GUILTY MT - Sherry Arnold, 43, Sidney, 7 Jan 2012 - #3

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

Ann Rule quoted one of the LE officers who was guarding Ridgway during the search for victims as saying something along the lines of "Ridgway was the idiot savant of serial killing."

That is a great line!!LOL

 

[HauntsForHope]

It was 10 or 15 years ago that an elderly man left either Watford City or Alexander, I can not remember which, for a drive to Williston. He never made it and has never been seen again. Man and car both vanished. Thirty years ago Barb Cotton vanished off a street in Williston. She has never been found (she has a thread on here somewhere). When Barb went missing I spent a lot of time driving and walking the woods, fields, and shelterbelts southwest of Williston. I had no real reason to search there, just a gut feeling that it is a very good place to hide a body.

Thanks, I just read Barb's thread. You know that area very well. What's your gut telling you on this case?

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

Thanks, I just read Barb's thread. You know that area very well. What's your gut telling you on this case?

I really have no idea, and that bothers me.

I forgot to mention that in those days I used to have a little Cessna and spent a lot of time flying the area. History is one of my hobbies and there were several early 19th Century fur trading posts in the area of the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers that have never been located. That archeologists have been searching for the old fort sites for about a century without luck is an indication as to how difficult it is to search for a human. Between partying in the woods as a teenager, deer hunting, patrolling the area as a deputy, and searching for old historic stuff I got to know the area well. There are a million places to hide someone.

Out on the prairie outside of the valley it is a completely different environment. This time of year was a great time to fly to area looking for "Indian Rings." The short grass prairie is dormant and much of it has been grazed over the summer. That exposed the ancient stone circles on the hilltops.

 

[BabyB]

It's not just Montana..seems like this country must be covered with the remains of the missing sometimes...they all have to be somewhere...

Quite scary, isn't it? Like little Kyron who was snatched from school and never reappeared. Anyone who could do that to such a precious child is a monster, and I just find it unfathomable that his stepmother has gone without arrest for so long.

or Baby Lisa, Jahessye Shockley, or the thousands of others who never turn up. Only God knows what these people have done with the bodies. But some are found, even years later. I hope she's found sooner rather than later.

 

[Noway]

The simplest explanation for how the FBI estimated when Sherry was kidnapped (10 minutes after leaving her house) might involve knowing her route, knowing the distance between her house and where her shoe was found combined with witness testimony.

"prosecutor Michael Weber alleges the two men kidnapped Arnold from a Sidney street about 10 minutes after she left her home."

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/extradition-hearings-set-in-sherry-arnold-case/article_a0e46a5c-468f-11e1-a546-001871e3ce6c.html

This is the first update I have seen that has been this specific about the incident. Has anything new/major come up in the past couple of days that I missed?

I think the specific time is coming from the arrest citations issued for Spell and Waters. Those citations state that Sherry was kidnapped at 6:40 am. I still question how they know it was 10 minutes after Sherry left home. Going back to the beginning of this case, Sherry's husband Gary was out of the house on a walk by himself from approximately 5:30 am to 6:30 am. He stated that when he returned home at 6:30, Sherry was not at home. Unless he just missed her by a minute, I think Sherry may have left home before 6:30.

 

[MsFacetious]

Today in the Billings Gazette I read: The FBI says "based on investigative evidence gathered over the last few days, it is believed that Ms. Arnold may be deceased." The FBI says her body has not been recovered.The way that was worded made me think they may have more information about where she is at.This article was written TODAY so that means they have gathered info over the last few days they aren't telling us; why so dang many secrets??

This isn't new... unfortunately.

That exact statement came out on Sunday January 15th
These two articles are from when the statement came out.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/ar...inding-Sidney-teacher-s-body?odyssey=nav|head

A news release distributed by the FBI on Sunday said, “Based on investigative evidence gathered over the last few days, it is believed that Ms. Arnold may be deceased; her body has not been recovered.”

http://www.krtv.com/news/authorities-continue-searching-for-body-of-sherry-arnold/


This article is from Thursday January 26th. With the exact same statement in it.
I don't believe they released the same statement again, the media is just simply repeating it without clarifying.

http://www.kxlf.com/news/sheriff-bo...n-mt-has-no-connection-to-sherry-arnold-case/

The FBI says "based on investigative evidence gathered over the last few days, it is believed that Ms. Arnold may be deceased."
The FBI says her body has not been recovered.

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

The FBI actually did sent out the same news release again.

 

[liltexans]

FBI again asks for help with missing teacher

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Authorities are repeating a request for landowners in eastern Montana and western North Dakota to search their properties for signs of missing Montana teacher and alleged kidnapping victim Sherry Arnold.

http://www.willistonherald.com/news...cle_cd7d5358-483d-11e1-84cc-001871e3ce6c.html

 

[hollyblue]

Just my gut feeling, but unless she was alive and functioning, I think they placed her somewhere near. Did they say she was alive when they took her? ....IF they were telling the truth...at all. :sigh: Poor Rachel, in Idaho (see my sig) has never been found either. So much wilderness...and millions of places to hide a body, but the POI knew the area. Whenever, and whereever they placed her....they didn't take alot of time to hide her, IMO. These two along with not being sharpest tool... strike me as two who wouldn't care about dip except disposing of her quickly.

