GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #1

[ellasmom]

Do we know how many people live in that house (besides the female)? Do we know who the owner of the bike is? Do we know for sure it belonged to one of the guys arrested? could it have belonged to someone else living/renting there? Just thinking out loud. I still think that house is going to come into play here.

 

[tlcya]

Ellasmom, your post 426, you may want to go back and edit or ask a mod for assistance if it is too late to edit. Terms of Service and copyright laws require that no more than 10% of any one article or link can be reproduced here. I think you may have the whole article there.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Do we know how many people live in that house (besides the female)? Do we know who the owner of the bike is? Do we know for sure it belonged to one of the guys arrested? could it have belonged to someone else living/renting there? Just thinking out loud. I still think that house is going to come into play here.

As large as the property is, I think that there are multiple family members and/or other relatives/friends living there. It's also possible that some of the additions are separate residences, possibly rental units. I read somewhere that a 4-car garage had been turned into an apartment. An aerial view of the house seems to show several points of ingress/egress so that people could live under the same roof but not have access to the entire home. :moo:

 

[ellasmom]

Ellasmom, your post 426, you may want to go back and edit or ask a mod for assistance if it is too late to edit. Terms of Service and copyright laws require that no more than 10% of any one article or link can be reproduced here. I think you may have the whole article there.

Thanks for lookin' out tlcya. I was having trouble with quotes earlier. I just contacted a mod to help fix it.

 

[ellasmom]

As large as the property is, I think that there are multiple family members and/or other relatives/friends living there. It's also possible that some of the additions are separate residences, possibly as rental units. I read somewhere that a 4-car garage had been turned into an apartment. An aerial view of the house seems to show several points of ingress/egress so that people could live under the same roof but not have access to the entire home. :moo:

Yes. I read or heard the same thing too. I am thinking that possibly the other two were arrested to put the pressure on "motorcycle/dirt bike rider" and possibly get more information regarding him. I need to go back and look at some of the older articles and newscasts, but I am almost positive that a neighbor mentioned "younger kid" being the one that drove motorcycle.

 

[tlcya]

ARMADA, Mich. (WXYZ) - Police are dredging Omo Lake in Armada to look for possible evidence that may be related to the murder of 14-year-old April Millsap.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/mac...ces-say-april-millsaps-phone-was-found-nearby

 

[tlcya]

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/mac...ces-say-april-millsaps-phone-was-found-nearby

Sources tell 7 Action News that April Millsap's phone was found nearby. Police tell neighbors who live near the lake that they believe the suspect may have rode past the lake dumping evidence.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Speaking of bodies of water, as DH and I were looking at Wales Township and Goodells on a Michigan map, we couldn't help but notice how close these locations are to Lake Huron and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron that crosses over to Sarnia, Ontario (Canada).

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Photos of lake search:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/police-search-lake-near-where-armada-teen-was-found-dead/27266680

 

[bessie]

What a disappointment. I was so hopeful the right suspects were in custody. :sigh:

RIP, April.

---

“The Mass was absolutely beautiful. The hardest part for me and everybody was seeing April’s mom and then hearing ‘Butterfly Kisses’ sung,” Brenda S said. “It is a song that is typically played at your daughter’s wedding. April will never have a wedding and her parents will never have that special day with her.”

Added her husband, Ron: “We are dumbfounded by the violence that has taken place in our community. Our community is basically on lock-down and the kids aren’t able to enjoy themselves.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140801/METRO03/308010074#ixzz39Age9Adu

---

​

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

For April: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmC3rJR7E98

 

[tlcya]

https://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid...&ll=42.841997,-82.866837&spn=0.005939,0.00589

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Updated article in The Detroit News:

Armada — Police dredged a private lake in a tony subdivision Friday in connection with the killing of a teen just hours after this quiet community said its final goodbye at her funeral.

Seven Michigan State Police vehicles were parked in a residential driveway looking for evidence in the lake which was the site of the former Armada gravel pit. Two officers were out on a boat searching the lake.

