MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #6

[Woe.be.gone]

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/muskegon_county/missing-woman-case-officially-abduction

This is interesting. One hundred fourteen comments from April 28, six in particular add light to the situation (where some info being tossed around may have originated). I'm thinking I'm the only person who, until last night, hadn't read these comments.

Earlier in this thread or thread five, I recall comments about the cash drawer being left out on the counter. Stated in the article above is, (just happened to notice), "The store's cash drawer was open, but no money was stolen, police said."

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/muskegon_county/missing-woman-case-officially-abduction

This is interesting. One hundred fourteen comments from April 28, six in particular add light to the situation (where some info being tossed around may have originated). I'm thinking I'm the only person who, until last night, hadn't read these comments.

Earlier in this thread or thread five, I recall comments about the cash drawer being left out on the counter. Stated in the article above is, (just happened to notice), "The store's cash drawer was open, but no money was stolen, police said."

I rarely read comments following media articles because they are little more than speculation. In some cases, the comments can be crass and cruel to victims and their families, and I always hope that those who have lost a loved one or have a family member missing avoid reading such drivel. It never ceases to amaze me just how unkind people can be under the guise of anonymity. :moo:

 

[cluciano63]

Pretty sad that the most recent article I can find just says how the task force has been reduced due to lack of tips.

I think this confusion over the van may be an indicator of just how shaky eyewitness accounts can be.

 

[imamaze]

This is precisely what I mean when I suggested above that SH is hypothesizing about what she thinks might have happened when Jessica was abducted. Some of her speculative comments sound like they are a conglomeration of conversations with folks who talked to someone or heard something from someone, and SH is taking bits and pieces from several sources - possibly unreliable - and trying to make sense out of her daughter's disappearance. Unless she has received specific information from LE, I don't think that SH has been given details of exactly what the investigation has revealed. :moo:

This is what I was trying to say, you said it much better!

 

[Woe.be.gone]

I rarely read comments following media articles because they are little more than speculation. In some cases, the comments can be crass and cruel to victims and their families, and I always hope that those who have lost a loved one or have a family member missing avoid reading such drivel. It never ceases to amaze me just how unkind people can be under the guise of anonymity. :moo:

I understand your point. In this case, it appears the posts are made along with the full names of the posters. I recognize one of the poster's name from a news article. He stepped forward to support Jessica and her family.
Otherwise, I agree. If you are willing, please take a look at these particular comments. Nothing earth shattering there, just interesting. For me, running across these comments, sheds a little light on what may be possible confusion as to witnesses (or not) among other things.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

There's nothing much left to do here until more information is revealed. Hope new evidence comes along soon - at least something for LE to go on. For all we know, they have a suspect (that they'll be watching for the next decade or forever).

Caylee's case was so different, in that, Florida has those Sunshine Laws. We discussed everything up and down and all around and still not enough concrete evidence surfaced.

What am I/we doing here again?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I understand your point. In this case, it appears the posts are made along with the full names of the posters. I recognize one of the poster's name from a news article. He stepped forward to support Jessica and her family.
Otherwise, I agree. If you are willing, please take a look at these particular comments. Nothing earth shattering there, just interesting. For me, running across these comments, sheds a little light on what may be possible confusion as to witnesses (or not) among other things.

At your suggestion, Woe, I did read them, and I agree that there is some (possibly) useful information, but we do not know how reliable the sources might be nor do we know if the information that they provide is accurate. I mostly wanted you to know that you were not alone in not having read those comments - or any other media article comments, for that matter. I do appreciate the time and effort that you put into Jessica's case, and I'm sure that our colleagues here at WS feel likewise. :tyou:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

There's nothing much left to do here until more information is revealed. Hope new evidence comes along soon - at least something for LE to go on. For all we know, they have a suspect (that they'll be watching for the next decade or forever).

Caylee's case was so different, in that, Florida has those Sunshine Laws. We discussed everything up and down and all around and still not enough concrete evidence surfaced.

What am I/we doing here again?

You care, Woe. We all care. That's why we follow these cases on WS. We want missing persons to be found safe and brought back to their families. We want our system of justice to work to punish those who have committed these horrible crimes. We want these families to know what happened to their loved ones and find some closure and peace in their future lives without that individual. :moo:

 

[michellemarls]

Missing Michigan Mom: 5 Things You Need To Know

http://investigation.discovery.com/missing-persons/jessica-heeringa.htm

 

[cluciano63]

Missing Michigan Mom: 5 Things You Need To Know

http://investigation.discovery.com/missing-persons/jessica-heeringa.htm

Thanks, this is a useful article.

