GA - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 #1 *Arrests*

[zencompass]

Merry Christmas Sugarbritches !

Love and peace

 

[sugarbritches]

Out of random curiosity, where is MH? Last I heard, he was in Europe? Or was this just rumors?

 

[sundrop]

MH lives in Europe

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[-Specs-]

Just my take on this case. I feel that everyone has spent this time thinking that Tara is this good two shoes teacher/beauty queen, that they're missing the fact that she has her own problems and issues. She by accounts of others was dating/sleeping with multiple men. Not only that but she seemed to have a secret life that no one really knew about, even her family and close friends. I think that ultimately a lot of people are lying, and people are denying the facts that maybe Tara wasn't so innocent, pure, or chaste.

 

[sundrop]

In 11 years on this case I have not come across legitimate evidence that Tara lived or had a secret life.

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[freudian._.slip]

Just my take on this case. I feel that everyone has spent this time thinking that Tara is this good two shoes teacher/beauty queen, that they're missing the fact that she has her own problems and issues. She by accounts of others was dating/sleeping with multiple men. Not only that but she seemed to have a secret life that no one really knew about, even her family and close friends. I think that ultimately a lot of people are lying, and people are denying the facts that maybe Tara wasn't so innocent, pure, or chaste.

Tara is the victim. Good grief.


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[marable]

Tara is the victim. Good grief.


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I so agree with you, was afraid that I would again be attacked if I said anything ....She is a victim...Think of it, if Tara were your daughter would you want her relationships discussed hinting at her social history as the cause of her disappearance ? It makes no difference to me if she slept with a different man per week, she is someone's daughter, sister, aunt, cousin......she may or may not have made mistakes , haven't we all?......She is a victim, deserving our respect .....Any of us are but one heartbeat from being where Tara is......

 

[sugarbritches]

I don't think Tara lived a "secret" life, but I do not think she wanted certain things to be known about her. Does that make her a horrible person or deserving of whatever she has endured? No.

 

[fitzgeraldga]

I'm a local that grew up in Fitzgerald, 9 miles from Ocilla. I didn't personally know Tara, but we were in the same age range, and I "knew of her." The two towns are very closely connected, and, in many ways, everyone knows everyone else. With that being said, stuff like this doesn't happen down there very often, and the gossip circuit was running rampant when this happened. The most common theories are ones that have been hashed and rehashed. There are a few that, while almost certainly less plausible, did make their way around town for a while. In the interest of new/different information, I will address them below. With that being said, these are the definition of, to use a Southernism, beauty parlor gossip. I'm in no way advocating for their truth. But, they are things that got traction at one point or another in the local community.

The first theory goes to "where is Tara now." A lot of people think she ran off and started a new life, but the more common (and tragic) theory is that she was killed. To that theory, the next question became where is her body. In Fitzgerald, there is an old factory complex that locals refer to as Delco/Delphi. In years past, it housed a car battery manufacturing plant. It is common knowledge that, behind the facility (that is surrounded by a large fence with controlled access -- and is now closed) is a "sludge pond" where they dumped chemicals. God only knows what is in it, but, needless to say, it isn't a place you would find someone fishing or swimming because it's basically a well of toxins. The rumor was that Tara's body was dumped in the Delphi sludge pond and, for that reason, would never be found.

The next theory I hesitate to put out there because it probably isn't true. But, the scuttlebutt around town for a while was that Tara had some sort of inappropriate relationship with her sister's husband. Allegedly, that had come to blows shortly before she went missing in one form or another. After she went missing, when no one was talking about it to the police, the rumor was that her family had decided that they had already lost one daughter and wouldn't lose another one by bringing this to the light of day. It seemed to suggest that the sister didn't know, but maybe their parents did. Again, this is the definition of small town gossip, so take that for what it's worth.

