MS - Jessica Chambers, 19, found burned near her car, Panola County, 6 Dec 2014 - #1

[swedie]

The reward has been upped to $11,000. Let's hope someone talks soon. MOO.

Jessica and her loved ones deserves justice. Rest in peace sweet child.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/feds-add-10k-reward-burning-murder-case-mississippi/story?id=27556610

 

[cuffem]

SPECULATION ON MY PART: There is more to the gas station, a lot more.

There has to be some connection with her just fueling and being burned in a fire.I have noticed in the newsthere is alot of crimes commited against people who have been at a gas station.

 

[FindHG]

Are two different guys in striped shirts getting gas in a container? There's the big one by the front hood of her car who appears from nowhere at the side and then shuffles off just as Jessica is picking something up before she enters the store. He just pops into the video as there's a time skip in the video. Then there is the guy reported to have been cleared in the video below who is wearing a different kind of striped shirt, not as big a guy and has a big gas canister at the counter and while existing the store. I'm not at all sure, but it seems like two different guys. You can see at about 2:40 below
http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story...rt-burning-victim-before-death?autostart=true

The big lumbering guy by her hood seems like a different guy here
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/12/08/mississippi-woman-set-on-fire/20082929/

More coverage from tonight:
Family, friends plead for answers at Jessica Chambers’ visitation
By Caitlin Aexander Dec 12, '14 11:07
http://wreg.com/2014/12/12/family-friends-plead-for-answers-at-jessica-chambers-visitation/

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Times they are a changin, WhoaIsMe. "Technology" and.. A town with a population of only 460 folks would likely have a funeral home too small to accommodate the MS Media and the large number of people that has been touched by Jessica Chalmers' senseless tragic death.. jmo

_______________
'Prayers for Jessica Chalmers and her Family, and Friends'..

Stay Strong by Heather Cohen
https://soundcloud.com/musictykoon/stay-strong

Samantha Runnion's memorial service was shown live on CNN in 2002. The national media filming a memorial service or funeral for an "average person" (not a celebrity) has been around for at least 12 years...Perhaps longer.

 

[Ms Pragmatic]

Finally caught up with all of the posts on this thread. Many, many great points made by all of you. I'm stuck on the cigarette thing. Family says she didn't smoke. It really looks like she was smoking in the video. No biggie. I did the same thing when I was her age. I kept my family in the dark about my smoking until I moved out on my own. i could go 4 days to a week on a pack of cigarettes back then because Smoking was more of an afterthought to me. jessica reminded me of myself in that video. She got her gas and then almost as an afterthought went back in to purchase cigarettes. Any guesses as to when I used to do most of my smoking at her age? When I was going to a party and knew I would be drinking. Perhaps she got the call to stop at the party and she went back in to buy cigarettes for the occasion. She may not have needed the cigarettes if she was going back home because she obviously didn't smoke in front of her family. But if she gets the call for a party...boom. She goes back in and gets the smokes. Just a thought.

 

[SophieRose]

Samantha Runnion's memorial service was shown live on CNN in 2002. The national media filming a memorial service or funeral for an "average person" (not a celebrity) has been around for at least 12 years...Perhaps longer.

And here's Polly Klaas' memorial service back in Dec 1993, with Linda Ronstadt and Joan Baez performing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G37i3MoU5n4

 

[newone]

Are two different guys in striped shirts getting gas in a container? There's the big one by the front hood of her car who appears from nowhere at the side and then shuffles off just as Jessica is picking something up before she enters the store. He just pops into the video. Then there is the guy reported to have been cleared in the video below who is wearing a different kind of striped shirt, not as big a guy and has a big gas canister at the counter and while existing the store. I'm not at all sure, but it seems like two different guys. You can see at about 2:40 below
http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story...rt-burning-victim-before-death?autostart=true

The big lumbering guy by her hood seems like a different guy here
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/12/08/mississippi-woman-set-on-fire/20082929/

I see two different people too.

 

[southernyankee]

This case grabbed my attention shortly after it became a news item - for all the big reasons and for smaller ones as well, I suppose (I have spent some very fond times in the Mississippi Delta + have a deep affection for the place + its people). It is so hard not to look at photographs of Jessica without feeling my spirits fall knowing the bits we do about what happened. I've been following through this whole thread thus far, but my curiosity has reached a tipping point so I'm joining in now + hope to contribute constructively.

It's so easy to get lost in the swirl of hearsay and rumors in a case like this, since its very nature is so brutal + shocking. But I'm left wondering what information should we really be paying attention to? Because running down those rabbit holes might be more fruitful. Some of them will surely lead to a breakthrough.