I wonder if LE is allowing the family to examine the list of the 35,000 names of owners of the vehicles that match the description, to see if any are known to them. Still, it seems more likely to me that after all this time, if Jessica knew her abductor at all, it was probably casually through work, so the names would not mean anything to them. But if indeed the perp is a regular at the store, he is probably fairly local and might well be on that list.

 

[Treelights]

Missing Michigan Mom: 5 Things You Need To Know

http://investigation.discovery.com/missing-persons/jessica-heeringa.htm

I like how the article is written! It expresses concerns that we had here on Websleuths, and with several times written," I can confirm", it is helpful to people wanting to know more about the case of missing Jessica Heeringa, with confirmation of some facts.

 

[trenchmouth]

I will ask again, why can't every driver's license of the 35,000 van owners be compaired to the sketch? Either manually or electronically by compairing features and height weight to narrow to a short list?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

From the article posted above:

3) I have confirmed there are 35,000 silver/gray Chrysler mini-vans in the area, and investigators are doing their best to work through those vehicles along with tracking down numerous other leads. Many searches are taking place, including some of those at a nearby state park.

35,000 silver/grey Chrysler minivans in how large an area? I recall earlier reports that had whittled the vehicle possibilities down to @2000-2500.

Also, what is meant by "many" searches? I thought there hadn't been a lot of searches, and many folks have wondered why LE doesn't want searchers to canvass a wider area or do grid searches. :waitasec:

 

[margarita25]

Missing Michigan Mom: 5 Things You Need To Know

http://investigation.discovery.com/missing-persons/jessica-heeringa.htm

"2) Chief Shaw also said numerous people have been cleared, or are “no longer the focus of the investigation” – those people include, but are not limited to, Jessica’s current fiancé, a former boyfriend, two acquaintances, the owner of the gas station and a person who was driving a sliver van resembling the one last seen in the area before Jessica went missing."

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I will ask again, why can't every driver's license of the 35,000 van owners be compaired to the sketch? Either manually or electronically by compairing features and height weight to narrow to a short list?

What if the perp isn't the owner or a primary driver of the minivan? What if the vehicle was borrowed, a rental, or from out-of-state? Without specific information from a license plate on said minivan, it could be virtually impossible to match the perp to the alleged abduction vehicle. :moo:

 

[margarita25]

Where are you Jessica?

 

[nerosleuth]

I think that DLR didn't start till later than that.

From what I've read DLRs on the T&C are an optional and enable-able feature for the 2005 (even the base model) here in the US.

If the headlights were "out" on this one while it was driving, it's because it was on purpose. JMHO

MsFacetious & Jenstar both make a very good point here about DLRs that I didn't consider.

The DLRs feature likely started on higher end models when they first became available in America starting with the 1999 model year. Then it became available on lower end models a couple of years later.

From what I now understand, DLRs are not required, but are allowed on vehicles in the United States as a standard or optional feature depending upon the vehicle manufacturer.

I also agree with Jenstar that the headlights were "out" on purpose when the vehicle turned into the service station from the roadway.

 

[nerosleuth]

35,000 silver/grey Chrysler minivans in how large an area?

What if the perp isn't the owner or a primary driver of the minivan? What if the vehicle was borrowed, a rental, or from out-of-state? Without specific information from a license plate on said minivan, it could be virtually impossible to match the perp to the alleged abduction vehicle. :moo:

I would imagine that the figure of 35K silver/grey Chrysler minivans has to be for the entire state of Michigan.

While the possibility exists that the vehicle could have out of state license plates, it could also be possible that the vehicle involved is a borrowed rental vehicle with out of state license plates.

I agree that without specific information from a license plate of the vehicle involved, it is akin to looking for a needle in a giant haystack.

 

[goldenbear]

What if the perp isn't the owner or a primary driver of the minivan? What if the vehicle was borrowed, a rental, or from out-of-state? Without specific information from a license plate on said minivan, it could be virtually impossible to match the perp to the alleged abduction vehicle. :moo:

There are always a lot of what if in any problem. Usually you make some assumptions (Ididnt see a licence plate on the front in the video) one being that it is a Michigan car, two it is the abducting vehicle(no one has come forward to clear that vehicle) three it is not an alien space vehicle(improbable). At the rate they are clearing vehicles from the list that they compiled(seen in the chiefs hand) there should be less than two hundred left. :seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya::seeya:

 

[Treelights]

http://www.wzzm13.com/rss/article/258481/14/Fundraiser-to-help-family-of-Jessica-Heeringa

"A fundraiser was held Saturday to help the family of Jessica Heeringa."

A video is also with this article.