GUILTY GA - Jorelys Rivera, 7, Canton, 2 Dec 2011 - #4

[Openmyeyes]

I'm surprised no one has brought up David Westerfield and compared the Danielle van Dam case to this one. Convicted deathrow inmate David Westerfield was older than RB when he was caught for snatching Danielle, and then murdering her, but he had a background that was similar. He had no known convictions or priors for being a pedophile. He was the 'odd' neighbor, that everyone knew. It wasn't until the trial that dirt came out about him and his oddly inappropriate behavior with neices. Other similarities: Danielle snatched from her own bed overnight while everyone was home.
Mom was seen at the bar that night with friends and Westerfield was there earlier, too.
Westerfield owned a motorhome he parked in yard and driveway. It attracted the neighborhood kids. He helped with search. He moved MH the day police were notified Danielle disappeared. He took bedspread from MH to drycleaners that day. Convicted when finger and hand print belonging to Danielle was lifted from headboard in MH.

Quick synopsis here:http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_westerfield.html

Websleuths covered it all but I couldn't find a good link. I followed it then.

 

[georgiagirl]

While this is definately the most difficult thing to discuss, I have to agree with Georgia Girl regarding my shared opinion that LE did not exaggerate her wounds. I also attended the viewing of Jorelys, and have attended enough funerals/wakes/viewings to have some sort of baseline opinion as to the appearance of the deceased, and I will agree that while Jorelys looked suitable for viewing, it was VERY OBVIOUS that the funeral home did extensive work (makeup, possibly prosthetic tissue) to make her suitable for viewing. Had I gone in not knowing that she was the victim of a violent murder, I would have been shocked by her appearance.

Also, I agree that there is no agenda to "blame" LE. My concern is that local LE was on scene Friday at 7pm through Monday morning and did not identify the crime scene, the body, or have a firm suspect. Then Monday morning with GBI help, the crime scene was identified, the body was recovered, and apparently the suspect was identified sometime Monday/Tuesday (under surveilance Tuesday PM earliest). Niether the crime scene or the body-as far as we know- had been MOVED since Friday, so the fact that the GBI accomplished in a few hours what the local LE was unable to accomplish from Friday afternoon through Monday morning at the very least suggests that maybe they could have done a better job.

In defense of the Canton PD, I just think this crime was waaaaayy bigger than anything they had ever dealt with and though there may have been some egos involved, I thought they called the GBI in pretty quickly not that it would have save little angel's life but I am proud of how they and CCSD have handled it thus far...

 

[georgiagirl]

I saw SWAT vehicles all over the Cherokee Detention center where RB is being held when I drove by on Friday night. Now I am thinking due to the public outrage and the raw emotion due to the vigil and the viewing that night MAYBE they thought someone would try and go after him somehow and that is why the SWAT vehicles were there that night... JMO

 

[Dr. Know?]

Thank you grandmaj for your post!

Keenan did say there were other injuries that they wouldn't go into detail about. sigh..

 

[JeannaT]

The difference, to me, in the David Westerfield case is that no one in his past defended him. IIRD, no one was surprised he was a suspect in this crime.

And that's what I would expect. When you have a crime this hideous, people who have known the suspect for years would know he was capable of that, or at least would accept it if they were told.

 

[matou]

The perp better not get bond. I have a feeling he may kill himself. JMO

 

[marazul]

agreed that there has been more SWAT presence in both the area of the courthouse (which is a block from the funeral home) and the Detention Center than I have seen in my 6 years in Canton. I wonder if they will be present during the trial (assuming we have a trial, I have a feeling the plea might change once discovery is released to defense.)

 

[georgiagirl]

Just wanted to share some additional details about my experience Friday night for those who were not able to be there. My daughter and I stopped by the funeral home around 4:30 that day on our way to the vigil. My hope was to hug her mom and express how much her daughter's death has touched me and my family personally. Unfortunately, the family was not there yet to recieve visitors so we went into the little chapel area to watch the slideshow. There were about 20 people in there and they showed pictures of a very happy and normal little girl. I wholeheartedly agree that this child was loved by many people. There were pics of her and her mom holding a birthday cake and riding amusement park rides and playing in a pool and at the lake. There was this pic of her wearing a Cinderella costume with a crown and a wand that touched me to the core. It really gave a more clear picture that this was not a child who rolled joints for her mom and her friends but rather a child who has had alot of normal childhood experiences and a loving relationship with her mom. I don't wanna judge the mom just yet regarding the DFACS history. The slideshow was so touching.

