GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 # 4

[Backwoods]

Because I want to know the right person is in jail. I want the killer off the streets whether it is SM or Donny Osmond.

As for in the Fox special. I did not see ANY eye rolling. I saw a man looking all around, most likely at people standing off to the side. As a former teacher, child & adolescent therapist, and a mom, I have seen more than my share of eye rolling.

PsychoMom, we'll have to see if your mention of Donny seeds the next rumor!!

And thanks for the "eye-rolling" quip, gave me a much-needed laugh!

 

[bessie]

i understand this is a very hard time for her. but why is she laughing at theories/people who care to know what happened to lauren, who want justice to be served for her. how can she laugh at something like this? i dont know how she can be entertained by that.

if it were my family member this had happened to, i would feel touched that people care.

i just don't understand her attitude. but i guess people grieve in different ways???

To understand her "attitude", we'd first have to experience the horror of surviving the murder of a close loved one. We'd have to be told that our dear one's body was "dismembered", and only her torso was recovered, wrapped in plastic and thrown out with the trash like common household garbage. Then we'd have to experience that knowledge being displayed before the public. I can just barely imagine the muddled mix of emotions that would rule my thinking, and there would be no lack of bitterness and resentment. God bless her and all who are grieving for Lauren.

 

[Backwoods]

I could interpret that smile in three different ways. JMO

1. SM's DNA is all over the body and I am confident we will have more
than enough evidence to convict.

2. SM's DNA was in her apartment and I am confident that when all the
results are back we will have positive results on her body as well.

3. That's a really stupid question. Of course I'll be able to tell you whether SM's DNA was on her body when the results come back.

I vote for number #3! Seriously, on the face of it, not "reading between the lines", her second question was kind of a "duh" one, and her first question was worded pretty awkwardly (not bashing the reporter here, really, I know it's a rough job sometimes!) -- I just can't read all into this exchange that some have!

 

[SouthernKate]

i understand this is a very hard time for her. but why is she laughing at theories/people who care to know what happened to lauren, who want justice to be served for her. how can she laugh at something like this? i dont know how she can be entertained by that.

if it were my family member this had happened to, i would feel touched that people care.

i just don't understand her attitude. but i guess people grieve in different ways???

For the most part, the discussion here is very intelligent, focused, and not rumor-filled. Everywhere else, on the other hand, has a tendency to get a little absurd at times. (I have even laughed at the silliness of some rumors, so I see where she's coming from). She also appeared on the Fox show and didn't seem too keen on that from the article either (which I posted upstream).

I will say this - I cannot begin to imagine what she is going through. I don't fault anything she says - her pain must be unbearable. I definitely don't think she is "entertained" by any of this. I've suffered some great losses in my life and I know that sometimes what we say during those times may seem odd (and her thoughts are being captured by the media). She is young and just reacting emotionally, which she is definitely entitled to do.

I truly hope that the Giddings' family can one day find comfort and peace.

 

[bessie]

I feel that way too.
Despite the fact that him being exonerated would mean by pet theory would go out the window, I pretty much want to be wrong because I feel affection and sympathy for him. It gets overwhelming for me, the amount of violent killers I have to study who also have sides to them I completely find adorable. It's no wonder the FBI field offices and headquarters have chaplains meant to keep the hearts of their agents fleshy.

I would like McDaniel to be exonerated because I see -- I feel -- his parents' agony. I empathize with a mother's sorrow and bewilderment as she watches her son, at the brink of launching his career and realizing the fruits of so much hard work and sacrifice, brought down by shame and humility in the glare of an unforgiving public. For me, it was so much easier to envision Stephen McDaniel as a deranged killer, an aberration of humanity, before I saw the images of his parents. I hurt for them almost as much as the Giddings, and I wish both families could awaken tomorrow to find it was all a bad dream.

 

[JeannieC]

LE does not have time to try and determine who is starting the rumors (that is okay, IMO, catch the killer)

They mentioned getting calls and people wanting answers. I guess they are trying to calm everyone down and clear the phone lines. Allow them to do the job they are paid to do. They don't want any mistakes on this one and neither do we!

