IL IL - Diamond, 3, & Tionda Bradley, 10, Chicago, 6 Jul 2001

[Bodhi]

Things I recall as unanswered questions.

1) Why drop off two of the siblings, instead of all four if Tracy knew she had to work the following morning?

2) Was Tionda the only sibling enrolled in summer school? Did she have an IEP? Most, if not all students who qualify for ESY (extended school year aka summer school) also qualify for transportation regardless of how close they live to school. Was there an attempt by school transportation to pick her up? She lived on a busy street that would qualify for bussing despite distance from the school.

3) Did the two siblings who were taken to Grandma's the evening before see Tionda and Diamond that day?

4) Did the friends who watched the baseball game with Tracy see Tionda and Diamond during their time at the apartment?

This article addresses a couple of your questions.

Regarding the two sisters staying at their grandmother's, the article states George was going to take Tracey, Tionda, and Diamond camping, leaving that afternoon. The two sisters who were not going camping were dropped off at their grandmother's the night before. The article doesn't go into why all 4 children couldn't have slept at their grandmother's and Tionda and Diamond get picked up there for the trip.

Regarding #4, the article does not state explicitly that the friends watching the baseball game saw Tionda and Diamond. But it does say that the friend (neighbor George) who came by after they left did not see the girls. The articles implies that the baseball-watching friends saw/heard the girls because they were adamant the girls were there.

For 20 years, the family of Tionda and Diamond Bradley has asked: Where are our girls?

Twenty years ago this summer, Chicago launched what investigators say may be the city’s largest missing persons investigation to date.

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[katydid23]

watching the documentary on ID:

Disappeared: The Bradley Sisters​

SpecialCrime

2 hours

New, CC, Stereo

In 2001, sisters Diamond and Tionda Bradley vanish from their Chicago apartment; after 22 years, Detective Pam Childs gains access to the family, revisiting critical scenes, interviews, and inconsistencies.

PART ONE
my notes:

Tracy does not sound credible. IMO. Maybe she's just nervous about admitting she left the girls all alone?


But she doesn't answer the question about why she dropped 2 girls at grandmas, then left the youngest ones home alone.

George took Tracy to work about 6 am
George and tracy were only 2 people who knew the girls were left alone
She talks about George picking her up at work at 11 am and then they go home and find the note from Tionda saying they were going to the school...[ the sister said the note actually said the store, not school]



tracy didnt want to call police cuz she might lose her other girls...so they went to the lake to search [George didn't help]

The back door to the apt building was always unlocked so anyone could come in

7 hrs later the grandma called the police

Pam Childs: no signs of forced entry---the girls were likely kidnapped by someone they knew

According to news interviews, George claimed he was trying to help investigators at the start

George NEVER involved himself in the search---he sat in the car while tracy searched

The day they girls went missing g George left and never returned to help---he told tracy to call him if they were found


WOW:
the aunt says that the family was in the apartment 2 days after the girls went missing, and Faith found sa message on her cell phone from Tionda, which said"

"Mommy, I'm going to the store with George to pick up a cake for Vicki [sis]"

The family was shocked. But somehow that message got erased from the phone. Tracy said the police erased it? But Faith said her mom accidentally erased it?

Pam Childs wondered why so much confusion about the note and the voice mail. Everyone has a different story about things.
She wonders if that message was made up and reported by the whole family--maybe to put blame towards George as deflection

Suddenly a twist in the documenatry, where Pam Childs seems to be suspicious about Tracy the moms involvement
Tracy said voice mail was left by Tiana ---sisters say there was----but Pam Childs cannot conform it

And confusion about the note---FBI said the handwriting was Tianda's but the wording didn't sound like her---did someone make her write it?

And the camping story seems like BS---why did they tell that story---PC says there were no plans, no equipment ready, no history of ever camping, etc


Tracy's auntie doesn't seem to believe Tracy about somethings....

OK< this is weird weird weird---George was married to a woman named Diamond-----when Tracey had the baby, it was George's baby---and she named her Diamond----PC asks her why she did that

Tracy shrugs and says IDK, maybe to bother the wife, or make George mad?

To this day George denies paternity but the FBI confirmed she was his with DNA test

George did take a polygraph with FBI and passed it though


SO FAR I AM CONFUSED----THE SHOW SEEMS TO BE MAKING A CASE FOR 2 SCENARIOS:

Tracey harmed her girls to keep George because he was angry about Diamond and didnt want to pay or take rresopnsibity---but Tracey loved him so much according to her older girls---she'd do anything for him

OR

George got rid of them out of not wanting to pay child support and being angry at Tracy etc

 

[katydid23]

PART TWO
my notes from documentary:

at start of case investigation, there was some suspicious evidence about George---his neighbours said he had been burning something in an industrial barrel in his garage---he denied it---but there did seem to be black smoke type stuff in Garage and weird striation scratches in his trunk---but that wasn't enough evidence

Also there were receipts found in his house for a large box of garbage bags, and gloves, bought the day after girls went missing [?]and 5 bags were used---he said he used them in a construction job but it has not been totally confirmed



In 2010 a cold case detective found untested evidence from case files---some human hairs found in Georges vehicle trunk--matched the girls hair DNA

George said he used to put them in the trunk to sneak them in---but LE said there were no drive ins in the area at that time


2003---tracey had another baby with George--a little boy, then another baby boy-----Tracey lost custody of both to George

George said: it's funny the family points a finger at me, but the courts seem to feel differently

Leticia Hicks---George showed up drunk at her house, the day the girls went missing , with blood on his clothes and he took a shower at her house---but she said this happened on the 4th of July---so that doesn't fit
but Georges cell phone records don't match up with her story


May 2023---break in. case? Woman DNA tested to see if she is diamond----a tik Tok-er from Houston---she said she was Diamond---the family flew to Texas and then the woman backed off and seemed a bit crazy----PC says the test results have yet to be revealed [so it's likely BS]

The older sisters now believe the girls are probably gone

WOW---UPDAGTE ON INCONSISGENCY IN TRACYS STORY---she was actually at Georges house after she dropped older girls at grandmas
SHE NEVER SAW HER GIRLS THAT MORNING----GIRLS WERE ALONE FROM JULY 5TH ALL NIGHT, AND ALL DAY NEXT DAY

Tracy LIED about that morning----why?

WERE THEY IN IT TOGETHER??????????

 

[Cubby]

Holy camoly! She was never at the apartment. Wow. What did the sisters have to say? Did they see Tionda and Diamond on the day they were dropped off at Grandma's?

 

[Cubby]

They must have been in it together. Tracy never called the police, her mother did.

Did George appear on the show?

 

[Cubby]

So the guys who claimed to have watched the Cubs game at the apartment the evening of July 5th lied.

 

[Deleted member 326769]

IMO after following this case for quite some time, I feel that George killed tionda and sold diamond. I think Tracey at the very least knows what happened and she either participated or helped him cover it up. Something has always been very off about that woman.
My main question after that documentary is where in the hell was the wife when Tracey was spending the night at George’s house? Lol
Other than that, there really wasn’t anything new in the show

 

[Cubby]

IMO after following this case for quite some time, I feel that George killed tionda and sold diamond. I think Tracey at the very least knows what happened and she either participated or helped him cover it up. Something has always been very off about that woman.
My main question after that documentary is where in the hell was the wife when Tracey was spending the night at George’s house? Lol
Other than that, there really wasn’t anything new in the show

I haven't watched it yet, but as far as the marriage they could have been estranged but never filed for divorce because they couldn't afford to. I've seen that occur with people struggling financially.

I think he killed both of them and disposed of them while Tracy was at work.

I'd like to know if cadaver dogs were ever used on George's car and garage.

George knows where they are. Unfortunately, I don't believe they are recoverable.

All my opinion only.

 

[Cubby]

The only way this case will be solved, imo, is a confession or a no body murder charge. Idk if a conviction is possible.

 

[Deleted member 326769]

I haven't watched it yet, but as far as the marriage they could have been estranged but never filed for divorce because they couldn't afford to. I've seen that occur with people struggling financially.

I think he killed both of them and disposed of them while Tracy was at work.

I'd like to know if cadaver dogs were ever used on George's car and garage.

George knows where they are. Unfortunately, I don't believe they are recoverable.

All my opinion only.

