MI MI - Jodi Parrack, 11, abducted & murdered, Constantine, 7 Nov 2007

[Fermi]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1195230133212260.xml&coll=7

This article also states that: "More than three hours after making a report in person at the village Police Department, Carver found her daughter's body lying near a headstone in the southern portion of the cemetery. Her bike, lying on its side, was found near her, Honeysett said".

AND

"Police have declined to say if Jodi was fully clothed when she was found or if there was any indication she had been sexually assaulted. Her cause of death is still undetermined".

I would think if she had been clothed and there had been no indication of a sexual assault, they would relay that to assauge the towns' fears. :waitasec:

On another note, many years ago when I was a child, we lived down the street from a cemetary. All of the neighborhood kids, including me, would use it as a shortcut and sometimes we would just hang out there. I know that sounds morbid, but we found it quiet and peaceful. We also would read the headstones and then muse as to what the person was like, what they looked like, etc. When it was a child, we would mourn for them and place flowers on their grave on ocassion. We were 5th and 6th graders. We had great reverence for that cemetary and were very respectful. :twocents:

 

[MeoW333]

Okay, so in one once instance we have the mother who saw the bike laying up against the stone, and in another the bike was on the ground on it's side. So which one was it? This is weird.. "propped by a headstone" or "her bike lying on it's side" does the context of propped mean just laying on the ground on it's side? against a tombstone?

 

[Reannan]

For me, one of the strangest things is the family friend suggesting the cemetary as a place to go and look. I just find that odd. For their to be no obvious signs of trauma and cause of death, maybe she was smothered to death. The autopsy will certainly be able to determine this.

 

[angelmom]

Okay, so in one once instance we have the mother who saw the bike laying up against the stone, and in another the bike was on the ground on it's side. So which one was it? This is weird.. "propped by a headstone" or "her bike lying on it's side" does the context of propped mean just laying on the ground on it's side? against a tombstone?

Depending on the size of the stone, it could have been both. If it were a flat stone (truly a headstone) then it would have been by a headstone and laying on the ground. I think this may be a case of us overanalyzing the wording of the witnesses, who were obviously distraught by what they found and didn't really give a crap about how the bike looked.

For me, one of the strangest things is the family friend suggesting the cemetary as a place to go and look. I just find that odd. For their to be no obvious signs of trauma and cause of death, maybe she was smothered to death. The autopsy will certainly be able to determine this.

This doesn't seem weird to me at all. The cemetery where I will one day rest is a beautiful spot near several neighborhoods and people walk there for exercise all the time. There is a lake where we used to take the kids to feed the ducks (no longer allowed) and sit and reflect. It is a pretty spot for a picnic when you are feeling sentimental.

Also, as previous posters have pointed out, it is a perfect spot at night for kids to avoid the prying eyes of their parents. Definitely a place I would look, after I had checked all of the other obvious choices (friends' homes, route home, etc.) along with houses under construction, parks, and behind the school.

11 is young, but at that point I think they had to be panicked and fearing the worst. I know in the 15 or so minutes my son was "missing" one morning when he was 8 or 9 I was immediately thinking of every horrible thing that might have happened to him. It was awful. I cannot imagine living with that feeling for hours or days or longer.

 

[ljwf22]

For me, one of the strangest things is the family friend suggesting the cemetary as a place to go and look. I just find that odd. For their to be no obvious signs of trauma and cause of death, maybe she was smothered to death. The autopsy will certainly be able to determine this.

The cemetery was near her house. Constantine is a two-stoplight town, mostly to slow the heavy semi traffic that goes through it. There is a wide river that goes through it as well. I think there's a lot LE is not divulging. I would go to Constantine and take pictures to post here, but that would probably make me look suspicious. From my house it's about a 25-minute drive. I work with two people who are from there. It's odd how no one knows (or is not saying) anything.

 

[Reannan]

It's odd how no one knows (or is not saying) anything.

It seems to me that when LE suspects family or friends to be involved, the information dries up quickly, and it takes about 2-3 months for an arrest to be made. I do believe this case will eventually be solved.

 

[Jolynna]

Two weeks later, and there are still no answers to the question that occupies this town: Who killed Jodi?
It's a question that's caught the attention of the TV program, America's Most Wanted.

http://www.woodtv.com/global/story.asp?s=7394825

 

[MeoW333]

I checked to Michigan RSO list and got nothing on any male (dad, stepdad, brothers, uncles) listed in Jodi's obituary.

