LA - Mickey Shunick, 21, Lafayette 19 May 2012 - #28

[Labikegirl]

About 30 years ago, I was driving my little brothers to school on a major 2 lane highway in our area. I was going about 45-50-the speed limit. In the blink of an eye, a little boy darted onto the highway, I slammed on my brakes and veered away from him. The passenger side light clipped him. He did not go very far-4 ft. at most and he didn't fly up in the air, he went forward. I had slowed down enough I guess in the extremely short period of time and the angle I hit him must have lessened the impact. The only blood was a scrape on his forehead hardly any at all. These are images burned into my memory. I understand physics is an absolute science but circumstances are not.
Also, we have not seen the film, just a clip.

Again, I am not saying I think this is what happened but wanted to clear up that being hit by a car does not necessarily mean someone flies up in the air or that they fly very far.

right speed plays a role

LA

 

[concentric]

---------
Since there is no continuous video published, IMO, LE could have only released their selected still photos of the DWT, in order to get the public to try and ID the truck, but keep the rest of the info. to themselves, that they think only the perp.(s) would know. For example, a possible sequence of events could be:

1. Still photo published to public of Mickey riding her bike.
2. A second later, the DWT hits her. (Still photo omitted of impact).
3. Mickey is thrown to the right of the DWT, the DWT obscuring the view of Circle K customers. (This still photo omitted).
4. Mickey is grabbed into the right-hand side of the truck. (This still photo omitted.)
5. Still photo published of DWT immediately after she has been placed into truck. Her bike and belongings are near/under the truck.
6. Truck takes an immediate right into parking lot. (omitted still).
7. Truck turns around. (unseen by camera or omitted).
8. Published still photo of truck going opposite direction. Mickey is in the truck.

--------------

The above is just a THEORY, and I now have an alternative THEORY to the one above. Keeping in mind that these stills from the video are carefully selected and the tape could have been rewound:

1. The initial position of the DWT was in a lane in front of Mickey.
2. As Mickey rides by, the window of the truck is open. Someone grabs her by the backpack. Almost simultaneously she gets rendered unconscious--chloroform?
3. They backup to the position in the still photo. Mickey and her backpack, etc. hidden from view of the Circle K patrons on the right-hand side of the truck--there appear to be solid objects on the ground near that side of the truck that perhaps were colored over. The bike slid under the truck, and that is the bike light underneath the truck.
4. What happens next is withheld. LE probably knows what happened, but is not releasing it because only the perp.(s) would know the details.
5. There appears to be a car turning in the direction of where the truck is. You can just make out an image of a car and headlights through the tree's foliage.

I think the jagged edges of the pavement and light distortions are due to rewinding the tape, starting/stopping and capturing the images to release to the public, because LE needs to ID the truck, but the video itself is fairly clear. I also see a curved light streak in front of the turning car. Perhaps that can also be accounted for because of rewind.

Comments on the above THEORY?

 

[Labikegirl]

and since you can see the bubble-cam externally, I think Mickey could have known this camera was there. I think this camera might be the only reason she stopped. Bikers don't come to a full and complete stop unless they have to. Maybe Mickey wanted to be seen at that moment. If there was hostility in the air she may have heard it. If the Silverado took a left turn to be in the direction Mickey was last seen, it would have been at a powerful but not high rate of speed. enough to nudge a wee thing off a bike and run over part of it. If you add pixels to the area below the road work sign, there is something that looks human sitting there.

I disagree. If I am riding, and I know trouble is afoot I head to the nearest well lit area I can think of. In this case the Circle K. I do not believe at all that she would have stopped to "be caught" on camera. Natural survival instinct says go to a safe, well lit place.

LA

 

[Labikegirl]

i personally think whoever took her knew her whereabouts, route, etc. so today someone was asking about what car bretley drove (not insinuating Bretley took her) to taco bell. They wondered if maybe she was followed to taco bell then back to bretley's house then waited for her to leave and take her usual bike route. if this is what happened then maybe the perp is on video around taco bell

I do not believe they were followed to Taco Bell. I think if the perp tailed them, he/she waited paitiently to see if they returned to his home. I think he knew they would return and she would either stay or leave alone.

He would have an answer in a few short moments. If they returned, then he/she only had to wait a bit longer to see if she would leave alone. If she did not come out in ten or so minutes, he was in a great area to find someone else.

LA

 

[Labikegirl]

hey guys, just wanted ya'll to know my niece works in a bar as a bartender. She works in the same area that MS went missing. The other night she was coming home from work and a cop turned around and tailed her, and then turned off. She is 5'3, blonde, and weighs about 110. Do you think it might be someone in authority? Or maybe LE just being vigilant? Lets hope they are just being careful.

LA

 

[Labikegirl]

If this is true, would MS have heard a car DWTIQ coming full speed behind her and gotten scared and parted with her bike? Would she have gotten off her bike; left it to get run over; and then a few seconds later PERPS get out of car and run her down out of view from camera? Where would that be?

NO, she would have tried to speed up or get over.

LA

 

[Labikegirl]

Due to this case and some extra time I have been researching bicycle accidents. It does seem to depend on the variables of speed, angle, point of impact, road conditions. I have seen very few cases where the rider ended up under the vehicle. Those that were seemed to be hit from an angle or from the side, much more injury with these accidents. Rear impact caused the rider to be thrown back into the car. Front impact riders that hit still objects seem to fly forward. By far, the majority of cases I read were rear impacts that caused severe windshield damage but only mild or serious injury to the rider. Not an expert just trying to gain some knowledge.

I had a friend once get bumped from the side and he fell over, and landed between the tires. The person stopped luckily and he was able to get out from under the car. The bike was intact, he was scratched up and mad as a hornet. He told me she was angry that he was in "her way".

A fight ensued with my friend using some colorful language, I suspect.

So you are right, a lot can happen in bike accidents. She might have been angry and had a damaged bike, and accepted a ride from a smooth talker who felt bad.

LA

 

[Labikegirl]

Riding for Mickey, will seriously think about text to old friend with handle grip question. I know it is important especially for ACI, so ACI if you need this answer please let me know and I will go through the drama.

The question is- can handle grips come off during bike accident? If you did not read the thread, I have an old flame that is a custom bike builder/mechanic and could answer this easily.

I'd rather not deal with the possible drama, but if it helps get an answer for Mickey I am all over it.

Now to ride my 22.

LA

 

[concentric]

I had a friend once get bumped from the side and he fell over, and landed between the tires. The person stopped luckily and he was able to get out from under the car. The bike was intact, he was scratched up and mad as a hornet. He told me she was angry that he was in "her way".

A fight ensued with my friend using some colorful language, I suspect.

So you are right, a lot can happen in bike accidents. She might have been angry and had a damaged bike, and accepted a ride from a smooth talker who felt bad.

LA

-------------
Wow. That is some wild true story. Thank you for attesting to the fact that weird stuff happens.

 

[BayouBecky]

Well that is truly strange and could add a wierd twist since he got home somehwere near the time frame Mickey should have. no?? I know he is a victim but everything needs to be accounted for. Most Dads attend graduation unless of course he was helping cops look for Mickey which was a freaking emergency!!!

So he missed his son's graduation?

he was on call. offshore work beckons and you have to go. at least that's what I've gathered from a wife to an offshore engineer.

I respectfully disagree. I have spent 23 years in the oilfield on five continents and this has not been my experience or my childrens experience. You would have to look at many factors before you could state this as fact.

I think that there may be a difference in expectations about offshore work in the area. Growing up, I had family who went offshore regularly, and there was just the feeling of "Aww, that sucks that they're missing this event... oh well, next time," and that was that. Not just me having that sentiment, but everyone involved. It was (and is) an accepted part of the offshore business around here.

As an adult, I'm still involved to an extent. My husband works with a company that builds the computer systems that run the rigs. On Mother's Day this year, he got a phone call from his boss telling him that he and another guy in the office were needed on a rig immediately -- it was roughly a 2.5 hour one way trip, and he had 3 hours to be there. As one of the youngest guys in the office, Thomas gets the short end of the stick and goes out when he's told, no questions. It's in his job description.

I guess I'm stressing that because it seems like a few people don't understand that about working with the offshore businesses. Maybe it's because Lafayette is what I've heard referred to as an "oilfield city" and there's so many people who work in that field that it doesn't seem as weird to us, but it just isn't weird to me to hear that Mr Shunick was called out and missed his son's graduation. Disappointing, yes, but not abnormal.

ETA: When I say "It's in his job description." I'm speaking figuratively. He said it was talked about in the job interview about it being required, but I'm not sure it's in writing anywhere. He just knows that when there's a problem with the PLC on the rig, if he's the one that created the logic structure, he's the one who gets to go out and fix it.

 

[Boudin]

So what we do know for fact is:
MS did leave the house on Ryan St and was seen on Versailles. She rode her bike onto St Landry.

There were a couple white trucks in the area, a car by the bank, 2 at the gas station and 1 on the road.

At the time LE released the pic of MS on St Landry they said it was the last pic of MS. Do we know for certain that no pic of her further along St. Landry was ever found? Is it possible she could have passed a camera in the time between it taking pics? Was there no other working cameras elsewhere on St Landry? At the buildings across from the old hospital or Martin & Castille or at the intersection of St Mary? Do we know for a fact that it is impossible for Ms to have traveled past the apartments on ST Landry without being captured on a camera?

MS called her sister that evening, got a call from a friend while at Taco Bell and a text message.
BW bike was reported missing 5/9 and found in the cemetery the same day.
MS & her bike were reported missing 5/19 and her bike was found in WHiskey Bay a week later.
MS rode her bike to Artmosphere,had a hangover, rode back to BW's house on her bike, then went in his vehicle to Taco Bell then back to Ryan St, ate and left.

 

[BayouBecky]

Creepy

What, specifically? I see quite a few things that qualify. :floorlaugh:

 

[Redhand]

What, specifically? I see quite a few things that qualify. :floorlaugh:

I deleted my comment because I meant to quote Island Hopper's pst about meeting the man in the bar, losing her cellphone, and then having it mailed to her, broken, and from the town he was from. :waitasec: That is so strange to me.

 

[pjcitizen]

hey guys, just wanted ya'll to know my niece works in a bar as a bartender. She works in the same area that MS went missing. The other night she was coming home from work and a cop turned around and tailed her, and then turned off. She is 5'3, blonde, and weighs about 110. Do you think it might be someone in authority? Or maybe LE just being vigilant? Lets hope they are just being careful.

LA

She was driving, I am assuming. I think it is very likely that due to the time of night, the cop was just checking for sobriety. This happened to my DH often when he had a job that put him on the Lafayette roads in the middle of the night. Good for your friend for being watchful!!!

 

[Boudin]

Simply put: many offshore workers are on 24 hour call.

I think that there may be a difference in expectations about offshore work in the area. Growing up, I had family who went offshore regularly, and there was just the feeling of "Aww, that sucks that they're missing this event... oh well, next time," and that was that. Not just me having that sentiment, but everyone involved. It was (and is) an accepted part of the offshore business around here.

As an adult, I'm still involved to an extent. My husband works with a company that builds the computer systems that run the rigs. On Mother's Day this year, he got a phone call from his boss telling him that he and another guy in the office were needed on a rig immediately -- it was roughly a 2.5 hour one way trip, and he had 3 hours to be there. As one of the youngest guys in the office, Thomas gets the short end of the stick and goes out when he's told, no questions. It's in his job description.

I guess I'm stressing that because it seems like a few people don't understand that about working with the offshore businesses. Maybe it's because Lafayette is what I've heard referred to as an "oilfield city" and there's so many people who work in that field that it doesn't seem as weird to us, but it just isn't weird to me to hear that Mr Shunick was called out and missed his son's graduation. Disappointing, yes, but not abnormal.