 

[SouthernKate]

I would like McDaniel to be exonerated because I see -- I feel -- his parents' agony. I empathize with a mother's sorrow and bewilderment as she watches her son, at the brink of launching his career and realizing the fruits of so much hard work and sacrifice, brought down by shame and humility in the glare of an unforgiving public. For me, it was so much easier to envision Stephen McDaniel as a deranged killer, an aberration of humanity, before I saw the images of his parents. I hurt for them almost as much as the Giddings, and I wish both families could awaken tomorrow to find it was all a bad dream.

Bessie - I completely agree. I posted this (way) upstream, but McD's mom just broke me...that burden she must be carrying, I can't imagine.

 

[angelanalyzes]

Thanks for sharing that. I've been trying to understand how someone of SM's intelligence could dispose of a body in the trash at his own apartment. The fact that it was trash day doesn't diminish the stupidity of that. But I still don't get why he would have held on to the body for so long. The smell would have permeated the area the body was in, unless it was in the freezer.

Well, FWIW, several days after the initial announcement of the murder I speculated this regarding motive and why it played out the way it did: http://angelanalyzes.tumblr.com/post/7176057228/lauren-giddings-murder-preliminary-analysis (linked because I'm not sure if I can only post 10% here or not)
Some people find it offensive etc., but I was trying to make sense of why someone risk-averse enough to be able to hypothetically pull off the crime without leaving a huge mess would make such a seemingly stupid mistake. I tend not to think it was a mistake that he held onto her for so long, unfortunately.

I realize the trash comes on Thursday morning, but I highly doubt he had planned to wait all that time for the trash to be picked up to get rid of the remains, because only a part of her was found in the trash, so if it's McDaniel's doing, he had been disposing of other large parts piecemeal in other ways and it's possible IMO that there was a reason he was holding onto her remains and why the rest of her has been hard to locate.
Could be totally and completely wrong and it could just be a bungled attempt at avoiding detection by dismemberment, but IMO it makes no sense to expose yourself to all that DNA risk in your own apartment complex in the murder of your next-door neighbor in hopes of avoiding detection, so that indicates some darker urges, possibly.

 

[angelanalyzes]

I would like McDaniel to be exonerated because I see -- I feel -- his parents' agony. I empathize with a mother's sorrow and bewilderment as she watches her son, at the brink of launching his career and realizing the fruits of so much hard work and sacrifice, brought down by shame and humility in the glare of an unforgiving public. For me, it was so much easier to envision Stephen McDaniel as a deranged killer, an aberration of humanity, before I saw the images of his parents. I hurt for them almost as much as the Giddings, and I wish both families could awaken tomorrow to find it was all a bad dream.

Very well said.
I know she had so many hopes vested in her boy's future, he worked hard to get where he was.
Part of me hopes she reads WS so she can see how even the sleuthiest people on the internet wish Stephen all the best if he is exonerated, so that if this was all just a big mistake and he's innocent, there are plenty of people who sympathize and see some good in her son [enough good to really want to believe he's innocent even though we don't even know him] and that it doesn't have to be all over for him after this.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Not sure, but I think she MAY be referring to the "comments" sections of some of the local news link pages more than to this site or others along the same lines as this one -- although we may be good for a laugh now and then too! The comments on the news sites run the gamut from intelligent to stupid to downright disgusting.

edited to add: See? from http://www.macon.com/2011/07/28/1646...#ixzz1TR6J5A1c
Wheeler, Gidding’s sister, said her family sometimes reads news website comment pages where some of the rumors about the case may germinate.
“Honestly, it’s been somewhat entertaining to us when we check in. I mean, some things are obviously disturbing,” Wheeler said. “But some of the little theories they come up with have made us have a few laughs. ... Really, I feel sad for the people that are commenting on there because they obviously have nothing better to do with their time. But that’s their problem.”

Exactly - if you have read any of the comments sections on the Macon.com articles you would see what she's talking about. Some of the comments are so ignorant and some are just plain rude and disgusting. Please don't take it as an insult to a site like this one where there are actual rules and protocols for posting and sharing factual information.

