GUILTY MS - Linda Reed for embezzlement, Copiah County, 2012

[shefner]

Have we heard anything about her mental condition yet?

 

[Dushi]

Was she being blackmailed?

I am grasping at straws because so much doesn't make sense

 

[marycarney]

Was she being blackmailed?

I am grasping at straws because so much doesn't make sense

See, I think it makes perfect sense.
Woman who appears to be fairly detached from her family (lived away from them M-F for many years).
Stole $$ from her employer over a fairly long period of time while in a position of trust - and got away with it so was further emboldened.
Spent a long period of time planning/ setting up her escape.
Carried it out to the degree that many thought her abducted for quite a long period of time.
Got caught when she let her guard down about her back story.

I think it makes perfect sense. Honestly, my meter started running when LE described the false tooth in the 'found' vehicle. I do feel very badly for her family- who appear to still be in denial. And her former employer - who will not recover a dime of the $$. But I don't feel a bit sorry for her - she is getting her long-deserved due.

MOO and all that jazz.

 

[Dushi]

See, I think it makes perfect sense.
Woman who appears to be fairly detached from her family (lived away from them M-F for many years).
Stole $$ from her employer over a fairly long period of time while in a position of trust - and got away with it so was further emboldened.
Spent a long period of time planning/ setting up her escape.
Carried it out to the degree that many thought her abducted for quite a long period of time.
Got caught when she let her guard down about her back story.

I think it makes perfect sense. Honestly, my meter started running when LE described the false tooth in the 'found' vehicle. I do feel very badly for her family- who appear to still be in denial. And her former employer - who will not recover a dime of the $$. But I don't feel a bit sorry for her - she is getting her long-deserved due.

MOO and all that jazz.

I hear what you are saying and I agree, its hard to feel sorry for someone that not only breaks the law, but breaks peoples hearts

I guess I just want to know why
She didn't seem to be living the "good Life" when arrested
I would like to understand why she did what she did, what was her motivation as it appears at this point that a better financial life wasn't it


Unlike you, I never felt that she was a criminal
I was under the impression that something bad happened to her

I was completely fooled :banghead:

 

[Dion]

Don't forget that Linda was indicted in 1974 for forging checks, so this is nothing new for her.

I initially believed that she had just taken off, but did get a bit sidetracked by her family, who seemed to think that this was totally out of character for her.

When I think of all the time LE and volunteers spent searching for her, and the pain she put her family through, I feel that behind bars is asolutely the right place for her.

 

[deca]

I hear what you are saying and I agree, its hard to feel sorry for someone that not only breaks the law, but breaks peoples hearts

I guess I just want to know why
She didn't seem to be living the "good Life" when arrested
I would like to understand why she did what she did, what was her motivation as it appears at this point that a better financial life wasn't it


Unlike you, I never felt that she was a criminal
I was under the impression that something bad happened to her

I was completely fooled :banghead:

BBM

I was fooled as well.
But why go through all the risk of stealing, the cut-off from her family (that she may have felt distanced from, but probably didn't hate) for NO change of lifestyle? It sounded like she was living the same kind of life she was before she left. She was still working, she had a crappy car, she lived in a small standard apartment (at least I haven't heard that it was a luxury apt)- so WHY?

I could see if her life had somehow improved after the theft and disappearance, but it didn't seem as if it had.

So I can only think of a few reasons that make sense:
1. She had a love interest
2. She had a gambling problem and needed to pay off debt
3. She was sick of the burden of taking care of her mother, picking up after hubby, being a bread winner, etc. She felt all the family responsibilities were too much and needed to escape.
(feel free to add to this)

As far as #3 is concerned, I don't remember hearing this in regards to women, but I have heard it in regards to men who just pick up in leave their families. There is much more of a stigma attached to moms, no matter the age, who chose to ignore their families. JMO

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Don't forget that Linda was indicted in 1974 for forging checks, so this is nothing new for her.

I initially believed that she had just taken off, but did get a bit sidetracked by her family, who seemed to think that this was totally out of character for her.

When I think of all the time LE and volunteers spent searching for her, and the pain she put her family through, I feel that behind bars is asolutely the right place for her.

Dion - Thanks! I had totally forgotten about her earlier indictment for forgery.....I'm glad you mentioned that.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

BBM

I was fooled as well.
But why go through all the risk of stealing, the cut-off from her family (that she may have felt distanced from, but probably didn't hate) for NO change of lifestyle? It sounded like she was living the same kind of life she was before she left. She was still working, she had a crappy car, she lived in a small standard apartment (at least I haven't heard that it was a luxury apt)- so WHY?

I could see if her life had somehow improved after the theft and disappearance, but it didn't seem as if it had.

So I can only think of a few reasons that make sense:
1. She had a love interest
2. She had a gambling problem and needed to pay off debt
3. She was sick of the burden of taking care of her mother, picking up after hubby, being a bread winner, etc. She felt all the family responsibilities were too much and needed to escape.
(feel free to add to this)

As far as #3 is concerned, I don't remember hearing this in regards to women, but I have heard it in regards to men who just pick up in leave their families. There is much more of a stigma attached to moms, no matter the age, who chose to ignore their families. JMO

That's what I can't understand....what was the purpose if not for a better life style.

