Missouri - The Springfield Three--missing since June 1992 - #15

[cherrymeg]

Oh yeah. As a father of a 23 YO daughter and an 18 YO son, I know, through my own experience, you just don't know everything your kids do and you just hope for the best.
Agree, I get the impression that Mrs. McCall did not have a very high impression of Suzie. I don't get a very good impression of Janelle - the videos of her just give the impression of an insecure controlling person, be that as it may.

I was wondering about that statement from Asher about the purses, too. I do not know when he got there, definitely not the first responder, but when, and who moved the purses and why and what else?

So many questions and diversions...

Asher could have been mistaken. When he got to the scene maybe they were on the table being looked at, or he got the purses confused with cigarettes that were supposedly on table or counter. The purses being together seems odd. If they were on a table I feel like that should have been something Janelle should have noticed. If they were on the floor they could be ignored or thought to be left in favor of different bags. moo

 

[Seeker994]

1. Wow. That video was interesting! I also agree with @arc anjil and @cherrymeg. My parents were strict so I would have to lie sometimes about where I was going. I also do not get a good impression of Janelle. (I showed my friend the video clip of her, he'd never seen the case before) but thought she seemed odd and once I explained the story to him, he thought it was odd as well she didn't go to Stacy's house to see if she was there. I've said this before, but the way Kathy Kirby tries to implicate Bart by saying "I just don't think there's any love between them" in the paper really annoys me. Both she and Janelle try to distance themselves and even set a certain narrative into motion.

CherryMeg and I spoke on the phone last night, and we were talking about Stacy possibly having a secret boyfriend. I don't think the girls were ever going to Branson that night. I think Stacy planned to hang out with someone and Janelle knew or saw who it was. I also think that's why Kathy Kirby was also quick so say Stacy was there all night. How bad of a reputation would you get if a teenage girl went missing and you as a parent knew she was hanging out with someone she didn't know well. I also think that's why Kathy was so quick to offer Janelle and alibi and said she heard Suzie and Stacy leaving their house. Perhaps Janelle said Stacy couldn't bring anyone to her house because all her family was there, and Suzie being nice, offered to let her come with her. I'm not victim-blaming either. Stacy couldn't have known what was going to happen. But I say this because for 28 years, some people have constantly blamed Sherrill and Suzie, and what if was completely the opposite? Janis didn't do any favors by saying there was a book about devil worship in the 2011 disappeared episode. Why wasn't this mentioned in 92? I couldn't find that in any of the papers. Sometimes I feel like locals know about this case, and sometimes I feel as though it has to be someone who's passed on, or in prison. All of this is my opinion only, but I'm trying to think outside the box. I'll NEVER belive Sherrill was selling drugs unless there is absolute proof. I also do not believe the Cox Hospital Theory at all. I wish I had the time and money to get a truffle pig and explore the Mark Twain Forest. Although they might not be there, it would give me peace of mind. I'm writing a letter to Larry Hall to ask if he will allow me to visit him in Prison. It could be a waste of my time, but he's about four hours away from me in NC, and I'd like to look him in his eyes when I ask him questions.

 

[Talullah]

Considering Janis caught Stacy sneaking out and waited for her to leave an apartment building I think a secret boyfriend is likely. This brief mention raised a lot of questions for me and I truly hope SPD took a good look at who she went to see and why she had to sneak around to see them.
Three Missing Women: Ten Years Later - Part 3 of 5

 

[arc anjil]

Considering Janis caught Stacy sneaking out and waited for her to leave an apartment building I think a secret boyfriend is likely. This brief mention raised a lot of questions for me and I truly hope SPD took a good look at who she went to see and why she had to sneak around to see them.
Three Missing Women: Ten Years Later - Part 3 of 5

Very much agree. I just mentioned that to Seeker. Unfortunately, we don't know when this happened. How close to June 6, 1992 was this?

 

[Talullah]

Very much agree. I just mentioned that to Seeker. Unfortunately, we don't know when this happened. How close to June 6, 1992 was this?