I don’t think they were estranged from the way Tracey talks about his wife. That’s what has me wondering. It’s clear he had at least a few girlfriends. But would usually stay with them at their houses. I just hope one of them talks and the family can get closure on this. It’s been so long and so hurtful with girls claiming to be one of them. IMO

 

[katydid23]

Holy camoly! She was never at the apartment. Wow.

It shocked me too. All that talk and those anecdotes about her telling her girls to stay inside and not answer the door, blah blah blah, and she was canoodling at Georgie's house all night and the next morning. So that was all lies from both of them.

Now I don't trust either one of them.

What did the sisters have to say? Did they see Tionda and Diamond on the day they were dropped off at Grandma's?

The docu ended right after the big reveal that she was lying about that night. So they never went back to the others to ask those pertinent questions. I hope there is going to be a Part 2.

They must have been in it together. Tracy never called the police, her mother did.

I think they must have been. They are estranged now it seems. But neither can tell the truth now.

Did George appear on the show?

There were clips of him but it wasn't clear to me when they were shot.

The older daughters, and the aunt and great aunt and Tracy were all on the show. And also retired detectives that were on the cold case.

 

[katydid23]

I haven't watched it yet, but as far as the marriage they could have been estranged but never filed for divorce because they couldn't afford to. I've seen that occur with people struggling financially.

I think he killed both of them and disposed of them while Tracy was at work.

I'd like to know if cadaver dogs were ever used on George's car and garage.

George knows where they are. Unfortunately, I don't believe they are recoverable.

All my opinion only.

After processing this new version of her story, I think the girls were possibly harmed by George or both of them, after the sisters were dropped at grandma's. There is no other reason for the older girls to be left with grandma while the youngest ones were going to be alone while mom worked.

And the camping story was hogwash, so none of it makes sense.

It's also possible he harmed them after Tracy went to work---but that doesn't explain why the older girls were dumped off with grandma the night before.

 

[SAMS]

I thought I knew everything about this case until I saw this documentary. Very informative IMO. I do believe there will be a part two-hopefully answering the questions mentioned above. Where was the camping gear? Why would you take the youngest ones camping and leave the older ones at grandmas knowing that the younger ones would be by themselves without their older sisters, for at least that night. Why lie about leaving the girls for over 24 hours but yet finally admit that you lied initially because you didn’t want to lose custody for leaving them for just a few hours? The sisters say that their mom possibly split them up to go camping due to funds. That sounds like something that was spoonfed to them when they were younger and they hold onto that belief. Once a liar, always a liar to me. I feel like she knows a lot more than what she will ever admit to And the fact that this woman named a child after The wife of her lover is the craziest thing I’ve heard in a while. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Then, after every suspicious activity/actions on George’s part, you continue to be in a relationship with him and bare his child again? and hold on, name him, George Junior. It’s very clear that there is something very wrong with the mother here and I would not doubt it if she conformed with George to get rid of the younger girls so that she could have more freedom to be with him, and it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see the sisters, because they clearly have an idea as to what they believe happened. And what was with the great aunt emailing her self the voicemail that got deleted but yet she can’t access it ???!!! Phew.IMO MOO

 

[Cubby]

A long but interesting article about this case. A must read. A lot of information I hadn't seen before. Including information about cell phone records and pings.

Regarding the alleged voice mail from Tionda. The article indicates there were no phone calls made from her apartment land line to her cell phone the day the girls disappeared.

The Bradley Sisters Went Missing 20 Years Ago—And Their Aunt Hasn't Stopped Searching For Them Since

In 2001, a 10- and 3-year-old went missing in Chicago—a case that's since become complicated by relations between law enforcement and the Black community.

www.oprahdaily.com

 

[Cubby]

Fwiw, I don't see any resemblance between the woman in TX and Diamond.

 

[Puzzles8]

@katydid23 ,thank you so much for watching the entire documentary and taking such meticulous notes for us.
@Cubby, thank you so much for following this case from the beginning (2001) and providing so much history.

Everyone contributing to this thread over the years has their heart in the right spot. Closure means either finding the person responsible for their murder and/or attempting to find T & D to give them them a proper burial.

IMO, sadly, I don't think those precious girls are still alive.