We went to the vigil and it was disapointing as others have stated it was more about public awareness and very very little about Jorelys and who she was. We went back to the funeral home around 7:30 and there was a line out the door and across the front of the parking lot. A hispanic woman came out (I am assumming she was a family friend or family member) and said to those of us in line. "Please, when you go in try to move quickly as the mother and grandmother are emotionally drained and exhausted and are ready to go home. And PLEASE do not touch her!" Once I got in to see her the mother and grandmother were resting somewhere so it was just the father sitting there by the casket. He had his head down mostly.... he looked like a competely broken man.

 

[tlcya]

westie_mom, georgiagirl, mazarul, thank you what you have told us. I know how much that cost you to type those words. I had a suspicion that what you described would be the case when I heard about a viewing, and its why I did not go anywhere near that area when you were giving us your impressions the other day. It was the elephant in the room and I was glad that no one asked about it. I could tell you were far too raw to entertain it.

Again I want to thank you ladies for being there at the viewing. In a way, you were there for all of us who wanted to be able to "do something" for this family, to convey our heartbreak for them.

grandmaj, thank you for your insight on this subject and for sharing your expertise.

You are so right, sometimes people need to see, it is a part of reaching acceptance, so they can move through the grieving process. I know some questioned the decision to have a viewing. Some of us may not have chosen that route for our own loved one, other may have. That is a very private family decision that was reached and I respect that the family made the one that was right for them.

 

[krimekat]

This is why I am angry with LE. We were led to believe she was brutally stabbed several times, severely beaten, her blood was splattered throughout the vacant apartment and her body was disfigured however if this was true imo, the family would not have had a public viewing especially one week after she was murdered. I personally feel LE exaggerated these facts.

Respectfully, it's amazing what can be done to corpses. Here is an example from another thread, Jori Lirette, and how it takes dedication to serve the dead as a higher calling.

There's something spiritual about embalming for Glenn Bergeron and Stephen Kees, who tend to bodies at a funeral home in Louisiana. Their sense of obligation to the dead helps them persevere when the work is difficult, like when they repaired the torn body of a young boy.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - LA - 7 Year-Old Jori Lirette Decapitated by his father

 

[JeannaT]

The perp better not get bond. I have a feeling he may kill himself. JMO

I agree, if he's guilty it seems likely he may try to commit suicide.

And if he's guilty, i'm not sure that's such a bad ending. This is such an awful case, the quicker it can end and the public can feel like it's over - and the family could feel that way - the better.

I'm still waiting for the forensics. Still can't get passed how surprised the brothers are.

BTW, SP has removed any reference to the case from his still public facebook page.

 

[georgiagirl]

agreed that there has been more SWAT presence in both the area of the courthouse (which is a block from the funeral home) and the Detention Center than I have seen in my 6 years in Canton. I wonder if they will be present during the trial (assuming we have a trial, I have a feeling the plea might change once discovery is released to defense.)

I thought the same thing about changing the plea once discovery is reviewed...

 

[Melanie]

Just wanted to share some additional details about my experience Friday night for those who were not able to be there. My daughter and I stopped by the funeral home around 4:30 that day on our way to the vigil. My hope was to hug her mom and express how much her daughter's death has touched me and my family personally. Unfortunately, the family was not there yet to recieve visitors so we went into the little chapel area to watch the slideshow. There were about 20 people in there and they showed pictures of a very happy and normal little girl. I wholeheartedly agree that this child was loved by many people. There were pics of her and her mom holding a birthday cake and riding amusement park rides and playing in a pool and at the lake. There was this pic of her wearing a Cinderella costume with a crown and a wand that touched me to the core. It really gave a more clear picture that this was not a child who rolled joints for her mom and her friends but rather a child who has had alot of normal childhood experiences and a loving relationship with her mom. I don't wanna judge the mom just yet regarding the DFACS history. The slideshow was so touching.

We went to the vigil and it was disapointing as others have stated it was more about public awareness and very very little about Jorelys and who she was. We went back to the funeral home around 7:30 and there was a line out the door and across the front of the parking lot. A hispanic woman came out (I am assumming she was a family friend or family member) and said to those of us in line. "Please, when you go in try to move quickly as the mother and grandmother are emotionally drained and exhausted and are ready to go home. And PLEASE do not touch her!" Once I got in to see her the mother and grandmother were resting somewhere so it was just the father sitting there by the casket. He had his head down mostly.... he looked like a competely broken man.