Here is what strikes me as important to consider at this point:
- Whatever actually transpired, this is being investigated as a crime; at minimum, arson (and quite likely homicide).
- We know that her phone has been found and that police have been able to obtain information from it.
- We know that Jessica was able "to communicate" with the first responders. But we don't know the nature of that communication exactly, do we? She could have spoken, but perhaps she could only agree/disagree (blink her eyes when asked a question, etc.) - we don't know. But authorities do, and I don't think we should be so quick to despair that their lack of disclosure to the public won't ultimately be helpful to solving this.
- We know that there is a relatively short window of time (1-2 hours) that elapsed since she left the gas station and til she was found by firefighters. Whatever transpired - she could not have traveled all that far to end up where she did, when she did.
- I don't know that we should assume the gas station is necessarily directly connected to what happened. I see the logic (proximity, flammable gasoline, etc.) and it is certainly possible, but I don't know that we should focus on that to the exclusion of where she was heading when she left.
- This is still relatively recent. If Jessica may be "a fighter" as her family attests, my hope is that the community should be extra vigilant about anyone who's suddenly been injured (even in a minor way), especially their hands/face, or maybe something as simple as suddenly no longer wearing an item of clothing they've had for ages (like a jacket or pair of sneakers, etc.)... that may seem silly, but...maybe not.

 

[Ms Pragmatic]

Good post, southeryankee. I actually feel like this case will be solved fairly quickly. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. Small community. Someone must know or suspect something. someone committed arson. They must have smelled like an accelerant or smoke. I also feel that there is a sexual element to this crime. Just a gut feeling, but for that reason only, I believe the perp(s) to be male, though I would never say a female isn't capable of committing a crime of this nature.

 

[FindHG]

Great thoughts Southernyankee. All your points make a lot of sense. Thank you for pitching in. Hope you stayed tipped on the side of continuing to do so.

 

[CHERIE.T]

Finally caught up with all of the posts on this thread. Many, many great points made by all of you. I'm stuck on the cigarette thing. Family says she didn't smoke. It really looks like she was smoking in the video. No biggie. I did the same thing when I was her age. I kept my family in the dark about my smoking until I moved out on my own. i could go 4 days to a week on a pack of cigarettes back then because Smoking was more of an afterthought to me. jessica reminded me of myself in that video. She got her gas and then almost as an afterthought went back in to purchase cigarettes. Any guesses as to when I used to do most of my smoking at her age? When I was going to a party and knew I would be drinking. Perhaps she got the call to stop at the party and she went back in to buy cigarettes for the occasion. She may not have needed the cigarettes if she was going back home because she obviously didn't smoke in front of her family. But if she gets the call for a party...boom. She goes back in and gets the smokes. Just a thought.

I agree smoking isn't a biggie and imoo she looks like she's smoking when walking toward the store...then it looks like she is bending down to put out a cig. again moo.


FWIW, MOO, I think she knew her killer and I also think this was a crime of sexual assault and opportunity. I've always heard that burning a victim is personal.

 

[CHERIE.T]

To piece together the last few hours of her life, investigators continue to pore over surveillance footage from a gas station where she was seen 90 minutes before her death.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sica-Chambers-burned-alive.html#ixzz3LlTZxrR7

Wanted to also add that on the link I posted here ^^^ there is a video snapshot of Jessica in the store with 3 men standing behind her....wonder if they were identified and interviewed by LE?

Caught on camera: Jessica (seen left) then went into the shop and paid while three men chatted nearby

 

[Ms Pragmatic]

I think she was familiar with her killer as well. Since the beginning, I hadn't put much faith in anything she may or may not have said just before she passed. When you think of 98% of her body being burned, it just seems unlikely that you could speak, let alone do so coherently. My first thought was that LE was putting that info out there trying to scare the perp(s). they are saying there are no suspects. I've seen this happen before, right before an arrest is made. I've also seen cases where LE admits to having no suspects and it turns out to be true. Who knows?

 

[CHERIE.T]

I think she was familiar with her killer as well. Since the beginning, I hadn't put much faith in anything she may or may not have said just before she passed. When you think of 98% of her body being burned, it just seems unlikely that you could speak, let alone do so coherently. My first thought was that LE was putting that info out there trying to scare the perp(s). they are saying there are no suspects. I've seen this happen before, right before an arrest is made. I've also seen cases where LE admits to having no suspects and it turns out to be true. Who knows?

Yes, I agree with all your points.