All of this came back to mind in listening to the Up and Vanished podcast. With respect that podcast, I have a few "local perspective" thoughts of my own. First, and there's no nice way to say this, everyone in the area knows that local cops are corrupt. The area is a drug epicenter, and it never gets better because the cops get kickbacks. It's just the way of life down there, and locals aren't surprised at all to hear they are involved in covering things up when it suits them. Murder is certainly taking it to the extreme, but, the point is, as someone who has been in the area for 20 years, I don't bat an eyelash at the thought of a police cover-up. Many of the friendships run deep, going back generations because their parents and grandparents were also friends going up. Local police are the law down there. If they want to bury something, it gets buried.

On a similar note, the podcast spends considerable time trying to paint the young man who committed suicide as mentally unwell. His story about the dirt road encounter is almost viewed as a work of science fiction. I didn't know that young man, and I have no personal knowledge about his circumstances. But, I can say that it didn't sound crazy to me at all. I can't tell you how much shady stuff goes down on these back roads, from affairs to fights to drug deals. When my local friends and I heard that, we were all like "yep, could totally see that happening." You stumble upon something you weren't supposed to see and have the proverbial fear of God put in you. I'm not saying it's true, but I'm just saying that it didn't seem far-fetched to me.

Finally, I have a question to pose. I've read about 30 pages of this thread, so I apologize if it was discussed in older conversations I didn't read. But, the podcast takes about the black trucks a lot. Do we have any information about the types of vehicles the people of interest drove at the time? We know the Expedition that burned on Snap Dragon didn't fit the description, but what did the rest of these gentlemen drive at that time? Seemed like he skipped right over that even though he thought the truck may be the key to it all.

 

[leep]

I'm a local that grew up in Fitzgerald, 9 miles from Ocilla. I didn't personally know Tara, but we were in the same age range, and I "knew of her." The two towns are very closely connected, and, in many ways, everyone knows everyone else. With that being said, stuff like this doesn't happen down there very often, and the gossip circuit was running rampant when this happened. The most common theories are ones that have been hashed and rehashed. There are a few that, while almost certainly less plausible, did make their way around town for a while. In the interest of new/different information, I will address them below. With that being said, these are the definition of, to use a Southernism, beauty parlor gossip. I'm in no way advocating for their truth. But, they are things that got traction at one point or another in the local community.

The first theory goes to "where is Tara now." A lot of people think she ran off and started a new life, but the more common (and tragic) theory is that she was killed. To that theory, the next question became where is her body. In Fitzgerald, there is an old factory complex that locals refer to as Delco/Delphi. In years past, it housed a car battery manufacturing plant. It is common knowledge that, behind the facility (that is surrounded by a large fence with controlled access -- and is now closed) is a "sludge pond" where they dumped chemicals. God only knows what is in it, but, needless to say, it isn't a place you would find someone fishing or swimming because it's basically a well of toxins. The rumor was that Tara's body was dumped in the Delphi sludge pond and, for that reason, would never be found.

The next theory I hesitate to put out there because it probably isn't true. But, the scuttlebutt around town for a while was that Tara had some sort of inappropriate relationship with her sister's husband. Allegedly, that had come to blows shortly before she went missing in one form or another. After she went missing, when no one was talking about it to the police, the rumor was that her family had decided that they had already lost one daughter and wouldn't lose another one by bringing this to the light of day. It seemed to suggest that the sister didn't know, but maybe their parents did. Again, this is the definition of small town gossip, so take that for what it's worth.

All of this came back to mind in listening to the Up and Vanished podcast. With respect that podcast, I have a few "local perspective" thoughts of my own. First, and there's no nice way to say this, everyone in the area knows that local cops are corrupt. The area is a drug epicenter, and it never gets better because the cops get kickbacks. It's just the way of life down there, and locals aren't surprised at all to hear they are involved in covering things up when it suits them. Murder is certainly taking it to the extreme, but, the point is, as someone who has been in the area for 20 years, I don't bat an eyelash at the thought of a police cover-up. Many of the friendships run deep, going back generations because their parents and grandparents were also friends going up. Local police are the law down there. If they want to bury something, it gets buried.

