LA - Mickey Shunick, 21, Lafayette, 19 May 2012 - #1

[wfgodot]

So, um, I was reading the JVM transcript from last night, and I have to ask...was Chief Craft being...well...less than honest?? I dont want to call it lying or anything, but...well, you can read it.

snippity

I don't find it strange. I find it expected behavior. They I think obviously flubbed this up from the git-go. Now it's a matter of damage control in addition to searching for Mickey. Bad scenario, having to combine the two.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

But where is Mickey? Where are these other girls? I'll see if I can find the flyer and post it here so newbies can see what I'm talking about.

http://www.billwarnerpi.com/2012/05/was-petite-blonde-heather-hodges-aka.html
Please scroll all the way down the page - this is not the complete list either.

Bill W. is thinking that social media may be the way the girls are being targeted and, I agree, that could be the case.
But the carnie theory is a possibility too because of the transient quality. If the same person took these girls, he obviously
has a type.

 

[LanieCoz]

So, um, I was reading the JVM transcript from last night, and I have to ask...was Chief Craft being...well...less than honest?? I dont want to call it lying or anything, but...well, you can read it.

>>VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. So I understand you`re now checking businesses for video. I have to say, Chief, that Mickey`s father has been somewhat critical, saying that he felt police waited too long to get started. He said, quote, "None of the video cameras got checked over the weekend, because the managers weren`t in and waited two days to check the video cameras. If somebody has abducted her and taken her on the interstate or something, they got a two-day head start."

Chief, I want to give you a chance to -- to respond to that.

CRAFT: Well, the timeline of events is that she was reported missing some 16 hours after she most likely disappeared. When she was reported missing, we followed our standard protocol.

You know, there`s a myth that you have to wait 24 hours. That`s not true. She was immediately entered into the national database as a missing person.

Patrol officers were given her description and a description of her bicycle and began conducting searches on -- that was done throughout Saturday night.

On Sunday morning we called out an investigative team to begin looking for her and checking businesses. And for the businesses that were open we were able to -- to look at video.

So there`s a lot of misinformation with people, you know, having bits and pieces of information being put out there. But, you know, we have a timeline of events. And the department has responded with -- I guess right now, for a city our size, we`re only a department of about 260 officers.


So from what I remembered AND what I could find online- the LPD didnt officially document her as a missing person until Monday.

I'm not saying they didnt enter her name into a database, I'm not saying I know what time she was reported missing (16 hrs after 2 am would be 6 PM...I swear I had started to see info on FB before 6 PM on Saturday...) but it seems that it was reported that the police were officially calling her a missing person on MONDAY. But Craft seems to say that they considered her a missing person on Saturday night.

Anyone else find that strange?

From what I read, it was about 5PM on Saturday when she didn't show up for her brother's graduation that she was reported missing. I could be wrong, but this is what I believe I read on the Find Mickey FB page.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

So, um, I was reading the JVM transcript from last night, and I have to ask...was Chief Craft being...well...less than honest?? I dont want to call it lying or anything, but...well, you can read it.

>>VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. So I understand you`re now checking businesses for video. I have to say, Chief, that Mickey`s father has been somewhat critical, saying that he felt police waited too long to get started. He said, quote, "None of the video cameras got checked over the weekend, because the managers weren`t in and waited two days to check the video cameras. If somebody has abducted her and taken her on the interstate or something, they got a two-day head start."

Chief, I want to give you a chance to -- to respond to that.

CRAFT: Well, the timeline of events is that she was reported missing some 16 hours after she most likely disappeared. When she was reported missing, we followed our standard protocol.

You know, there`s a myth that you have to wait 24 hours. That`s not true. She was immediately entered into the national database as a missing person.

Patrol officers were given her description and a description of her bicycle and began conducting searches on -- that was done throughout Saturday night.

On Sunday morning we called out an investigative team to begin looking for her and checking businesses. And for the businesses that were open we were able to -- to look at video.

