GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 #10

[Backwoods]

QUOTE: He is currently jailed for two counts of burglary from allegedly entering two unlocked apartments.

How would detectives know, three years later, whether thse apartmetns where locked or unlocked? Even in they tracked down and interviewed those tenants, I can't imagine that three years later they would remember whether or not on a specific day (and I don't think SMcD even gave specific dates, just a general time period) that they had or HADN'T locked thier doors. That information, that the doors were unlocked, could only have come from SMcD's confession to the detectives. And why are we so sure that the doors were indeed unlocked when he burglarized them for prophylactics??

That's the point -- we can't be sure, because the report and the charge were based only on his "confession", apparently, and, also apparently, he "confessed" to having entered unlocked apartments and taken the condoms. There's the puzzle of it all.

 

[~SuperSleuth~]

LOL Hang on, I've got the burglary warrant somewhere.

Oh no, there I go again... you're killing me.

Boy... I haven't gotten that tickled in a long time
I almost felt guilty, but you know... even though I never knew Lauren,
from all I've read and pictures I've seen... I think she could appreciate it.

Amazing, isn't it?
She touched so many lives, and now even amidst a tragedy,
she continues to touch even more. Lord knows how many...

 

[Backwoods]

Here's a story from the Atlanta Journal Constitution web page about the commitment hearing I don't think we've posted yet:

QUOTE:
"Police tell how they zeroed in on Macon hacksaw suspect

Detectives began to suspect a 25-year-old Georgia law school graduate in the death of his classmate after he made "distraught" statements to the media before it was revealed that her dismembered body had been found stuffed in a garbage can, authorities said Friday in court."

read more at: http://www.ajc.com/news/police-tell-how-they-1144998.html?cxtype=rss_news

eta: I spot some inaccuracies in this one right off...like a "quote" from SM's June 30 interview that he said "I could have lent her a hand." (Ummm, that was "handgun", I think...) Also, not the greatest headline, IMO. Like I said a while back, though, "hacksaw" in a headline just tends to draw the eye ...

 

[bessie]

Well, shoot! I can't find the burglary warrant.

 

[Backwoods]

Well, shoot! I can't find the burglary warrant.

I'm not sure that I have ever seen it, now that I think about it.

 

[bessie]

I'm not sure that I have ever seen it, now that I think about it.

You could be right. It seems like I did, but I know I would have saved a copy or have at least bookmarked it. :waitasec:

 

[~SuperSleuth~]

Well, shoot! I can't find the burglary warrant.

That's what I'm wondering now. Did they ever even post it?
I thought they had... and I was thinking that even the warrant stated
the burglary was through unlocked doors.
That's why I was trying to find it to post.

 

[Backwoods]

That's what I'm wondering now. Did they ever even post it?
I thought they had... and I was thinking that even the warrant stated
the burglary was through unlocked doors.
That's why I was trying to find it to post.

I can remember way, way back in the threads a pretty intricate discussion about the Georgia burglary statutes, etc., and why it didn't matter if the doors were unlocked, it is all about not having permission and what the intention is, etc. -- if there is a warrant floating around in cyberspace, perhaps it was posted here somewhere along the time of those discussions.

 

[bessie]

I can remember way, way back in the threads a pretty intricate discussion about the Georgia burglary statutes, etc., and why it didn't matter if the doors were unlocked, it is all about not having permission and what the intention is, etc. -- if there is a warrant floating around in cyberspace, perhaps it was posted here somewhere along the time of those discussions.

That's what I thought, too. I even bookmarked the burglary statute.
http://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2010/title-16/chapter-7/article-1/16-7-1/

I looked around that thread but didn't see a link to the warrant. I'll look again...

 

[SmoothOperator]

I still think it's conceivable that Lauren might have given him a key at some time in the past (you know, before he started foaming at the mouth and all) to water the plants or feed the dog or something along those lines.

How about save the snide snarky comments.. I could care less if you disagree with mine and others opinions or how something is viewed..but the snide and smart azz comments need to go.

 

[Backwoods]

How about save the snide snarky comments.. I could care less if you disagree with mine and others opinions or how something is viewed.the snide and smart.but azz comments need to go.

I agree with the bolded. Didn't intend snarkiness, but have deleted my post

 

[bessie]

MOO..but I think Buford would have a helluva time explaining why his client had an actual single key to Lauren's apt..that would be much more difficult than attempting to explain the masterkey..

I mean with the masterkey you can atleast claim that you were given it as the key to your apt, therefor never had knowledge that it unlocked every door in the complex..where as the single key to Lauren's wouldn't be that easy to explain..jmo, tho!

They're both incriminating, but McD is too smart not to know the difference between a master key and a single lock key. All the master keys I've seen were distinctly different from other keys. If it was given to him inadvertently, he would've noted a difference and become curious. I might've fallen for that a week ago, but not now. No way. . Locks, keys, that's right up his alley.

 

[tut med]

And there's that condom conundrum again!!

Because, I guess entering "unlocked" apartments is what he "confessed" to --hence the report would read that way. Sheesh! How in the world did all that come about. We've puzzled and puzzled and I still can't quite accept any scenario.

Something about the imagery of him trying doorknobs to find unlocked apartments and then stalking about the empty rooms to find lonely condoms to swipe. That is just weird.ut em up:

 

[PsychoMom]

I know my daughter's fiancé and his roommates had a horrible habit of leaving a backdoor of their house unlocked all the time. They were living on Orange St. at the time (the other end, not at the apartments). They only stopped AFTER the murder. Now, they have moved. Young people are too trusting. 10ft tall and bulletproof thing, I guess.