 

[MaconMom]

Here's an editorial piece published today about all the speculation in Lauren's murder.

http://m.macon.com/macon/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=q4P03WXz

As a side note, I live in Macon and have not heard anyone even commenting on her murder. I have one friend who I try to talk to about it, and I drive my husband nuts talking about it, but that's it. Maybe I'm just out of touch?

 

[tomkat]

i understand this is a very hard time for her. but why is she laughing at theories/people who care to know what happened to lauren, who want justice to be served for her. how can she laugh at something like this? i dont know how she can be entertained by that.

if it were my family member this had happened to, i would feel touched that people care.

i just don't understand her attitude. but i guess people grieve in different ways???

I dont' know the victim, I do have connections to macon, kaitlyn is removed from Macon,however it is her sister, not sure about the laughing she does at the gross and creative theories posters have written, I guess she's an expert, THis comment of hers sickened me, she apparently can laugh at the situations that caused her dead sisters dismembered body. Sick. I'm sorry, I dont' grieve that way, those in Macon have to watch their backs and speculation on what we know helps discern shoudl we be concerned about a serial killer or such since there is yet to be a suspect. JMO

 

[PsychoMom]

See, this is why I mentioned Drew Planten.
I had a very hard time imagining the same thing about a guy who people said looked terrified and physically stressed when someone even tried to engage him in normal conversation. He would never even make eye contact with people outside his family and a few coworkers. He was so fragile and unbalanced he wouldn't even stand up in custody, or open his eyes. He just collapsed. He was bright and solitary, he was a zoologist, young, looked like he belonged in some kind of alternative band. But he turned out to be a serial murderer and sexual sadist.
~snipped~.

Drew Planten grew up in a very abusive home and never participated in any groups or clubs. And he never spoke to people unless he had to. In contrast to SM, who participated and was even thought of well enough to be vice president of at least one club. He did communicate with others. And it appears he did not have the abusive background of Planten. They really are not that much alike. It's like comparing Lady Gaga with Barbra Streisand just because both of them sing. One or two commonalities do not make them the same person.

I had to look him up because you kept comparing them. I see 2 very different people. Even if SM does turn out to be the one who did this, this isn't a comparison that fits.

 

[tomkat]

There's a lady in NC that was murdered and dismembered. She went missing July 25th and they already have two people charged. If the evidence is there, it's there. I would think that if LG was dismembered in those apartments there would be plenty of evidence at this point regardless of the FBI's final results. Maybe LE already has enough evidence and are just taking their time because SM is in jail.

Is that the one whose remains ended up in TX, how did they ever find HER and HER perp?? Seems local finds would be much easier!

 

[tomkat]

Drew Planten grew up in a very abusive home and never participated in any groups or clubs. And he never spoke to people unless he had to. In contrast to SM, who participated and was even thought of well enough to be vice president of at least one club. He did communicate with others. And it appears he did not have the abusive background of Planten. They really are not that much alike. It's like comparing Lady Gaga with Barbra Streisand just because both of them sing. One or two commonalities do not make them the same person.

I had to look him up because you kept comparing them. I see 2 very different people. Even if SM does turn out to be the one who did this, this isn't a comparison that fits.

That's what gets me confused about this, BTK/Bundy/Dahmer/ seemed to be withdrawn and OCD/charismatic/withdrawn-animal abuser early on/ unlike how I see or things I hear about SMcD, he atleast TRIES to be social and IS outgoing. Just odd/nerdy/likes to have fun running and cursing at his video games. LOL. I just dont' see it, but WHO KNOWS. I just hope more comes out soon for the family's sake and for the community

 

[Sandstorm]

i understand this is a very hard time for her. but why is she laughing at theories/people who care to know what happened to lauren, who want justice to be served for her. how can she laugh at something like this? i dont know how she can be entertained by that.

if it were my family member this had happened to, i would feel touched that people care.

i just don't understand her attitude. but i guess people grieve in different ways???

