familiar with this location in some sense. He or she may not live in the immediate neighborhood, but would have had cause to visit this area (perhaps to visit family or friends, or making a service call.)
In short, this isn't a place you find if you're not looking for it. Perhaps the person simply selected a random neighborhood, turned in and dropped the pack out of a window, but I find this hard to believe. I walk my dog in this area regularly and there is an outlet from the neighborhood to the trail which runs adjacent to McCaslin Blvd and connects to large areas of Open Space to the immediate west and south of this location.
I am not as familiar with the location where Jessica's body was found; however, I have driven by over the years and I am generally familiar with the terrain. The area is outside of contiguous suburban Arvada and peppered with trails and Open Space. I'm not sure what, if anything, was found yesterday in the search near Standley Lake, but areas of "Open Space" seem to be a recurring theme.
I get the sense that the perpetrator was intimately familiar with the location where Jessicas body has been found, and may have even "scouted" the location for suitability - very likely on foot. I would not be surprised if this person has a close connection to the outdoors - either by trade or by hobby. I believe this person will be someone who has spent a great deal of time hiking, biking, or otherwise exploring the open spaces adjacent and approximate to Indiana Street. I believe it is likely that this person also lives somewhere in this area.
I do not get the impression that there was a calculated attempt to conceal the body. I posit that the killer's personal connection to and comfort with the areas (both the backpack drop and the body) was more important than finding a remote location to conceal evidence. As many others have suggested, there are vast areas of remote wilderness within a short drive of these locations, not to mention the backpack left in plain sight. I would not be surprised if both the backpack and body were transported a significant distance by foot as opposed to vehicle - I think there is a strong possibility that the killer hiked in to both locations from a considerable distance in order to avoid detection.
I would guess that this person most likely currently lives alone - not in order to avoid detection of psychopathic behavior, but due to the sociopathic, anti-social behavior which is likely a key component of the perpetrator's personality. For some reason, I dont feel this killer fits the live-in-parents- basement stereotype and has probably had what most would considerable normal intimate relationships with adult members of the opposite sex.
They may have recently been fired, lost a friend or family member or gone through a divorce/breakup. I would guess that the killer is most likely a male between 35 and 45 years old, of above average intelligence (and may even be considered very intelligent by acquaintances), but suffers from delusions of grandeur in terms of intelligence and may feel slighted by his "lot" in life or that he is destined for a life somehow greater than his own.
I get the impression that while this person might be considered criminally "sophisticated" - they probably have not acted upon previous psychopathic urges or fantasies. However, their sociopathic nature likely would have manifest itself in other ways that close friends, family or work acquaintances would have noticed...isolation/anti-social behavior, perhaps extreme political views or other bizarre, macabre statements. I would not be surprised to see incidents of misdemeanor criminal activity in this persons past, but nothing approaching sexual offenses, abduction or murder.
I would guess that his/her behavior has been noticeably erratic in the days following Jessica's appearance. This behavior could drive the killer to act become homicidal again or to make contact with LE in some fashion. This behavior may arise from a lust for power, or out of fear of the unknown...contacting or taunting police creates media attention and increases the killer's access to knowledge regarding LE's investigation. I feel it will be extremely difficult for this person to remain in the status quo.
Despite his/her bold behavior with regard to disposal of evidence and seemingly taunting LE, it seems that this person has also been extremely calculating in their methodology. I do not get the impression that they actually want to be caught..but there is something about interacting with LE/MSM that brings them comfort, pleasure or both.
Again, I don't have any expertise so I apologize to anyone who may have wasted 10 minutes on my rampant speculation, but as someone who lives in the area I thought I would offer my perspective based on my knowledge of the area, general impressions and a couple dozen episodes of Criminal Minds! :blushing:
