IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #36

[Marilynilpa]

Just turned on the TV and caught the last minute or so of the Steele Report. Kent Smock and a DCI investigator were on. Smock said they had a lead come in just last week that they're investigating. It will be online at www.kwwl.com.

Thanks! It's reassuring to know they are still following leads.

ETA: I have watched part 1 and can't get part 2 to load. I'll be away for a few hours and when I get back I'll watch part 2. Wow, something new to discuss!

 

[tlcya]

I am so glad to see this conversation reinvigorated. I must beleive that one day we will know the who and the how. Intolerable to imagine otherwise.

 

[dotr]

Wondering if Elizabeth and Lyric attended the same church and/or, Sunday school and if so, did they attend regularly?

 

[Squeeze]

Here is the full link. I could not bring it up on my phone - had to get on the laptop. KWWL's website is so cluttered and just messy, and the searches don't work right, so here you go: http://www.kwwl.com/category/256572/the-steele-report

I personally think they are farther along that some give them credit for. They need some details to make the case solid. I'm also wondering what video evidence they have, as far as vehicles leaving the area. Since they couldn't have gotten onto Highway 20, there are only so many ways to leave Evansdale. With the various businesses around town, they could narrow down the path, timeline, vehicle description of the perp. I wonder what sort of video surveillance the police has. I know we have only heard about the auction house's video, but there must be others out there that they aren't talking about.

 

[tlcya]

If I remember right, in the past Heather Collins was, for a time, caring for Lyric due to her own parents legal and drug issues, Lyric likely attending the Collins' church with them during that time. But I don't know if, while she lived with grandma in the time frame just before the kidnapping, she regularly attended a church or was involved with any church groups.

 

[Marilynilpa]

Wondering if Elizabeth and Lyric attended the same church and/or, Sunday school and if so, did they attend regularly?

IIRC, early on it was mentioned that at oner time Lyric had once attended the same church as Elizabeth. If I run across that onto I'll give you the link.

 

[dotr]

If station wagons were considered the quintessential family car at one time, would a white SUV be the modern day equivalent? imo

 

[dotr]

IIRC, early on it was mentioned that at oner time Lyric had once attended the same church as Elizabeth. If I run across that onto I'll give you the link.

Thanks, did not intend to send anyone looking for a link!

This one references the church that at least one of the girls attended and because they were often together, perhaps they both went there too.
More importantly, this lengthy article linked, provides a reminder of the lively personalities of Elizabeth and Lyric, initialed, bm.

http://archive.desmoinesregister.co...7220057/FBI-believes-missing-Iowa-girls-alive

"Lyric always has a smile on her face, said R E, the youth director at Countryside Vineyard Church, where Lyric and her mother, Misty Cook-Morrissey, attended church.

That’s not to say Lyric’s life has been easy. The 10-year-old has mostly been raised by her grandmother and her aunts. Lyric’s parents — Cook-Morrissey and Daniel Morrissey — have both spent much of the past 10 years incarcerated, mostly on drug-related charges.

Still, Lyric is a rambunctious girl who likes to be the boss, those who know her say.

Elizabeth, called “Lizzy” by most, has a grin for everyone and likes to talk to anyone who will listen, friends and family say.

Elizabeth was home-schooled in second grade. The next year she attended Poyner Elementary School in Evansdale, part of the Waterloo school district.

“She was so social,” said Al M, Elizabeth’s third-grade teacher. “She was always the last one to finish her lunch because she was always talking. I’d be like, ‘Come on, Liz, get moving,’ and she’d give me that smile.”

M last talked to Elizabeth three or four weeks ago.

“She asked for my address because she had written me a letter,” she said. “I couldn’t get her off the phone, you know? She was wanting to tell me everything she’s done this summer. She had gone swimming and played with friends and rode her bike and all these good things. I just keep reflecting on that phone call.”

 

[Marilynilpa]

If station wagons were considered the quintessential family car at one time, would a white SUV be the modern day equivalent? imo

I know it is the preferred company vehicle - I see them everywhere!

 

[Squeeze]

Idk if this is in the link, but i believe Lyric and her mom went to Cornerstone fellowship on Lafayette.

 

[Fukiyama]

“She was so social,” said Al M, Elizabeth’s third-grade teacher. “She was always the last one to finish her lunch because she was always talking. I’d be like, ‘Come on, Liz, get moving,’ and she’d give me that smile.”

M last talked to Elizabeth three or four weeks ago.

“She asked for my address because she had written me a letter,” she said. “I couldn’t get her off the phone, you know? She was wanting to tell me everything she’s done this summer. She had gone swimming and played with friends and rode her bike and all these good things. I just keep reflecting on that phone call.”

Does a little girl talking to a teacher on the phone in the summer strike anyone else as odd? Or was it just me that I just that glad to be out of school that I'd never consider such a thing?

 

[dotr]

Does a little girl talking to a teacher on the phone in the summer strike anyone else as odd? Or was it just me that I just that glad to be out of school that I'd never consider such a thing?

Well, I was a very chatty kid (still am, lol) and never, ever would I want to talk on the phone with a teacher, even a favorite one, at any time, but especially not during summer vacation.jmo
This case may be different because of family situation.
Wondering who the girls may have " befriended" that summer?

 

[Marilynilpa]

In Part 1 of the video, the abduction of Lyric and Lizzy was described as a "perfect storm". That is how I've always thought of it. Everything came together to create s situation that seemed impossible - two girls taken on a summer's day in a place where anyone could have seen them, and yet apparently no one did. JMO

 

[Indy Anna]

Thanks, did not intend to send anyone looking for a link!

This one references the church that at least one of the girls attended and because they were often together, perhaps they both went there too.
More importantly, this lengthy article linked, provides a reminder of the lively personalities of Elizabeth and Lyric, initialed, bm.

http://archive.desmoinesregister.co...7220057/FBI-believes-missing-Iowa-girls-alive

"Lyric always has a smile on her face, said R E, the youth director at Countryside Vineyard Church, where Lyric and her mother, Misty Cook-Morrissey, attended church.

That’s not to say Lyric’s life has been easy. The 10-year-old has mostly been raised by her grandmother and her aunts. Lyric’s parents — Cook-Morrissey and Daniel Morrissey — have both spent much of the past 10 years incarcerated, mostly on drug-related charges.

Still, Lyric is a rambunctious girl who likes to be the boss, those who know her say.

Elizabeth, called “Lizzy” by most, has a grin for everyone and likes to talk to anyone who will listen, friends and family say.

Elizabeth was home-schooled in second grade. The next year she attended Poyner Elementary School in Evansdale, part of the Waterloo school district.

“She was so social,” said Al M, Elizabeth’s third-grade teacher. “She was always the last one to finish her lunch because she was always talking. I’d be like, ‘Come on, Liz, get moving,’ and she’d give me that smile.”

M last talked to Elizabeth three or four weeks ago.

“She asked for my address because she had written me a letter,” she said. “I couldn’t get her off the phone, you know? She was wanting to tell me everything she’s done this summer. She had gone swimming and played with friends and rode her bike and all these good things. I just keep reflecting on that phone call.”

I wonder if LE interviewed Ms. M and analyzed the letter Lizzy wrote her? If Lizzy told her teacher everything she was doing over the summer, it's possible that her communications with Ms. M hold some clues. It's especially likely that Lizzy offered up some valuable clues if she and Lyric were biking to the lake regularly. Why were the girls doing what they knew they weren't allowed to do? Were Lyric and Lizzy routinely meeting someone at the lake and sworn to secrecy? Since Lizzy loved to talk, it's likely she would have divulged such information to someone - possibly her teacher.

I think the killer likely gained the girls' confidence over time, unless he was already a family acquaintance. Even if the perp used some form of coercion, I don't believe the girls would have gone with a complete stranger without creating a big ruckus. They had been taught about stranger danger.

 

[dotr]

I wonder if LE interviewed Ms. M and analyzed the letter Lizzy wrote her? If Lizzy told her teacher everything she was doing over the summer, it's possible that her communications with Ms. M hold some clues. It's especially likely that Lizzy offered up some valuable clues if she and Lyric were biking to the lake regularly. Why were the girls doing what they knew they weren't allowed to do? Were Lyric and Lizzy routinely meeting someone at the lake and sworn to secrecy? Since Lizzy loved to talk, it's likely she would have divulged such information to someone - possibly her teacher.




I think the killer likely gained the girls' confidence over time, unless he was already a family acquaintance. Even if the perp used some form of coercion, I don't believe the girls would have gone with a complete stranger without creating a big ruckus. They had been taught about stranger danger.

Reading Lizzy's letters for clues is an excellent idea, wonder if LE have already done that?
Someone getting to know/groom the girls at the lake over the summer, is horrifying, not just because of the possibility that they were sexually abused, but because of the ultimate betrayal .. they were murdered. imo.

 

[Fukiyama]

I wonder if LE interviewed Ms. M and analyzed the letter Lizzy wrote her? If Lizzy told her teacher everything she was doing over the summer, it's possible that her communications with Ms. M hold some clues. It's especially likely that Lizzy offered up some valuable clues if she and Lyric were biking to the lake regularly. Why were the girls doing what they knew they weren't allowed to do? Were Lyric and Lizzy routinely meeting someone at the lake and sworn to secrecy? Since Lizzy loved to talk, it's likely she would have divulged such information to someone - possibly her teacher.

Do we know if the teacher is a man or a woman? That's one of the reasons why I asked if anyone else found it odd. The teacher is identified as "Al M" and I assume Al is a first name, a man's name.

 

[Marilynilpa]

Do we know if the teacher is a man or a woman? That's one of the reasons why I asked if anyone else found it odd. The teacher is identified as "Al M" and I assume Al is a first name, a man's name.

The article refers to the teacher as Angel.

 

[dotr]

Do we know if the teacher is a man or a woman? That's one of the reasons why I asked if anyone else found it odd. The teacher is identified as "Al M" and I assume Al is a first name, a man's name.

Very sorry, I "initialed " the female name and the L was left in error. it should have read as A.M.:facepalm:

 

[alliemay]

I wonder if this teacher attended the same church as Elizabeth? That might explain a bond between them outside of the school environment. Other than that, I can't think of many reasons why a child would write to a teacher over the summer months. The teacher could have told the whole class she was going to miss them and expressed her to desire to know what everyone was doing in the summer. There are so many little things we don't know about this case and never will.

 

[TedMac]

I wonder if this teacher attended the same church as Elizabeth? That might explain a bond between them outside of the school environment. Other than that, I can't think of many reasons why a child would write to a teacher over the summer months. The teacher could have told the whole class she was going to miss them and expressed her to desire to know what everyone was doing in the summer. There are so many little things we don't know about this case and never will.

It really isn't uncommon for teachers, particular in small towns to have some sort of contact with their students in the summer months. Some towns have only one or two grocery stores, shopping centers, movie theaters, etc., thus making contact between students and teachers a fairly regular occurrence. Also, some teachers serve as mentors to kids and work summer programs through their parks & recreation departments and see a lot of the kids that way. Further, some teachers "go the extra mile" and maintain contact with their students during the summers, especially students like Lizzy who was described as being "chatty".

As you mentioned, the Church may have been another way that Lizzy and her teacher saw each other away from school.