I believe Kaitlyn may be referring to some of the comments found at the end of the online newspaper articles. After reading some of the bantering, obscure theories, and name calling comments, I agree with Kaitlyn. Some posters do need to find something better to do with their time. I do not believe she is referring to constructive posters who share intelligent ideas or thoughtful opinions with respect to Lauren and the Giddings family.

 

[angelanalyzes]

Drew Planten grew up in a very abusive home and never participated in any groups or clubs. And he never spoke to people unless he had to. In contrast to SM, who participated and was even thought of well enough to be vice president of at least one club. He did communicate with others. And it appears he did not have the abusive background of Planten. They really are not that much alike. It's like comparing Lady Gaga with Barbra Streisand just because both of them sing. One or two commonalities do not make them the same person.

I had to look him up because you kept comparing them. I see 2 very different people. Even if SM does turn out to be the one who did this, this isn't a comparison that fits.

Yep, he grew up in a very abusive home and displayed some different tendencies as an individual, but the fact remains that he did not seem like he could harm a fly from superficial impressions and in many ways seemed a much more delicate flower and submissive personality than McDaniel even does.
Not sure if you know much about the McDaniel family's history, but Planten's family history has been written about [sparingly on the internet] for years and years now, of course there are more details to analyze in his case thus far than in McDaniel's.
My point was just that it was equally hard to imagine Planten being a killer at first glance, if not even harder to imagine [as his abuse history was not immediately reported on] and it turned out that he not only killed a girl he didn't even know by breaking into her home with the purpose of raping and murdering her, but that he had also killed before and had rampant sexually sadistic fantasies. After I saw that play out I realized that in terms of superficial impressions from a distant lens, a a suspect's potential for violence is not easily determined from vibes and impressions of their seeming gentility.
I don't know of any two people who are the same...

 

[Mrs.Peacock]

A little OT here but I find it strange that the boyfriend has never been named or offered any type of statement or opinion. I have read conflicting reports that the email was sent to him and in other cases to a friend. I can't think of anyone who would know more about a persons fears of security or discomfort (or lack thereof) than a someone who you are having a relationship with, but yet he has given no opinion relating to McD.

 

[angelanalyzes]

That's what gets me confused about this, BTK/Bundy/Dahmer/ seemed to be withdrawn and OCD/charismatic/withdrawn-animal abuser early on/ unlike how I see or things I hear about SMcD, he atleast TRIES to be social and IS outgoing. Just odd/nerdy/likes to have fun running and cursing at his video games. LOL. I just dont' see it, but WHO KNOWS. I just hope more comes out soon for the family's sake and for the community

Ehh, Gacy and Bundy were very outgoing and socially competent [or so they convinced others], hell Bundy even considered politics.
I wouldn't place McDaniel within the model of the "prototypical" serial killer. If he did this it would seem to more closely resemble the crime of a very fixated stalker of sorts.

 

[midstateMind]

I believe Kaitlyn may be referring to some of the comments found at the end of the online newspaper articles. After reading some of the bantering, obscure theories, and name calling comments, I agree with Kaitlyn. Some posters do need to find something better to do with their time. I do not believe she is referring to constructive posters who share intelligent ideas or thoughtful opinions with respect to Lauren and the Giddings family.

Agreed, and co-sign! That said, believe me, there are nights that I go to bed wondering why I'm so wrapped up in being caught up on having read everything on the threads here and in articles elsewhere. This is the first time that I have ever watched an investigation unfold moment to moment with this sort of interest, and quite frankly, sometimes it disturbs me. I can easily see how anyone would look at the discussions here and wonder what prompts 30+ people to jump through the hoops of getting registered, login, post, and send private messages about the sister whose loss I feel so viscerally. I'd kind of think we were a bunch of weirdos, fwiw. :crazy:

You're right---the news article comments are horrendous. They range from supportive to skeptical to conspiracy theory to downright hateful. I can see how looking at any of that nonsense would just bring you to your knees. I can't even look at those comments anymore, and this is not even my loss or grief.