FL - Tracy Ocasio, 27, Orlando/Ocoee, 27 May 2009 - #1

[amytlake]

I am hoping maybe family or someone close to Tracy's family reads this and can maybe lend some information on a certain part of the timeline. If it's not public for a reason, i understand, but maybe it's not purposely held private right now.
I heard from a reliable source that the people who live at the house where Tracy's car was found HEARD her car drive up and the door(s) shut. I was also told that their initial thought was that it was one of their kids and "it's late for them to be coming home".
So, okay -
1) What time was this and
2) The adult children in the house, they must have been out that night so when THEY got home was Tracy's car already there? if so, what time was it, if not, what time did they get home so we know that her car came AFTER that?

 

[dearmont]

I disagree becuase her keys were not found. neither was Jennifer's

Don't necessarily have to have keys to steal a car - it can be hot wired pretty easily.

I would wonder why the car was left in front of someone's house anyway - there are several places the car could have been parked within walking distance of JVH home - over at the shopping center for instance. Why there? Someone asked in what direction the car was parked - facing JVH house or facing back the other way - does anyone know?

 

[Myserty64]

Amytlake; do you know if they heard doors shut?
There were either at least three three people in that car or there was a frantic search for something like dropped drugs.
You also have a pretty good theory.

 

[warbuckle]

I have a theory i would like to share. My theory would explain alot.

1) Tracy and Jimmy leave taproom, go somewhere, something bad happens and he kills her.
2) Hataway leaves Tracy somewhere close to his house but not the final destination (hidden in a patch of woods - it's middle of the night no one would see). Tracy's cell phone always has been and still is in her pocket.
3) Hataway drives around for a few moments looking for a good final destination spot (ie: dumpster) near where he has temporarily disposed of her
4) Hatway parks the car on Franklin as an easy way to run to Tracy's body without cameras catching him from some random business and he can run into the wooded area, down the tracks and to her body without being noticed. At this time he has the keys to the car.
5) Hataway walks to Tracy's body, moves Tracy from temporary spot to a dumpster he had located. At this time, her phone accidently dials at 4:30am when she is dropped into the dumpster (remember it's in her pocket).
6) Hataway returns to the car to move it, but notices he has dropped the keys somewhere while moving her body
7) Hataway thinks that maybe he left the keys in the car and frantically searches the car - moving the seats forward. He then retraces looking for her keys, doesn't find them - could be they accidently fell into the dumpster when he dropped her in
8) 8:30am phone call to Tracy - pings from her pocket, in dumpster near his home.
9) At some time the dumpster is emptied and Tracy, her phone and possibly her keys are now in the landfill

I think your timeline is good. I could see this happening.

 

[cocoamom]

I have a theory i would like to share. My theory would explain alot.

1) Tracy and Jimmy leave taproom, go somewhere, something bad happens and he kills her.
2) Hataway leaves Tracy somewhere close to his house but not the final destination (hidden in a patch of woods - it's middle of the night no one would see). Tracy's cell phone always has been and still is in her pocket.
3) Hataway drives around for a few moments looking for a good final destination spot (ie: dumpster) near where he has temporarily disposed of her
4) Hatway parks the car on Franklin as an easy way to run to Tracy's body without cameras catching him from some random business and he can run into the wooded area, down the tracks and to her body without being noticed. At this time he has the keys to the car.
5) Hataway walks to Tracy's body, moves Tracy from temporary spot to a dumpster he had located. At this time, her phone accidently dials at 4:30am when she is dropped into the dumpster (remember it's in her pocket).
6) Hataway returns to the car to move it, but notices he has dropped the keys somewhere while moving her body
7) Hataway thinks that maybe he left the keys in the car and frantically searches the car - moving the seats forward. He then retraces looking for her keys, doesn't find them - could be they accidently fell into the dumpster when he dropped her in
8) 8:30am phone call to Tracy - pings from her pocket, in dumpster near his home.
9) At some time the dumpster is emptied and Tracy, her phone and possibly her keys are now in the landfill

Nooooooooo - I don't want your theory to be right!! But it is darned good!!! I esp agree with the frantic search of the car thus the seats forward. I have ridden in the back of a car where necessary to tilt seat to get out - it's almost instinct to reach back and push the seat back - but searching the floor, cracks, down in the seat might facilitate leaving them forward.

Oh just great - looks like a tropical storm coming! WE GOTTA FIND HER BEFORE THE RAINS!!!

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I have a theory i would like to share. My theory would explain alot.

1) Tracy and Jimmy leave taproom, go somewhere, something bad happens and he kills her.
2) Hataway leaves Tracy somewhere close to his house but not the final destination (hidden in a patch of woods - it's middle of the night no one would see). Tracy's cell phone always has been and still is in her pocket.
3) Hataway drives around for a few moments looking for a good final destination spot (ie: dumpster) near where he has temporarily disposed of her
4) Hatway parks the car on Franklin as an easy way to run to Tracy's body without cameras catching him from some random business and he can run into the wooded area, down the tracks and to her body without being noticed. At this time he has the keys to the car.
5) Hataway walks to Tracy's body, moves Tracy from temporary spot to a dumpster he had located. At this time, her phone accidently dials at 4:30am when she is dropped into the dumpster (remember it's in her pocket).
6) Hataway returns to the car to move it, but notices he has dropped the keys somewhere while moving her body
7) Hataway thinks that maybe he left the keys in the car and frantically searches the car - moving the seats forward. He then retraces looking for her keys, doesn't find them - could be they accidently fell into the dumpster when he dropped her in
8) 8:30am phone call to Tracy - pings from her pocket, in dumpster near his home.
9) At some time the dumpster is emptied and Tracy, her phone and possibly her keys are now in the landfill

It is an interesting theory, but I see some holes. If he killed her in between the bar and his house in a remote area...why would he bother moving her? If he was going to move her...why not move her in her car? This guy appears very lazy to me and I don't see him taking that much time to go hide her body. He obviously couldn't trek back through the woods in the middle of the night with no light either.

