justiceforlauren, I do not know anything about the money situation- this is first I heard of it. But I cannot imagine that LE would simply be searching for family closure, and disregarding potential evidence. Was this a private, out-sourced search that the family requested and had to pay for?
GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 #11
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justiceforlauren, I do not know anything about the money situation- this is first I heard of it. But I cannot imagine that LE would simply be searching for family closure, and disregarding potential evidence. Was this a private, out-sourced search that the family requested and had to pay for?
Ironically, sarx- I too had this long post written out... and then it went poof, lol.
bessie, I didn't want to clutter Lauren's thread with shop talk- but I also believe it will become important as the case progresses.
I also believe crime scene photos taken with search dogs in them may come into play. In the photo of the search dog with what appears to be a reward in its mouth, it looks to me like the proximity to alerts is way too close to site to be rewarded. The crime scene tape indicative of the area being worked, and the # of alleged hits within that area- says to me "No reward just yet, pup."
I wasn't there- so I have no idea how the search actually went down... but it sure looks to me that the dog was rewarded while still inside a very small radius of the crime scene site(s) where there have been multiple alerts. That's what you do in training, not working. JMO, of course.
MaconMom
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A new search is underway today in Twiggs county:
http://m.13wmaz.com/topstory/article?a=143826&f=924
http://m.13wmaz.com/topstory/article?a=143826&f=924
AgentFrankLundy
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Greetings WS'ers, been pretty slow around here. I do know the grand jury meets this week, either tomorrow (I think) or Thursday. But I do not know if they will get the McDaniel case or not. I am not sure the DA is ready to present yet . I am also not sure what to make of this landfill search, especially since it was noted the dogs DID NOT hit on the Mercer dumpsters. But let's let our minds wander for a moment. Could it be McD has confessed that is where the rest of her body is or some of the evidence points that way? And what to make of still no FBI forensics information (at least none disseminated to the public)
Backwoods
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Looks like macon.com is polling the readership about expected outcomes from the new search:
http://www.macon.com/2011/09/12/1700223/question-lauren-giddings-remains.html#storylink=omni_popular
...believe it or not
http://www.macon.com/2011/09/12/1700223/question-lauren-giddings-remains.html#storylink=omni_popular
...believe it or not
Yeah.
Macon.com lost a bunch of readers today.
For God's sake- MACON.COM. Have a little respect for this horribly grieving family. Is that what YOU would want to be reading when your child was just brutally murdered?
Somehow I don't think I'd be caring a whole lot about what the general public thought. Why do you? Ratings, much?
Off rant- but man, this stuff really ticks me off.
Seriously... A little respect for Lauren's loved ones.
Macon.com, don't go down that road. It's incredibly insensitive. And serves no purpose.
Ok- now truly off rant.
AgentFrankLundy
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It never really hit me until your rant, but you are 100% on the money, how gruesome is this to be conducting some reader poll on a dumpster search for human remains ?Yeah.
Macon.com lost a bunch of readers today.
For God's sake- MACON.COM. Have a little respect for this horribly grieving family. Is that what YOU would want to be reading when your child was just brutally murdered?
Somehow I don't think I'd be caring a whole lot about what the general public thought. Why do you? Ratings, much?
Off rant- but man, this stuff really ticks me off.
Seriously... A little respect for Lauren's loved ones.
Macon.com, don't go down that road. It's incredibly insensitive. And serves no purpose.
Ok- now truly off rant.
hdear:
Knox
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I posted that link this morning and then edited it out of my post.
Hoping that no one votes and Macon Telegraph gets the hint!!!!
GeorgiaSunshine
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I do not know if these are two different searches. Do not want to disclose anymore about if it is a family situation, but those were the exact words from the person who works for the FBI in GA. Unfortunately, I do not have time to look up past articles, but there was an article that mentioned to close that portion of the landfill would be around $50k per day. The FBI friend also said that it is a football sized field portion of the landfill they were searching. This was several weeks go on 8/20, and this person made it sound like it was happening the following week. Possibly these are two different searches or this was the info that was given to them several weeks ago and this search operation has changed in nature.
I posted that link this morning and then edited it out of my post.
Hoping that no one votes and Macon Telegraph gets the hint!!!!
Knox, I hope they do too.
I know what your intentions were when posting.
:blowkiss:
Perhaps they will get the hint, and decide sensitivity might be a good idea.
Thank you for answering, justice. I hope like heck that the GBI simply didn't find enough evidence to expend $ on a search of the area? But then that makes me feel terrible for her family- because they should not have to pay a thing.
PlainJaneDoe
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bessie
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I'm 99% sure the landfill search scheduled for the week after August 20th did not take place until today.
September 10, 2011
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2011/09/10/1697239/new-giddings-landfill-search-expected.html#ixzz1XmhL2qGI
Two landfills were searched in early July, the city landfill and the Wolf Creek landfill in Twiggs County (the one searched today). On August 3, Mr. G said he learned "through process of elimination" that the city landfill was thoroughly inspected, but not the WC landfll. Only a cursory search was done there, but the refuse from the law school was isolated in case a later search was required. Around the same time, the family enlisted the help of canine investigator Fred Golba and his dog Rhino.
August 3, 2011
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/138507/175/Lauren-Giddings-Family-Continues-to-Search-for-Remains
In the video accompanying the article, Golba's dog appears to alert at a Mercer law school dumpster.
I'll be back in a bit to post more. The 2:25 minute video at the above link is worth a peek.
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/143826/175/Search-Resumes-for-Lauren-Giddings-Remains
"Mann says the FBI made the decision to search the landfill several weeks ago, but didn't mention if any new evidence points there".
It is very significant, I think, that the FBI initiated this search (according to the same article referenced above). Two possible reasons for the new search, I think:
1) As LG's cousin hopes, "new evidence points there" -- very unlikely, I think, that there is new evidence that SMD placed remains in the Mercer Law dumpster. Someone above posted that perhaps SMD had told LE the remains were put there, but that news simply could NOT be contained so completely and the FBI would not be the ones to trigger the search. The only sort of evidence that could connect SMD with the law school dumpster is video (which does not exist, other than on the far distant ATT building). I guess an eyewitness could provide the same evidence, but surely they would've come forward long before now if they had seen SMD sneak inside the wooden enclosure around the law school dumpster.
2) The search is triggered by the total failure of any of the 200+ items sent to the FBI lab to connect SMD with LG. This explanation is compelling.
The evidence Det. Patterson testified about at the commitment hearing is ALL they have. FBI would not have committed the money to the landfill search except that they realize they don't have enough to convict and they are convinced of course that SMD did it. That makes it worth the expense. If they still had promising forensic evidence to test that might connect SMD with LG, they would be doing that testing, not conducting an almost hopeless search.
Just my thinking, of course. But, other than wishful thinking, how else can you explain it?
"Mann says the FBI made the decision to search the landfill several weeks ago, but didn't mention if any new evidence points there".
It is very significant, I think, that the FBI initiated this search (according to the same article referenced above). Two possible reasons for the new search, I think:
1) As LG's cousin hopes, "new evidence points there" -- very unlikely, I think, that there is new evidence that SMD placed remains in the Mercer Law dumpster. Someone above posted that perhaps SMD had told LE the remains were put there, but that news simply could NOT be contained so completely and the FBI would not be the ones to trigger the search. The only sort of evidence that could connect SMD with the law school dumpster is video (which does not exist, other than on the far distant ATT building). I guess an eyewitness could provide the same evidence, but surely they would've come forward long before now if they had seen SMD sneak inside the wooden enclosure around the law school dumpster.
2) The search is triggered by the total failure of any of the 200+ items sent to the FBI lab to connect SMD with LG. This explanation is compelling.
The evidence Det. Patterson testified about at the commitment hearing is ALL they have. FBI would not have committed the money to the landfill search except that they realize they don't have enough to convict and they are convinced of course that SMD did it. That makes it worth the expense. If they still had promising forensic evidence to test that might connect SMD with LG, they would be doing that testing, not conducting an almost hopeless search.
Just my thinking, of course. But, other than wishful thinking, how else can you explain it?
bessie
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You beat me to the punch, Thin Man. The new article answers some of our questions, though.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
So, on 08/03, Chief Burns says LE has no plans to search WC landfill. Golba, on the other hand, is confident LG's remains will be found there and thinks it should be searched.
Then on 08/18-19
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2011/08/18/1669391/investigators-in-giddings-case.html#ixzz1XmyPZuoj
According to the above article, LE was involved in the planning all along. They did not just suddenly decide to search because of new evidence or a new tip. I think it goes back to what I said the other night. Both LE and the Giddings have wanted to search the landfill since at least August for different reasons, but getting the funds approved has been a problem, leaving them with no alternative than to seek outside assistance. It is and always has been a joint effort.
September 12, 2011
What seems to have changed since last month is the method of funding the search. Instead of using the donations the family collected, the money comes from a different source.
Which leaves the question of why LE wants to search the landfill. I'm not ready to buy ThinMan's explanation that there is no evidence other than what was presented at the commitment hearing. I believe they have more, but it might be problematic, so they're searching for the one missing bit of evidence that would make the case a slam dunk.