 

[newone]

I would like to know where she got her car washed. Was it one of those places where you do it yourself, I wonder? They can be sort of secluded and its pretty dark by 6 pm now.

I agree! ...... we have not heard anything about the DYI car washes in the area have we? 90minutes is a long time and I keep thinking that she could have been cornered at a car wash bay.

 

[katydid23]

."... Bibbs says the investigator mentioned to him Chambers had said the name Derrick or Eric.

"He said there was an accident I think down the road and your name was mentioned," said Bibbs. "And he said I think one of the other people said the only Eric I know in this area is Eric Bibbs."


http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story...ath-jessica-chambers-says-he-did-not-know-her



So it looks like she did whisper a name to the fireman when she was found. What was her ex's name?

 

[TravelingBug]

Samantha Runnion's memorial service was shown live on CNN in 2002. The national media filming a memorial service or funeral for an "average person" (not a celebrity) has been around for at least 12 years...Perhaps longer.

Yup, two other prominent cases that also did (and were widely discussed here, though the DVD case is largely no longer visible) were Danielle Van Dam (also 2002) and Chelsea King (2010). Both had broadcasted public memorial services, though both had private services also.

With cases that either are really widely followed or bigger services that end up held in churches it's increasingly common to see services being broadcast, at least in some form.

Especially with more and more of the larger churches having the ability to live stream or at least film their own weekend services and so it's easy for them to do it for a funeral or memorial service since it's just a matter of it being hosted somewhere for it to be viewed online even.

And I know so many families love that ability for loved ones who can't physically be there for some reason or even just to have the ability to rewatch it down the road since so often there is just so much happening and trying to be present in the moment there are things that get missed and they can watch it again, etc.

 

[Elley Mae]

Has your firefighter friend seen the more recent pictures from Fox news in Tampa Bay? The angle of two photos on that site shows that both front seats are reclined to what appears to be the same degree. It's hard to be certain, given the angles of the photos. If they are, though, it seems like that would be the result of plastics and upholstery burning to the point that the seat backs fell back as far as they would go.

Just speculation on my part. I'm not discounting any of your scenarios, Droopy. But looking at the Fox photos, it seems that if both seats were reclined to the same position, it was either as a result of the supporting pieces burning away or two people reclining their seats all the way on purpose.

bbm Mine too, me neither.
bbm Gravity imo.

Has it been said if the door/s were open or closed?

 

[Elley Mae]

He said Thursday that one thing struck him as odd: Chambers pumped $14 worth of gas. She was a regular in the store, popping in every day or two, and she rarely pumped more than $5 in gas, he said.

http://ktla.com/2014/12/12/jessica-...gers-car-moments-before-she-was-burned-alive/

bbm This bothers me.

 

[steelman]

That day that it happened. I had been. Here with a toothache since about 6 p.m.," said Bibbs. "I think maybe they came by here about 9:30 p.m., they even went to my grandma address. They called my Mom."

Bibbs, a married father, lives just down from where Jessica Chambers was discovered horribly burned lying next to her burning car. Investigators say Chambers was able to talk with the first responder. Bibbs says the investigator mentioned to him Chambers had said the name Derrick or Eric.

"He said there was an accident I think down the road and your name was mentioned," said Bibbs. "And he said I think one of the other people said the only Eric I know in this area is Eric Bibbs."

Bibbs told the detective he did not know Jessica Chambers and wasn't even aware of what had happened to her. The investigator never told him why he was being questioned.

http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story...ath-jessica-chambers-says-he-did-not-know-her

BBM

Well, there it is... the name she uttered, at least that is what it sounded like to the EMT anyway.

Derrick Turner was questioned, Eric Bibbs was questioned....both claim they know nothing, naturally.

Jessica obviously would have been in a deep state of shock, her speech slurred, and due to the gash on her head, she may have had a concussion as well. I'm sitting here this morning trying to think of other words that closely rhyme with those or could be misinterpreted as "Eric" or "Derrick".

Neither of those really sounds like a last name.....but who knows ?

Can anybody else think of anything ? Erica...Merrick.....

Is Eric or Derrick a common abbreviated version of a longer name such as Jim and James, Richard and Dick,
Bill and William, etc.?

That community has a population of 460 people, this can't be all that hard to sift through. Then again, maybe it was someone visiting from another town, "hanging out" so to speak, like at a gas station or a local party.

Is it possible this individual "told her" his name, before or during the assault, but it was a complete lie ? Could this have been an unknown friend of one of the Eric's or Derricks, and that's what she was trying to convey to the EMT ?