The 4:30am call and the 8:30am call pinged near his home. If LE used the dogs to search the dumpsters in the area, they would have found signs of human decomp and be alerted to the area of the dump where that specific trash was taken. They would be all over it, imo.

 

[Kimster]

Interesting how this article only gives her name but no description of when she was last seen, if she was ever reported missing, etc. It's a shame. Prayers to her family and friends.

I'd like to know when she went missing so we can see if she might be another victim of this Hataway jerk?

 

[jnTexas]

I wish LE would've had the info and searched for JH scent from the car.. It may have led to at least where he disposed of the cell phone.

Wonder if they checked culverts on the road the car was left on? He could've easily tossed the phone and keys in a culvert (assuming no storm drains as they have septic systems).

 

[BondJamesBond]

http://www.wftv.com/news/19873161/detail.html

"Deputies found Lashanda Brand's badly decomposed body off Kennedy Boulevard Monday.

Her unique tattoos led investigators to her identity. Deputies are ruling her death as a homicide."

I can't seem to get the pictures of her tattoos to open, though.

Interesting how this article only gives her name but no description of when she was last seen, if she was ever reported missing, etc. It's a shame. Prayers to her family and friends.

Thread started for Lashanda here: FL – Lashanda Brand homicide, remains discovered Orlando, 6/22/09 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[BondJamesBond]

Can anyone advise if there are cadaver dogs available in the immediate area? I know we've had a few in Orlando in the past.

Short of that...anyone w/ experience of human decomp odor? TIA.

Anyone local w/ either of the above? Time is marching on. TIA!

 

[BondJamesBond]

Link to map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...911739131657185086.00046ca500eb1ac9ed26e&z=11

Updated map to reflect best estimate of where Lashanda's remains were found based on aerial view in new report.

Updated exact location of JVH's house

Added the most direct walking route between JVH's and the abandoned car = 3mins walking.

FWIW...if JVH disposed of the phone in water <8:30AM it would not have pinged, therefore we know the phone didn't go in water <8:30AM. HTH.

 

[cocoamom]

Do you all think there is any chance we can get a couple of sticky notes on this thread for the players, map, timeline, etc? Who do we ask?

 

[LeLe1953]

Do you all think there is any chance we can get a couple of sticky notes on this thread for the players, map, timeline, etc? Who do we ask?

That would be very helpful.

 

[shergal]

Link to map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...911739131657185086.00046ca500eb1ac9ed26e&z=11

Updated map to reflect best estimate of where Lashanda's remains were found based on aerial view in new report.

Updated exact location of JVH's house

Added the most direct walking route between JVH's and the abandoned car = 3mins walking.

FWIW...if JVH disposed of the phone in water <8:30AM it would not have pinged, therefore we know the phone didn't go in water <8:30AM. HTH.

I've just been reading and catching up on this case, and just wanted to say how impressed I am with all you hard working sleuthers. Your maps, theories, and ideas just amaze me. Wish I was local, I'd attempt the barfly routine.

 

[BondJamesBond]

Do you all think there is any chance we can get a couple of sticky notes on this thread for the players, map, timeline, etc? Who do we ask?

That would be very helpful.

Hmmmm. :waitasec:

I thought 'stickies' were only @ the thread level. IOW...you hafta have a forum in which some thread's can be designated as stickies. If you can have stickies @ the thread level that'd sure be nice. :thumb: We're about due putting together a timeline and listing out what 'facts' we have to-date.

FWIW....looks like Kesse is up to something like 8 or 9 threads 3 years later...and no forum

 

[Kimster]

I was thinking of something out of the box...a forum on murders in the Orlando area. I think that would be very helpful!

 

[Harmony 2]

Link to map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...911739131657185086.00046ca500eb1ac9ed26e&z=11

Updated map to reflect best estimate of where Lashanda's remains were found based on aerial view in new report.

Updated exact location of JVH's house

Added the most direct walking route between JVH's and the abandoned car = 3mins walking.

FWIW...if JVH disposed of the phone in water <8:30AM it would not have pinged, therefore we know the phone didn't go in water <8:30AM. HTH.

Thanks for the updated map... Your hard work is much appreciated!!!

 

[Myserty64]

Thanks for such a remarkable map BJB. It puts everything into perspective.

Why was the car left so close to where he (Hataway) lived?
It seems a dumb thing to do when you are so good at hiding your victims.

The number of lakes amazes me. Where do you start when you are searching?
And then there is all the vacant land. What a nightmare.

It is a month since Tracy vanished but at least there is a suspect in the right place.

Just where did he take Tracy before the car was dumped?
There should be ways and laws to make these predators talk.

 

[chesterp]

I was thinking of something out of the box...a forum on murders in the Orlando area. I think that would be very helpful!

It is so sad some many murders in Orlando, central FLorida needing a forum, how very, very sad?

 

[cocoamom]

Hmmmm. :waitasec:

I thought 'stickies' were only @ the thread level. IOW...you hafta have a forum in which some thread's can be designated as stickies. If you can have stickies @ the thread level that'd sure be nice. :thumb: We're about due putting together a timeline and listing out what 'facts' we have to-date.

FWIW....looks like Kesse is up to something like 8 or 9 threads 3 years later...and no forum

Oh.

I like Kimster's idea for a forum for Orlando area crimes or Central FL or all of FL for that matter. Well, I don't really LIKE the idea - wish it wasn't necessary with so many! But with the possibility of several being connected it would be a great idea! :clap: