GUILTY FL - Dan Markel, 41, FSU law professor, Tallahassee, 18 July 2014 - #1 *Arrests*

[liz b.]

Is the reason(s) for DM's divorce known ? I read that his wife moved out abruptly and took the children ?

 

[fasteddy8170]

What Dan said on the phone was, "There's somebody in my driveway." He never stated whether he knew the person or not. We can infer he didn't know the person since he didn't say, "Hey, Joe is in my driveway."

However, it could be that Dan knew the person in the driveway but didn't want the person on the phone to know who was in his driveway. So, "There's somebody in my driveway," could've been Dan giving a reason to get off the phone without being explicit about who the person was.

The problem we have regarding the possibility of a road rage incident is we don't know when he said, "There's somebody in the driveway." Did he say it while he was still out on the street--meaning the shooter was already at Dan's house, thus negating a road rage motive? Or . . . did Dan say, "There's somebody in my driveway," once he was already in his garage--possibly meaning the shooter followed him home?

We just don't know. What would help is if we knew the time between him saying, "There's somebody in my driveway," and the shot. A long span would tell me Dan first saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street. A shorter span would tell me Dan didn't see the shooter until Dan was in his garage. To my knowledge, though, the person at the other end of the phone has never revealed how long the time span was.

I'd also add that Dan did not say, "There's a car in my driveway." I think this is significant. And I think it means the Prius was never in Dan's driveway. If that were the case, I think Dan would've said, "A car just pulled into my driveway." Or, "Somebody is pulling into my driveway." But, the sentence he used, "There's somebody in my driveway," infers he sees a person and that person was already there when Dan first saw the shooter.

Keep in mind, he didn't say, "Somebody is walking up my driveway."

Meaning, if Dan saw somebody, you can infer the person is standing still, as if waiting for Dan to come home. That's why from the beginning, by using Dan's words, I've always thought he was driving down the street, saw somebody in his driveway, Dan pulls in past the shooter, enters his garage, the shooter follows, shoots Dan, then leaves.

I should also say I think Dan would've hung up the phone earlier if he knew the person in his driveway. That would be the courteous thing to do. Whereas, if it's some door to door salesman for example, Dan would've remained on the phone all day. You know what I mean? That he remained on the phone to the point that he got shot while still talking on it, tells me Dan didn't know the shooter.

What also must be considered is that if Dan saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street, the appearance didn't scare Dan. I mean, he pulled into his driveway anyway. Dan said nothing about a gun. Or a gang. In fact it doesn't sound like he was fearful at all. Moreover, if the person looked suspicious, Dan would've said something to the person on the phone OR Dan would've hung up at the sight. But he didn't.

I know this sounds like I'm splitting hairs but I think this all matters. The time span issue is still the major point, though.

 

[liz b.]

What Dan said on the phone was, "There's somebody in my driveway." He never stated whether he knew the person or not. We can infer he didn't know the person since he didn't say, "Hey, Joe is in my driveway."

However, it could be that Dan knew the person in the driveway but didn't want the person on the phone to know who was in his driveway. So, "There's somebody in my driveway," could've been Dan giving a reason to get off the phone without being explicit about who the person was.

The problem we have regarding the possibility of a road rage incident is we don't know when he said, "There's somebody in the driveway." Did he say it while he was still out on the street--meaning the shooter was already at Dan's house, thus negating a road rage motive? Or . . . did Dan say, "There's somebody in my driveway," once he was already in his garage--possibly meaning the shooter followed him home?

We just don't know. What would help is if we knew the time between him saying, "There's somebody in my driveway," and the shot. A long span would tell me Dan first saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street. A shorter span would tell me Dan didn't see the shooter until Dan was in his garage. To my knowledge, though, the person at the other end of the phone has never revealed how long the time span was.

I'd also add that Dan did not say, "There's a car in my driveway." I think this is significant. And I think it means the Prius was never in Dan's driveway. If that were the case, I think Dan would've said, "A car just pulled into my driveway." Or, "Somebody is pulling into my driveway." But, the sentence he used, "There's somebody in my driveway," infers he sees a person and that person was already there when Dan first saw the shooter.