I had found this among a string of articles that says she has 2 brothers. I wonder what their ages are.

southbendtribune.com - LOU MUMFORD - November 11. 2007

CONSTANTINE -- After attending classes at Riverside Elementary School Thursday, 11-year-old fifth-grader Jodi Parrack came home, climbed on her silver bicycle and rode to a friend's house.

But shortly after she left the friend's house to return home, she became the victim of the village's first homicide in nearly 30 years. — continued

Excerpt: Curtis said Jodi was last seen about 4:45 p.m. riding her bicycle on Third Street. When she failed to return home by 5:30 as she was told, her family began looking for her, Curtis said.

The family notified police she was missing about 7:30. Honeysett said authorities were preparing to issue an Amber Alert when the child's mother found her body in the cemetery at 10:32 p.m.

Honeysett didn't identify Jodi's mother by name but said she and Jodi's two brothers "are holding up well ... considering what they've been through.''​

http://boards.crimelibrary.com/showthread.php?t=288652

(that is the link where the articles are)

 

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

This article also states that: "More than three hours after making a report in person at the village Police Department, Carver found her daughter's body lying near a headstone in the southern portion of the cemetery. Her bike, lying on its side, was found near her, Honeysett said".

AND

"Police have declined to say if Jodi was fully clothed when she was found or if there was any indication she had been sexually assaulted. Her cause of death is still undetermined".

I would think if she had been clothed and there had been no indication of a sexual assault, they would relay that to assauge the towns' fears. :waitasec: ...snip

Not only is the bike statement odd, but this is really strange too. Why are they recanting what was previously reported about her clothes? I remember the first reports saying she was fully clothed...now LE is declining to say? I would venture to say the first report is accurate, but you never know.

http://www.fox28.com/News/index.php?ID=27873
From above link:

Police say Jodi was last seen around 4:45 Thursday afternoon and was found dead in the cemetery around 10:30.

The cemetery is less than a mile from her home.

They say when the body was found, there was no sign of trauma and she was fully clothed.

An autopsy performed in Grand Rapids indicates it was a homicide, but no cause of death was released.

 

[Jolynna]

Originally Posted by ljwf22
I checked to Michigan RSO list and got nothing on any male (dad, stepdad, brothers, uncles) listed in Jodi's obituary.

The mother, stepfather and biological father are pictured here: http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7352705&nav=0Rce. Another similar story listed all of their names, but I couldn't find it today.

As for obituaries, the information about all family members is only included for free in ONE local newspaper. The other local newspapers print abbreviated lists.However, even for the local newspaper obit, when my father died, my brother and I had to pay $25 to list our spouses and would have had to pay extra to list the names of grandchildren.

My father's brothers and sisters were named in ONE local newspaper at no extra charge. The other local newspapers would only have included the his brothers and sisters IF our family had paid for it.

Perhaps because of the circumstances and Jodi's brother's ages, Jodi's family chose for Jodi's brothers NOT to be included or named in any obituary. Normally, the brothers would have been listed in ONE newspaper obituary, but not included in any other newspaper obit unless the family requested it and paid extra.

 

[MeoW333]

Parrack's mother found her daughter's body at about
http://www.sturgisjournal.com/articles/2007/11/09/news/doc473521e342749924713226.txt

10:30 p.m., next to a large tombstone, fully clothed and not breathing. Constantine firefighters performed CPR but their lifesaving efforts failed. Authorities said there was no indication that she had been struck, nor were there any other clear signs of trauma.

The article below says there was signs of some injuries yet nothing overwhelming..

http://fox17.trb.com/news/110807-wxmi-death,0,1512602.story?coll=wxmi-home-2
" The cause of death is still unknown, although the body did show some injuries but nothing overwhelming. They'll do some lab testing and hope to find out more early next week. Copyright © 2007, WXMI"


I'm sure LE know more about this case than what's being reported, they have to keep some underwraps to protect the case.

 

[s_finch]

puzzling

 

[believe09]

So I am still confused by the announcement right away that it was a homicide...

 

[Jolynna]

So I am still confused by the announcement right away that it was a homicide...

It is my understanding that the trauma that they DID find made it clear that Jodi had been murdered.

I find it strange that the murderer took the bicycle to the cemetery and also left it there.

I realize 131 is busy, but I don't think Jodi would have gotten into a vehicle with just anybody. I also don't think a stranger that had to struggle with Jodi would have bothered to load the bike too.

