GUILTY MD - Stephen Westfall for attempted murder of 6yo girl, Cumberland, 2010

[Missizzy]

I'm trying. Cumberland, MD looks to be only 3-4 miles from the Pennsylvania border. Several friends of Westfall's are certainly into costuming and possible SCA role-playing. He's written a book about the "undead".

Does any of that count?

I also traced him to Fresno and Modesto, CA. Those cities are in the Central Valley--NE of LA. The only schools I see listed for him are Fort Hill in Cumberland (no doubt they played sports and did other activities with PA kids) and Frostburg State College right outside Cumberland, also on the PA border.

 

[Salem]

Okay - let's look at what we know:

1. He allegedly abducted a 6-year old on Aug. 5th, 2010.
2. At that time, he had a young boy in his truck, approx. 4 years old and in a car seat.
3. The little girl found help after being severely beaten and left for dead (I'm sure).
4. LE identifies Steven Westfall as the wanted perp - still 8/5/2010.
5. LE begins looking for Westfall and the little boy.
Anyone remember what time he supposedly left his house? I thought it was 2:30ish?
6. On 8/6/2010 at 4:34 p.m. EST a comment was left following a news article that said the little boy was safe at Nana's house (paraphrasing).
7. LE continue to look for Westfall who was reported leaving his home, on foot.
8. New reports show Westfall in a video at a convenience store on 8/7/2010 at approx. 5:00 a.m. EST.
8. Approx. 9 days later, on or about Friday the 13th, August 2010, a grave was robbed in PA, 150+ miles away. This could have been anyone - teenagers, etc. given that it was Friday the 13th, kwim?

Please take this very basic timeline and add to it as you would like.

Salem

Here's a google map from Cumberland, MD to Lancaster, PA. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Cumberland,+MD+21502&daddr=Lancaster,+PA&hl=en&geocode=FQEOXQId6i1O-ykpAZSxxI7KiTHiFHBYlozcmw%3B&mra=ls&sll=39.652865,-78.762518&sspn=0.112341,0.21389&ie=UTF8&z=8

It's only about 168 miles. About 3.5 to 4 hours by car I would think.

 

[Missizzy]

I'm not so sure she was left for dead. Her name has not been revealed and therefore I can't imagine that if she had been sexually assaulted, that info would not have been released. He's wanted for attempted murder, not rape. Wasn't the child naked and dirty when she appeared at the door asking for help? Why would a person snatch a little girl, pull off the road, strip her down, and whack her over the head with a rock unless he wanted to kill her or abuse her? Was he trying to subdue her with the rock?

I think it's possible that she got away from Westfall and ran for her life. She might have opened the door while they were driving and there was a struggle.I don't know how to check the Pea Vine Run Road area but maybe a local can speak to that. Would it be possible to head off through the woods towards a house? Westfall would have just hightailed it out of there when he saw that she was out of his grasp.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38600431/ns/local_news-hagerstown_md/

"....The girl was later found alive, but naked, covered with bruises and crying...."

"....she was holding her bathing suit and crying. She had contusions on her forehead and under her neck..."

"....Investigators say the suspect walked her down the embankment to the creek bed where, for no known reason, he started to choke her and hit her in the head several times with a rock..."

I keep wondering what the motive was. If he wanted to rape the child, it doesn't seem like he could subdue her--even though he's 6'2". If he wanted her dead, why? Given his interest in the macabre and the outside possibility that he might have visited a graveyard in PA a few days later, I'd think that he wanted the child's dead body for some horrible purpose. If so, she foiled him as she got away.

Still, so many questions.

 

[Missizzy]

I don't recall seeing this before. If one is to believe Westfall's profile on MS, he does not drink but he does smoke. That might be helpful to know.

 

[Lovejac]

If I was the Admin of that group I would leave them up there and let law enforcement knock at their doors and find out why they are so protective of him...

Amen! They might get some names of whomever is helping him, because, someone is helping him, and if you are, and you're reading here,

SHAME ON YOU!!! You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, so I hope he's worth it!!!

 

[fhc]

Okay - let's look at what we know:

1. He allegedly abducted a 6-year old on Aug. 6th, 2010.
2. At that time, he had a young boy in his truck, approx. 4 years old and in a car seat.
3. The little girl found help after being severely beaten and left for dead (I'm sure).
4. LE identifies Steven Westfall as the wanted perp - still 8/6/2010.
5. LE begins looking for Westfall and the little boy.
6. On 8/6/2010 at 4:34 p.m. EST a comment was left following a news article that said the little boy was safe at Nana's house (paraphrasing).
7. LE continue to look for Westfall who was reported leaving his home, on foot.
8. Approx. 9 days later, on or about Friday the 13th, August 2010, a grave was robbed in PA, 150+ miles away. This could have been anyone - teenagers, etc. given that it was Friday the 13th, kwim?

Please take this very basic timeline and add to it as you would like.

Salem

Here's a google map from Cumberland, MD to Lancaster, PA. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...,-78.762518&sspn=0.112341,0.21389&ie=UTF8&z=8

It's only about 168 miles. About 3.5 to 4 hours by car I would think.

Thank God for the little girl's neighbor that had a quality security camera going that day that picked up the van he was driving and even the license plate!

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

Oh wow, fhc is that how he was located? Amen to that about the neighbor then!

This case sort of reminds me of that awful child molester Chester Stiles, who's kiddy *advertiser censored* was found the desert. He had a whole slew of women who protected him and sympathized with him. I will never understand the mentality of women like these!! NEVER!

 

[greeneyes19782000]

I don't recall seeing this before. If one is to believe Westfall's profile on MS, he does not drink but he does smoke. That might be helpful to know.

He might have wrote he don't drink but he does. There are pictures on that facebook site of him sitting at the bar and there are more of him out there sitting at the bar. Plus 2 of the people I know that know of him only know him from the bar.

 

[greeneyes19782000]

Here is the lastest news! It will be on tonight at www.your4state.com

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://your4state.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=129315&h=8b78f

 

[Filly]

http://www.parenfaire.com/

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire started this last weekend and continues each weekend through October. Would Westfall be drawn to something like that?

Help!! Didn't I see a person on one of Westfall's friend's pages who was a seamstress of SCA/Ren Faire clothing? She was posed with her husband and she was wearing a white outfit. She's a larger woman. She said she had mild cerebral palsy. I seem to remember a comment about the PA Ren Faire but I can't, for the life of me, find the link.

FWIW, the Faire is held in Manheim, PA--18 miles from the cemetery where Paula was buried. I'm not certain but I think there is camping nearby. I'm just not certain as to whether Westfall would be interested. With everyone in costume, it would be hard to find him.

In all honesty I do not believe Westfall had anything to do with that poor little girls corpse being stolen. He left on foot and it would take well you mentioned it Izzy it would take almost a good two hours to get up to Lancaster from Hagerstown. It's roughly about 115 miles on I-81.

We have gone to that Ren Faire for heck it has to be close to 23 years now. It's on the site of The Mount Hope Winery unless they have changed it.

Just assuming would he be drawn to something like that? Sure. He'd fit right the heck in if all he has to do is speak Olde English. Yet another place I was like a hawk watching my DD. They have a parade of sort at the end of each day. I was looking very quickly at a piece of jewelry as my ex had my DD. I turn around and my kid is about no lie a blocks width away from me in this parade. They thought she was adorable they said. She's holding hands with a woman with a basket and a big da*n stick.

Sorry yet another memory that makes me think if she was with my ex husband on her own Lord knows where the kid would be.

If we're really looking at cerebal palsy and this poor Ream child my dang bet would be more on that nutter with the baby corpses in her house. Reading is way closer to Lancaster. A mere hop/skip and that woman's son did have cerebal palsy.

The telling sign on Westfall that will get him busted is his missing teeth I think. Not his ink. People notice missing teeth.

As for the EF person I think I mentioned I think she is now EB. However I do believe she has something to do with Westfall. For all we know he had a DD years ago and that is her and maybe her way of saying "We're here. It's safe. You can come here?"

They just need to get this creep. But yeah he'd be interested in Ren Faire. Surely. He fancied himself a poet and all. Trust me I met some really out there people at that thing back when they allowed you to bring the wine from the winery in with ya. It's huge and Lord forbid somebody could certainly grab up a child and get away.

 

[tfrohning]

I did find this link for Stephen that he also in to vampires.
http://www.flipkart.com/author/stephen-matthew-westfall/

 

[fhc]

Here is the lastest news! It will be on tonight at www.your4state.com

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://your4state.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=129315&h=8b78f

oh, that makes me so angry. I really thought he would float up somewhere dead. Now, we know he is alive and was by the train station 2 days after the attack. Sickening. WTH is he???

 

[Missizzy]

Well there you go. He's buying cigarettes and he's most likely getting a ride from someone waiting across the train tracks (or possibly at a house over there). I seriously doubt that he walked those 7 miles with the posse out looking for him.

I'm feeling really strongly that he could try to blend in with the festivities at the Ren Faire if he could hop a ride. Filly, just imagine that 365 days of the year and you've got Ashland!!

I can't help but think that someone is aiding and abetting him. I realize that he's got two missing teeth but if he was at the Ren Faire or some other busy and congested place, he'd figure something out. I'm sure one of his 742 friends could help him out. I just can't figure out what the draw is for so many of his middle aged lovely lady friends. And why so many babies? He doesn't seem well spoken, he's creepy as all get out. What is the attraction?

 

[Lovejac]

Well there you go. He's buying cigarettes and he's most likely getting a ride from someone waiting across the train tracks (or possibly at a house over there). I seriously doubt that he walked those 7 miles with the posse out looking for him.

I'm feeling really strongly that he could try to blend in with the festivities at the Ren Faire if he could hop a ride. Filly, just imagine that 365 days of the year and you've got Ashland!!

I can't help but think that someone is aiding and abetting him. I realize that he's got two missing teeth but if he was at the Ren Faire or some other busy and congested place, he'd figure something out. I'm sure one of his 742 friends could help him out. I just can't figure out what the draw is for so many of his middle aged lovely lady friends. And why so many babies? He doesn't seem well spoken, he's creepy as all get out. What is the attraction?

I just KNOW someone is helping him! He left on foot, in shorts and tennis shoes, with a pack of smokes and a drink? How far is he gonna get that way?

He's been gone for 9 days!! Someone is helping him. I hope to God that LE suspects someone and is watching them like a hawk!!

 

[Missizzy]

Take a look at that photo and what do you see? You see a reasonably and casually dressed man who looks put together and clean. Then read this description of the search:

http://times-news.com/local/x1316176006/Westfall-could-have-left-the-area-or-is-getting-help-here

“The search has been conducted by air, on foot, by bicycle, and four-wheeler, with tracking dogs and specially trained search teams. Most of the search has been conducted on difficult terrain and in areas overgrown with extremely thick vegetation.”

What's missing? Bruises, abrasions, scratches, torn clothes, muddy knees. He's being transported around by someone. He might have turned toward the railroad tracks but my money is on the fact that there's a car waiting over there. Is the fact that he's going in to a store to buy his own cigarettes just thumbing his nose at LE? This was only 7 miles from the location of the attack. I would think that the store would be plastered with Wanted posters. Is he begging to get arrested?

Question, in some states and counties, everyone who buys cigarettes must show ID. Is that true in Maryland?

 

[Filly]

For some reason I just found photographs of him in a store that are full length and one head and shoulders.

Sorry if someone else linked it although I checked each link.




http://times-news.com/local/x1316178162/New-photos-of-abduction-suspect

Naw, I so knew this guy wasn't going to kill himself. He's too cocky.

 

[tfrohning]

It was reported he had a tatoo on his neck. I don't see it in this picture.

Do we know what kind of tattoo?

 

[tfrohning]

snip
He has tattoos of two hearts and another of an eagle on his right arm, the “Grim Reaper” on his left arm, and a joker on his back. He may be wearing a light colored shirt (possibly with stripes), light colored shorts, and white tennis shoes. Authorities began a massive manhunt at that time in areas he was reported to be familiar with and where he may have headed.Investigators just

 

[tfrohning]

after looking at the new photos I guessing that the tattoos must be on the upper arm??

And it also looks like he got a little goatee..

Another snip
All leads are being followed up on.The Cumberland Police, the Allegany County Bureau of Police, the Maryland State Police, MSP helicopter Trooper 5, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police, National Park Service Police, West Virginia State Police, Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, Ridgeley Police, C3I Narcotics Task Force, and C3I all participated in the effort.

hmmm West Virginia State Police also helping in the search. (thinking out loud)

 

[Missizzy]

It was initially reported by the 6 year old girl that he had a tattoo on his neck. We've surmised that possibly he was shirtless when he attacked her and that her description of the placement of the tattoo was slightly off.

I'm actually shocked that she remembered anything about the details. This little girl is a quick thinker IMO. I also have to hand it to whomever interviewed her. They were able to get an awful lot of info from a very young child.

I keep praying that her terror is subsiding. She's going to need lots of treatment to rebuild a sense of safety and trust.

Filly, concerning Westfall being cocky, ITA. I also think that's why he's not being caught. I think he gives off vibes of self-confidence. He's not skulking about. No, he's just waltzing right in the door and walking with his head held high.