Found Deceased KS - Marilane Carter, 36, Overland Park, enroute to Birmingham, 1 Aug, call from Memphis, 2 Aug 2020

[Ninja Bunny]

If she was suicidal, once someone decides to kill themselves the mind becomes very focused on that. The person is often very calm and able to carry out activities toward that end that might surprise loved ones. If she was determined to kill herself I think she would be able to back her SUV in on the first try. That said, I’m surprised she didn’t go all the way in.

 

[FULLOFHOPE]

I agree! Also, would he not smell something if the door was even slightly opened?

 

[Ninja Bunny]

We don’t know who was there in the interim and if they opened, closed or moved the door. A transient, a methmaker, or someone else might have opened/moved the door, saw the car in there, decided the shipping container didn’t suit their purposes, and then just moved on.

 

[Occam's Zebra]

When you look at the video I just posted and pictures of the tyre tracks inside the container, it's not so much about if a woman could do that.

It's one scary narrow box and the way the car went in (angle) and then after a single correction in a perfect straight line. That was a parking precision job.
I'm sorry but it just doesn't fit with a lost, disoriented, suicidal woman.

She's driving a 2017 SUV with Park Assist. That's the entire point behind Park Assist - to allow for precision parking regardless of the person's inherent experience or skill.

 

[Ontario Mom]

If your husband is a Baptist pastor, isn't his wife becoming Catholic outrageous?

Wouldn't that cause huge problems (in their relationship)?

Yes, and yes.

 

[MontereyMama]

I don't see anything nefarious about what happened to Marilane. I'm not sure why people seem to think the husband is involved somehow. I'm not getting that at all.

Mental illness, drugs, alcohol, a drug reaction - whatever was happening with Marilane is tragic and yet by driving into that Container, I can't help but believe it was purposeful. It wasn't an accident IMO.

I hate that we are sitting here trying to blame the police, her family etc. for what happened. If you ever have dealt with a mentally ill person who is determined to do what they want to do you would understand what Marilane's family was up against. It is heartbreaking, intensely scary and the inability to understand and help is probably the worst feeling to have in these types of situations.

IMO Marilane was in crisis and in terrible emotional and psychological pain. Her illness dictated her story from the moment she decided to drive, rather than use the plane ticket. Whether she left with a plan to commit suicide or whether she developed a plan on her route, we will never know.

I do not believe she was murdered. I do not believe her husband had anything to do with her death. I do believe, in an altered state, Marilane made the decision to end her life alone in a dark shipping container and that is so incredibly sad that I have a hard time even typing that.

This is my opinion only. If the results of the autopsy show something different, I'll eat my words. I just think this is a horrible tragedy.

MOO

Just this ^^ because it bears repeating.

Also, it is really unfortunate she wasn’t discovered a week earlier, but that would NOT have altered the final outcome.

Lastly, whether or not their religious leanings were currently the same (we don’t know!!) marriage challenges do not necessarily equal murder! There has been nothing, IMO, to indicate that AC is anything less than honorable.

 

[s10]

I think it would be difficult for anyone, especially if it was dark. It would have been dark as soon as the rear of the vehicle entered the container. I just think it would have taken several tries.

If the wind did close the door how would it have been clamped down? The doors are held close by a cam type clamp that rotates to lock it in place, but maybe it wasn't closed tight. I don't think there is any way someone could have gotten out of the car, pulled the door closed and then got back in the car. Once that door was closed it would have been pitch black inside, unless car lights were on. Reality would have really changed once that door closed. Just pretty odd to me.

For me its extremely difficult to back up with some added stresses on the mind, like kids wanting to hurry up and get that boat in the water or people waiting to launch as you try to back up. Just a few minor added stresses or thoughts in the mind makes it difficult to back up.

These are my thoughts an opinions only

She got gas around 5pm. Her last ping was 8pm. The sun was definitely up during that time.

 

[Gardenista]

If your husband is a Baptist pastor, isn't his wife becoming Catholic outrageous?

Wouldn't that cause huge problems (in their relationship)?

Nope, not outrageous at all.

 

[kodi]

I wanted to share another resource that may come in handy. There is a program called "Mental Health First Aid". "Mental Health First Aid" is a course that teaches you how to help someone who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. The training helps you identify, understand and respond to signs of addictions and mental illnesses. I saw a post yesterday that somebody wondered how they could start the conversation with a coworker, but I can't find the post now...

