FL FL - Michelle Parker, 33, Orlando, 17 Nov 2011 - #20

[FrayedKnot]

This is the one thing that I would almost bet my life on. I know dozens of people that own Iphones and I can't recall one that doesn't have a passcode. Very simple to type in, takes about 1 to 2 seconds to do each time you use your phone. Michelle liked to take lots of pictures of herself and she had a new boyfriend. I would think that Michelle would want to keep the contents of her phone private just in case it fell into the wrong hands like most on here are suggesting.

No passcode here. Not do I know anyone who locks their iphone, either.


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[telemag]

I'm sure there are going to be plenty who say they don't lock there phone, but IMO I will never be convinced that Michelle didn't use a passcode lock. Especially with a new boyfriend and if Dale is as nutty as people say, she would not want him to be able to read her texts messages to her new guy.

 

[SleuthDecay]

This is the one thing that I would almost bet my life on. I know dozens of people that own Iphones and I can't recall one that doesn't have a passcode. Very simple to type in, takes about 1 to 2 seconds to do each time you use your phone. Michelle liked to take lots of pictures of herself and she had a new boyfriend. I would think that Michelle would want to keep the contents of her phone private just in case it fell into the wrong hands like most on here are suggesting.

My experience is just the opposite. No one that I know who owns an iPhone keeps it locked. Now, you can go into settings/restrictions and require a pass code for certain things, like the camera, or installing or uninstalling apps, changing settings, etc., but the pass code would only apply to those specific actions. You could still access your phone's desktop, texts, phone calls, etc. without having to type in your pass code.

That said, I have no idea whether or not Michelle kept her phone locked. I doubt that she did because, according to her family she used that phone A LOT. But I have no evidence one way or the other. JMO.

 

[Jazzmaster]

No passcode here. Not do I know anyone who locks their iphone, either.


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I probably know at least 10-15 people who own iPhones...off the top of my head and plenty more that own smart phones...none use passcodes. IMO Michelle DID NOT use a passcode. I think it's far less common to use one based on those I know...

 

[telemag]

My experience is just the opposite. No one that I know who owns an iPhone keeps it locked. Now, you can go into settings/restrictions and require a pass code for certain things, like the camera, or installing or uninstalling apps, changing settings, etc., but the pass code would only apply to those specific actions. You could still access your phone's desktop, texts, phone calls, etc. without having to type in your pass code.

That said, I have no idea whether or not Michelle kept her phone locked. I doubt that she did because, according to her family she used that phone A LOT. But I have no evidence one way or the other. JMO.

You can still answer a call when you have a passcode set as I'm sure you already know. Michelle worked in a bar and I am sure the odds of her phone getting stolen are greater than the average person. One would assume like we all are doing that she would want as much protection as possible. If someone grabbed her phone and it had a passcode from the start the phone is pretty much useless to them other than being able to answer a call. The number key on the passcode grid is huge not like trying to text for people here who don't own an Iphone. Nothing hard or time consuming to perform. One more thing, you can still power down an Iphone that has a passcode set.

Also I wonder if Michelle was in the habit of sending long text messages while she was driving?

 

[Darcyline]

You can never assume that people have taken basic steps to protect their privacy or themselves. I have loads of friends and only a few use passcodes no matter their line of work or anything else. On top of that, I actually know some of their passcodes just because I have seen them put it in. Or, some of them have passcodes that are on a longer timer (so, it only locks every 30 minutes or hour or something).
All are possibilities here.

 

[Kamille]

Lots of sound points. How do you suppose someone could get past her passcode lock?

There is no reason to assume that she had a passcode lock on the phone. People who use them often, and especially while driving, rarely do. LE know this information as they have the phone. DSJr is still the one and only prime suspect.

MOO

 

[Kamille]

You can still answer a call when you have a passcode set as I'm sure you already know. Michelle worked in a bar and I am sure the odds of her phone getting stolen are greater than the average person. One would assume like we all are doing that she would want as much protection as possible. If someone grabbed her phone and it had a passcode from the start the phone is pretty much useless to them other than being able to answer a call. The number key on the passcode grid is huge not like trying to text for people here who don't own an Iphone. Nothing hard or time consuming to perform. One more thing, you can still power down an Iphone that has a passcode set.

Also I wonder if Michelle was in the habit of sending long text messages while she was driving?

BBM

Apparently she was. NM received a rather long text 3 minutes before she was seen driving up to the condo.

MOO

 

[telemag]

You can never assume that people have taken basic steps to protect their privacy or themselves. I have loads of friends and only a few use passcodes no matter their line of work or anything else. On top of that, I actually know some of their passcodes just because I have seen them put it in. Or, some of them have passcodes that are on a longer timer (so, it only locks every 30 minutes or hour or something).
All are possibilities here.

I agree 100% we can never assume, but the fact that an Iphone does afford this type of protection is something we must consider. Since LE was able to access her phone I am betting they already know the answer.

