Found Deceased IA - Xavior Harrelson, 10, Montezuma, 27 May 2021

[Seattle1]

Missing Montezuma, Iowa boy Xavior Harrelson: Supporters hold vigil

July 25, 2021

We’re going to bring him home.

Those words were repeated throughout the Sunday afternoon vigil held for Xavior Harrelson, the boy who went missing from Montezuma, Iowa, nearly two months ago.

Organized by Xavior’s aunt Michelle Harrelson and Diane Hoffman, a volunteer who is involved in the missing person advocacy group Mollie’s Movement, the vigil took place at the Montezuma High School football field.

Orange, Xavior’s favorite color, was ubiquitously sported on shirts, headbands, and ribbons by almost all attendees.

“It’s kind of bittersweet," Michelle, Xavior’s aunt on his father’s side, said, "because it’s amazing to find out how many people you don’t even know can care about a kid they’ve never met before. But I honestly wish I had met a lot of these people under different circumstances.

 

[PommyMommy]

JUL 26, 2021
Montezuma comes together two months after Xavior Harrelson's disappearance
“He’s scared of the dark, he’d never go anywhere by himself,” MH said. ...

 

[DrollForeignFaction]

The circus continues.
Judge to issue written decision in Bahena Rivera’s request for new trial

Court proceedings began at 9 a.m. Bahena Rivera’s defense team tried to tie the murder of Mollie Tibbetts to the disappearance of Xavior Harrelson, both of Poweshiek County.

The defense called a Poweshiek County Deputy, who testified that a man named SC had called 911 Monday evening to complain about Xavior Harrelson’s mother calling him a “pedophile.”

On cross-examination, the deputy confirmed that SC had called authorities throughout the Xavier Harrison investigation about people harassing him several times. The deputy testified that no officers made contact with SC over his complaint.

Then they called AM, the inmate who came forward about GJ, nothing relevant to Xavior here. Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Trent Vileta was called next and he was like, “Yeah, CBR killed her.”

The defense then called on SR, who is a neighbor of Xavior Harrelson. She is the person who reported Harrelson missing.

SR testified that Harrelson’s mother had dated a man named JL. The prosecution made several objections and Judge Yates agreed, asking the defense to get to the point.

The defense asserted that JL is involved in Harrelson’s disappearance. The defense was allowed to continue to question SR about JL. The prosecution did not cross examine SR.

Mahaska County Narcotics Detective Ben Johnston then took the stand. Johnston was asked about a young woman who claimed she had been sexually assaulted in March of 2018.

The defense questioned Johnston about possible connections with JL and drug trafficking in the area and a connection to the young woman.

 

[Pavelsky]

I didn't read this response as the director suggesting Xavior had run away, instead he's saying that most victims of trafficking - which they do not believe Xavior is - begin as runaways.

The intersection between running away and then falling into either sexual exploitation or labor trafficking is well-documented: The Overlap of Human Trafficking and Runaway and Homeless Youth

He's actually contrasting the circumstances of Xavior's disappearance with the ones that tend to lead to trafficking.

And, not to be negative but I doubt that a larger reward will do much good in Xavior's case, since it hasn't led to any known movement in the case so far. I agree that someone needs to start talking but studies have shown that larger rewards do not make much of a difference in whether people report useful tips (larger rewards DO increase the number of useless tips, however): Do Cash Rewards For Crime Tips Work?

Barb Bergin, chairwoman of Crime Stoppers USA, says the prospect of higher rewards for cases that receive more publicity may increase the number of tips or calls. That doesn't necessarily mean those tips help solve the case or lead to higher rewards being paid out.

"Nationally we are seeing programs who are paying out as little as 15 to 20% of their available rewards," Bergin says.

What this tells me is that a person who knows real information is often motivated by fear (fear of angering the person they accuse; fear of losing friends, partners, or family; fear of being wrong; fear of their life changing in immeasurable ways) more than by any amount of money. And it also tells me that a person who is motivated to put their fear aside is likely to do what's right anyway, regardless of monetary amount. From the article: "Our studies showed that it was getting an award that mattered, not so much the exact award figure," Lurigio says.

I think LE needs to canvass the neighborhood again or at least go back to the information that they learned in the first week of the case. There may be someone who saw something important who hasn't yet realized the importance of what they observed or know.

I didn't read this response as the director suggesting Xavior had run away, instead he's saying that most victims of trafficking - which they do not believe Xavior is - begin as runaways.

The intersection between running away and then falling into either sexual exploitation or labor trafficking is well-documented: The Overlap of Human Trafficking and Runaway and Homeless Youth

He's actually contrasting the circumstances of Xavior's disappearance with the ones that tend to lead to trafficking.

And, not to be negative but I doubt that a larger reward will do much good in Xavior's case, since it hasn't led to any known movement in the case so far. I agree that someone needs to start talking but studies have shown that larger rewards do not make much of a difference in whether people report useful tips (larger rewards DO increase the number of useless tips, however): Do Cash Rewards For Crime Tips Work?

Barb Bergin, chairwoman of Crime Stoppers USA, says the prospect of higher rewards for cases that receive more publicity may increase the number of tips or calls. That doesn't necessarily mean those tips help solve the case or lead to higher rewards being paid out.

"Nationally we are seeing programs who are paying out as little as 15 to 20% of their available rewards," Bergin says.

What this tells me is that a person who knows real information is often motivated by fear (fear of angering the person they accuse; fear of losing friends, partners, or family; fear of being wrong; fear of their life changing in immeasurable ways) more than by any amount of money. And it also tells me that a person who is motivated to put their fear aside is likely to do what's right anyway, regardless of monetary amount. From the article: "Our studies showed that it was getting an award that mattered, not so much the exact award figure," Lurigio says.

I think LE needs to canvass the neighborhood again or at least go back to the information that they learned in the first week of the case. There may be someone who saw something important who hasn't yet realized the importance of what they observed or know.

Your thoughts are interesting! If Xavior was not taken for trafficking and most every one believes he did not run away then he was taken by someone close to him, someone in the park where he lived or someone familiar with the park! May LE find this person and bring this boy home!

 

[Tiff23fr]

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