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

[cluciano63]

Interesting observation... I think they're usually more careful about adding "alleged" once someone has been arrested/charged/named as a suspect, aren't they?

Guess we have to wait and see what these "high priority tips" are all about.

Or when not sure if it was an abduction.
But it may just be this media's version, unless it was a quote from LE.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Authorities investigate high-priority tips in search for 25-year-old West Michigan woman

Jessica Heeringa missing since April 26 when she was abducted from Norton Shores gas station

Published On: May 20 2013 12:45:40 PM EDT

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...man/-/1719418/20218928/-/8y1k4sz/-/index.html


May 20, 2013 at 12:07 pm

Police get high-priority tips in search for Norton Shores gas station clerk

Associated Press

Norton Shores — Police looking for a 25-year-old woman who disappeared from her job at a West Michigan gas station last month say they're investigating high-priority tips received over the weekend.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130520/METRO/305200367#ixzz2TrRHQ2ha

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Maybe LE did get the results back on what type of mini van this is, but haven't reported on it yet to the media? My Opinion Only.....

If they want the public's help in locating the vehicle that might have been used in Jessica's disappearance, it might be a good idea for LE to provide this information. The make/model/year of the minivan would not compromise the investigation. :moo:

 

[Treelights]

If they want the public's help in locating the vehicle that might have been used in Jessica's disappearance, it might be a good idea for LE to provide this information. The make/model/year of the minivan would not compromise the investigation. :moo:

Oh, I understand that, but with maybe new developments of late, maybe there is a reason why they haven't said anything about it yet, so as not to compromise any new leads perhaps, particularly if they find out if it is not a town and country, in my opinion... The van is supposed to look like a town and country, but I thought they weren't sure, that's why the testing. IMO.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

I cannot be positive but this article says "alleged abduction" where I believe before they have been calling abduction.... Just an observation and may be nothing more than the wording of the article?

The author of the article inserted the word "alleged". I read the article three times and nothing in it seems as if LE has a new opinion other than Jessica was taken against her will from the gas station. Now, since media is so lax these days, I always look for information in quotes straight from LE's mouth. Otherwise, it's just the media writers inserting their own words.

No one believes Jessica left on her own imo. I don't know why the author would/does.

 

[GDUD]

But unless he knew her and the station, that still means the risk of the cameras. TOO big if you're planning an abduction(IMO)

Going away from my earlier theory...somehow someone she knew lured her outside. Which still doesn't explain why the cash drawer was out. Most employees would never do that.

Maybe she pulled the cash drawer out to give him the larger bills. So maybe he did get a lot of money anyway. I wonder what the normal sales would be for that night of the week, compared to how much money was left in the drawer. I wonder if they have fingerprinted the cash drawer.:rollercoaster:

 

[trenchmouth]

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130520/news/705209820/

Stumbled accross this article about police and surveillance cameras. Different city and state but interesting. I still think LE lost opportunity to find more surveillance video from other businesses. Maybe I'm wrong and they have.

 

[Treelights]

"The silver Town and County minivan seen at the gas station on the night that Heeringa disappeared is one example."

"One of the things that they were able to do for us very quickly is narrow down the number of minivans owned by white males between the age of 30 and 40," Shaw said."

Detectives were able to narrow the number of vans from ten of thousands to 220 in short order."


http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/High-priority-tips-in-Heeringa-case

 

[trenchmouth]

"The silver Town and County minivan seen at the gas station on the night that Heeringa disappeared is one example."

"One of the things that they were able to do for us very quickly is narrow down the number of minivans owned by white males between the age of 30 and 40," Shaw said."

Detectives were able to narrow the number of vans from ten of thousands to 220 in short order."


http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/High-priority-tips-in-Heeringa-case

Sure hope the perp isn't 29 or 41

 

[Treelights]

Sure hope the perp isn't 29 or 41

And you never know, they could have made a chart with other ages as well that would be plus or minus ages 30 to 40.

 

[cluciano63]

If the vehicle is not registered to the perp, age breakdowns are not going to help, i.e if registered to a girlfriend, etc.

 

[plude19]

Or has access to a silver mini-van not registered in his name as has been previously suggested.

Sure hope the perp isn't 29 or 41

 

[Flutterby80]

Drove by the Exxon today around 5:50 pm. Didn't see Jessica's family, but the woodtv van is still set up in the parking lot, complete with a tall light on the truck.