Thank you for sharing your experience - it must have been very emotional for you. I'm shocked that the family had to even say don't touch her! EGADS, I know some people are "out there", but the thought never would have crossed my mind.

RIP Jorelys.

Mel

 

[Crosby87]

What I am about to say is MY perspective and MY opinion...

I feel the need to respond to this as I also went to the viewing and saw Jorelys..... IMO, it was beyond disturbing. She looked like her face had to be completely reconstructed like one of those busts made of clay. To me, it was very obvious and there was nothing and I mean nothing natural looking about her face at all. I think the enmbalmer did the best he could but it was so upsetting to me that I felt sick and broke down in the parking lot after leaving and just sat in my car and cried. I am just now able to talk about it. The reason I wanted to see is because I guess I felt I could somehow share in their pain and grief even more, I know that sounds weird but that is how I felt. I wish I had never seen that.... It will haunt me forever. God bless that family.....

Thank you for posting this information. I read your post after you attended the viewing and you said you had wished you hadn't seen that and it will haunt you forever so even though I could read between the lines, I wasn't sure if what had been said about her being hit on the head and stabbed was entirely true.

Twenty years ago a next door neighbor broke into my apartment and beat me in the head when I tried to run and when I arrived at the hospital right after the attack occurred, my face was so swollen and bruised I couldn't face going out in public for several months so I found a grocery store that delivered in the meantime. The delivery guy was visibly shaken when he saw me and my friend who came to visit gagged too. I was very sorry they had to see me in that condition so if JR was hit in the head and died as a result, I imagine her head was swollen and bruised like mine was.

 

[Melanie]

Thanks for clearing that up!

I doubt he gets it. From what I've read there are judges in Georgia who flat out always deny bond for murder charges, and even if his judge wasn't one of them, they had the guy show up to the courtroom in a bullet proof vest. I think the judge is well aware that there would be high potential for vigilantism upon RB the moment he stepped out the detention center doors.

And even if he did get it, I don't think there's anyone in his family who could put up that kind of bond.

I agree. I was reading SP's FB page yesterday (the brother) and it seems like he's moved on already -- talking about his new girlfriend and how he can't wait to take her out this weekend, and how much fun he had the other day with her.

If it wasn't so tragic, I could almost giggle at the <snark> compassion he seems to have for his brother (compared to a few days ago).

I know I shouldn't read to much into it -- him not posting about RB instead of the wonderful time he's having with his new love ...but I will

Somehow, I get the impression that SP won't be visiting him in jail anytime soon!

MOO

Mel

 

[georgiagirl]

Thank you for posting this information. I read your post after you attended the viewing and you said you had wished you hadn't seen that and it will haunt you forever so even though I could read between the lines, I wasn't sure if what had been said about her being hit on the head and stabbed was entirely true.

Twenty years ago a next door neighbor broke into my apartment and beat me in the head when I tried to run and when I arrived at the hospital right after the attack occurred, my face was so swollen and bruised I couldn't face going out in public for several months so I found a grocery store that delivered in the meantime. The delivery guy was visibly shaken when he saw me and my friend who came to visit gagged too. I was very sorry they had to see me in that condition so if JR was hit in the head and died as a result, I imagine her head was swollen and bruised like mine was.

Thank you for sharing your experience. That must have been awful for you to go through that!!

 

[georgiagirl]

I agree. I was reading SP's FB page yesterday (the brother) and it seems like he's moved on already -- talking about his new girlfriend and how he can't wait to take her out this weekend, and how much fun he had the other day with her.

If it wasn't so tragic, I could almost giggle at the <snark> compassion he seems to have for his brother (compared to a few days ago).

I know I shouldn't read to much into it -- him not posting about RB instead of the wonderful time he's having with his new love ...but I will

Somehow, I get the impression that SP won't be visiting him in jail anytime soon!

MOO

Mel

I have been watching SP's page too and noticed he removed any references to the case or RB. My opinion is not that he has moved on but maybe he has been advised to keep his mouth shut. I am pretty sure a gag order was placed on Friday because they don't want to taint the jury pool in case of trial. IMO the jury pool has already been tainted. BUT a page poppled up on FB a couple of days ago called "Ryan Brunn is Innocent" and I strongly suspect the page is owned by SP.

