MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #5

[absentia]

I think it is tragic and I can't say for sure its only my opinion but I'm sure he is saying its tragic because she is missing, her little boy doesn't have his mommy, her mom and dad don't have their daughter, and on and on. So yes in my opinion it is tragic, its heartbreaking to see this family going through this.

It is frustrating and I can assure you its just as frustrating for the Chief and everyone working on this case. I really believe they are doing everything they can to find Jessica

Ima

I hope that's true and wish it were. I just don't agree with the investigation so far. I'm really symptomatic with my illness so maybe I'm just grumpy. but, I'm sensing small town mentality, if not good intentions, in the first weeks of this investigation.

 

[cluciano63]

unless they are both involved - silver van and dark suburban.

Even so, someone else should have recognized the van, it seems. Unless the guy is not local. Maybe LE is still checking out tips on possible vans. It just does not feel that any progress is being made, other than ruling people out perhaps.

 

[gregjrichards]

one colleague as in the co-worker witness who gave us the sketch and the silver van by chance?
you can link to FB. if it's not FB, please PM the link to me. TIA

I don't know the name of the colleague who is talking but it was mentioned on the find Jessica Heeringa Facebook page in the comments section that a colleague was allegedly trash talking Jessica and the person wasn't happy about it. I didn't post it due to the rules here. https://www.facebook.com/FindJessicaHeeringa

 

[absentia]

Even so, someone else should have recognized the van, it seems. Unless the guy is not local. Maybe LE is still checking out tips on possible vans. It just does not feel that any progress is being made, other than ruling people out perhaps.

yes, this feels like passive investigation. desk chair investigating, not active searching/investigating.

 

[absentia]

I don't know the name of the colleague who is talking but it was mentioned on the find Jessica Heeringa Facebook page in the comments section that a colleague was allegedly trash talking Jessica and the person wasn't happy about it. I didn't post it due to the rules here. https://www.facebook.com/FindJessicaHeeringa

are the comments by others still disabled? I can't see them.
can you tell me which posting the comment is under? or what day/time it was posted & initials of person commenting?
TIA

 

[gregjrichards]

are the comments by others still disabled? I can't see them.
can you tell me which posting the comment is under? or what day/time it was posted & initials of person commenting?
TIA

I'm really sorry I can't find it again. It never said anything to identify the colleague or what they had said just that they weren't being very nice about Jessica. I should have noted under which post the comment was made I will in future if anything stands out. I just wondered why this person was doing it if true.

 

[vega]

yes, this feels like passive investigation. desk chair investigating, not active searching/investigating.

“Our concerns about conducting ground searches at this point are, number one, we don’t have a defined area to begin a search. Based on the evidence we have, we believe she was transported from the scene, so where do we start?,” Shaw said.

With this singular focus on the silver van, LE has walked this case into a corner.

It is called a grid search. That is where you start.

If you need to train the search teams then train them. Train team leaders first, and so forth.

 

[cluciano63]

I am sure LE is trying...but IMO LE just is not very good at MP cases. Usually, if a person is found at all, it is by chance.

 

[Starry Night]

Doesn't common sense tell you that when a person seems abducted via vehicle-how do you conduct a ground search? Where would you begin........what sort of resources needed?
The LE are operating from witness reports-that's all they have to go on for now. And those witness reports point to a vehicle abduction.

 

[Starry Night]

No one is stopping people from doing grid searches-are they? Has that been tried? I would love to know where they would start to do this. What would be the parameter and why?

If the community is crying out for an all-out search....then it has to be organized, scheduled etc. Lots of logistics.

Believe me, if it were my loved one missing I would be demanding same-but there is only so much LE can do under the circumstances.

 

[Tonto]

There are forensic statistical probabilities for potential search areas regardless of whether tangible evidence exists. It makes little sense not to be searching for her right now (or since the day she went missing, actually). LE isn't preventing searches, but they are openly discouraging them.

 

[cluciano63]

I know that Texas Equisearch likes to have specific areas to be searched. What areas would LE recommend? Not being at all familiar with the area, I have no idea. If Jessica was kidnapped for sexual assault, I would guess he got out of the general area and went someplace isolated and private near woods or water.

 

[Starry Night]

There are forensic statistical probabilities for potential search areas regardless of whether tangible evidence exists. It makes little sense not to be searching for her right now. LE isn't preventing searches, but they are openly discouraging them.

Please define 'forensic tangible probabilities for potential search areas' in this particular case.

 

[Tonto]

Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, parks, forests, farms, fields, ditches, gullies, sides of roads, landfills, ad nauseum.

 

[Starry Night]

ad nauseum is correct adjective/adverb-let's narrow that down a bit-which Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, parks, forests, farms, fields, ditches, gullies, sides of roads, landfills?

 

[vega]

Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, parks, forests, farms, fields, ditches, gullies, sides of roads, landfills, ad nauseum.

Abandoned homes or buildings.

Maybe some of the local hunters can organize and lead the search teams.

 

[SteveP]

ad nauseum is correct adjective/adverb-let's narrow that down a bit-which Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, parks, forests, farms, fields, ditches, gullies, sides of roads, landfills?

I get what you are saying, and I know that without a good clue as to where to search, odds of finding her are slim. But how good are the odds of finding her if no one looks? We do know that the van traveled that one road. Would it hurt to search the area the van was known to be traveling in? Perhaps a cell phone, a piece of her jewelry, something identifiable that may have been in her pocket, or something else got thrown out along the way. If she isn't found, perhaps some evidence might be, that would help lead to finding her. JMO

ETA I know her phone was left behind. I just used that as an example.

 

[Treelights]

ad nauseum is correct adjective/adverb-let's narrow that down a bit-which Lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, parks, forests, farms, fields, ditches, gullies, sides of roads, landfills?

Mona Lake, Ross Park, areas around Norton Cemetery, any areas near where the van was driving in the video.

 

[Starry Night]

Abandoned homes or buildings.

Maybe some of the local hunters can organize and lead the search teams.

Again I ask-where do you start? What area would be beginning of the search? Or the end even?

Or do you call for an all-out search by hundreds of volunteers in a specific mile radius? If so-where?

 

[Starry Night]

I totally get what you all are saying. I really do- I like what Treelights and SteveP suggested-excellent ideas. Is there any way, even though LE discourages it-that people CAN do searches of their own in those places? Could citizens organize their own search? Without being arrested or stopped because of public safety issues etc? I say-go for it. That's a good start to me.