 

[neesaki]

BBM

I was fooled as well.
But why go through all the risk of stealing, the cut-off from her family (that she may have felt distanced from, but probably didn't hate) for NO change of lifestyle? It sounded like she was living the same kind of life she was before she left. She was still working, she had a crappy car, she lived in a small standard apartment (at least I haven't heard that it was a luxury apt)- so WHY?

I could see if her life had somehow improved after the theft and disappearance, but it didn't seem as if it had.

So I can only think of a few reasons that make sense:
1. She had a love interest
2. She had a gambling problem and needed to pay off debt
3. She was sick of the burden of taking care of her mother, picking up after hubby, being a bread winner, etc. She felt all the family responsibilities were too much and needed to escape.
(feel free to add to this)

As far as #3 is concerned, I don't remember hearing this in regards to women, but I have heard it in regards to men who just pick up in leave their families. There is much more of a stigma attached to moms, no matter the age, who chose to ignore their families. JMO

I keep thinking it could have been a gambling problem as well. Or, maybe she stashed the money somewhere knowing she was going to leave and might need it later. Which makes me wonder if she stole it so she could get away from someone.... her husband? I wonder if he was abusive in any way.

A love interest on the side maybe? But why not just divorce? And why Longview, Texas? Who does she know there I wonder :waitasec:

 

[Dushi]

I keep thinking it could have been a gambling problem as well. Or, maybe she stashed the money somewhere knowing she was going to leave and might need it later. Which makes me wonder if she stole it so she could get away from someone.... her husband? I wonder if he was abusive in any way.

A love interest on the side maybe? But why not just divorce? And why Longview, Texas? Who does she know there I wonder :waitasec:

The gambling makes some sense as she didn't use the money on lifestyle

And I agree, if she had fallen in love, she could have left and not caused her family all of this pain

 

[hollyblue]

The gambling makes some sense as she didn't use the money on lifestyle

And I agree, if she had fallen in love, she could have left and not caused her family all of this pain

Gambling certainly does make sense, but I think we would have had wind of it by now. Nothing has made any sense from the get go in this case. Her living 120 miles away from her husband, living on the property of her work place, etc. Wasn't she doing work for others as well? Who were they and did she steal from them also? Just so much we still don't really know; but the family has not been heard from since her arrest. The inside poster has not returned.....? I'm very surprised by the lack of investigative reporting. Seems this would be a big story in a small MS town. ??? She may have just been fed up with it all or I still am not dismissing she had close ties with the Moore family..and for some reason it erupted.

 

[Saracen]

I keep thinking it could have been a gambling problem as well. Or, maybe she stashed the money somewhere knowing she was going to leave and might need it later. Which makes me wonder if she stole it so she could get away from someone.... her husband? I wonder if he was abusive in any way.

A love interest on the side maybe? But why not just divorce? And why Longview, Texas? Who does she know there I wonder :waitasec:

Good points Neesaki, I think that I said earlier we never know what goes on behind peoples closed doors, how relationships decline over time..

 

[SouthernSquaw]

I live in Copiah county. Every week, I get the local news paper, "The Meteor". Since Linda's arrest, there has been absolutely NOTHING in the paper about her. The week before, there was a story, about a paragraph long, saying she was wanted for embezzlement. The week Linda was arrested, the only thing in there concerning her was the sheriffs report. Every week, a sheriffs report is printed in the paper telling the names, ages, address, etc, of each person arrested and the reason of their arrest. In this case, there was Linda's name, age........and said she was arrested for embezzlement. Other than that, NO ONE is talking in this town. Of course, I don't get out a lot, but when I do I don't hear a thing!! It REALLY baffles me!!! :banghead:

 

[love2sleuth]

I live in Copiah county. Every week, I get the local news paper, "The Meteor". Since Linda's arrest, there has been absolutely NOTHING in the paper about her. The week before, there was a story, about a paragraph long, saying she was wanted for embezzlement. The week Linda was arrested, the only thing in there concerning her was the sheriffs report. Every week, a sheriffs report is printed in the paper telling the names, ages, address, etc, of each person arrested and the reason of their arrest. In this case, there was Linda's name, age........and said she was arrested for embezzlement. Other than that, NO ONE is talking in this town. Of course, I don't get out a lot, but when I do I don't hear a thing!! It REALLY baffles me!!! :banghead:

I am from Copiah County too and it has me baffled!! The only thing I have heard is that there was no bond. If she has been back to court for anything else, I haven't heard it. This will probably drag on for months and months!

 

[neesaki]

Sounds like mum's the word in Copiah county. LE also must have an unusually good relationship with the local press. :silenced: Or maybe there's just nothing for them to report yet.

I'm sure they are getting physical and mental evaluations done, which can take some time. Once that's accomplished seems they would have a court date set for..., well, something. I am curious what Mrs. Reed's defense is going to be.

