GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #2

[bessie]

Teen's body found in wooded area of Armada

Victim is 14-year-old April Millsap

Published On: Jul 24 2014 11:31:08 PM EDT Updated 32 m

VILLAGE OF ARMADA, Mich. -
Police have identified a 14-year-old girl who was found dead in a wooded area of Armada.

April Dawn Millsap's body was found Thursday in a drainage ditch in the area of Fulton and Depot roads.

Armada Police Chief Howard Smith said Millsap had left her house to walk the dog, but when she didn't return about an hour later, her parents called police...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/womans-body-found-on-edge-of-village-of-armada/27141128


[URL="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?251244-MI-Armada-teen-April-Dawn-Millsap-age-14-found-murdered-in-wooded-area-7-24-14&p=10789439#post10789439"]Thread #1
[/URL]

 

[Topend22]

Why the new thread? Just curious?


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[RazTaz]

Why the new thread? Just curious?


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They usually make a new thread when posts get close to or over a thousand.

 

[gam]

Why the new thread? Just curious?


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When a thread gets to be to many pages(it was at 40 pages) they always start a new one and number them. I think it has to do with it getting to long and it starts to make the thread lag. I'm sure someone else will come with a better explanation but very common that cases have many threads to them here.

Many interested in her case to have 40 pages, which is good because it has not been forgotten.

 

[tlcya]

So given conflicting reports about items belonging to April being in the pool, none being in the pool and now reports of things in the brush nearby, here is my take on the truth of the matter. Only the facts being released can confirm if I am on target but here is my speculation about the other day's search at property on Church and Lathrop:

Given the distance from the trail and the location where April was found and where her cell phone was located, I believe this search of the pool property was based on a tip or on a POI who LE had reason to believe might have accessed or been on the property (possibly proximity to another known area of association for a POI (the one in jail or another possibly one unnamed thus far)

I think they had reason to believe missing items belonging to April may be on that property. They went, found an unkempt pool possibly fool of slime and yuck from years of lack of cleaning, use or care. They thought divers could find the missing items in the pool but too murky and therefore had to drain said pool. Nothing was found there but while searching the general vicinity of the property which has trees and brush on it and along its perimeter, they found items in bushes.

Items were found on the property but the pool draining gave some onlookers the wrong impression of where. JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

When a thread gets to be to many pages(it was at 40 pages) they always start a new one and number them. I think it has to do with it getting to long and it starts to make the thread lag. I'm sure someone else will come with a better explanation but very common that cases have many threads to them here.

Many interested in her case to have 40 pages, which is good because it has not been forgotten.

Websleuths' moderators do an exemplary job of keeping threads manageable :tyou:

 

[tlcya]

ARMADA, MI -- Investigators found property belonging to slain Armada teen April Milsap during a search along the trail where she was beaten, strangled and her body discarded July 24, WXYZ-Channel 7 News reported Tuesday.

Reporter Jonathan Carlson of Channel 7 reports that unidentified items were retrieved from a pool drained by firefighters, as well as a hairbrush believed to belong to the 14-year-old in nearby vegetation.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/09/report_police_find_new_evidenc.html


(WXYZ) - 7 Action News has learned from sources close to the April Millsap murder investigation, that items belonging to the teen were found during a search of a swimming pool and nearby brush in Armada.
The pool was drained by firefighters last night, so investigators could search for evidence.
Items were seen being taken out of the pool. However, sources tell Action News, the Millsap items specifically, were found in the brush nearby.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/sources-say-property-of-april-millsap-found-in-armada-swimming-pool

Oh my gosh. I honestly cannot recall a criminal case where the reporting has been such a mess.

First link sources second and reports "hairbrush" of April's found in nearby vegetation. Linked source states undisclosed item was found in the "brush". Good Gravy. This is a hot mess of inconsistent and inaccurate reporting. MOO.

What the heck are we to make of all this?

 

[gam]

ARMADA, MI -- Investigators found property belonging to slain Armada teen April Milsap during a search along the trail where she was beaten, strangled and her body discarded July 24, WXYZ-Channel 7 News reported Tuesday.