I wish we knew. My question is how did Janis know where she was? Did she cruise parking lots looking for her car or had Stacy been in trouble for this before? We just don’t know but to me it contradicts the whole Stacy never did anything wrong and was just being a good friend story. Something else that bugs me is Janis often mentions Stacy’s migraine medication but never the antidepressants listed on the police report. A lot of medications have off label uses but mentioning one without the other makes me wonder if Stacy was as bubbly and happy as we're led to believe.
I’m not being critical. I’ve taken antidepressants and probably will again but I honestly don’t know many teenagers who have a reason to.

 

[arc anjil]

Yeah. How did Janis know where Stacy was going/went? Had she done it before? Of course, Moms know almost everything about their kids (my wife says. And proves it!).

 

[Nixaeagle]

Very much agree. I just mentioned that to Seeker. Unfortunately, we don't know when this happened. How close to June 6, 1992 was this?

They had moved away from Springfield for some years, and had recently moved back , so the girls were kind of re connecting .

 

[arc anjil]

I'm confused. Are you saying Stacy snuck out of her house to see a friend (an old girlfriend)? Why would she need to sneak out to do that?
Do you know who's apartment she went to?

 

[Betty P]

Very much agree. I just mentioned that to Seeker. Unfortunately, we don't know when this happened. How close to June 6, 1992 was this?

Stacy had earlier snuck out of the house - only to find her mom waiting outside the apartment building she had gone into. Stacy knew her mom. She knew that Janis worried and that a phone call was always required.

Stacy wouldn't have risked sneaking out to go visit an old pal, a girl. She was sneaking out to see a boyfriend, one who was older, had his own apartment and whom her parents didn't want her to date.

JMO, this may have had something to do with Stacy going with Susie to the graduation after-parties that night. Maybe she was planning to meet up with the boyfriend? Was he interviewed by LE? Why is this never mentioned in any of the news stories about the Springfield 3?

This article also states the Streeter's dog, Cinnamon, jumped into Janelle's arms when she opened the door. I though the dog was locked in another room. Is this a reporting error or inconsistent answers from witnesses?

Det. Asher seems very sure about the purses being on the kitchen table when he arrived. He seemed to want to clarify that point in the interview. Did Officer Bookman or one of the friends /family move the purses into the kitchen, only for Bookman to realize it was a crime scene and put them back?

Janice McCall seems to refer to Cox when she talks of who she believes did it. If so, why is she implying the kidnapper was someone known to Susie? Wasn't it Cox who worked at the same auto dealership as Stacy's father?

I wonder if one of the reasons Janelle is so nervous and inconsistent is because she knew about Stacy's boyfriend? I have a hunch he was around that night, going to parties or something.

The inconsistencies in this story, JMO, explain that LE is hiding key information from the public. It's possible they do know the killers.

 

[Alfonsina Storni]

I wish we knew. My question is how did Janis know where she was? Did she cruise parking lots looking for her car or had Stacy been in trouble for this before? We just don’t know but to me it contradicts the whole Stacy never did anything wrong and was just being a good friend story. Something else that bugs me is Janis often mentions Stacy’s migraine medication but never the antidepressants listed on the police report. A lot of medications have off label uses but mentioning one without the other makes me wonder if Stacy was as bubbly and happy as we're led to believe.
I’m not being critical. I’ve taken antidepressants and probably will again but I honestly don’t know many teenagers who have a reason to.

Wow. I didn´t know this. If Stacy was taking antidepressants, could she drink alcohol? And what could be the consequences of mixing alchohol with other antidepressants (or more drugs)? What if someone put something in Stacy's drink and things got bad? Imagine being responsible for the death of a teenager because you allowed your daughter's friends to drink alcohol irresponsibly. This could be the reason why Kathy Kirby got so defensive.

The above declarations are very revealing for me. Kathy Kirby was very rude when her statement (and therefore the timeline set by her daughter) was questioned after the statements made by Steve Thompson. She says "I don´t want to call anybody a liar (and one might think she is talking about the clerk), but then she attacks Sherrill. Why? Why does she have the need to attack a woman that has disappeared with her daughter?