So there`s a lot of misinformation with people, you know, having bits and pieces of information being put out there. But, you know, we have a timeline of events. And the department has responded with -- I guess right now, for a city our size, we`re only a department of about 260 officers.


So from what I remembered AND what I could find online- the LPD didnt officially document her as a missing person until Monday.

I'm not saying they didnt enter her name into a database, I'm not saying I know what time she was reported missing (16 hrs after 2 am would be 6 PM...I swear I had started to see info on FB before 6 PM on Saturday...) but it seems that it was reported that the police were officially calling her a missing person on MONDAY. But Craft seems to say that they considered her a missing person on Saturday night.

Anyone else find that strange?

No, not strange. It's always like this - standard protocol, grown ups have the right to disappear if they want to, most return in a couple of days, runaways, yada-yada.

Not to blame but couldn't someone from Walgreens have called a manager to come in to look at the video? Would that be so difficult and wouldn't he/she want to help if possible? I know I would. Now, I fear, if Mickey is on the video they don't want to say that out loud because they didn't look sooner. Could this be why the FBI was called in?

Bicycle and video at Walgreens? (not fact, just wondering) If so, at least they'd have something though.

 

[Unscripted]

If she had made it to Congress from the Cajundome area, there shouldve been at least 3 cameras that would've seen her.

If she took the St. Landry Street route (as speculated by BW in the radio interview) there wouldn't be any traffic cameras until Congress and Cajundome Blvd.

What struck me when I followed that possible travel route (on Google maps street view) was that from lower St. Landry, around the Blackham Complex and all along Cajundome Blvd. north to Congress it seemed sparsely travelled by cars and pedestrians even during the day. If there was an event on, it would obviously be very busy with people and traffic, but probably not at 2AM even with the fair in town.

I would have been tempted to get onto Johnston after St. Landry, but it would have made for a slightly longer trip. There are traffic cams on Johnston, as well, at the major intersections so IF she did make it that far either via Congress on Johnston something should at least show up on the city traffic cameras. It does appear that there are no thru streets on the residential side streets and that sooner or later she would have had to travel on Johnston or Congress to get home.

Presumably if she was spotted on a traffic cam LE would get that information out there ASAP unless for some reason they felt it would compromise their investigation.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

From what I read, it was about 5PM on Saturday when she didn't show up for her brother's graduation that she was reported missing. I could be wrong, but this is what I believe I read on the Find Mickey FB page.

That's what MS's mom said in a interview on TV. She had tried to reach her via phone calls and texts, went to the ceremony and became increasingly alarmed that Mickey was not there and then after the ceremony reported her missing. Mom said she was told to recall all of Mickey's friends and exhaust all possibilities of where she may have gone (and just forgot to tell anybody on the day of her brother's graduation :maddening: - this is where the human element on the part of the police should come in imo when you need them). So the family did that and then contacted LE again.

 

[CCK]

No, not strange. It's always like this - standard protocol, grown ups have the right to disappear if they want to, most return in a couple of days, runaways, yada-yada.

Not to blame but couldn't someone from Walgreens have called a manager to come in to look at the video? Would that be so difficult and wouldn't he/she want to help if possible? I know I would. Now, I fear, if Mickey is on the video they don't want to say that out loud because they didn't look sooner. Could this be why the FBI was called in?

Bicycle and video at Walgreens? (not fact, just wondering) If so, at least they'd have something though.

Oh, I agree- adults DO have the right to disappear.

What I found off was that Craft said that on Saturday they considered her a missing person. But everything I remember & can find said that they didnt make her an official missing person until Monday and it seems like her family/friends were doing all the searching & such over the weekend- not the police.