 

[Kamille]

I'm sure there are going to be plenty who say they don't lock there phone, but IMO I will never be convinced that Michelle didn't use a passcode lock. Especially with a new boyfriend and if Dale is as nutty as people say, she would not want him to be able to read her texts messages to her new guy.

Why would she think he was going to get a hold of her phone?

MOO

 

[telemag]

You can still answer a call when you have a passcode set as I'm sure you already know. Michelle worked in a bar and I am sure the odds of her phone getting stolen are greater than the average person. One would assume like we all are doing that she would want as much protection as possible. If someone grabbed her phone and it had a passcode from the start the phone is pretty much useless to them other than being able to answer a call. The number key on the passcode grid is huge not like trying to text for people here who don't own an Iphone. Nothing hard or time consuming to perform. One more thing, you can still power down an Iphone that has a passcode set.

Also I wonder if Michelle was in the habit of sending long text messages while she was driving?[/QUOTE]

BBM

Apparently she was. NM received a rather long text 3 minutes before she was seen driving up to the condo.

MOO

Well, I won't judge her for that. The reason I ask is because her family said it was not like her to send such a short text, but was it impossible? I mean had she never once sent a one word response back to someone? I have, sometimes when I am to busy or on another call or just having a bad day I will respond back to someone with a very short or one word response. In this case Michelle's brother wanted a ride. It has never been said before as to why he needed one. If he didn't own a car then maybe he was in the habit of asking for rides and she didn't feel like being bothered hence the short one word text and the fibbing about being in Waterford wanting to make him think she was shopping?

 

[telemag]

Why would she think he was going to get a hold of her phone?

MOO

She sets her Iphone down on the counter for just a few seconds walks away and it would only take someone 30 seconds to read her text messeges. Do you think that the whole time Dale and Michelle were in a relationship that he never once tried to snoop to see what was on her phone?

 

[Jazzmaster]

BBM

Apparently she was. NM received a rather long text 3 minutes before she was seen driving up to the condo.

MOO

Good point Kamille! IIRC Michelle is normally very chatty via text, rarely used one word texts, and was usually quick to respond to texts. I find it quite odd that she ignored all of NM's texts, others from concerned family, etc for at least 70 minutes (3:15-4:26) and doesn't answer ANY other texts until her brother asked where she was...whoever responded knew they had limited time at that point after seeing all of these other texts and thus responded "Waterford" to buy time. A stranger wouldn't have bothered to respond to her brother's text IMO as they would have no reason to need to buy time because no one would have known their identity. Michelle according to family wouldn't have seen a text like that either so we are right back to Dale once again...JMO any way you slice it all roads lead right back to Dale.

 

[Skully]

6 months later and it gets muddy because of time passing and stuff being posted, whether or not it is opinion or fact. The text about her shoe shopping, it was a screen shot or still shot of it here as I recall. Did she tell her mom or sister in a text that she wasn't going shopping, but rather going home to take a nap? I know she changed her mind about the hair treatment and was going to do it herself.

I have read several articles that say the "Waterford" text was the ping at 4:30. I don't know if I can link it is Huffington post is that MSN? If Dale is in command of the phone, he can't be in two places at one time, and I just don't see Sr texting and driving and reading her messages to know what to send as an answer. JMO

 

[telemag]

6 months later and it gets muddy because of time passing and stuff being posted, whether or not it is opinion or fact. The text about her shoe shopping, it was a screen shot or still shot of it here as I recall. Did she tell her mom or sister in a text that she wasn't going shopping, but rather going home to take a nap? I know she changed her mind about the hair treatment and was going to do it herself.

I have read several articles that say the "Waterford" text was the ping at 4:30. I don't know if I can link it is Huffington post is that MSN? If Dale is in command of the phone, he can't be in two places at one time, and I just don't see Sr texting and driving and reading her messages to know what to send as an answer. JMO

Pretty soon we are going to have to add a third person to the mix. Even when an Iphone is unlocked someone who is not familiar with it will have a hard time figuring it out. Bottom line for me is Michelle made the text and I'll bet that she has always had her Iphone locked. IMHO

 

[SleuthDecay]

6 months later and it gets muddy because of time passing and stuff being posted, whether or not it is opinion or fact. The text about her shoe shopping, it was a screen shot or still shot of it here as I recall. Did she tell her mom or sister in a text that she wasn't going shopping, but rather going home to take a nap? I know she changed her mind about the hair treatment and was going to do it herself.

I have read several articles that say the "Waterford" text was the ping at 4:30. I don't know if I can link it is Huffington post is that MSN? If Dale is in command of the phone, he can't be in two places at one time, and I just don't see Sr texting and driving and reading her messages to know what to send as an answer. JMO

Here's my understanding: Michelle had an 11:30 appt. with Lauren at the salon to get a keratin treatment (we saw this text exchange in one of the news videos). Sometime before 11:30, Michelle decided to go shoe shopping with her mother, so cancelled the 11:30 appointment with Lauren and texted that she'd come by the salon after shoe shopping and grab the keratin and do the treatment herself. After shoe shopping and a stop for lunch at KFC, she apparently went to the salon and did the keratin treatment because we know she was at the salon. When she left the salon around 2:30, she told Lauren she was going to pick up the twins from the sitter, drop them off at Dale's, and then go home to take a nap before her shift at The Barn.