Keep in mind, he didn't say, "Somebody is walking up my driveway."

Meaning, if Dan saw somebody, you can infer the person is standing still, as if waiting for Dan to come home. That's why from the beginning, by using Dan's words, I've always thought he was driving down the street, saw somebody in his driveway, Dan pulls in past the shooter, enters his garage, the shooter follows, shoots Dan, then leaves.

I should also say I think Dan would've hung up the phone earlier if he knew the person in his driveway. That would be the courteous thing to do. Whereas, if it's some door to door salesman for example, Dan would've remained on the phone all day. You know what I mean? That he remained on the phone to the point that he got shot while still talking on it, tells me Dan didn't know the shooter.

What also must be considered is that if Dan saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street, the appearance didn't scare Dan. I mean, he pulled into his driveway anyway. Dan said nothing about a gun. Or a gang. In fact it doesn't sound like he was fearful at all. Moreover, if the person looked suspicious, Dan would've said something to the person on the phone OR Dan would've hung up at the sight. But he didn't.

I know this sounds like I'm splitting hairs but I think this all matters. The time span issue is still the major point, though.

All interesting points. I had read that the neighbor who saw DM after he had been shot said that there had been a series of break ins in that area. Could the person in the driveway have been looking to rob the house ?

 

[liz b.]

Just went back and read the first 4 pages again. LE stated that DM was " the target" of the shooter, that this was not a random attack, and not a robbery. I can't see this as a "hit", for some of the reasons that fasteddy8170 mentioned. One other thing I read was that he told his friend in NYC that he had recently become involved with a new woman. Did this woman have an ex ? jmo

 

[geektreehouse]

What Dan said on the phone was, "There's somebody in my driveway." He never stated whether he knew the person or not. We can infer he didn't know the person since he didn't say, "Hey, Joe is in my driveway."

However, it could be that Dan knew the person in the driveway but didn't want the person on the phone to know who was in his driveway. So, "There's somebody in my driveway," could've been Dan giving a reason to get off the phone without being explicit about who the person was.

The problem we have regarding the possibility of a road rage incident is we don't know when he said, "There's somebody in the driveway." Did he say it while he was still out on the street--meaning the shooter was already at Dan's house, thus negating a road rage motive? Or . . . did Dan say, "There's somebody in my driveway," once he was already in his garage--possibly meaning the shooter followed him home?

We just don't know. What would help is if we knew the time between him saying, "There's somebody in my driveway," and the shot. A long span would tell me Dan first saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street. A shorter span would tell me Dan didn't see the shooter until Dan was in his garage. To my knowledge, though, the person at the other end of the phone has never revealed how long the time span was.

I'd also add that Dan did not say, "There's a car in my driveway." I think this is significant. And I think it means the Prius was never in Dan's driveway. If that were the case, I think Dan would've said, "A car just pulled into my driveway." Or, "Somebody is pulling into my driveway." But, the sentence he used, "There's somebody in my driveway," infers he sees a person and that person was already there when Dan first saw the shooter.

Keep in mind, he didn't say, "Somebody is walking up my driveway."

Meaning, if Dan saw somebody, you can infer the person is standing still, as if waiting for Dan to come home. That's why from the beginning, by using Dan's words, I've always thought he was driving down the street, saw somebody in his driveway, Dan pulls in past the shooter, enters his garage, the shooter follows, shoots Dan, then leaves.

I should also say I think Dan would've hung up the phone earlier if he knew the person in his driveway. That would be the courteous thing to do. Whereas, if it's some door to door salesman for example, Dan would've remained on the phone all day. You know what I mean? That he remained on the phone to the point that he got shot while still talking on it, tells me Dan didn't know the shooter.