Reporter Jonathan Carlson of Channel 7 reports that unidentified items were retrieved from a pool drained by firefighters, as well as a hairbrush believed to belong to the 14-year-old in nearby vegetation.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/09/report_police_find_new_evidenc.html


(WXYZ) - 7 Action News has learned from sources close to the April Millsap murder investigation, that items belonging to the teen were found during a search of a swimming pool and nearby brush in Armada.
The pool was drained by firefighters last night, so investigators could search for evidence.
Items were seen being taken out of the pool. However, sources tell Action News, the Millsap items specifically, were found in the brush nearby.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/sources-say-property-of-april-millsap-found-in-armada-swimming-pool

Oh my gosh. I honestly cannot recall a criminal case where the reporting has been such a mess.

First link sources second and reports "hairbrush" of April's found in nearby vegetation. Linked source states undisclosed item was found in the "brush". Good Gravy. This is a hot mess of inconsistent and inaccurate reporting. MOO.

What the heck are we to make of all this?

I'm at a loss with this mess. I got more information off social media, they I have from the news. What happened to investigative reporting and checking your sources? I think the media is just contacting posters on social media, they keep saying sources close to the investigation, but it does not look like that to me.

Not sure what the police are doing, they are silent, yet there they are searching, not hiding it at all, because numerous people were watching that search. Heck someone even said the homeowner posted on social media(although I could not find that post)what went on, what was found and where it was found. At least give the media enough information to report some kind of accurate information and hide what your finding from the general public.

They have had a POI, possible that POI was on a motorcycle, short time frame in which this murder occurred. I don't know about anyone else, but this guy does not strike me as someone that is that smart to pull this all off on a motorcycle, in a short time frame and leave nothing for them to nail him with. Wondering if they have looked hard into other possibilities.

 

[tlcya]

I am not sold on Vancallis being the killer but if he is involved, there was a second person there who is still out there walking the streets. That is my take, especially in light of the other day's searching. James is either not involved at all or his accomplice is still out there. JMO

 

[Topend22]

I am not sold on Vancallis being the killer but if he is involved, there was a second person there who is still out there walking the streets. That is my take, especially in light of the other day's searching. James is either not involved at all or his accomplice is still out there. JMO

So what is your theory of how it all took place?


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[tlcya]

I think Vancallis was in the area (trail) on his motorcycle/dirt bike. I think he may know who the killer is and that individual may have been someone he was meeting on the trail for a drug deal. Or he possibly was simply illegally using the trail as a shortcut (as was IMO his habit) to get around bypassing actual roads.

So right now I am at

a) there, knows something but not the perp
b) there on trail and up to no good but not involved in this killing
c) or has an accomplice who is still at large

I have always been troubled by April's seeming distance from home along the trail when found.

Given where her home is, where her body was found, I have the impression she was too far afield for her normal walk/routine. Did she go that far down the trail or was she taken? If so how did she and the dog get there on a motorcycle? Not adding up.

Now the search and items found on Church and Lathrop. Opposite direction of Vancallis home.

So April was taken or attacked on the outskirts of town - toward (direction of) his home, then he circles back into town proper (away from direction of his home) and dumps items belonging to her when he could easily have headed toward his own home and dumped things in brush or fields along the way?

Not adding up for me JMO

 

[tlcya]

Beginning to wonder if those who speculated teen attacker (some sort of known peer to April) hiding in plain sight are right after all.

 

[gam]

I think Vancallis was in the area (trail) on his motorcycle/dirt bike. I think he may know who the killer is and that individual may have been someone he was meeting on the trail for a drug deal. Or he possibly was simply illegally using the trail as a shortcut (as was IMO his habit) to get around bypassing actual roads.

So right now I am at

a) there, knows something but not the perp
b) there on trail and up to no good but not involved in this killing
c) or has an accomplice who is still at large

I have always been troubled by April's seeming distance from home along the trail when found.

Given where her home is, where her body was found, I have the impression she was too far afield for her normal walk/routine. Did she go that far down the trail or was she taken? If so how did she and the dog get there on a motorcycle? Not adding up.

Now the search and items found on Church and Lathrop. Opposite direction of Vancallis home.

So April was taken or attacked on the outskirts of town - toward (direction of) his home, then he circles back into town proper (away from direction of his home) and dumps items belonging to her when he could easily have headed toward his own home and dumped things in brush or fields along the way?

Not adding up for me JMO

Makes no sense that anybody would do this on a motorcycle. He has many connections to Armada and from the talk he was there often.