 

[Seeker994]

I agree with @Alfonsina Storni “our phone did not ring one time.” Said this before, but What if it rang multiple times? What if Sherrill called and called and no one answered.

 

[Talullah]

If the original plan was to spend the night in Branson why would Sherrill call Suzie at the Kirby’s? From what I understand Suzie and Stacy met up at the Kirby’s so they could go to parties at other houses together-with Janelle-so it makes no sense that Sherrill could’ve reached Suzie there or how the Kirby’s would’ve known where Suzie was.

 

[arc anjil]

The June 19 News-Leader says that Janelle told Sherril that she would call her mother when they got to Branson and to just call Kathy if she wanted to get in touch with Suzie.

It does not say whether or not Suzie told her mom she would call her when they to Branson. On the surface, it seems a little bossy of Janelle, IMO...

 

[Betty P]

Wow. I didn´t know this. If Stacy was taking antidepressants, could she drink alcohol? And what could be the consequences of mixing alcohol with other antidepressants (or more drugs)? What if someone put something in Stacy's drink and things got bad? Imagine being responsible for the death of a teenager because you allowed your daughter's friends to drink alcohol irresponsibly. This could be the reason why Kathy Kirby got so defensive.
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The above declarations are very revealing for me. Kathy Kirby was very rude when her statement (and therefore the timeline set by her daughter) was questioned after the statements made by Steve Thompson. She says "I don´t want to call anybody a liar (and one might think she is talking about the clerk), but then she attacks Sherrill. Why? Why does she have the need to attack a woman that has disappeared with her daughter?

Yes, that quote from KK seems odd. Maybe I missed out on the previous part of the conversation, but why was she being defensive about Sherrill trying to find Suzie? Perhaps her statement was in response to reports from witnesses who thought they saw Sherrill out looking for Suzie that night. That sighting has never been confirmed.

In the 10 yr anniversary article and the video linked above, there were statements from JM and KK that alleged certain "facts" about Suzie and Sherrill that they would have no way of knowing, e.g. how many friends Suzie asked to spend the night with her because she was "afraid". Has anyone who knew Suzie or her mom ever validated that information, or is it just assumed to be accurate? Were Sherrill and KK friends? JMO, I don't think so.

The 10 yr anniversary article also quotes one of the officers saying that Sherrill's house had filled up with a lot of people while he was there, including the parent of one of Stacey and Suzie's friends. ICBW, but I read that to mean JK's mom KK. So she was over there, too?

Light was fading from the evening sky and mature trees around Levitt's home made the entryway dark. Janis searched for a light, and finally found the switch on a table lamp. She looked around the small, dimly lit living room and made her way through the house.

Suddenly, the house on Delmar was filling with people. Family and friends and parents of friends began pouring into the little house, wondering where the women could be.

Three Missing Women: Ten Years Later - Part 3 of 5

I don't think either of those families had anything to do with the disappearance of the Springfield 3, but I think some of their statements early on shaped the narrative and had the unfortunate affect of wrongly placing suspicion on people associated with Sherrill and Suzie. I hope investigators had a full victimology reports on all 3 victims to help guide the investigation.

I also hope they resolve the issue of where the women's purses were found. Not that it matters in the big picture, but if someone did move them from Suzie's bedroom to the kitchen table, why would LE insist otherwise.

All MOO

 

[Betty P]

The June 19 News-Leader says that Janelle told Sherril that she would call her mother when they got to Branson and to just call Kathy if she wanted to get in touch with Suzie.

It does not say whether or not Suzie told her mom she would call her when they to Branson. On the surface, it seems a little bossy of Janelle, IMO...

At some level, I see it as creating a narrative. Not sure why they felt the need to do that, considering at that time everyone knew that no one went to Branson. Their cars were all still in the driveway at Sherrill's house. It wasn't too excessive, but there were a lot of people making excuses and explaining things that weren't necessarily relevant to the missing women.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Yes, that quote from KK seems odd. Maybe I missed out on the previous part of the conversation, but why was she being defensive about Sherrill trying to find Suzie? Perhaps her statement was in response to reports from witnesses who thought they saw Sherrill out looking for Suzie that night. That sighting has never been confirmed.

