MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #3

[Maggiewho]

I've been reading way too much on this case tonight, it hits too close to home both figuratively and literally, I live in Mi (a little bit further north, but close enough that this is all over the local news) and I've worked third shift and closing shift at gas stations and hotels for years. I hope they find her soon. It being a turkey hunter and a crime of opportunity just doesn't feel right to me, just my opinion. Here's why I think that, first off there have allegedly been past issues with a "creeper" hanging around other local businesses late at night, in a similar vehicle; also, it would be a huge stroke of "luck" for the abductor to just happen upon a woman working alone at closing time. How did he know that she didn't have a coworker inside? Or someone coming to pick her up? I would almost bet money that she's seen this guy hanging around before, and though you might think that she would have mentioned it to someone I can say from my own experience that sometimes you get sick of everyone worrying about your dangerous job, so you don't tell your family and friends about every creepy guy and weirdo that bugs you because it happens more often than you really want to think about. Sometimes it's scary, sometimes you have to call the cops, but when you have kids at home and bills to pay you try to push the worries out of your mind.
As for turkey season, it doesn't actually start for most hunters until the 6th. The ones that are hunting right now are a very limited number and only in certain areas. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10958_10969_12072-30342--,00.html I'm not saying it's not a possiblity, I just don't find it likely. The closest destination that looks likely to me on a map would be Mona Lake or the main highway out of town.

Please don't confuse my post with turkey hunting season. I am on the opening cabins for annual camoing, canoeing trips. Also, just going by the fact he has not been recognized. I am only throwing in new theories. I do see your point though.

 

[Wcp31]

Just reading up on this case a little bit now, I'm from NM and we have laws protecting clerks that work late night & early morning shifts after I believe in 2005 a young lady was abducted & murdered working at an allsups (local chain) her family sued & won.... They passed a law which makes it mandatory for all gas stations open between 11 pm - 7am either have A. An armed guard or B. A bulletproof locked enclosure. Parts of New Mexico can be very rough as it seems this area was, hopefully this young lady doesn't meet the same fate & we should always keep hope. Either way sounds like they need similar laws there & maybe everywhere for that matter.


.

 

[AndiLA]

I haven't posted here at WS in months (but I lurk like its my job, haha). Anyways, I joined because of the Mickey Shunick case and I'm being brought out of lurkdom because this case reminds me so much of the MS case. I just pray that this one has a different outcome. lease:

 

[laura83]

I haven't posted here at WS in months (but I lurk like its my job, haha). Anyways, I joined because of the Mickey Shunick case and I'm being brought out of lurkdom because this case reminds me so much of the MS case. I just pray that this one has a different outcome. lease:

Same :seeya:

 

[pugmom]

Same :seeya:

Me as well.

 

[windridge]

Okay, so I'm new but I have followed some of your comments for a while. There is a guy in Grand Rapids sexual offender registry who has the initials "ggd" that irked me and then I looked at the vehicles registered to him and ...well silver mini van

 

[Eileen730]

I've been reading way too much on this case tonight, it hits too close to home both figuratively and literally, I live in Mi (a little bit further north, but close enough that this is all over the local news) and I've worked third shift and closing shift at gas stations and hotels for years. I hope they find her soon. It being a turkey hunter and a crime of opportunity just doesn't feel right to me, just my opinion. Here's why I think that, first off there have allegedly been past issues with a "creeper" hanging around other local businesses late at night, in a similar vehicle; also, it would be a huge stroke of "luck" for the abductor to just happen upon a woman working alone at closing time. How did he know that she didn't have a coworker inside? Or someone coming to pick her up? I would almost bet money that she's seen this guy hanging around before, and though you might think that she would have mentioned it to someone I can say from my own experience that sometimes you get sick of everyone worrying about your dangerous job, so you don't tell your family and friends about every creepy guy and weirdo that bugs you because it happens more often than you really want to think about. Sometimes it's scary, sometimes you have to call the cops, but when you have kids at home and bills to pay you try to push the worries out of your mind.
As for turkey season, it doesn't actually start for most hunters until the 6th. The ones that are hunting right now are a very limited number and only in certain areas. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10958_10969_12072-30342--,00.html I'm not saying it's not a possiblity, I just don't find it likely. The closest destination that looks likely to me on a map would be Mona Lake or the main highway out of town.

BBM Didn't a witness hear the guy in the van say to her How come you not inside behind the cash register? Maybe she answered him cause I'm here by myself.

 

[Eileen730]

http://www.everyjoe.com/2013/04/28/...-pictures-abducted-from-michigan-gas-station/

11 photos of Jessica. In the last photo I see she is smoking. I wonder if the abductor knew she goes out back to smoke and that is when he took her.

I think the guy chatted her up when she was at the pumps out front and by talking to her found out she was alone. He drove his van to the back but entered the store from the front and took her out the back door. It was closing time and I don't think she went out back to smoke.