The new article answers some of our questions, though.____________________________________________________________________________________________
So, on 08/03, Chief Burns says LE has no plans to search WC landfill. Golba, on the other hand, is confident LG's remains will be found there and thinks it should be searched.
Then on 08/18-19
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/202140/3/Agnes-Scott-alums-family-still-searching-for-remains
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2011/08/18/1669391/investigators-in-giddings-case.html#ixzz1XmyPZuoj
According to the above article, LE was involved in the planning all along. They did not just suddenly decide to search because of new evidence or a new tip. I think it goes back to what I said the other night. Both LE and the Giddings have wanted to search the landfill since at least August for different reasons, but getting the funds approved has been a problem, leaving them with no alternative than to seek outside assistance. It is and always has been a joint effort.
September 12, 2011
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/143826/175/Search-Resumes-for-Lauren-Giddings-Remains
What seems to have changed since last month is the method of funding the search. Instead of using the donations the family collected, the money comes from a different source.
Which leaves the question of why LE wants to search the landfill. I'm not ready to buy ThinMan's explanation that there is no evidence other than what was presented at the commitment hearing. I believe they have more, but it might be problematic, so they're searching for the one missing bit of evidence that would make the case a slam dunk.
You beat me to the punch, Thin Man.
Which leaves the question of why LE wants to search the landfill. I'm not ready to buy ThinMan's explanation that there is no evidence other than what was presented at the commitment hearing. I believe they have more, but it might be problematic, so they're searching for the one missing bit of evidence that would make the case a slam dunk.
[/COLOR][/LEFT]
What keeps you from being ready? If it's more than a hunch, I haven't read about it on these threads. If it IS a hunch, that's OK, but that's what I meant by "wishful thinking."
Wouldn't it be nice if LE has tons of evidence? But they don't -- either they have (my opinion) just what they presented at the hearing, or they have "problematic" evidence in addition to that (your opinion).
Trouble is, what they presented at the hearing is "problematic" and they really NEED something more. The hacksaw package and the keys are all that isn't problematic (given that the dog evidence is) and I think the WS consensus is that that evidence won't be enough to convict beyond reasonable doubt. That's why I think LE is now desperate (no prospect of good forensics) and are undertaking an expensive, low percentage search of the Twiggs County landfill.
What's worse is that SMD is likely to have carefully de-clued the remains just as he did the torso. The search is definitely a troubling development.
Backwoods
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I posted that link this morning and then edited it out of my post.
Hoping that no one votes and Macon Telegraph gets the hint!!!!
Maybe I should have skipped posting it, too, Knox -- I just thought, egads --and wondered if all here would have the same reaction.
I did glance at the comments on the site and there seemed to be quite a bit of disapproval, so maybe there wasn't much voting.
You know, it's not like everyone isn't wondering how the search will go, I get that -- but a reader poll?
edited to add: I see that the link to the poll is no longer working -- so maybe the message did get through!
Backwoods
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I am at least glad that, for this search, the weather in our area is at least a tad toward cooler than it was for weeks and weeks -- not a whole lot, highs in low and mid 90s rather than the upper 90s, but even those few degrees might make it a little more bearable for the searchers. Sounds like they spent a full day out there today, pretty much. That overhead photograph on the macon.com article had impact. It looks like a long, tough job.
bessie
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September 12, 2011
Search Resumes for Lauren Giddings' Remains
Macon police and the FBI, Monday, searched the Twiggs County Landfill for remains of Mercer Law grad Lauren Giddings.
That's according to police spokeswoman Jami Gaudet.
A police news release says crews are digging a section of the landfill where trash from Georgia Avenue is dumped. She said they're not using search dogs.
Search for Giddings Remains Underway at Landfill
The search began at 7 a.m. Monday. As of about 5:30 p.m., authorities hadn’t found anything at the landfill they could definitively link to the Giddings homicide investigation.
Search Resumes for Lauren Giddings' Remains
Macon police and the FBI, Monday, searched the Twiggs County Landfill for remains of Mercer Law grad Lauren Giddings.
That's according to police spokeswoman Jami Gaudet.
A police news release says crews are digging a section of the landfill where trash from Georgia Avenue is dumped. She said they're not using search dogs.
Search for Giddings Remains Underway at Landfill
The search began at 7 a.m. Monday. As of about 5:30 p.m., authorities hadn’t found anything at the landfill they could definitively link to the Giddings homicide investigation.
Wondergirl
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Haven't been by for a few days, but, it looks like your rant worked, Oriah, Macon.com got the hint and removed the poll.
I clicked on the link posted here, because I couldn't believe they would do that, it's gone now.
I clicked on the link posted here, because I couldn't believe they would do that, it's gone now.
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