Dellen Millard: Innocent Dupe? Alternative Theories

[Sillybilly]

It does appear to be a little more difficult to get a warrant on the weekend, but I don't understand why they did not adopt the view that someones life may be in danger or already have one.

I find it odd that DM was arrested on a 'tattoo' even before truck was found or 'body'... unlike the LE who has just been said to be charged with Murder 2 and can turn himself in after he returns from his vacation !!!!! now that's privilege imo

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b...r-charge-in-streetcar-shooting-death-1.593186

'' Forcillo is the third to be charged with second-degree murder. One of the other officers was acquitted, while the second had his charge dismissed, though that decision is under appeal.''

Whats the bet this murderer gets acquitted or dismissed too.... moo

We don't know that LE wasn't on the farm initially hoping to find a live TB, and got a warrant later to do the excavating and sifting that was required after they found burned remains.

I doubt DM was arrested strictly based on the tatt ... let's not forget, they had Tim's cell and phone records which were traced to DM. Combine his or his associates' names with a relatively unique tattoo, no wonder he was arrested.

Even Forcillo made bail toute suite... DM not so fortunate yet in that regard as he languishes in his cell for whatever reason.

 

[Snoofo]

We don't know the amount and quality of evidence LE has against DM, it may be just as stong as a video.

I am not a defender of Forcillo, but he does have his defenders just like DM has here, who claim that there has been a "rush to judgement" and that there is more to this case that should come out, in addition to the videos, in Forcillo's case.

They are both equal before the law until the trials are over IMO.

Thank you, Variant.

I must say, if there were even one clear video showing DM and MS murdering TB, I could not then say either one is innocent. We simply have not seen that kind of evidence, nor have we been advised that such evidence exists. Therefore I am not sure DM would have the same defence here on WS if TB's murder, *starring DM*, was all over youtube. Moo.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[Archangel7]

Thanks for that, Arch. Unfortunately I harbour little doubt that this officer will skate based on something. Stress of the job, maybe, personal problems, whatever. But what baffles me in this case is why on earth he did this in front of up to a dozen other police wandering in and out of the scene. And, as you say, there are alternative options and choices, so why didn't a single one of those other officers step up the plate and intervene? There seems to have been a dynamic at work here that feels quite troubling and I'd truly appreciate your more informed take on the subject. Many say there should be better training, especially in volatile mental health or substance abuse confrontations. Others worry that a new sense of invincibility is threatening LE interaction with the community at large. I'm not sure what the trouble is. OT to be sure and yet, also at the heart of the question, because when the public starts to doubt or disbelieve those entrusted with its LE, justice itself hangs in the balance. MOO. IMHO.

I sincerely share your concerns with the lethal force continuum displayed in the recent past.

Not everyone who applies, passes and is hired as a cop is capable of being one.

Then there are those that are capable, that simply make poor choices under stress due to personalities and training(lack of).

The old cliche etc., about the "sheepdog mentality" of those charged with the service and protection of the sheep(public) is never in greater danger than when the "sheep" continuously see predation of the flock by the "sheepdog."

Now my disclaimer...I have my private opinion, however I was not there, didn't see the video, nor do I have all the info that the SIU should/does have in order to determine if it was a "good shooting"(LE speak for a justifiable and warranted shooting as opposed to a "bad shooting").

Apparently the system agrees it wasn't a good shooting, the judicial process here locally, will have a final say either way. I hope Justice is done appropriately.

Just to segue us back to the forum topic of TB's murder.......

Don't confuse(not that you are) the aptitude of Patrol Division in a shooting, necessarily, with the Criminal Investigative Division's ability to collect, evaluate and lay charges. Even if the "lead" is being taken by another agency other than TPS in this particular(DM/MS) case.