What also must be considered is that if Dan saw the shooter while Dan was still on the street, the appearance didn't scare Dan. I mean, he pulled into his driveway anyway. Dan said nothing about a gun. Or a gang. In fact it doesn't sound like he was fearful at all. Moreover, if the person looked suspicious, Dan would've said something to the person on the phone OR Dan would've hung up at the sight. But he didn't.

I know this sounds like I'm splitting hairs but I think this all matters. The time span issue is still the major point, though.

I totally agree with your thinking, and you convey your message well. I believe the key to solving this crime is to be gleaned from that call, and I hope more info is released about it. Every little detail is crucial. Great post.

 

[dotr]

Forgive the suggestion, but any chance at all DM was depressed?
speculation, imo.

http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news...ged-own-murder

‘Perfectionist’ lawyer arranged own murder

By Ray Filar, February 14, 2013

A lawyer who allegedly arranged his own murder in order to frame the Guatemalan government and avenge the death of his lover is the subject of new documentary, I Will Be Murdered.

 

[fasteddy8170]

Thanks for the compliments on the post. When you have a lot of time to think like I do, once in a while something insightful pops up.

The reason I'm not convinced it was a road rage incident is that the Prius has still never been found. Sure, maybe the shooter got rid of it after killing Dan. But what about before shooting Dan? All the months if not years of driving the Prius? I think somebody would've come forward by now to say, "Hey, you know my neighbor had a car like that. Then right after Dan's murder, my neighbor said it got stolen." Or something like that. One thing would lead to another and the car would be found through that method.

But that hasn't happened.

I've also personally thought about whether it could've been someone from out of town that Dan ticked off on the streets of Tallahassee. So, Dan ticks out an out-of-towner in a Prius. The Prius person follows Dan to his home. Murders him. Then the Prius person leaves town to go back to South FL or Alabama or wherever. In that scenario, the possibility of some AL or So. FL neighbor coming forward would be quite remote.

However, as we all know, it's usually out of towners who are driving local drivers nuts. Not the opposite. To put it another way: It would be more likely that Dan would shoot a non-local driver than Dan being shot.

I'd also note that as far as we know, Dan didn't mention to the person on the phone that Dan had any problems on the streets that day. However, we've also been behind a person on his/her cell phone and often their driving skills will drive us nuts. So, it could be Dan ticked somebody off and didn't know it. But once again, would an out of towner really follow a local home? I just don't see it. Possible, but not probable.

This have never felt like something personal either, despite the divorce. If only for the simple fact that I believe the person/persons involved would've been caught by now. Not that police are perfect, but this would be the angle they investigated first. And if they can't even find the car, then that tells me the shooting wasn't personal. Plus, there was only one shot, through a car window, which feels completely amateur-ish to me. And amateurs make tons of mistakes--that's why they get caught.

If you'll all go back through this thread to like a year ago (or was it longer?), I postulated that Myron May, the guy who shot up FSU, should be investigated for Dan's murder. I say this because the odds of a lawyer/law prof getting murdered are quite low. In addition, the odds of a lawyer committing a murder are quite low. But that's what we have. So, we're working with very low odds already.

But then, both lawyers are connected to the same university: Florida State. That makes this intersection of occurrences even more unique. Is it a coincidence or did Dan's murder have something to do with May's shooting? We could figure this out if we knew where Myron May was the day of Dan's shooting. However, to my knowledge, nobody has figured that out yet.

 

[liz b.]

Thanks for the compliments on the post. When you have a lot of time to think like I do, once in a while something insightful pops up.

The reason I'm not convinced it was a road rage incident is that the Prius has still never been found. Sure, maybe the shooter got rid of it after killing Dan. But what about before shooting Dan? All the months if not years of driving the Prius? I think somebody would've come forward by now to say, "Hey, you know my neighbor had a car like that. Then right after Dan's murder, my neighbor said it got stolen." Or something like that. One thing would lead to another and the car would be found through that method.

But that hasn't happened.

