I have just heard the news, and have caught up on the thread. I have many thoughts and questions, but, I will wait until after the presser for most of my questions.
A few I have now are:
1. Colonel Mustard alluded to the fact that there are possibly ramifications due to the fact that LE did not start truly investigating until Thursday morning. My concern is the TOD. What if Lauren was still alive?
2. If the onset of Lauren's friends beginning their search Wednesday night set forth the motion for SM to begin his process of removing the evidence, then that is the time frame that LE (and, sadly, Lauren's family) is dealing with for a search radius for the rest of Lauren's remains.
3. If SM dismembered and got rid of Lauren's unrecovered remains prior to Wednesday night, then, again, the TOD will be of utmost importance in narrowing the search radius. SM's known and documented whereabouts during the time frame in question, will prove most important.
4. Where was SM known to frequent, in the Macon area? Outdoors? The river?
5. The fact that LE has not done a river search, is not a good indicator for a recovery outcome for Lauren. It suggests to me that LE does not have any good indicators of where she might be. Of course, the fact that her torso was put in a garbage bin, indicates that it's possible her other remains are in another waste bin, with a different location. But would SM have known when the garbage pick-up's were? Would his computer show a search for garbage pick-up days?
6. A key (and gruesome) question regarding the dismemberment is this. Was Lauren Giddings dismembered out of passion or for "convenience" in ridding of the evidence? The answer to that question will tell us many things. According to the renown forensic psychiatrist that was on JJP's show last weekend (summarized by me on Thread 4), a non-serial killer who dismembers almost always does so out of passion and/or rage towards the victim.
7. Now that SM has been formally charged, is the discussion about his possibly nefarious hobbies, such as knife collecting or survivalist interests open for discussion?
8. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that SM will reveal where the rest of Lauren's remains are. That would involve admitting guilt. In the sad and gruesome case of Matthew Hoffman, the death penalty was taken off the table, in exchange for the information on the whereabouts of his 3 dismembered victims (he had put them in a massive, hollowed out tree, he was a tree trimmer by trade). I do believe it was his mother, who was able to encourage him to disclose the whereabouts of his victims. Perhaps, in this case, it may be possible for someone close to SM to encourage him to reveal the location of Lauren's remains, appealing to his religious beliefs or otherwise. Of course, that involves his family accepting the charges, which may not be possible. I guess we will see.
9. Does Texas EquiSearch only assist families trying to find loved ones who are alive? Would they be able to help the Giddings in their search?
10. Last, but not least, are there more victims, or was this alleged heinous act SM's first?