 

[matou]

Thread for Sammy Yatim here: [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219702"]CANADA - Toronto officer charged with murder in Sammy Yatim shooting - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[Snoofo]

Wouldnt it be something if DM was framed by someone close to him? Since all but Smich are unsleuthable per WS "rulez", I would look for these criteria:

Someone who qualifies as both trusted friend and employee;
Someone who knows cars and is mechanically inclined.
Someone with a lot of car/mechanics- related contacts.
Someone involved in car-chopping as a hobby and as a business. If the hobby is major enough, perhaps bringing in stolen goods posing as legit would not be suspicious to others, especially when a fake background story is thrown in.
Someone with access to one of those company credit cards, like the kind sitting in the bowl at Maple Gate.
Someone with access to a lot of DM's personal information (knows DMs properties, where DMs mother lives and whether she's around).
Someone who uses DM's personal-sounding email accounts (may be given access or better yet, may have opened the account himself for not-so-honest reasons).
Someone who can easily place orders using credit cards and email accounts to purchase "for" DM, without arousing suspicions (i.e. with this combination, why would retailer question whether purchase is being made for DM by employee? Take the seller of incinerator for example).
Someone who regularly purchases equipment and expensive parts with company card.
Someone who doesnt live too far from the farm in Ayr, knows DM is never there since breakup with fiance and no plans to build, and actually treats the property as though it is his own.
Someone with full access to DM's vehicles.

Someone with ties to Brantford.

And of course someone with ties to any kind of O.C., even ties that appear remote.

It's too bad we can't name names but when sleuthing independently some pieces of this puzzle come together to form an interesting image.

 

[dizzy1]

Wouldnt it be something if DM was framed by someone close to him? Since all but Smich are unsleuthable per WS "rulez", I would look for these criteria:

Someone who qualifies as both trusted friend and employee;
Someone who knows cars and is mechanically inclined.
Someone with a lot of car/mechanics- related contacts.
Someone involved in car-chopping as a hobby and as a business. If the hobby is major enough, perhaps bringing in stolen goods posing as legit would not be suspicious to others, especially when a fake background story is thrown in.
Someone with access to one of those company credit cards, like the kind sitting in the bowl at Maple Gate.
Someone with access to a lot of DM's personal information (knows DMs properties, where DMs mother lives and whether she's around).
Someone who uses DM's personal-sounding email accounts (may be given access or better yet, may have opened the account himself for not-so-honest reasons).
Someone who can easily place orders using credit cards and email accounts to purchase "for" DM, without arousing suspicions (i.e. with this combination, why would retailer question whether purchase is being made for DM by employee? Take the seller of incinerator for example).
Someone who regularly purchases equipment and expensive parts with company card.
Someone who doesnt live too far from the farm in Ayr, knows DM is never there since breakup with fiance and no plans to build, and actually treats the property as though it is his own.
Someone with full access to DM's vehicles.

Someone with ties to Brantford.

And of course someone with ties to any kind of O.C., even ties that appear remote.

It's too bad we can't name names but when sleuthing independently some pieces of this puzzle come together to form an interesting image.

Interesting points, and I understand what you are getting at. The thing that doesn't make sense to me, is that if this were the case, why wouldn't DM/DP have given this information to LE by now? Even if the idea hadn't crossed his mind at first, they have now received disclosure (with possibly more to come), and he's had lots of time to sit in the slammer and think things over, and IMO, he should have put two and two together by now. We are aware via the news conference that LE has cleared one friend in particular, but since the other friend wasn't asked about by media during the news conference, we don't know whether he has been questioned/cleared or not. He doesn't seem to have been arrested in regards to the case, as LE hasn't announced the arrest of a third suspect. JMO, but this is the reason I personally find it hard to entertain the idea of a possible set up.

 

[Juballee]

Interesting points, and I understand what you are getting at. The thing that doesn't make sense to me, is that if this were the case, why wouldn't DM/DP have given this information to LE by now? Even if the idea hadn't crossed his mind at first, they have now received disclosure (with possibly more to come), and he's had lots of time to sit in the slammer and think things over, and IMO, he should have put two and two together by now. We are aware via the news conference that LE has cleared one friend in particular, but since the other friend wasn't asked about by media during the news conference, we don't know whether he has been questioned/cleared or not. He doesn't seem to have been arrested in regards to the case, as LE hasn't announced the arrest of a third suspect. JMO, but this is the reason I personally find it hard to entertain the idea of a possible set up.