AFAIK, we do not have confirmation of her actually going shoe shopping with her mom. All we have is the text she sent to Lauren stating her intentions to go shoe shopping BEFORE coming by the salon for the keratin treatment.

As far as the "Waterford" text, I have never seen a direct quote from the police or the family stating the exact location of the phone when that text was sent. I very well might have missed it so if someone has a link, please share. The only thing I've read (from MP's family, I believe) is that they know the phone wasn't near the Waterford area when the text was sent.

I will try to find supporting links. In the meantime, please consider that I am only going from memory and I could be wrong. Anyone feel free to chime in.

Edited to add screen cap from Today Show of texts between Michelle and Lauren on the morning of 11/17/2011:

 

[telemag]

I def could be wrong, but wasn't Michelle supposed to meet with her boyfriend too before work?

 

[Kamille]

6 months later and it gets muddy because of time passing and stuff being posted, whether or not it is opinion or fact. The text about her shoe shopping, it was a screen shot or still shot of it here as I recall. Did she tell her mom or sister in a text that she wasn't going shopping, but rather going home to take a nap? I know she changed her mind about the hair treatment and was going to do it herself.

I have read several articles that say the "Waterford" text was the ping at 4:30. I don't know if I can link it is Huffington post is that MSN? If Dale is in command of the phone, he can't be in two places at one time, and I just don't see Sr texting and driving and reading her messages to know what to send as an answer. JMO

Apparently LE saw it as a possibility...they raided his house. And I wouldn't doubt that he's the alibi witness who supposedly saw DSJr at his house at 4:30pm. Well either him or his wife....or both.

MOO

 

[telemag]

Apparently LE saw it as a possibility...they raided his house. And I wouldn't doubt that he's the alibi witness who supposedly saw DSJr at his house at 4:30pm. Well either him or his wife....or both.

MOO

Michelle's mom made a comment about Michelle being held captive and saying something to the effect that you just can't break down someone's door. She can't but LE can obviously. I think this is what prompted IMO the raid on his house. Of course Michelle was not there. Not sure if LE thinks that Dale Sr was doing the texting if that is what you meant.

 

[SleuthDecay]

Here's Michelle's mom on the "Waterford" text:

Initially, the family had hope because her brother received a text from Ms Parker Thursday afternoon saying that she was in the Waterford Lakes area of Orlando. But when investigators tracked her cell phone, they found she was never near there.

'They searched the towers, that was a decoy,' Ms Stewart confirmed over the weekend.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ent-missing-pleads-daughters-safe-return.html

Here's Lauren (Michelle's sister) discussing the "Waterford" text and why the family doesn't believe that it was sent by Michelle [BBM]:

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Now, we are joined by the sister of the missing woman, Lauren Erickson.

Lauren, thank you so much for joining us tonight. We know that you are desperate to find your beloved Michelle. We want to help.

I want to go over the time line. And we have a graphic of that time line. And try to get your explanation of her movements on the Thursday that she disappeared. What do you know, especially about this text that your brother got, that apparently cops are saying, well, it was a false -- it was a decoy, because she wasn`t in the area where she texted she was at.

LAUREN ERICKSON, SISTER OF MELISSA PARKER (via phone): That text message, it came in at 4:26. It is the last -- or it went out at 4:26. It is the last one to have left from her cell phone to my brother. And it was a one-worded message saying Waterford. And if it just -- it`s very suspicious, because this is not -- it`s not the kind of thing that she would say.

She uses icons, you know. She has an iPhone. She uses smiley faces and explanation points. And that`s just -- that`s just her. She`s a bubbly person. So just a one-worded answer to her brother -- I mean to my brother like that is just odd. She would normally have been, "Oh, Waterford, shopping," you know. "You going to come to work and see me tonight?" You know, something kind of like that. So it was -- it was odd.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1111/21/ijvm.01.html

There's quite a bit more at the above link, including Lauren's take on whether Michelle might have had a stalker:

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now I understand that she is a bartender. Does she have any enemies? I mean, she`s a very attractive woman. Sometimes men become obsessed. Did she ever talk to you about any problems in that regard?

ERICKSON: No. I mean, you know -- I mean, I myself, am a bartender, you know. And we -- and she has been bartending for a long, long time. And she`s never -- she`s never had anybody that`s ever been, like, a stalker of sorts or anything like that at any job bartending that she`s ever had. So I mean, no, nothing that I know of. But I mean -- I mean, she is beautiful. Thank you for that, though.

Read the whole thing. Lauren also discusses the People's Court episode and whether or not the family think Dale is involved. This interview aired on November 21.