I don't get the change of directions on the items either, plus it was still daylight, why risk someone seeing you, he would have had to jump a fence if they were in the pool(depending on the reports you read). Plus his motorcycle would have been possibly in sight dumping the items in a residential area. Unless he dumped them at a later time. But there are so many remote areas to dump things in at a later time that no one would ever find, so why go back into Armada to dump them.

 

[Topend22]

I think Vancallis was in the area (trail) on his motorcycle/dirt bike. I think he may know who the killer is and that individual may have been someone he was meeting on the trail for a drug deal. Or he possibly was simply illegally using the trail as a shortcut (as was IMO his habit) to get around bypassing actual roads.

So right now I am at

a) there, knows something but not the perp
b) there on trail and up to no good but not involved in this killing
c) or has an accomplice who is still at large

I have always been troubled by April's seeming distance from home along the trail when found.

Given where her home is, where her body was found, I have the impression she was too far afield for her normal walk/routine. Did she go that far down the trail or was she taken? If so how did she and the dog get there on a motorcycle? Not adding up.

Now the search and items found on Church and Lathrop. Opposite direction of Vancallis home.

So April was taken or attacked on the outskirts of town - toward (direction of) his home, then he circles back into town proper (away from direction of his home) and dumps items belonging to her when he could easily have headed toward his own home and dumped things in brush or fields along the way?

Not adding up for me JMO

The only problem I have with this theory is why take a life in prison sent acme to cover for someone else? Even if it was a drug deal, we are only talking about "pot". No big deal. Slap on the wrist at most. So why not tell who did it?? Personally I don't see his as a killer. But, I have never met the guy so it's just a feeling.


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[Topend22]

I think the change of direction was simply him being scared off from whoever was walking sow the trail. He probably had the bike stashed and was just running in the opposite direction of the voices. He would probably jump fences, run around in circles... Whatever to not be seen!!


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[tlcya]

The only problem I have with this theory is why take a life in prison sent acme to cover for someone else? Even if it was a drug deal, we are only talking about "pot". No big deal. Slap on the wrist at most. So why not tell who did it?? Personally I don't see his as a killer. But, I have never met the guy so it's just a feeling.


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Agree, if covering, then covering something bigger than pot. which is why if involved, and covering for killer there must be darn good reason, someone important to him or someone who has something pretty bad on him in return. Not just pot dealing MOO.

What if he was just in the area on his own shady petty dealings and saw nothing relating to April's killing? What if news of LE looking for unidentified male on blue/white motorcycle caused him to freak out thinking he would get blamed so he stashed motorcycle and went into CYA mode EVEN tho he was not guilty? In that circumstance, how do you disprove knowledge of something you happened to be in the area you were seen but know nothing about?

Wondering if items found in brush on property at Church and Lathrop were say within close proximity to fenceline where someone could literally have walked past on sidewalk or from a neighboring property simply chucked items over fence onto the searched property? Or were the unnamed items found the other day far enough inside the property lines as to indicate someone actually went onto the property to dump those items.

Just brainstorming

 

[Topend22]

If it was me... I would tell the truth. I would say. Yes that was me on my bike, I was selling pot to someone yada, yada, but I didn't see anything or do this.


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[BetteDavisEyes]

Early in the investigation, someone reported having seen a vehicle - not a scooter or ATV - driving on the trail. This hasn't been mentioned for quite a while. Has it been discounted or proven to not been accurate, or was the vehicle what made April think that someone tried to kidnap her? IIRC, the woman who reported having seen a vehicle on the trail was interviewed by one of the local media outlets. I usually watch Channel 4 (WDIV), so that's probably where I saw it.

 

[Mountaingazer]

Early in the investigation, someone reported having seen a vehicle - not a scooter or ATV - driving on the trail. This hasn't been mentioned for quite a while. Has it been discounted or proven to not been accurate, or was the vehicle what made April think that someone tried to kidnap her? IIRC, the woman who reported having seen a vehicle on the trail was interviewed by one of the local media outlets. I usually watch Channel 4 (WDIV), so that's probably where I saw it.

Yeah there was mention of a white or silver van but I can't remember which color. I believe the owner/s were contacted and cleared, hopefully someone can come along with links.

 

[shy_d]

Beginning to wonder if those who speculated teen attacker (some sort of known peer to April) hiding in plain sight are right after all.

this is where I'm at with this.