In my opinion, I believe it has crossed DM's mind to give the information that he knows to someone like LE or the media, but personally, if that were me, and LE and the media have already fully done everything within their power to annihilate you, why would you now help them and give them anything? Wouldn't you be fearful that they would just take that information and skew it to further their own agenda of persecution? The words state that anything you say can and WILL be used against you, there is nothing in there about the information you provide being used FOR your defense. If you had already been thoroughly raked over the coals, would you be so quick to give them what could amount to more ammunition to use against you if they chose to see it that way? Would you really have any trust and faith that your information wouldn't be twisted and turned into even more media fodder?

And what if you didn't know for certain which friend had done this to you, do you just start naming names like it's a McCarthy hearing, throwing everyone under the bus with you, especially when you know how horrible it is to be sitting in jail innocent? Would you want your innocent friends to be sitting in jail like you, waiting for LE to sort out which one it actually is? What kind of a friend would you be then, how could you put your friends through that? For example, out of say 5 friends that you think it could be, only one probably did it, but the rest could end up rotting in jail for a time because you deliberately put them there to save yourself. In that position I personally would have no other moral choice but to sit there myself and pray that LE are not so single minded that they find the real killer as opposed to jailing even one of my innocent friends on my account, and having faith that LE will sort it all out, after the bang up job they've done proving my innocence so far.

 

[Snoofo]

Interesting points, and I understand what you are getting at. The thing that doesn't make sense to me, is that if this were the case, why wouldn't DM/DP have given this information to LE by now? Even if the idea hadn't crossed his mind at first, they have now received disclosure (with possibly more to come), and he's had lots of time to sit in the slammer and think things over, and IMO, he should have put two and two together by now. We are aware via the news conference that LE has cleared one friend in particular, but since the other friend wasn't asked about by media during the news conference, we don't know whether he has been questioned/cleared or not. He doesn't seem to have been arrested in regards to the case, as LE hasn't announced the arrest of a third suspect. JMO, but this is the reason I personally find it hard to entertain the idea of a possible set up.

I agree with all that the wonderful Jubes has presented, above, and also consider this:

(BBM)
What if they have spoken to LE and what if they cannot prove it due to the facts a) they were completely blindsided and have no clue how this was done. And maybe somehow the trusted individual is acting like they were also being framed but not caught, rather than being in on the frame AND more importantly
b) there's no DNA to prove it. So all they can do is claim innocence and wait for the guilty party to fail somehow or some other witness to step up....which could take years if it happens at all.

So far as not going to LE.....
People who are an accessory to murder by surprise, I would imagine go through a period of denial and would much rather pretend something didnt happen before they realize their conscience won't let them off that easy. You do know your life is about to change drastically. If the tattoo thing didnt come up and cops had no clue of DM, maybe five days was too soon for him to go to police but maybe he would have gone after two or three weeks? If he knew TB was killed then its not like moving any faster could save him at that point. He may have witnessed the murder, been threatened himself (mostly by being told all the evidence points to him so he'd better shut up) and left completely traumatized by the murder and backstabbing by someone he may have considered like a brother.

Some facts to think about:

DM is an only child. I have known many very personally. Only children typically bond to and trust friends too easily, and often to their detriment.

DM was raised by parents fighting for innocent animals being slaughtered. I would think the whole slaughter thing would be even more traumatizing for him, perhaps more than for others. I think he would have blown the whistle eventually, as he was raised on that sort of thing, but we're talking five days in. He wasn't able to save TB and that could have also frozen him.

 

[Variant]

Wouldnt it be something if DM was framed by someone close to him? Since all but Smich are unsleuthable per WS "rulez", I would look for these criteria:

Someone who qualifies as both trusted friend and employee;
Someone who knows cars and is mechanically inclined.
Someone with a lot of car/mechanics- related contacts.
Someone involved in car-chopping as a hobby and as a business. If the hobby is major enough, perhaps bringing in stolen goods posing as legit would not be suspicious to others, especially when a fake background story is thrown in.
Someone with access to one of those company credit cards, like the kind sitting in the bowl at Maple Gate.
Someone with access to a lot of DM's personal information (knows DMs properties, where DMs mother lives and whether she's around).
Someone who uses DM's personal-sounding email accounts (may be given access or better yet, may have opened the account himself for not-so-honest reasons).