In the 10 yr anniversary article and the video linked above, there were statements from JM and KK that alleged certain "facts" about Suzie and Sherrill that they would have no way of knowing, e.g. how many friends Suzie asked to spend the night with her because she was "afraid". Has anyone who knew Suzie or her mom ever validated that information, or is it just assumed to be accurate? Were Sherrill and KK friends? JMO, I don't think so.

The 10 yr anniversary article also quotes one of the officers saying that Sherrill's house had filled up with a lot of people while he was there, including the parent of one of Stacey and Suzie's friends. ICBW, but I read that to mean JK's mom KK. So she was over there, too?



Three Missing Women: Ten Years Later - Part 3 of 5

I don't think either of those families had anything to do with the disappearance of the Springfield 3, but I think some of their statements early on shaped the narrative and had the unfortunate affect of wrongly placing suspicion on people associated with Sherrill and Suzie. I hope investigators had a full victimology reports on all 3 victims to help guide the investigation.

I also hope they resolve the issue of where the women's purses were found. Not that it matters in the big picture, but if someone did move them from Suzie's bedroom to the kitchen table, why would LE insist otherwise.

All MOO

Let me posit a theory about the placement of the purses.

If in fact the van was parked on the corner of Kentwood and Delmar, and the girls almost certainly came in from the east side of the driveway. the perps may have been blocked by their cars and the purses were all grabbed to get at the keys. So far as I know the individual cars may have not been connected to the women as known by the perps. It would have been logical to grab all three purses rather than guessing which key fit the individual cars. We do not know if the perps were ever at the home prior to that night.

I wish to make a correction to an earlier post. It was Janelle who heard the mysterious caller as being “teenish” and reiterated by Asher. IMO it is not terribly important who heard it but that it was described this way. Unless that caller was tracked down and eliminated, I think it has the potential of pointing at someone at the Hanover party that broke up at 1:50 AM by the police who could be involved.

 

[the_p0ssum]

I've never really bought into the idea of police-related involvement, largely because I consider the real-world odds of that to be pretty low. But if we ignore that, there might be an interesting suspect in ex-cop Robert Magruder. According to the attached articles, he was:

1. Indicted and Convicted of Child *advertiser censored*, many many years after he'd been in LE
2. Would have been 37 in 1992, and had been a Springfield cop since 1979
3. Didn't get married until 1994, which means he was possibly single in June of 1992

For those who think someone with LEO training might have tried to "sanitize" the scene, or those who think a policeman "ruse" would have gotten the 3MW out of the house in the middle of the night, this guy presents an interesting angle.

He also has since been released from Federal prison as he was sentenced in 2015 to 4yrs.

 

[lisaNYC]

Maybe Janelle moved the purses and she didn't think it was a big deal until it was and by that time she thought it was too late. MOO

 

[Betty P]

Maybe Janelle moved the purses and she didn't think it was a big deal until it was and by that time she thought it was too late. MOO

Yes, that could apply to any of the people who showed up there before LE arrived. Not a big deal, really, since no one was suspecting foul play at that point and were probably looking for any clue. But why would some in LE cover it up later?

 

[Betty P]

Let me posit a theory about the placement of the purses.

If in fact the van was parked on the corner of Kentwood and Delmar, and the girls almost certainly came in from the east side of the driveway. the perps may have been blocked by their cars and the purses were all grabbed to get at the keys. So far as I know the individual cars may have not been connected to the women as known by the perps. It would have been logical to grab all three purses rather than guessing which key fit the individual cars. We do not know if the perps were ever at the home prior to that night.

I wish to make a correction to an earlier post. It was Janelle who heard the mysterious caller as being “teenish” and reiterated by Asher. IMO it is not terribly important who heard it but that it was described this way. Unless that caller was tracked down and eliminated, I think it has the potential of pointing at someone at the Hanover party that broke up at 1:50 AM by the police who could be involved.

Seems possible that someone went through the purses to locate car keys. I wonder if everyone's keys were accounted for and if they were in the proper purse?