I've also personally thought about whether it could've been someone from out of town that Dan ticked off on the streets of Tallahassee. So, Dan ticks out an out-of-towner in a Prius. The Prius person follows Dan to his home. Murders him. Then the Prius person leaves town to go back to South FL or Alabama or wherever. In that scenario, the possibility of some AL or So. FL neighbor coming forward would be quite remote.

However, as we all know, it's usually out of towners who are driving local drivers nuts. Not the opposite. To put it another way: It would be more likely that Dan would shoot a non-local driver than Dan being shot.

I'd also note that as far as we know, Dan didn't mention to the person on the phone that Dan had any problems on the streets that day. However, we've also been behind a person on his/her cell phone and often their driving skills will drive us nuts. So, it could be Dan ticked somebody off and didn't know it. But once again, would an out of towner really follow a local home? I just don't see it. Possible, but not probable.

This have never felt like something personal either, despite the divorce. If only for the simple fact that I believe the person/persons involved would've been caught by now. Not that police are perfect, but this would be the angle they investigated first. And if they can't even find the car, then that tells me the shooting wasn't personal. Plus, there was only one shot, through a car window, which feels completely amateur-ish to me. And amateurs make tons of mistakes--that's why they get caught.

If you'll all go back through this thread to like a year ago (or was it longer?), I postulated that Myron May, the guy who shot up FSU, should be investigated for Dan's murder. I say this because the odds of a lawyer/law prof getting murdered are quite low. In addition, the odds of a lawyer committing a murder are quite low. But that's what we have. So, we're working with very low odds already.

But then, both lawyers are connected to the same university: Florida State. That makes this intersection of occurrences even more unique. Is it a coincidence or did Dan's murder have something to do with May's shooting? We could figure this out if we knew where Myron May was the day of Dan's shooting. However, to my knowledge, nobody has figured that out yet.

The Myron May theory sounds interesting. LE was very quick to reassure the neighborhood people that they were safe, that DM had been a target of the shooter, not a random crime victim. I think it is likely that LE had a motive for this killing very early on. A motive but no shooter. It seems that LE has a lot of info that they have not revealed. jmo

 

[fasteddy8170]

liz b., you're right. The police were quick to assure neighbors that they didn't have to worry about Dan's murder being signs of something bigger. And I guess the police were correct because to my knowledge, that neighborhood hasn't experienced any violence since. I also agree that the police have a lot of info that they haven't released.

That the police may have a motive but not a suspect is the tough part. Because once you have a motive, the suspects should be easy to deduce. So, maybe they don't have a motive. Thus, they know Dan was targeted, but not why. That they are still looking for the Prius tells me they're not sure of the motive at all.

I'll admit: Living in FL, every time I see a green Prius I give it a double take.

 

[1&2&3]

I have never thought this was a road rage murder.

What is suspicious to me is the person standing in the driveway. Dan drives into his garage, this person follows the car into the garage and then shoots him thru the closed window as Dan is sitting in the car.

This person seemed to have advance knowledge of what Dan's procedure would be upon arriving home. Point being he would not stop in the driveway to talk, but proceed into the garage. This perp knew exactly what he was doing.

Can we call this a perfect murder? No DNA, no clues, no pictures of the person, just a picture of the car that cannot be found with the sophisticated system in place. A car that disappeared into thin air.

Sounds like a perfect prearranged hit to me.

How many of you would proceed into your garage if a person was standing in your driveway? I would not as that would be entering my personal space, the garage is full of tools, and there is a door into the house. Now if it was a friend, then I would wave as I passed and drive right on in.

My opinions only.

 

[DexterMorgan]

I have never thought this was a road rage murder.

What is suspicious to me is the person standing in the driveway. Dan drives into his garage, this person follows the car into the garage and then shoots him thru the closed window as Dan is sitting in the car.

This person seemed to have advance knowledge of what Dan's procedure would be upon arriving home. Point being he would not stop in the driveway to talk, but proceed into the garage. This perp knew exactly what he was doing.

Can we call this a perfect murder? No DNA, no clues, no pictures of the person, just a picture of the car that cannot be found with the sophisticated system in place. A car that disappeared into thin air.