So I'm wondering- which one was it, actually?? Were the police just on notice that she was missing but actually doing nothing until Monday, or doing nothing other than possibly entering her name in some database but doing no searching for clues? In the meantime, hundreds or thousands of people have been through the house she was last at, it has rained in the city- possibly washing away or moving evidence...if she was abducted but no videos were watched, or only some were watched and they could've figured out where she had made it to, but now someone has been able to drive her god knows where...all of these are the downsides of waiting to search for this missing girl.

We had discussed earlier in this thread than generally there is a period of time the police wont act in case the person returns on their own validity, but that the circumstances of her disappearance (bc of the time, on a bike, a petite girl who was NOT know to do things like this...) were very suspicious and the police shouldve stepped in right away. He is saying they called in a team on Sunday but from what I remember & saw posted on fb, etc., that may not be true. It seems like they didnt search Lourdes until Monday, for example. I could be remembering wrong, but I really dont think the LPD did much of anything before Monday. I think that was a slip-up on their part, JMO.

Also JMO- But I would bet that if the 21 year old daughter of an LPD officer went missing @ 2 AM, on a bike, with similar circumstances and it being very suspicious and she was not the type of girl to do this, that LPD would've probably on that right away. But that doesnt seem to be what they did this time. I understand the generic purpose of waiting for a time period when searching for an adult, but I think there need to be times when they think "This is something we should probably start looking at now..." and this wouldve been one of them.

 

[CCK]

From what I read, it was about 5PM on Saturday when she didn't show up for her brother's graduation that she was reported missing. I could be wrong, but this is what I believe I read on the Find Mickey FB page.

The Find Mickey page on fb was made Saturday around 9 PM, so thats probably about right- she didnt show up, they called the cops, they called around to see if they could find her with friends, called back & asked to report her missing & someone made the fb page they're using. (Now whether or not they actually officially listed her as missing (the police) on Saturday night is something I've questioned already...)

 

[shefner]

My understanding is that the family didn't report Mickey missing until Saturday evening. Can someone verify?

I don't have much to add at this point. Just here to express my ongoing concern for Mickey, with the hope that more information could be released concerning any surveillance footage. Each moment that goes by.....well, you know.

 

[bonbonbelle]

I read somewhere this morning that they're expanding the search and looking in particular at Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. They didn't give a reason as to why those particular states are under scrutiny. Any ideas?

 

[Woe.be.gone]

There is an unverified statement on the Event page about a bike being noticed and reported at the Walgreen's on Ambassador and Congress. The police went and checked it out. Queenofcorona, have you heard anything either way in regards to that?

No PJ, I haven't heard anything about a bike being found, I so hope there is some kind of lead! I don't want to call my SIL, she's had about 2 hours of sleep all weekend. The video with BW is heart breaking, no where in my almost always paranoid mind do I think he had anything to do with this.

I'm sure they will see the post on the event page, I was just wondering if you heard it confirmed or denied. It was probably not related or I'm sure it would have been said by now. Thanks.

The Lafayette Police Department has officially documented Mickey Shunick as a missing person and they are following leads on her whereabouts.

http://www.klfy.com/story/18570540/missing-mickey-shunick

bbm

This is good news, now hopefully more resources will be available.

Is this Walgreens on her normal bike route?
Do they have surveillance cameras?

Here is a photo of her on her bike, it's black with gold handle bars, a schwinn I think.

I think she does live with her parents, I'm waiting for confirmation right now.

About the bike at Walgreens (the one near to her house that is not open 24 hours) - this was hearsay from back on page 3 of this thread. Guess it hasn't amounted to anything.

 

[CCK]

I read somewhere this morning that they're expanding the search and looking in particular at Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. They didn't give a reason as to why those particular states are under scrutiny. Any ideas?

No ideas on why those particular states. I mean I could see TX, since its a neighboring state, but not sure why the others. Where did you read that?

 

[bonbonbelle]

No ideas on why those particular states. I mean I could see TX, since its a neighboring state, but not sure why the others. Where did you read that?