I think a stranger would have taken her further to do what he was going to do. I don't think a stranger would have bothered to neatly lean the bicycle up against anything after murdering her or remembered to unload the bicycle even. Supposedly the bicycle was out where it could be seen from the road because according to some news reports seeing the bicycle was what alerted Jodi's mom. So, if the bicycle was unloaded and left where it could be seen from the road, why take it in the first place? Why not just grab Jodi and run?

If the bicycle had been found along 131 wouldn't the search have concentrated along there for an even longer period of time? As it was, the bicycle was a beacon to anyone going by the cemetery, according to what I read.

 

[MeoW333]

I would guess it was someone who knew her and got her into their vehicle on the pretense of giving her a ride home (that's why the bike was brought also to avoid Jodi's suspicion if they just grabbed her). Whoever it was didn't want the bike found in their possession whether it be by other family members or anyone who would connect the bike to Jodi. I really think whoever did this wanted her to be found, and that's why they closed her eyes and left the bike with her. It's like a sign of guilt or something; they knew her personally enough for her to get in their car without a struggle; as it would take time to get both her and the bike in otherwise. If the cemetery is one you can drive through with a vehicle, the bike would have been illuminated by headlights. If it were a stranger that had abducted her, it would be likely she would scream and make a scene at the spot of the abduction itself, and there would be more witnesses to it. Someone who was local who knew her, would be less likely to raise an eyebrow or stir anyone's memory; especially with there not having been a murder in the area for so long.
Does anyone remember the Texas cheerleader mom? Would it be possible Jodi was in "competition" with any children at her school?

 

[KatK]

The bicycle was left as a "signpost" on purpose I think. The person who stole her didn't want her to go undiscovered for long. Either that, or it was a taunt. "Look at me, I'm so smart I can direct your attention to my work and still know I won't get caught!" :sick:

 

[Reannan]

The following was posted over at Steve's site. The poster was asked where the information was coming from, but no answer has been provided yet. I thought you guys would be interested in seeing it:

http://tinyurl.com/38neyk

"The FBI has 2 prime suspects. Of course the step-father, which is to be expected, but he is secondary. Did anyone stop to consider WHY the FBI was called in on a local homocide? They don't usually do that unless the murder involves a crossing of state lines. Well, the FBI has a prime suspect who has had a series of lie detector tests - - failing a few of them. He is a life long constantine resident who is also a reserve police oficer. Jodi was at his sisters home the day she went missing........apparantly, the FBI expects to make an arrest soon. The prime suspect is said to have been among those who were searching for Jodi -- maybe it was him (or even his sister - whose house Jodi left) thatsuggested searchig the cemetary?

It does nnot look like there is a child predator lurking in Constantine.....their suspects are all people Jodi knew.
constantine neighbor | 11.26.07 - 8:22 pm "

 

[Jolynna]

The following was posted over at Steve's site. The poster was asked where the information was coming from, but no answer has been provided yet. I thought you guys would be interested in seeing it:

http://tinyurl.com/38neyk

"The FBI has 2 prime suspects. Of course the step-father, which is to be expected, but he is secondary. Did anyone stop to consider WHY the FBI was called in on a local homocide? They don't usually do that unless the murder involves a crossing of state lines. Well, the FBI has a prime suspect who has had a series of lie detector tests - - failing a few of them. He is a life long constantine resident who is also a reserve police oficer. Jodi was at his sisters home the day she went missing........apparantly, the FBI expects to make an arrest soon. The prime suspect is said to have been among those who were searching for Jodi -- maybe it was him (or even his sister - whose house Jodi left) thatsuggested searchig the cemetary?

It does nnot look like there is a child predator lurking in Constantine.....their suspects are all people Jodi knew.
constantine neighbor | 11.26.07 - 8:22 pm "

Reading between the lines of yesterdays official statement from LE, I agree law enforcement believes Jodi was killed by someone she knew.

http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/11833681.html
The chief says they're growing more optimistic that they'll be able to crack the case. He says they have reason to believe someone in Constantine knows what happened to Jodi. Chief Honeysett says he doesn't think this crime was committed by someone from out of town. That said, he doesn't want to cause panic among residents, adding that they don’t believe anyone is targeting children there.

 

[Jolynna]

LE is saying that publicity about the case is hurting their investigation:

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/11887861.html

 

[Reannan]

This case has very LITTLE information coming forth! What on earth are they talking about? Whenever I hear this statement that was in the article referenced by Jolynna, I intuit that LE has a darn good idea who committed the crime, and it is someone very close to the family and friends (emphasis added by me):

"Investigators still have not named or ruled out any suspects in Jodi Parrack's death."