Strictly IMO, I read all 17 pages tonight and my conclusion is that George (the BF and Diamond's alleged father) is either directly or indirectly responsible for their death. Just a guess on my part.

May Tionda and Diamond Rest In Eternal Peace.

JMO

 

[katydid23]

So the guys who claimed to have watched the Cubs game at the apartment the evening of July 5th lied.

They must have but it wasn't addressed in the docu. It ended so abruptly after the big reveal.

 

[katydid23]

My theory is the sisters didn't see Tionda and Diamond the day they were dropped off at Grandma's. (Nevermind it makes zero sense that George didn't drop Tionda and Diamond off at Grandma's at the same time he dropped Tracy off at work. Especially since Grandma's and Tracy's job were at the same location).

Something happened before Tracy was brought to work. Likely to Diamond who was in bad shape but alive before Tracy was brought to work. George forced Tionda to write the note before taking the girls to an unknown location before harming them to keep them quiet.

George had the entire day to hide the girls, who I believe died as a result of harm from George. He then burned evidence in his garage. Police knew of this early on as it's mentioned they searched and removed evidence from the garage within days of the girls disappearing.

Jmo my theory on what happened.

Bbs with link regarding garage search.

I think this is probably correct or pretty close.

It may have begun right after they dropped the sisters off with grandma. However classmates said they saw the girls at the park the next morning, July 5th. So I guess he waited until he dropped Tracey off at work?

 

[katydid23]

This article addresses a couple of your questions.

Regarding the two sisters staying at their grandmother's, the article states George was going to take Tracey, Tionda, and Diamond camping, leaving that afternoon. The two sisters who were not going camping were dropped off at their grandmother's the night before. The article doesn't go into why all 4 children couldn't have slept at their grandmother's and Tionda and Diamond get picked up there for the trip.

Regarding #4, the article does not state explicitly that the friends watching the baseball game saw Tionda and Diamond. But it does say that the friend (neighbor George) who came by after they left did not see the girls. The articles implies that the baseball-watching friends saw/heard the girls because they were adamant the girls were there.

For 20 years, the family of Tionda and Diamond Bradley has asked: Where are our girls?

Twenty years ago this summer, Chicago launched what investigators say may be the city’s largest missing persons investigation to date.

chicago.suntimes.com

"The night before the girls went missing, they were seen by many people. The sisters were at the apartment when Tracey had two friends over to drink and watch the Cubs baseball game. The friends were questioned twice, and they both said the girls were at the home when they left around 10 p.m."


So this^^^ was a lie. Tracy or George somehow convinced these 2 friends to lie to police to alibi them?


"The day the girls disappeared, they had planned to go on a camping trip to Lake Shafer in Indiana with their mother and her boyfriend, according to family and investigators"


This was also, probably a lie told by Tracy and George. They were never really going to go camping that day.



"Tracey’s boyfriend came to the apartment around 3 a.m., stayed for a bit, then took Tracey to work around 6:30 a.m., according to investigators. Tionda and Diamond were left alone, with strict orders from their mother not to let anyone — no matter who they were — into the apartment."

More lies^^^^----


"Classmates said they saw Tionda and Diamond at the nearby Doolittle Elementary School playground that morning, according to family, who believe the girls slipped out that morning but returned home once the other children headed in for the start of summer school."

This ^^^^ could be true. I think the classmates told the truth. So the girls did probably walk to the playground that morning.

"According to family, Tionda left a voicemail on her mother’s cellphone around 8:17 a.m., asking if she had permission to let a man in. Tionda used a first name in the message that both Tracey’s boyfriend and the neighbor shared. The girls, however, regularly called the neighbor by a nickname instead."

"Family allege Chicago police accidentally deleted the voicemail off the cellphone when they brought it down to the station. Law enforcement sources say they’ve never heard it and could not confirm that an officer deleted the message."

It may be true ^^^^that the girls called mom at work to say George was taking them to the store. I wonder why mom deleted the message though?

"The boyfriend confirmed to USA Today he took Tracey to work that morning but denied showing up at the apartment later when the girls allegedly called their mom to say someone was at the door. "

More ^^^ lies---George did take her to work but he also must have come and picked up the girls while mom was at work.

 

[imstilla.grandma]