 

[neesaki]

At one time, I think on AMW's site, it said that there was video of her leaving her trailer in seperate vehicles with a man @ 4 am. That was gone a few hours later. I have always wondered if it was just a rumor that got posted or if it was taken down at the request of law enforcement. I was not the only one who saw it either-everyone here just devours every morsel regarding the case and I have a bunch of friends who also read the same info.

*If* that was true and he picked her up when she left her car, I would be willng to bet that is her "new love"

There are so many *IFs* with this case though.

So maybe that was the case. He picked her up from where she left her suv, then took her back to get her other car. Wonder who "he" is.

Also wondering how she paid the apartment rent before she left town. Something tells me she may have been paying without it going through her bank account, perhaps by money order. Otherwise, they could have found out about the apartment a long time ago via her bank records.

 

[neesaki]

I agree with not telling the immediate family right away, but they should definitely have tipped off Texas EquuSearch, which is an amazing resource that could affect many investigations in a number of states. Then with the large community involvement you would have to balance the community strife and involvement vs the potential search for a single embezzler and a few potential cohorts.

I know that (if she embezzled) you would likely catch up to her and what is left of the money. You might miss out on one or two potential co-conspirators, but that is small change.

Of course this is all based on a bunch of big IF's that she is alive, was embezzling and disappeared, and that LE knew about it or suppressed evidence.

And it still would not make any sense to not confirm that she is alive if they know about it with the rumors coming out.

All IMO, and I do respect your opinion on it as well. eace:

This really, really bothers me. :banghead: If LE knew at that time that she was alive and that money was missing at that time, there was no reason for TE to go hundreds of miles and invest all that time and money into searching for her. LE should have told them and left it up to them how they chose to approach the family on not assisting in the search.

 

[PuzzleSolver]

I live in Longview and started following this when Linda was arrested here. It has become fascinating to see what is told here. There have been a few interviews with the owner of the business and the coworker who identified her. Most interesting for me is the fact that she was a tenant for the most recent landlord for over a year but when they bought it she had been leasing the place for two years already. Longview is only 50 minutes away from Shreveport....lots of casinos there. I think that people who steal large amounts of money like she has been accused of are NOT going to live flashy and "high on the hog". They are going to live modestly so as to "fly under the radar". I'm also curious about the reward money. I know that it was at 7k and the family increased it to 10k and the supposedly, according to a newscast with wblt, Texas Equisearch had added another 10k. In an interview that was found on Facebook with Therese Apel of the clarion Ledger, the coworker had found out there was actually only $3800 in the account. I wonder where did the rest of the money in the account go and has the coworker ever received it. Kudos to her for using the Internet. Wonder if she had a clue what she stumbled upon.

 

[Copiahtown]

There are 4-5 casinos in Vicksburg...thats an hours drive tops from where LR lived-worked. So no need for her to leave to gamble.

From what I have read from the beginning of this off her daughters facebook page, she doesnt act as if her mom is the type to be pushed around or held down, so I dont personally believe the abusive husband excuse. This lady is in her 5th or 6th marriage, so wouldnt seem she doesnt know how to leave men.

What was being said about the prior charges of years ago, is that she wrote some checks off an acct of one of her ex husbands. Like, getting divorced but still on his accts, so kept writing away. Those charges were dropped.

As mush as I would like to hear more, I would assume its hushed up because of possible trial. More that gets leaked, harder it is to have a fair trial and I wouldnt think LE would want to give her a reason to ask it be moved away to another county. The public is mostly dumb to the facts for that reason, imo.

I still guess it will come out she stole just so much per year and spent it.... family can be expensive and some never stop running to the parents. I also believed she planned to leave Longview before that guy turned in her taxes, too. She was said to be training the girl that busted her to be her replacement. Just sounds like she knew once the new boss turned in her contract work, she was busted, so was preparing to not be found. Her mind must have been hell to be living in, regardless or what she was actually involved in.

Something was said here about how awful family life would have to be to split, but fact is, her blood family lives right here with her in Copiah county. It is only her present husband of a few years and his children that she left during the week, and not her own kids and grandkids.

 

[NCISMS]

Wanted to say a few things....thanks so much for keeping this thread alive. It's very interesting to me since I am from Carrollton, Ms. I had never met Linda, however.....the thought about her needing money at all is interesting. I don't know if you all know this, but....her step son is kind of a local star. He won the History Channel's "Top Shot". (Google it). He went on to get several sponsors and is on the Outdoor Channel, does cameos for History Channel, etc., and then opened a top of the line sporting goods store here called Outlaw Sporting Goods. I wouldn't assume that she was doing all the bread winning since her husband's son is a local celebrity that won a good deal of money from Top Shot, not counting what he's made since then. We've not heard one single thing locally about Linda since they picked her up. Nobody is even talking about it. It's just a very interesting story, and I wish I knew a little more about why she did it.

I enjoy coming here and reading everyone's thoughts.