As for master keys, they don't look incredibly different. I was accidentally given a master key to my office a few years back. I only discovered it opened other doors by accident. A coworker forgot her key and we decided to see if anyone else's key might work. Mine did. Out of curiosity, I tried another locked empty office. It worked. I then became a secret squirrel with a spare key for anyone who needed a door opened - mostly because management was always late. We never told management about the key, and when I left the position, I passed the key on to another coworker. It happens.

Plus, from a money standpoint, getting 20 or 30 of the same key copied is a little cheaper than getting 20 or 30 different keys made. If no one is told their key will open up other apartments, they may never know.

I can also see how LG might have given McD a copy of her key for when she was out of town, whether in Atlanta with her boyfriend, camping with friends, or going home for a visit. He was convenient to take care of little things like her plants or maybe feeding the dog on her short getaways. Yet, with a key outside the door, it seems redundant. Maybe she removed that key when she went out of town. Who knows? But, he can always claim that and it is a reasonable possibility. And can lead to doubt about the key being part of a sinister plan to murder.

Just tossing out multiple random thoughts as the coffee sinks in this morning.

 

[angelanalyzes]

How would detectives know, three years later, whether thse apartmetns where locked or unlocked? Even in they tracked down and interviewed those tenants, I can't imagine that three years later they would remember whether or not on a specific day (and I don't think SMcD even gave specific dates, just a general time period) that they had or HADN'T locked thier doors. That information, that the doors were unlocked, could only have come from SMcD's confession to the detectives. And why are we so sure that the doors were indeed unlocked when he burglarized them for prophylactics??

Exactly. There is no way of knowing if the apartments were unlocked unless the tenants were to confirm that they didn't regularly lock their apartments.

 

[bessie]

I've added my comments in red.

I know my daughter's fiancé and his roommates had a horrible habit of leaving a backdoor of their house unlocked all the time. They were living on Orange St. at the time (the other end, not at the apartments). They only stopped AFTER the murder. Now, they have moved. Young people are too trusting. 10ft tall and bulletproof thing, I guess.

As for master keys, they don't look incredibly different. I was accidentally given a master key to my office a few years back. I only discovered it opened other doors by accident. A coworker forgot her key and we decided to see if anyone else's key might work. Mine did. Out of curiosity, I tried another locked empty office. It worked. I then became a secret squirrel with a spare key for anyone who needed a door opened - mostly because management was always late. We never told management about the key, and when I left the position, I passed the key on to another coworker. It happens.
I've been respsonsible for master keys many times over the years for various reasons. A few looked "incredibly" different; most were "distinctly" different.

Plus, from a money standpoint, getting 20 or 30 of the same key copied is a little cheaper than getting 20 or 30 different keys made. If no one is told their key will open up other apartments, they may never know.
Speaking of distinctions, the hearing testimony and the warrant draw one between the master key and the key to LG's apartment. But, wow, what a liablity it would create to give all the residents the same keys.

I can also see how LG might have given McD a copy of her key for when she was out of town, whether in Atlanta with her boyfriend, camping with friends, or going home for a visit. He was convenient to take care of little things like her plants or maybe feeding the dog on her short getaways. Yet, with a key outside the door, it seems redundant. Maybe she removed that key when she went out of town. Who knows? But, he can always claim that and it is a reasonable possibility. And can lead to doubt about the key being part of a sinister plan to murder.
How McD acquired the key will likely be an issue only if the DA builds it into his argument. I don't think he will.

Just tossing out multiple random thoughts as the coffee sinks in this morning.

 

[McMunn]

They're both incriminating, but McD is too smart not to know the difference between a master key and a single lock key. All the master keys I've seen were distinctly different from other keys. If it was given to him inadvertently, he would've noted a difference and become curious. I might've fallen for that a week ago, but not now. No way. . Locks, keys, that's right up his alley.

What I'm wondering is, did he have a key to his own apartment as well? If he did, then he doesn't have a leg to stand on, claiming that he didn't know that it was a master key. Did I say that right?

 

[Givsmetheshivers]

All of this discussion is depressing. It just makes me think someone will get away with murder. :razz:

 

[bessie]

What I'm wondering is, did he have a key to his own apartment as well? If he did, then he doesn't have a leg to stand on, claiming that he didn't know that it was a master key. Did I say that right?

Excellent point!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[~SuperSleuth~]

Do you think it might be possible that Patterson does not know whether DD had a master key or not?

In the early investigation, before anyone had pointed at DD, maybe they just noted that he had "multiple keys" (like you, I draw the inference that some of them were for use at the apartments), and that, as the resident contact, he was entitled to have them in his duties. Certainly they would have noted that he had them -- filed that info away -- but with nothing pointing to him as a suspect, they may not have checked to see if he had an actual master key...simply because it wouldn't seem too unusual if he did, if he had "multiple keys" for whatever access he was given at the complex. They may not would have taken every one of his multiple "complex keys" and tried it in every lock to see if it opened every lock.

Having a master key would only stand out for someone who was not expected to have one, like SM.

Good point. This must have slipped past me yesterday

Also, if DD was given a master key as part of being the resident contact, then why would he need "multiple keys"?
The fact that Patterson states he had so many keys would seem to suggest that he did not have a master, no?
I mean, after all, this place isn't huge.
A master key would give him access to all apt entry doors and the utility closet.
So, what other doors/locks would there be that the master key wouldn't open?