On a similar note, the podcast spends considerable time trying to paint the young man who committed suicide as mentally unwell. His story about the dirt road encounter is almost viewed as a work of science fiction. I didn't know that young man, and I have no personal knowledge about his circumstances. But, I can say that it didn't sound crazy to me at all. I can't tell you how much shady stuff goes down on these back roads, from affairs to fights to drug deals. When my local friends and I heard that, we were all like "yep, could totally see that happening." You stumble upon something you weren't supposed to see and have the proverbial fear of God put in you. I'm not saying it's true, but I'm just saying that it didn't seem far-fetched to me.

Finally, I have a question to pose. I've read about 30 pages of this thread, so I apologize if it was discussed in older conversations I didn't read. But, the podcast takes about the black trucks a lot. Do we have any information about the types of vehicles the people of interest drove at the time? We know the Expedition that burned on Snap Dragon didn't fit the description, but what did the rest of these gentlemen drive at that time? Seemed like he skipped right over that even though he thought the truck may be the key to it all.

Thanks for the post and welcome, it's always good to hear a locals perspective. [emoji848]


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[marable]

Thanks for the post and welcome, it's always good to hear a locals perspective. [emoji848]


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Thank you for your great post....I enjoy reading something from a local perspective as well....

 

[sundrop]

In 11 years working on this case I have heard all kinds of rumors and I have just read more.

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[fitzgeraldga]

Sundrop, hence the clear and repeated preface to that effect. Everyone appreciates the work you've done on this case, but it is discouraging to see your curt responses to others that are also just trying to help. I mean no disrespect, but if you knew it all, the case would be solved. Since it hasn't been, there must be more information to be gathered. Stifling a free flow of ideas and information does nothing to get us to that mutual end goal.

 

[sundrop]

I haven't had total access to the case files, which has been my problem. In my opinion unsubstantiated rumors have hurt the case over the last decade

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[sundrop]

At this point in time strong direct evidence is what is needed and absolutely nothing else

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[fitzgeraldga]

Everyone would love to find strong, direct evidence to solve the case. Unfortunately, there isn't an app for that yet. Until there is, what we have to do is sift through what's available and hope its winding path ultimately lands at the truth. In my opinion, the only bad information is the kind you don't have. But, perhaps we should agree to disagree on that. Good luck in your future pursuits for an answer.

 

[sundrop]

Information that you don't know is not information. There's absolutely no new information to sniff through in this case and most of it has been just white rabbit holes.

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[Simply Caustic]

Sundrop, hence the clear and repeated preface to that effect. Everyone appreciates the work you've done on this case, but it is discouraging to see your curt responses to others that are also just trying to help. I mean no disrespect, but if you knew it all, the case would be solved. Since it hasn't been, there must be more information to be gathered. Stifling a free flow of ideas and information does nothing to get us to that mutual end goal.

I appreciate the local perspective. In your initial post, you referenced potentially coming to blows over the affair but then stated that perhaps the sis didn't know - does this mean rumor has it, that the brother in law and Tara came to blows? I'm just curious and wanna make sure I'm reading it right. Thanks for sharing, it's greatly appreciated!


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[sundrop]

If you have credible information about the above then report it to the law enforcement so action can be taken. Ultimately gbi will have to take any information and look at it no matter where it comes from.

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[Simply Caustic]

Information that you don't know is not information. There's absolutely no new information to sniff through in this case and most of it has been just white rabbit holes.

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Sundrop, I respect the work you've done in your eleven years on this case. I think your dedication is admirable and indicative of a strong character. Thank you for all you've done.

With that being said, I also think that this thread is going to continue to speculate whether you find that annoying, or not. That's what we do here at WS. Saying that we won't accomplish anything because it's speculation, isn't going to stop this thread or speculation upon it. Respectfully, SC


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