Sounds like a perfect prearranged hit to me.

How many of you would proceed into your garage if a person was standing in your driveway? I would not as that would be entering my personal space, the garage is full of tools, and there is a door into the house. Now if it was a friend, then I would wave as I passed and drive right on in.

My opinions only.

Dang. I totally forgot about this case. Plus I agree 123. This was a hit. The husband would have been arrested by now if this happened to mom.

Jmo.

 

[kemo]

For what it is worth,

Dan's ex wife's maiden name is Adelson which she shares with a well known billionaire. As far as I can tell however, they are not related. Her father is a well known dentist in Miami where she is from. I cannot verify that he has no "mob" connections but I am inclined to dismiss those allegations.

From what I can tell, Dan earned $200K from the University and probably had additional outside income but he did not have much in the way of assets except the house which carried a mortgage. The two sons will split this inheritance but the executor of the estate is Dan's bother so the estates will most likely be held in trust for them. The ex-wife will not benefit from the estate and she loses all child support and any alimony she was due upon his death (She will get some Social Security). Ultimately, if she was unhappy with the support she was getting, Dan's death only made her situation worse.

It is not clear what the ex- wife's job with the law school was but apparently it was not as a full fledged professor like Dan and it probably would not have been enough to support herself on her own. She had been active in the campaign against human trafficking and did write a book on the subject but that sort of activism generally does not pay the bills. She probably went back to Miami to start a "real" legal career.

Dan had a reputation of being very sharp and self assured but he could be arrogant and condescending. The blog he wrote covered issues of American Law Schools and their faculty. The poster he ran afoul with (who made somewhat threatening comments) was angry about the poor job prospects of resent law graduates. That was two years before his death however.

This case reminds me of the Omaha murders where two Creighton Medical School Profs were murdered by a former student who blamed them for the failure of his career to develop. The murderer was mentally ill and the connection between him and the Professors was so vague that he was not considered a suspect. Apparently, about one third of recent FSU Law graduates have not found jobs in the legal profession. Could one of them have Blamed Dan? A student's failing grade, low ranking or poor recommendation might have been attributed to Dan but, in light of Dan's high profile, someone who didn't have him as a professor or even go to FSU might hold him responsible. My guess is that this is most likely explanation.

 

[DexterMorgan]

For what it is worth,

Dan's ex wife's maiden name is Adelson which she shares with a well known billionaire. As far as I can tell however, they are not related. Her father is a well known dentist in Miami where she is from. I cannot verify that he has no "mob" connections but I am inclined to dismiss those allegations.

From what I can tell, Dan earned $200K from the University and probably had additional outside income but he did not have much in the way of assets except the house which carried a mortgage. The two sons will split this inheritance but the executor of the estate is Dan's bother so the estates will most likely be held in trust for them. The ex-wife will not benefit from the estate and she loses all child support and any alimony she was due upon his death (She will get some Social Security). Ultimately, if she was unhappy with the support she was getting, Dan's death only made her situation worse.

It is not clear what the ex- wife's job with the law school was but apparently it was not as a full fledged professor like Dan and it probably would not have been enough to support herself on her own. She had been active in the campaign against human trafficking and did write a book on the subject but that sort of activism generally does not pay the bills. She probably went back to Miami to start a "real" legal career.

Dan had a reputation of being very sharp and self assured but he could be arrogant and condescending. The blog he wrote covered issues of American Law Schools and their faculty. The poster he ran afoul with (who made somewhat threatening comments) was angry about the poor job prospects of resent law graduates. That was two years before his death however.

This case reminds me of the Omaha murders where two Creighton Medical School Profs were murdered by a former student who blamed them for the failure of his career to develop. The murderer was mentally ill and the connection between him and the Professors was so vague that he was not considered a suspect. Apparently, about one third of recent FSU Law graduates have not found jobs in the legal profession. Could one of them have Blamed Dan? A student's failing grade, low ranking or poor recommendation might have been attributed to Dan but, in light of Dan's high profile, someone who didn't have him as a professor or even go to FSU might hold him responsible. My guess is that this is most likely explanation.