Someone who can easily place orders using credit cards and email accounts to purchase "for" DM, without arousing suspicions (i.e. with this combination, why would retailer question whether purchase is being made for DM by employee? Take the seller of incinerator for example).
Someone who regularly purchases equipment and expensive parts with company card.
Someone who doesnt live too far from the farm in Ayr, knows DM is never there since breakup with fiance and no plans to build, and actually treats the property as though it is his own.
Someone with full access to DM's vehicles.

Someone with ties to Brantford.

And of course someone with ties to any kind of O.C., even ties that appear remote.

It's too bad we can't name names but when sleuthing independently some pieces of this puzzle come together to form an interesting image.

I highly doubt that LE has missed interviewing this person, first as a possible accomplice (the third person?) or as a source of information in building their case. Could be a willing or hostile witness for the prosecution; we'll see.

If you think LE missed something big, contact them (they don't follow WS rules); if they ignore you at least you'll know how SL feels.

If you think LE is railroading DM and willfully ignoring or working with this person, or has been completely duped by this person, then that is a spectacular story and someone should be working with a writer now to get to print first. All my opinion.

 

[Snoofo]

In addition to the above what if they have spilled what they can to LE and LE cannot disprove them, might even believe them judging by the gut, but also dont have enough on the trusted "friemployee", because it was a pretty good framing, and DNA is gone. They do, however, have enough on the accused, because it was a pretty good framing, and therefore everything will stay as is and the Courts will proceed with the proceedings while investigations are still ongoing according to Mrs. SB on the date of her interview.

 

[Snoofo]

I highly doubt that LE has missed interviewing this person, first as a possible accomplice (the third person?) or as a source of information in building their case. Could be a willing or hostile witness for the prosecution; we'll see.

If you think LE missed something big, contact them (they don't follow WS rules); if they ignore you at least you'll know how SL feels.

If you think LE is railroading DM and willfully ignoring or working with this person, or has been completely duped by this person, then that is a spectacular story and someone should be working with a writer now to get to print first. All my opinion.

You are absolutely right. Maybe I should contact LE. According to a tweet, they were given the name of the person very early on, but likely with no reason other than he knew DM.

I would think that all their associates were interviewed but to get anything on this guy would require a warrant and seizure and thats the tricky part. They may watch him closely now but he might have switched Iinto the model citizen and family man already. Then again if he was careful not to be traced via burner phones and internet hotspots, it may not work. Of course if he logs in with DMs hotmail account, no need to hide much just dont use your own pc and devices.

 

[Blomquist]

Interesting points, and I understand what you are getting at. The thing that doesn't make sense to me, is that if this were the case, why wouldn't DM/DP have given this information to LE by now? Even if the idea hadn't crossed his mind at first, they have now received disclosure (with possibly more to come), and he's had lots of time to sit in the slammer and think things over, and IMO, he should have put two and two together by now. We are aware via the news conference that LE has cleared one friend in particular, but since the other friend wasn't asked about by media during the news conference, we don't know whether he has been questioned/cleared or not. He doesn't seem to have been arrested in regards to the case, as LE hasn't announced the arrest of a third suspect. JMO, but this is the reason I personally find it hard to entertain the idea of a possible set up.

At this point in time those who are sitting in slammer are now 'defendants' they are working with a defense lawyer and will present their defense !

The Crown and LE are on the side of Law Enforcement, which is out to convict those charged. IMO it would be extremely foolish for a defendant to now go to LE and hope that they will listen without any bias and from a neutral standpoint. Heavens we can't even get the public to view things from a neutral standpoint let alone a body of an organization that is there to convict and convict absolutely.