Lt. Michael Shaw, spokesman for the Michigan State Police, said it is normal protocol to check for evidence in bodies of water near crime scenes. Shaw said many times those who commit crimes will dump evidence in nearby bodies of water...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140801/METRO03/308010074#ixzz39Aqv2Ck9

 

[SieSie]

Hi, sleuthers!

I prefer to read (lurk) rather than post, because I worry that I'll do something wrong (against TOS) or because, as you'll see, I tend to babble (over-explain?) when I "get to thinking" because I can't always find the right words...
:thinking:

Sorry in advance for the long post, and thank you to whoever (whomever?) invented the Auto-Save on here!!
:blowkiss:

Okay, this may be really far-fetched, but I live in St. Clair County and we just do NOT have these types of crimes show up here very often... that being said, I've been reading on FB (rumor, I know, but I have one MSM link to provide to back it up...) about two recent horrific cases of animal cruelty where dogs were tied up with electrical wire and left to die.

Both cruelty cases happened in Avoca/Kenockee Twp area in MI - which is approximately 35 miles from Armada (not "far away", IMO, in this rural area, especially if the perp(s) live in between the two tiny towns!!).

* Can we add these occurrences to the map even if there is no known connection? No location given except "Avoca/Kenockee Twp. Area"*

IMO, someone who could do this to animals, could murder a young teen, and I'm just wondering if there MIGHT (just MIGHT) be a connection?!?

Here is the information that I have gathered. The MSM link to the two cases of animal cruelty are from Click on Detroit, where it's stated:

A family pet was found tied up with wire and left for dead, the second animal cruelty case reported within one week in Kenockee Township.

And now, for the "rumor" aspect (Mods, if not allowed, please delete and I'm sorry in advance!!) - I have seen two separate FB Groups address the animal cruelty in posts warning others about their pets and to help find whoever did this - not as a gossip kind of thing about "who-dun-it"...:

FIRST ANIMAL CRUELTY INCIDENT DETAILS
(compiled by SieSie from a FB Group and a Donation Site linked below):
5 y.o. German Shorthair Pointer (“Chester”) – went missing Sat. 07/12 and was found the evening of Fri 07/18.


First Incident Reported from
FB Group "St. Clair County, MI: Lost Pets
* Warning: Graphic Photos at Link *

The dog was tortured by being tied to an electric fence with the hind legs wrapped so tightly that it took the wire to the bone.

Dates of the incident were found at a donation website, indiegogo:

On Saturday, July 12, 2014 our 5 year old male German Shorthair Pointer “Chester” went missing from our home.
...
On the evening of July 18, 2014 while playing with the kids in our backyard we heard a dog crying and whining. We followed the sound into the field directly in back of our house and found Chester laying under a tree. He had been criminally abused by someone who found pleasure in wrapping his hind legs individually with wire and then wrapping his legs together so he couldn’t walk or escape.

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

And then, on to the 2nd reported animal cruelty incident that was mentioned in the MSM article at Click on Detroit...


SECOND ANIMAL CRUELTY INCIDENT DETAILS
(compiled by SieSie from a FB Group Site linked below):
Beagle (“Buddy”) - went missing late Sat. 07/26 (5 acre home) and was found Wed. 7/30 in the morning.


From a different local FB Group, SOS - Port Huron Area MI:

It is being reported that a Beagle went missing late Saturday the 26th from their 5 acre home.
...
This morning, the homeowner was out mowing his lawn when he thought he heard a dog crying for help or injured.
...
Along the back edge of their property they found their dog tied to a fence by his legs in the same manor that was reported last week by another resident of the area.

The Beagle was injured and had been starving without food or water.
...
If you have a pet you are advised to not let them out of your sight until this person can be apprehended.

One note I want to make, there is a discrepancy in the MSM article and the FB post about the second dog, "Buddy", FWIW: The MSM article (Click on Detroit) has a neighbor commenting that the dog had wire around his MIDRIFF... the FB Group post quoted above says the dog had wire around his LEGS just like the first dog.

Neighbor Mike Cooley showed Local 4 where Buddy ended up tied to a branch with electric fence wire around his midriff at the corner of Cooley's property.

From Click On Detroit


* * * *

Back to my comments:

I realize that April didn't (that's been reported, anyway) have electrical wire around her, BUT, she DID have a dog with her (although she was unharmed, thankfully, as she was able to aid in the discovery of April's body so soon).

Again, there may not be a connection at all, and I realize it's over 35 miles apart, but like I said, we just don't see this type of crime here and I'm just wanting to "put it out there" in case someone else (you awesome sleuthers) can find some correlation. It's a sick person (or people) who can torture animals like this, and someone so sick could probably just as easily kill a young teen (IMO)!!

Thank you if you've reached the end and read through my babbling - just trying to think "outside of the box" here since it seems that the 2 who were detained for the marijuana plants might NOT be involved in April's murder.

O/T: It took me over 45 minutes to compose this message, preview, make changes, preview, make changes, etc... No wonder I lurk more than post - I'm too much of a perfectionist!
:gaah:

 

[tlcya]

SieSie, I will try to add your cases of interest to the map when I get home from work if I can't do it before

 

[SieSie]

SieSie, I will try to add your cases of interest to the map when I get home from work if I can't do it before

Thank you, tlcya! I'm not saying it's related, but we really do NOT hear of such horrific cases in our rural county. The most recent case was when a mother from St. Clair Shores, a city south of us by about 40 miles, killed, dismembered and threw her son's body parts (in garbage bags) in our area. She drove up from the city to our rural area to dump his body. Here's the link to that case on WS (Ramsay Scrivo).

 

[colette]

Here is a new video that gives the time line. Crime stoppers have a reward for the killer. Also they are looking for a small blue and white motorcycle or moped.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/timeline-inside-the-april-milsap-investigation/27257860

 

[Ven]

It seems like they might have already found the motorcycle or moped they were looking for at the marijuana house. Will be interesting to see whether the detained men are released today or held over the weekend. If they remain locked up over the weekend then that might suggest LE believes they are involved or know who might be involved.

But I'll be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be some dumb teen(s).

 

[colette]

It seems like they might have already found the motorcycle or moped they were looking for at the marijuana house. Will be interesting to see whether the detained men are released today or held over the weekend. If they remain locked up over the weekend then that might suggest LE believes they are involved or know who might be involved.

But I'll be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be some dumb teen(s).

ARMADA, MI -- Two arrests that took place Wednesday while authorities searched for evidence in the killing of 14-year-old April Millsap were unrelated to the homicide investigation, police said Thursday.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/07/two_arrests_unrelated_to_armad.html

 

[Ven]

ARMADA, MI -- Two arrests that took place Wednesday while authorities searched for evidence in the killing of 14-year-old April Millsap were unrelated to the homicide investigation, police said Thursday.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/07/two_arrests_unrelated_to_armad.html

LE could just be saying that because
1) drug dealer is only being held on drug charges, not murder charges
2) they want the public to keep calling in tips (they said when the arrests were made all tips basically stopped)

But that said it's possible there was no connection. I'd be surprised if there's no link at all, but I think the guy was probably just dealing drugs in the area. Maybe April had come across him before (including that day?), or if as I suspect some other teen(s) are involved perhaps they knew him.

I just can't see why a grown predatory man would be trolling around looking to beat a girl to death or strangle her to death or whatever the COD was without sexual assault being involved. Some posters suggested that maybe something happened to cut short the attack and April was murdered before SA could take place, but killing someone (especially by those methods) is probably just as noisy and prolonged. The way LE is handling the case suggests it was not a hit and run either. So I keep coming back to ... what kind of perp trolls around and looks to beat a girl to death for kicks? I can't see that.

Instead the phone text ..."OMG WTF I think I'm being kidnapped" literally sounds like an idea that some dumb teenage girl would think up to cover her/their tracks. Maybe all parents in that area (especially with children who knew April) should be on the lookout for unusual behavior by their teens, abnormal interest in the case (as LE said at one point), etc. Teenagers are especially bad at hiding their misdeeds (hand caught in the cookie jar face and behavioral changes) so with the right kind of pressure those kinds of perps should easily crack. Perhaps that's what the black "x's" and roadblocks were for too ... maybe they are just trying to put as much pressure on everyone in the community until whoever is responsible starts to squirm.