JMO

 

[The Cheese]

Amanda Jarrett ‏@Amanda_WOODTV
Police dept is already looking ahead to next week & continuing investigation. Full task force to stay on board #jessicaheeringa

Amanda Jarrett ‏@Amanda_WOODTV
Chief says investigators will meet this morning for a briefing about case #jessicaheeringa

Amanda Jarrett ‏@Amanda_WOODTV
Just talked to police chief he says they've gotten more than 500 tips in the #jessicaheeringa case

Daniel Shaw ‏@NSPDChiefShaw
Attached is a still photo of the suspect van as it passes the Coin Zone. pic.twitter.com/lrY4mlUeWE

WOOD TV ‏@WOODTV
Norton Shores police release photo of minivan believed to be connected to the disappearance of #JessicaHeeringa pic.twitter.com/ioyOWllRrL

 

[airplanelamp]

I think the guy chatted her up when she was at the pumps out front and by talking to her found out she was alone. He drove his van to the back but entered the store from the front and took her out the back door. It was closing time and I don't think she went out back to smoke.

JMO

Do we know it was closing time?

I thought that the guy who called 911 said he got off at 11PM and that he stops there "all the time". So, I assumed it was an all nite gas station or open till midnight.

 

[vega]

Live Fox 17 Newscast this morning reporting the person being questioned (Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon) has still not been cleared as of this morning. The investigative team plans to meet first thing this morning for a briefing and to map out the plan for the day.

 

[chickenboxer8]

This case is frustrating... So many questions with no answers...
Praying for Jessica's safe return ...

 

[The Cheese]

Video of live interview with Chief Shaw earlier this morning on Fox 17

Jessica Heeringa Abduction: Live Update from Police Chief

Read more: http://fox17online.com/2013/05/03/j...-live-update-from-police-chief/#ixzz2SEGKjIJG

ETA - or maybe that was a livestream I just watched :drumroll:

 

[iluvmua]

Until LE says that all RSO have been cleared I'm not going to believe LLL or anyone else has been cleared.

nevermind, whoever this person is has been cleared.

 

[chickenboxer8]

Can someone please clarify some thing for me? I missed something I think.
- is the van focused on because she was talking to a man in the van shortly before her disappearance?
- did Jessica ever talk about customers with her coworkers that creeped her out a bit? Has any of the co workers spoke out?
- was the credit card fraud ring local, did she know someone well inside the ring or did they come in to the station randomly but on a regular basis? If they came in wouldn't the other workers be able to identify them as well why would Jessica be a target if others also could identify them?

 

[summer_breeze]

http://www.freep.com/article/201305...scribe-what-she-thinks-happened-missing-woman

8:04 AM, May 3, 2013

Video at link

 

[imamaze]

http://www.freep.com/article/201305...rk-searched-hunt-missing-mom-Jessica-Heeringa
Michigan park searched in hunt for missing mom Jessica Heeringa
Police came up empty-handed after searching a state park in Norton Shores on Thursday for a western Michigan mother who vanished from her job nearly a week ago.
Investigators had received a tip of gunshots heard between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. Saturday in the area of P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Jessica Heeringa is believed to have been abducted between 10:50 and 11:15 p.m. April 26 from her job at the Exxon Mobil on East Sternberg Road in Norton Shores.

 

[SuziQ]

I would be surprised if this crime is as simple as a local RSO. They would know they would be the first to be investigated. I would think if an RSO was determined to carry out such a crime, he would venture outside of the area where he is registered.

It is difficult to whether or not a known sex offender is more likely to be the perp, IMO. In Mickey's case, the perp was registered and known to LE. He made a lot of mistakes that led to him being caught. In the abduction/murder of Kelsey Smith a few years back, the perp did not have a record as an adult at all.

I am not sure what to think about the man they have been questioning. It is possible he simply does not have a provable alibi, as many people probably would not be able to,prove where they were at a certain time (except perhaps via phone and computer records.) but as it seems he is cooperating, it feels less likely to me that he is their man.

I do think this perp must have used a weapon, probably a gun. I can't see her leaving in that way otherwise, for any reason.

I feel like this is someone who is a predator that's been flying under the radar. I think we will find he's got a violent past, but either no one has connected the dots before or he's just been lucky.

I get a Joel Patrick Courtney vibe. Ironically, he was driving a regular passenger van as well. It was his work van. Someone spotted it as he was fleeing the abduction site. He was driving erratically and someone noticed.

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/joel_courtney/1.html

 

[summer_breeze]

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/show/20137

Case Information
Status
Missing
First name
Jessica
Middle name
Lynn
Last name
Heeringa
Nickname/Alias
Date last seen
April 26, 2013 23:00
Date entered
04/30/2013
Age last seen
25 to years old
Age now
25 years old
Race
White
Ethnicity
Sex
Female
Height (inches)
51.0
Weight (pounds)
100.0 to 110.0

 

[Treelights]

OK guys, just noticed that she has on a similar pair of glasses in that link with 11 pictures as the ones that were found earlier. Can't be sure if a match as the pic is blurry but they are more in line with what was found. If anything, it shows she probably had more than one pair.

With this new photo of a different pair of glasses Jessica is wearing, these look like rimless glasses on the bottom part of the glasses as the top of this pair of glasses seems more pronounced, so I don't think they are the same glasses in my opinion.....