IMO DM may well have figured out what is going on...and maybe what is going on could be potentially dangerous to him and MS.. , either or. He may well need to trust someone in order to tell them his thoughts about it....which at this time iwould be very difficult as he is not allowed to talk to anyone that he may trust without being listened to. He cannot even have a friend as a sounding board to help him figure it all out... He has to trust the lawyer to unravel it all and for the lawyer to help piece it together. I think there is a reason he chose that lawyer in particular. JMO

 

[Carli]

Wouldnt it be something if DM was framed by someone close to him? Since all but Smich are unsleuthable per WS "rulez", I would look for these criteria:

Someone who qualifies as both trusted friend and employee;
Someone who knows cars and is mechanically inclined.
Someone with a lot of car/mechanics- related contacts.
Someone involved in car-chopping as a hobby and as a business. If the hobby is major enough, perhaps bringing in stolen goods posing as legit would not be suspicious to others, especially when a fake background story is thrown in.
Someone with access to one of those company credit cards, like the kind sitting in the bowl at Maple Gate.
Someone with access to a lot of DM's personal information (knows DMs properties, where DMs mother lives and whether she's around).
Someone who uses DM's personal-sounding email accounts (may be given access or better yet, may have opened the account himself for not-so-honest reasons).
Someone who can easily place orders using credit cards and email accounts to purchase "for" DM, without arousing suspicions (i.e. with this combination, why would retailer question whether purchase is being made for DM by employee? Take the seller of incinerator for example).
Someone who regularly purchases equipment and expensive parts with company card.
Someone who doesnt live too far from the farm in Ayr, knows DM is never there since breakup with fiance and no plans to build, and actually treats the property as though it is his own.
Someone with full access to DM's vehicles.

Someone with ties to Brantford.

And of course someone with ties to any kind of O.C., even ties that appear remote.

It's too bad we can't name names but when sleuthing independently some pieces of this puzzle come together to form an interesting image.

I absolutely agree with your list but with one small addition:

Someone who is knowledgeable and experienced with electronics. (Hopefully that doesn't skew your list too much.)

In this respect I call attention to the March edition of Wired magazine http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/alfred-anaya/which may provide some insight into why a buyer might be interested in only one particular and specific truck if, for instance, it had much earlier (before TB bought it) been stolen, seized or confiscated and since gone missing. It occurs to me that if the vehicle with the correctly installed trap turned up no contraband when found, even when, say, all the seats were hauled out and ripped apart, then the self-styled "rightful" owners of the contraband could be murderously angry. Just a thought. MOO. IMHO. :moo:

 

[Blomquist]

I absolutely agree with your list but with one small addition:

Someone who is knowledgeable and experienced with electronics. (Hopefully that doesn't skew your list too much.)

In this respect I call attention to the March edition of Wired magazine http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/alfred-anaya/which may provide some insight into why a buyer might be interested in only one particular and specific truck if, for instance, it had much earlier (before TB bought it) been stolen, seized or confiscated and since gone missing. It occurs to me that if the vehicle with the correctly installed trap turned up no contraband when found, even when, say, all the seats were hauled out and ripped apart, then the self-styled "rightful" owners of the contraband could be murderously angry. Just a thought. MOO. IMHO. :moo:

I think you may have hit the jackpot !!!

 

[Blomquist]

Carli... that link actually could pull the whole case together IMO... It would explain EVERYTHING IMO.... Also there would be many people involved.... both on the inside of M/Air and outside M/Air... Even people who may be monitoring people who know DM. DM may actually be an unwitting / unwilling (but forced) participant in something absolutely huge.

It would also explain the death of WM from whichever angle you choose to view it and also possibily the disappearance of LB.

I am actually mentally connecting dots here on a very tricky trail..... no wonder the silence is deafening if this is anywhere near the truth.... could involve three countries at least IMO

Not to mention the 'business as usual' situation and the 'Call the wolf' tweet.

It explains the supposed chop shop also.... with very few vehicles.

I think the trailer at his moms was a warning to him that if he says anything they know where she lives !!!!