 

[Melanie]

I'm surprised no one has brought up David Westerfield and compared the Danielle van Dam case to this one. Convicted deathrow inmate David Westerfield was older than RB when he was caught for snatching Danielle, and then murdering her, but he had a background that was similar. He had no known convictions or priors for being a pedophile. He was the 'odd' neighbor, that everyone knew. It wasn't until the trial that dirt came out about him and his oddly inappropriate behavior with neices. Other similarities: Danielle snatched from her own bed overnight while everyone was home.
Mom was seen at the bar that night with friends and Westerfield was there earlier, too.
Westerfield owned a motorhome he parked in yard and driveway. It attracted the neighborhood kids. He helped with search. He moved MH the day police were notified Danielle disappeared. He took bedspread from MH to drycleaners that day. Convicted when finger and hand print belonging to Danielle was lifted from headboard in MH.

Quick synopsis here:http://www.vanceholmes.com/court/trial_westerfield.html

Websleuths covered it all but I couldn't find a good link. I followed it then.

I followed the DVD case closely here in San Diego, and some of the circumstances are eerily similar. I don't recall that DW ever helped search for DVD though, as he left the morning of her disappearance, and became a prime suspect when he returned from the desert.

Law enforcement officials interviewed neighbors and soon discovered that Westerfield and another neighbor were not home that Saturday morning. Westerfield returned home at approximately 8 AM Monday morning. From that point on, he became the prime suspect

Otherwise, the neighbor kidnapping, and no prior history (that we're aware of) is haunting. It makes me leery of those around me, unfortunately.

MOO

Mel

 

[marazul]

I have been watching SP's page too and noticed he removed any references to the case or RB. My opinion is not that he has moved on but maybe he has been advised to keep his mouth shut. I am pretty sure a gag order was placed on Friday because they don't want to taint the jury pool in case of trial. IMO the jury pool has already been tainted. BUT a page poppled up on FB a couple of days ago called "Ryan Brunn is Innocent" and I strongly suspect the page is owned by SP.

I was coming back to say the exact same thing. Either he has removed all mention of RB or made that private. I would agree that most likely he has been advised by someone to do that, and rightfully so. Reading his comments was like watching a very bad movie, and in my opinion he was not a very positive 'unofficial spokesperson' for his family.

OT and totally IMO and I hope this is not going too far away from the key parties in this case, but the whole sudden appearance of the "new gf" was some strange timing. At first one gf was showing support and saying "I love you baby", then we have this new gf. Made me wonder if she may be one of those attention seekers who wanted to be close to the 'drama' of the case. Who knows, but the sudden gf switch by SP in the middle of the very public arrest of RB seemed strange. Not sure how many people would be worried about hanging out with new gfs during the first days of their brother being charged with such a crime.

 

[angelmom]

I am sorry BUT If she was that 'creeped out' by him, then why didn't she call and report his 'odd' behavior BEFORE the fact....


:banghead:
that is why we have police- to serve and protect...not JUST for catching criminals AFTER they commit crimes

And say what? The guy works there and has every reason to be hanging around.

While this is definately the most difficult thing to discuss, I have to agree with Georgia Girl regarding my shared opinion that LE did not exaggerate her wounds. I also attended the viewing of Jorelys, and have attended enough funerals/wakes/viewings to have some sort of baseline opinion as to the appearance of the deceased, and I will agree that while Jorelys looked suitable for viewing, it was VERY OBVIOUS that the funeral home did extensive work (makeup, possibly prosthetic tissue) to make her suitable for viewing. Had I gone in not knowing that she was the victim of a violent murder, I would have been shocked by her appearance.

Also, I agree that there is no agenda to "blame" LE. My concern is that local LE was on scene Friday at 7pm through Monday morning and did not identify the crime scene, the body, or have a firm suspect. Then Monday morning with GBI help, the crime scene was identified, the body was recovered, and apparently the suspect was identified sometime Monday/Tuesday (under surveilance Tuesday PM earliest). Niether the crime scene or the body-as far as we know- had been MOVED since Friday, so the fact that the GBI accomplished in a few hours what the local LE was unable to accomplish from Friday afternoon through Monday morning at the very least suggests that maybe they could have done a better job.

How much of what the GBI did quickly was because LE had already ruled out all the obvious places to look? I don't know, but I do think the criticism of LE before we know more details is premature.

I can think of a hundred cases here on WS where I wish and pray the victim and crime scene had been found within 4 days.