There was an update on the Facebook page. Quote:

Tell your friends far and wide, even out of state or out of the country. UPDATE 5/22/12: The search is being expanded. Please forward messages about Mickey Shunick to friends and relatives in other states especially California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Oh, I agree- adults DO have the right to disappear.

What I found off was that Craft said that on Saturday they considered her a missing person. But everything I remember & can find said that they didnt make her an official missing person until Monday and it seems like her family/friends were doing all the searching & such over the weekend- not the police.

So I'm wondering- which one was it, actually?? Were the police just on notice that she was missing but actually doing nothing until Monday, or doing nothing other than possibly entering her name in some database but doing no searching for clues? In the meantime, hundreds or thousands of people have been through the house she was last at, it has rained in the city- possibly washing away or moving evidence...if she was abducted but no videos were watched, or only some were watched and they could've figured out where she had made it to, but now someone has been able to drive her god knows where...all of these are the downsides of waiting to search for this missing girl.

We had discussed earlier in this thread than generally there is a period of time the police wont act in case the person returns on their own validity, but that the circumstances of her disappearance (bc of the time, on a bike, a petite girl who was NOT know to do things like this...) were very suspicious and the police shouldve stepped in right away. He is saying they called in a team on Sunday but from what I remember & saw posted on fb, etc., that may not be true. It seems like they didnt search Lourdes until Monday, for example. I could be remembering wrong, but I really dont think the LPD did much of anything before Monday. I think that was a slip-up on their part, JMO.

Also JMO- But I would bet that if the 21 year old daughter of an LPD officer went missing @ 2 AM, on a bike, with similar circumstances and it being very suspicious and she was not the type of girl to do this, that LPD would've probably on that right away. But that doesnt seem to be what they did this time. I understand the generic purpose of waiting for a time period when searching for an adult, but I think there need to be times when they think "This is something we should probably start looking at now..." and this wouldve been one of them.

I completely agree with you. After following a few cases though, what we think should happen and want to see happen is different from what usually happens. That's why the Amber Alert was developed that is in place to put out info immediately for missing children. When you're in a store, the manager can lock all the doors until they find a child who is hiding just in case the child has just been lured by someone who is headed towards the door - to stop that from happening. Totally worth the inconvenience imo. But when it comes to adults (even young, beautiful woman who are functioning citizens) it seems there is no instant system in place to try to find them. This needs to change. It may have to do with statistics too - where the sig other is often to blame (1/3 of the time) - that leaves 2/3rd's when that's not the case.

Young woman are disappearing into thin air - where are they? Dead or alive they aren't being found.

 

[Lato]

No ideas on why those particular states. I mean I could see TX, since its a neighboring state, but not sure why the others. Where did you read that?

I-10 runs right through these States and also close to the Mexican border.

Map showing I-10 from Lafayette to California

http://g.co/maps/b3x5m

 

[EGirl]

No ideas on why those particular states. I mean I could see TX, since its a neighboring state, but not sure why the others. Where did you read that?

I-10 is a direct route from LA to those states.

 

[TexasLil]

Has anyone seen what concert she attended with her friends Friday night and where it was located?

 

[bonbonbelle]

I-10 runs right through these States and also close to the Mexican border.

Oh. Sounds totally naive but I hadn't thought about someone trying to take her out of the country. Things like this never happen in Lafayette. I think everyone here is on edge and doesn't know what to believe. I wish they would get a break soon; I can't imagine anything worse than having a family member go missing and having nothing to go on.

 

[bonbonbelle]

Has anyone seen what concert she attended with her friends Friday night and where it was located?

They were at Artmosphere downtown. I think several bands were playing and Rolling Stone was taking photos. Not sure if LE pulled any photos of the audience or not.

 

[Cazzie]

Yikes. I guess "we" are supposed to sit back and wait for LE to figger it out...and then talk about it after the fact. JMO. Not a slur against LE...just a frustrated post from someone who wishes that Mickey's OK and/or can be found.