 

[Snoofo]

Well this is certainly interesting!
Anyone prepared to create a scenario or two out of this?
It would help greatly if we had details, confirmation of the seat(s)removal.
What really works for me with this situation is the incorporating of a close friend/employee that would explain involvement in the first place and a much larger and scarier OC ring, which, to me was the only believable and logical answer to the amount of fear that would keep one from talking and might actually keep one from seeking bail until they know they are safe enough to come out.

Thanks for posting the article, Carli. I love Wired!

 

[Variant]

Well this is certainly interesting!
Anyone prepared to create a scenario or two out of this?
It would help greatly if we had details, confirmation of the seat(s)removal.
What really works for me with this situation is the incorporating of a close friend/employee that would explain involvement in the first place and a much larger and scarier OC ring, which, to me was the only believable and logical answer to the amount of fear that would keep one from talking and might actually keep one from seeking bail until they know they are safe enough to come out.

Thanks for posting the article, Carli. I love Wired!

That's another piece of information that you can add when you contact LE.....

I expect that LE has disassembled the interior of the TB truck and thoroughly examined it for evidence of the crime; blood splatter, fingerprints, hair, etc., and also to determine whether there was something extra inside the truck that would make it a target. Doesn't matter if the seats were removed, there is still a dashboard, door panels, carpet, headliner, etc.

Traps aren't news to LE especially those that are near to any border or in high crime cities. If the trap was in a seat as described in the article, even with the seats missing LE would still discover and understand the other triggering devices if the vehicle had actually been converted.

Even if all of the triggering mechanisms were in the destroyed seat there is a likely way that LE could detect that the vehicle was altered. The history of the various computer control modules can be read on modern vehicles. I have the equivalent of factory/dealer code reader for my 2002 car, which I bought used. I can read a code and know the mileage that the previous owner had the seat worked on because the airbag control module recorded and reports it. Attempt to wipe this memory destroys the module and used replacements don't work, a new factory registered unit must be obtained.

As I recall LE has cleared the TB family of any criminal activities and there is no reason to postulate that they had knowledge of a trap built into their truck. Since SB has said the truck was a lemon and $ 10,000 worth of work has been done on it over the past couple of years, I expect that modules have been read and maybe interior parts removed and inspected if they were getting warning lights or experiencing climate control or SRS problems. If I were their mechanic I would point out the module messages and the unusual wiring or that stash under the seat that was quite possibly creating some of the problems they were experiencing, if the truck had been modified. (Oh wait, the mechanic was in on it, he was the one filling/emptying the trap!)

Now if the seats and all of the control modules were gone when LE found the truck....

But before all that I don't understand why the proposed framer would need to destroy evidence of a trap if the purpose were to put DM in jail for a long time, how does finding a trap lead LE away from DM's murder charge?

 

[Juballee]

That's another piece of information that you can add when you contact LE.....

I expect that LE has disassembled the interior of the TB truck and thoroughly examined it for evidence of the crime; blood splatter, fingerprints, hair, etc., and also to determine whether there was something extra inside the truck that would make it a target. Doesn't matter if the seats were removed, there is still a dashboard, door panels, carpet, headliner, etc.

Traps aren't news to LE especially those that are near to any border or in high crime cities. If the trap was in a seat as described in the article, even with the seats missing LE would still discover and understand the other triggering devices if the vehicle had actually been converted.

Even if all of the triggering mechanisms were in the destroyed seat there is a likely way that LE could detect that the vehicle was altered. The history of the various computer control modules can be read on modern vehicles. I have the equivalent of factory/dealer code reader for my 2002 car, which I bought used. I can read a code and know the mileage that the previous owner had the seat worked on because the airbag control module recorded and reports it. Attempt to wipe this memory destroys the module and used replacements don't work, a new factory registered unit must be obtained.

As I recall LE has cleared the TB family of any criminal activities and there is no reason to postulate that they had knowledge of a trap built into their truck. Since SB has said the truck was a lemon and $ 10,000 worth of work has been done on it over the past couple of years, I expect that modules have been read and maybe interior parts removed and inspected if they were getting warning lights or experiencing climate control or SRS problems. If I were their mechanic I would point out the module messages and the unusual wiring or that stash under the seat that was quite possibly creating some of the problems they were experiencing, if the truck had been modified. (Oh wait, the mechanic was in on it, he was the one filling/emptying the trap!)