This is a 1-day course as far as I know and is free of charge. These are listed as their course outcomes:

Mental Health First Aid is an international training program proven to be effective. Peer-reviewed studies show that individuals trained in the program:

• Grow their knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions.
• Can identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental illness or addiction.
• Increase their confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress.
• Show increased mental wellness themselves.

Virtual courses will be available soon.

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/072220_MHFA_AdultOnePager.pdf

You can learn more about Mental Health First Aid by visiting Mental Health First Aid USA - Mental Health First Aid

What an invaluable resource. Thank you so much for this.

 

[Teche]

It is especially tragic if she left home because of shame. Sometimes women in her position, as a pastor's wife, feel so much pressure to handle their life and maybe her husband didn't want anyone to know that she was struggling.

It's intersting that she became Catholic because my understanding is that their doctrine speaks out the strongest against suicide. More than other religions.

And finally, there are many people online who are happy to help a person do anything. She could have connected with a pro-suicide online culture and someone could have encouraged her and also told her about the containers and their location.

I’m a practicing Catholic and the church’s view has changed quite sometime ago. One who’s committed suicide can have a mass at the funeral. Committing suicide is viewed with empathy for the person’s struggle. Finally.

 

[killarney rose]

Nope, not outrageous at all.

From my experience as a lifelong Southern Baptist, this would definitely cause problems in the marriage as well as with the husband's job.

ETA if this was a couple who were just members of a SBC church, it wouldn't be a big deal, but a pastor is another story.

 

[Pak31]

Nope, not outrageous at all.

Not outrageous but definitely odd. Usually spouses are in sync with their beliefs. He also knew she was troubled and yet didn’t protect her. How can you watch your troubled wife drive off knowing she may never come back? Such a shame.

 

[Pak31]

From my experience as a lifelong Southern Baptist, this would definitely cause problems in the marriage as well as with the husband's job.

ETA if this was a couple who were just members of a SBC church, it wouldn't be a big deal, but a pastor is another story.

Is it odd that she recently converted and now she’s gone?

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Is it odd that she recently converted and now she’s gone?

That’s not odd to me at all.

Maybe she was searching for peace or purpose in her conversion. Perhaps she believed she would be reunited with her first love in heaven. We will never know.

 

[killarney rose]

Is it odd that she recently converted and now she’s gone?

MOO only. In the big picture, no. As one who suffers from GAD, I can tell you. There were times when I was in the throes of full blown panic that I took off in the middle of the night. I just had to flee. I rode around till I calmed down. Usually a few hours, then was able to return home and sleep. But my husband was left home to care for the kids. He was worried to death for me. During these episodes I had no fear of leaving in the night alone. I just had to get out now. I can imagine that when Marilane left that night that she felt something similar and and her poor husband like mine, didn't have a choice but to remain at home. The difference between she and I was that she was suicidal when she left and I never was. This had probably been coming on for some time and the conversion, the searching for answers, wanting help and not getting it, all culminated in the events of that night and morning.

 

[DutchTreat]

From my experience as a lifelong Southern Baptist, this would definitely cause problems in the marriage as well as with the husband's job.

ETA if this was a couple who were just members of a SBC church, it wouldn't be a big deal, but a pastor is another story.

That's what I was thinking as well. I also can't believe it wouldn't have an impact on a marriage. Choosing a different church when your husband is a pastor. That must feel like betrayel.

 

[jenn83]

Thank you.

I trust her mother that provided the very first account of her daughter having trouble sleeping.

Show me a sleep-deprived woman carrying for 3 children full-time, and I'll show you at least one man that will claim she has mental health problems.

The first statement I read about mental health issues was an actual QUOTE attributed to MC's husband!

And this same man tells us exactly what time she drove away into the night in her vehicle, all alone, on a 700-mile journey.

Yeah, I'll sign-off when I see the suicide note.

MOO

This! 100 likes

 

[cluciano63]

The family can decide whether or not to accept suicide. They knew her and probably also a lot more about her struggles than have been made public. Jmo

 

[Stormy415]

We don’t know who was there in the interim and if they opened, closed or moved the door. A transient, a methmaker, or someone else might have opened/moved the door, saw the car in there, decided the shipping container didn’t suit their purposes, and then just moved on.

This, ^ just perhaps someone left her to die. I hope the LE takes some fingerprints from the back of the car. You never know.

 

[DutchTreat]

The difference between she and I was that she was suicidal when she left and I never was. This had probably been coming on for some time and the conversion, the searching for answers, wanting help and not getting it, all culminated in the events of that night and morning.

We don't know she was suicidal do we? And also there's no note. That bothers me too.
People assume she was suicidal and planned to kill herself. But I'm really not convinced of that.