ETA: When I say "It's in his job description." I'm speaking figuratively. He said it was talked about in the job interview about it being required, but I'm not sure it's in writing anywhere. He just knows that when there's a problem with the PLC on the rig, if he's the one that created the logic structure, he's the one who gets to go out and fix it.

 

[justathought]

I agree, the community has really taken in the Shunicks as family. Mickey is "our girl". If I owned a camp, I would willingly open it up.

LA

Also, the camps could be checked for signs of a break-in, use, etc. ....even if no one is there now, it doesn't mean they haven't been.

 

[BayouBecky]

Simply put: many offshore workers are on 24 hour call.

Right, but I was trying to stress that that's not unusual at all, and that it does sometimes mean you miss things that might be considered important. I was pointing it out for people who may think it odd that Mr Shunick missed his son's graduation.

Like I said in my reason for editing, I need coffee. I think I'm still too fuzzy to be posting coherently.

 

[Donamena]

Anyone know why 2 of these photos are zoomed in and the one of MS on the bike is not. I just noticed the bush in the forefront of the MS pick but it is not there in the other 2 pictures, why would that be?

Thanks!! I looked at it yesterday & thought I was just tired & didn't understand how the pics were done/taken & release by LE..

 

[Yoda]

hey guys, just wanted ya'll to know my niece works in a bar as a bartender. She works in the same area that MS went missing. The other night she was coming home from work and a cop turned around and tailed her, and then turned off. She is 5'3, blonde, and weighs about 110. Do you think it might be someone in authority? Or maybe LE just being vigilant? Lets hope they are just being careful.

LA

Hopefully vigilant. I've told my daughter that if she gets pulled over at night in an area where she cant get to an open gas station or establishment, to call 911 as soon as she stops the car. and let them know she is alone, where she is and that she has been stopped by an officer. Just tell them she was nervous and wanted to make sure someone knew in case it wasn't a real officer (even in a marked car). But if she can get to a public place, within a mile,drive there. But put her flashers on so the officer knows that she saw his lights/siren.

 

[Foxfire]

I think Cluciano helped me nail down why the serial killer talk isn't my favorite type of discussion to have. I am not saying we shouldn't talk about it or that it 100% isn't true, but the way it is done seems so reductive to me. By that I mean that beyond superficial physical similarities very few of these cases are similar at all. They have way, way more differences than similarities. There is just no way Holly was taken by a random non-local only in town for a day or two and if someone knew all the details of her case there is no way they would make that claim. Lauren was so drunk/wasted that she was barely conscious and last seen being carried by a POI (like, literally she couldn't walk) and conveniently all of them had lawyers immediately and won't cooperate. There are other contexts for the other ladies and all of them had starkly different disappearances ranging throughout all times of the day, different locations, different sobriety levels, big city VS BFE, POIs with motivations to disappear them who were conveniently the last people to see them, etc. I guess listing them all together and oohing and awing over the fact that they sort of kind of have some similar physical features just seems to take away from how unique every case is and most of these women have extremely likely, reasonable POIs other than random serial killer.
However, I realize that I don't think anyone is meaning to do this and that everyone does mean well and that obviously I am in no position to judge what is beneficial talk or not and (sorry lots of qualifiers!) I cannot even say for certain that none of them are connected. It is a personal issue with me that I perhaps need to come to terms with, ha ha. I will encourage (invite?) everyone interested in the serial killer talk to read about each individual case. We can always use more eyes in the Holly, Lauren, and Katelyn threads I myself will try to take a look at the names that are less familiar to me.

A brief scan of most of the names makes me think Brittanee and Mickey are the only two truly random disappearances. They are the only two that I absolutely cannot find any other context-they are just GONE for no reason

Good post Darcyline.. I agree, the probability of all of these petite blondes being directly related to a single predator is slim. Indirectly, I respectfully disagree. There are POIs & suspects in a couple of these victim's cases.
The common thread imo, is that the majority were taken by sexual predators.
RSOs are many, and many others are absconded RSOs, and many, many, more have yet to be registered. jmho