Now if the seats and all of the control modules were gone when LE found the truck....

But before all that I don't understand why the proposed framer would need to destroy evidence of a trap if the purpose were to put DM in jail for a long time, how does finding a trap lead LE away from DM's murder charge?

This is very interesting, do you know then, how would people who have these traps get their vehicles repaired when they need to without the mechanics or dealership finding the electronic footprint for the traps? Or would they always have to go to a mechanic that was in on the knowledge of the traps?

Also, I think the question was asked but I don't recall if it was ever answered, did we ever find out if they bought their truck used?

 

[Blomquist]

That's another piece of information that you can add when you contact LE.....

I expect that LE has disassembled the interior of the TB truck and thoroughly examined it for evidence of the crime; blood splatter, fingerprints, hair, etc., and also to determine whether there was something extra inside the truck that would make it a target. Doesn't matter if the seats were removed, there is still a dashboard, door panels, carpet, headliner, etc.

Traps aren't news to LE especially those that are near to any border or in high crime cities. If the trap was in a seat as described in the article, even with the seats missing LE would still discover and understand the other triggering devices if the vehicle had actually been converted.

Even if all of the triggering mechanisms were in the destroyed seat there is a likely way that LE could detect that the vehicle was altered. The history of the various computer control modules can be read on modern vehicles. I have the equivalent of factory/dealer code reader for my 2002 car, which I bought used. I can read a code and know the mileage that the previous owner had the seat worked on because the airbag control module recorded and reports it. Attempt to wipe this memory destroys the module and used replacements don't work, a new factory registered unit must be obtained.

As I recall LE has cleared the TB family of any criminal activities and there is no reason to postulate that they had knowledge of a trap built into their truck. Since SB has said the truck was a lemon and $ 10,000 worth of work has been done on it over the past couple of years, I expect that modules have been read and maybe interior parts removed and inspected if they were getting warning lights or experiencing climate control or SRS problems. If I were their mechanic I would point out the module messages and the unusual wiring or that stash under the seat that was quite possibly creating some of the problems they were experiencing, if the truck had been modified. (Oh wait, the mechanic was in on it, he was the one filling/emptying the trap!)

Now if the seats and all of the control modules were gone when LE found the truck....

But before all that I don't understand why the proposed framer would need to destroy evidence of a trap if the purpose were to put DM in jail for a long time, how does finding a trap lead LE away from DM's murder charge?

Of course this would be assuming that the Bosma truck had already been fitted with a compartment.

It could have been needed to fit a compartment...or it had a compartment at one time which caused any number of electrical problems with the truck ( hence Lemon)
Or it had a compartment somewhere in the back seat area which had been or was being used for whatever reason.

As with much of this case there are several possibilities even to this potential lead. IMO

So I do not necessarily believe this line of thinking is all about LE finding a trap/compartment. It is a matter of the whole situation revolving around the possibility of drug trafficking and who knows what or who else ! JMO

 

[Variant]

This is very interesting, do you know then, how would people who have these traps get their vehicles repaired when they need to without the mechanics or dealership finding the electronic footprint for the traps? Or would they always have to go to a mechanic that was in on the knowledge of the traps?

Also, I think the question was asked but I don't recall if it was ever answered, did we ever find out if they bought their truck used?

As the types of trap described in the article could very likely void warranty, or at least have the dealer claim it voided warranty if any of the components were discovered during the work, they would be installed in older vehicles or in newer vehicles owned by people who do not mind paying for work that normally would have been covered by the warranty.

So I expect the majority would not be serviced by factory dealerships.

Depending on the use of the trap and the paranoia level the owner may or may not have a "special" mechanic. It also depends on the service that the vehicle needs whether the mechanic is likely to run a module scan or notice the physical changes.

Most aftermarket mechanics don't care what you did to the car and are unlikely to comment on the trap system even if discovered, unless it is associated with what needs repair. But if you don't trust them you might worry about what they might do with the knowledge.

I don't know the answer to your second question either.