Very good case insight. I remember the Texas couple that killed the prosecutor and someone else because the judge got caught stealing computers and fired or something.

So you are right about anyone could become a whacko at sny given moment. I respect that.

But didn't mom want full custody. And wouldn't he have millions in life insurance due to his profession and career. Would'nt mom be able to now get the kids and tap into the estate to help raise them from their future money upon turning of age.

But sometimes it's more over custody than money. But I seriously think that the wife may have poured her feelings out to someone who felt that if they took care of Dan then they could raise his kids with the wife. Idk. And obviously the cops don't know either.

But I doubt they are staying quiet because they suspect some old student. Jmo.

 

[fasteddy8170]

1&2&3, I agree with your summation: I think Dan stops in the driveway if the person isn't someone he knows. I would only add that if the person has a uniform on--mailman, gas company, etc. but not someone Dan knows personally, Then he might also continue into his garage as well.

I also agree that this has some signs of being a perfect murder. Once again, though, the police know a lot more than we're ever going to. So it's hard to judge from all of us just sitting at home. But given that the Prius hasn't been found, that tells me they're lost. That the reward has also gone up a few times is also a bad sign.

kemo, I agree with you that the ex had few good reasons for wanting Dan dead. Granted, who knows what someone might cook up when passions are running high. But factually, I think you're right. Likewise, I'm also reminded of the Creighton murders. Why? The single shot through the window keeps sticking out to me. It "feels" to me like someone with cold feet who wanted to get the shot off then get the Hell out. I mean, had it not been for the ambulance issue, Dan might've lived to talk to police. THAT'S how bad the head shot was from probably 3 ft. away . . . it didn't even kill Dan instantly. Once again leading me to the idea of a nervous amateur with a grudge that couldn't be denied any longer.

 

[scadagirl28]

I wish we knew if he was on his phone. I would wonder why that person did not also call 911 ? Also rear view mirror replaced sounds like someone who may have at least one d.u.i.

 

[kemo]

I agree that a single shot through a window doesn't sound like the work of a real Pro, but realistically, how many real professional hit men are there and how many of would be able to find one? Most people, who want somebody dead and are willing to pay for it aren't going to get Sammy the Bull or one of those mob types. They are going to have to go with someone with criminal inclinations who is willing to kill for a price; not a real Pro by any means. A "nervous amateur" is probably what they will get.

Still, I have never heard of anybody hiring someone to kill that did not have financial gain as an underlying motive. Revenge, jealousy and anger are "do it yourself" motives.

Myron May is an interesting possible POI but, while he was a graduate of FSU, he did not attend law school there and would there is no reason to believe he had ever had contact with Dan. May appears to have been having some sort psychotic episode in the weeks before the shooting. It is believed the students he shot were chosen at random. Perhaps
Dan was a random victim of an earlier "episode". Hopefully this lead has been checked out. May was living in New Mexico at the time.

The Myron May case is an example of a severely psychotic episode by an individual who had appeared "functional" if not co

 

[liz b.]

For what it is worth,

Dan's ex wife's maiden name is Adelson which she shares with a well known billionaire. As far as I can tell however, they are not related. Her father is a well known dentist in Miami where she is from. I cannot verify that he has no "mob" connections but I am inclined to dismiss those allegations.

From what I can tell, Dan earned $200K from the University and probably had additional outside income but he did not have much in the way of assets except the house which carried a mortgage. The two sons will split this inheritance but the executor of the estate is Dan's bother so the estates will most likely be held in trust for them. The ex-wife will not benefit from the estate and she loses all child support and any alimony she was due upon his death (She will get some Social Security). Ultimately, if she was unhappy with the support she was getting, Dan's death only made her situation worse.