I drove around the station and there is still no dumpster. I am thinking that they must share one with the carwash next door. If someone was going to take the trash out, it would make sense they would walk it out the back door because the dumpster behind the carwash would be slightly behind and to the east of the gas station. I guess it's possible that Jessica could have been opening the back door to take out the garbage when she was abducted. I believe it was stated the trash was bagged and ready to go out, but I never read where it was located (i.e. near back door or in the main part of the station). It still doesn't make sense that Jessica would leave the cash drawer open or unlocked, leave the front door to the station unlocked, and be walking the garbage out the back door. Even if it only took her under a minute to run the trash next door, that seems like a risky thing to do.

 

[Treelights]

There was a discussion about funds recently on the forum and in this article Dan Shaw talks about how much money has been spent so far and as long as information is coming in, they will continue the task force.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/High-priority-tips-in-Heeringa-case

"The Norton Shores Police Department has spent about $20,000 in overtime for city officers investigating Heeringa's case.

Shaw said he hasn't had to go to city leaders to ask for more money and will cut his budget elsewhere to cover the costs.

Shaw also said that time and money wouldn't determine how long the task force stays together, but rather, information.

"As long as there are valuable leads coming in - high priority leads - and as long as there are items to be followed up on, they will stay with this investigation," Shaw said. "

 

[GGE]

Based on my own experience working at a convenience store (and being robbed while working there), I keep thinking about a few things - forgive me if I got some of this wrong, since I'm relatively new to this case -

the front door of the store was unlocked still,
the register drawer was open,
the back door was open and/or had some signs of her blood outside it

Okay well when I was in her situation, I basically looked up and saw two guys come in wearing camo and one held out a gun. I assumed right away that we were being robbed, because that's what people with guns DO at convenience stores.

I keep thinking it could be pretty simple -

the front door was unlocked because it was still business hours

the cash register was open because she saw a guy come in with a gun or something threatening and assumed she was being robbed, so opened it in preparation for handing over the cash

the back door was open and/or some of her blood was found out there because he somehow let her know that he wasn't there for the money but rather for her, and she bolted out the back upon realizing that fact, or he took her out that way or something

Any reason these can't be possible scenarios? Like I said, I'm relatively new to this case, so may have things wrong or otherwise have a fundamental misunderstanding that messes up these thoughts.

 

[Lalettab]

They haven't released exactly where the blood was located, but there was no sign of struggle inside from what I recall, and the blood was outside somewhere.

 

[missgulfsouth]

Has the Exxon re-opened? Why no dumpster there? Was the dumpster taken as part of the investigation?

I REALLY thought they would have this perp by now. This kind of crime is somewhat unheard of in that part of the state (notwithstanding Grand Rapids proper). It's sort of sleepy, small town America. That is why I honestly thought they would find him fast, that people would be turning this guy in! Makes me think the sketch is not accurate. Which reminds me, what did LE mean when they stated that the sketch was a 10 out of 10? That it was a dead ringer for him? If that is the case, then they must know who he is......

 

[goldenbear]

:seeya:

Has the Exxon re-opened? Why no dumpster there? Was the dumpster taken as part of the investigation?

I REALLY thought they would have this perp by now. This kind of crime is somewhat unheard of in that part of the state (notwithstanding Grand Rapids proper). It's sort of sleepy, small town America. That is why I honestly thought they would find him fast, that people would be turning this guy in! Makes me think the sketch is not accurate. Which reminds me, what did LE mean when they stated that the sketch was a 10 out of 10? That it was a dead ringer for him? If that is the case, then they must know who he is......

You don't share dumpsters. I assume that the car wash and the gas station are owned by the same person. My understanding is the blood was outside the back door. He hit her picked her up and loaded her into the van. The chief feels LE has enough evidence to find the abductor now. But of course they always can use more.:seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya:

 

[SteveP]

:seeya:
You don't share dumpsters. I assume that the car wash and the gas station are owned by the same person. My understanding is the blood was outside the back door. He hit her picked her up and loaded her into the van. The chief feels LE has enough evidence to find the abductor now. But of course they always can use more.:seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya:

BBM...Did the chief actually say this, or are you inferring this from something else he said? I haven't seen any report that says he thinks they have enough evidence to catch this guy. I actually infer from what I have read that they still don't know who he is, and are still not even sure what he was driving. He did say today that they are working on some high priority tips, which got my hopes up, but then he almost immediately said something to the effect of "we're not sure if they are true or not", which pretty much dashed my hopes. Whatever these 'high-priority' tips were, I don't get the sense that they are instant case-breakers. JMO

 

[cluciano63]

Yeah, I would love to see one or two of the "high-priority" tips. I know they have to rank tips as they come in, so to them, some would seem higher priority, but that does not make them more factual or helpful. Any alleged sightings of Jessica, any call-ins saying this guy looks like my exterminator, etc. would probably have to be checked out first, before vague "tips" about once seeing a gray van at Lake Michigan. Trust me, these are the types of "tips" people call in, not counting the dreams and "visions".