It is not clear what the ex- wife's job with the law school was but apparently it was not as a full fledged professor like Dan and it probably would not have been enough to support herself on her own. She had been active in the campaign against human trafficking and did write a book on the subject but that sort of activism generally does not pay the bills. She probably went back to Miami to start a "real" legal career.

Dan had a reputation of being very sharp and self assured but he could be arrogant and condescending. The blog he wrote covered issues of American Law Schools and their faculty. The poster he ran afoul with (who made somewhat threatening comments) was angry about the poor job prospects of resent law graduates. That was two years before his death however.

This case reminds me of the Omaha murders where two Creighton Medical School Profs were murdered by a former student who blamed them for the failure of his career to develop. The murderer was mentally ill and the connection between him and the Professors was so vague that he was not considered a suspect. Apparently, about one third of recent FSU Law graduates have not found jobs in the legal profession. Could one of them have Blamed Dan? A student's failing grade, low ranking or poor recommendation might have been attributed to Dan but, in light of Dan's high profile, someone who didn't have him as a professor or even go to FSU might hold him responsible. My guess is that this is most likely explanation.

Yes, I totally agree about the Omaha murders. I wrote about such a possibility upthread. But, I think LE would have solved this murder if it involved such things.

 

[liz b.]

liz b., you're right. The police were quick to assure neighbors that they didn't have to worry about Dan's murder being signs of something bigger. And I guess the police were correct because to my knowledge, that neighborhood hasn't experienced any violence since. I also agree that the police have a lot of info that they haven't released.

That the police may have a motive but not a suspect is the tough part. Because once you have a motive, the suspects should be easy to deduce. So, maybe they don't have a motive. Thus, they know Dan was targeted, but not why. That they are still looking for the Prius tells me they're not sure of the motive at all.

I'll admit: Living in FL, every time I see a green Prius I give it a double take.

IDK...LE knew right away DM was targeted. How could they state this so vehemently if they did not have a somewhat firm idea of why he was killed (motive) ? they must have much info about why and possibly who..jmo,though...

 

[fasteddy8170]

liz b., we have to be open to the fact that it's possible the police said Dan was targeted just so all the other neighbors wouldn't freak out. I mean, as soon as the cops start saying Dan's murder was a random killing, the neighbors are going to start calling 911 every time they see a shadow. So, the police's statement could've been one to soothe everybody's fears. I'm NOT saying that's the case. But, it's possible.

And, I guess for me, saying Dan was targeted leads to a motive, and motive leads to a suspect. But that suspect hasn't been caught yet. So, taking it back the opposite direction, if a suspect hasn't been caught or named, then it's possible the motive isn't known. And if the motive isn't known, then it's possible Dan wasn't necessarily targeted. It could've been some random thing. And that's EXACTLY NOT what the police want to tell people.

Once again, just a possibility to explain Dan's killer not being caught yet.

 

[liz b.]

liz b., we have to be open to the fact that it's possible the police said Dan was targeted just so all the other neighbors wouldn't freak out. I mean, as soon as the cops start saying Dan's murder was a random killing, the neighbors are going to start calling 911 every time they see a shadow. So, the police's statement could've been one to soothe everybody's fears. I'm NOT saying that's the case. But, it's possible.

And, I guess for me, saying Dan was targeted leads to a motive, and motive leads to a suspect. But that suspect hasn't been caught yet. So, taking it back the opposite direction, if a suspect hasn't been caught or named, then it's possible the motive isn't known. And if the motive isn't known, then it's possible Dan wasn't necessarily targeted. It could've been some random thing. And that's EXACTLY NOT what the police want to tell people.

Once again, just a possibility to explain Dan's killer not being caught yet.

I've come all the way back to thinking this was a "hit". Even though DM was shot once, through his car window. Not a "pro hitman", maybe, but he killed DM and got clear away. In this scenario, LE has likely pieced together a viable motive ( people close to DM may have given LE some reasons for his murder), but without any proof, no one talking,and no shooter ...it may never be solved. This case kind of reminds me of the murder of Alistair Wilson in Scotland... all jmo.