 

[cocomod]

Quite scary, isn't it? Like little Kyron who was snatched from school and never reappeared. Anyone who could do that to such a precious child is a monster, and I just find it unfathomable that his stepmother has gone without arrest for so long.

or Baby Lisa, Jahessye Shockley, or the thousands of others who never turn up. Only God knows what these people have done with the bodies. But some are found, even years later. I hope she's found sooner rather than later.

The good news in this case is that they have arrested the perps. In the other cases you mentioned, the perps are walking the streets and living their lives. I find both the lack of a body being found AND the perps walking free both equally appalling!

 

[Noway]

Our paper is carrying the request again -- for property owners in NE Montana and NW North Dakota to search their properites.

I had downloaded the the 3D version of Google maps and found that I could enter the "9th and Holly" (the area where her shoe was found) starting point in Sidney and travel various routes (it's like you're flying over) to your destination (Williston). (eta: If you try to type in 900 East Holly (from the arrest document), Google wants to bring you to 900 West Holly.)

It will give you a better idea of what LE/FBI is up against if you're not familiar with MT/ND.

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

It appears that not much planning went in to abduction, the time frame suggests that it was spontaneous. Beyond that we do not know much. It's reasonable to presume that they did not know the area. But we do not know if they killed her quickly or kept her. We do not know if they panicked and got rid of her quickly, or took their time and searched for what they thought would be a good place to hide her body.

If she was buried in the ground, that would take time. probably at least several hours of digging. It's not difficult to find a place to do that without being discovered in that area. It is also quite possible to drive around Williston or one of the surrounding towns all day with a body in the vehicle. Throw a sleeping bag over her and no one will notice because there are many hundreds of people in that area living out of their vehicles.

It's been speculated that they are not very intelligent. Kidnapping someone off the street without any planning seems like a thing a stupid person would do, but a lot of smart criminals have done that too. They both have criminal records of crimes which should have had them locked up, yet they both managed to work the system.

Until we learn more details all we can do is make guesses.

 

[Noway]

Arrest Documents

Waters

Spell

FYI these have the time of abduction as "about" 6:40 a.m.

 

[daisy.faithfull]

The local news repeated the same general description that they released almost two weeks ago. She may be in or near a shelter belt or might be in a farm yard under "matted grass." Everyone's perceptions are different. To me, the descriptions seem rather vague. Since the information is no different than two weeks ago I am going to guess that the suspects are not talking. Since it is either shelter belts or abandoned farmsteads, I see that as in indication that their information may have come from a third party, perhaps whoever gave them the tip on these guys.

But if the witness gave them the description of where she was buried (matted grass, shelter belt, that would imply the witness saw her being buried. If the witness saw where Spell and Waters buried Sherry, that witness would be able to take LE to that location.

 

[4UIhelp]

http://sherryarnold.blogspot.com/20...12/01/how-to-find-sherry-arnolds-remains.html

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

But if the witness gave them the description of where she was buried (matted grass, shelter belt, that would imply the witness saw her being buried. If the witness saw where Spell and Waters buried Sherry, that witness would be able to take LE to that location.

If there was a witness who saw them I do not think they would still be wondering where her body is. LE states that a tip lead them to Waters and Spell. That came almost a week after she vanished. The possible body location as given by LE is not specific. She might be in a shelter belt or she might be buried in a farmstead. At this point my guess is that one of them said something to a third party, who then contacted LE.

 

[Noway]

http://sherryarnold.blogspot.com/20...12/01/how-to-find-sherry-arnolds-remains.html

Do we know that Spell and/or Waters had cell phones or is that an assumption made by this gentleman?

eta
And I'm still not sure on the whole cell phone tower situation. When I am at home, my cell pings at a tower almost 5 miles from my house. I don't know the situation in Sidney area, but I'm thinking it might not narrow things down all that much.

eta2
Towers Sidney MT
http://www.cellreception.com/towers/towers.php?city=sidney&state_abr=mt

Towers Williston ND
http://www.city-data.com/towers/cell-Williston-North-Dakota.html

Then again, may be it would ... but the big assumption here (IMO) is that they had at least one cell phone and it was pinging.

 

[Eoanthropus Dawsoni]

Do we know that Spell and/or Waters had cell phones or is that an assumption made by this gentleman?

It would appear to me that he is making many assumptions.

 

[Noway]

A district court official in Garfield County, Colo., said Thursday, citing court documents, that Spell got permission to leave the state from a county district judge on Jan. 5. Spell was facing an arraignment on a felony charge of soliciting a minor to help him sell marijuana to young school children via cell phone text messages. Through his court-appointed attorney, Tina Fang, Spell told the judge on Jan. 5 he needed to go to Texas because his brother had been in an accident there.

Source

Would he have been allowed to keep his cell or get another?

 

[4UIhelp]

I would assume everyone is speculating . I personly think as a member of the community, what would calm every person is (my own opinion) LE telling the public that THEY have the right guys and these guys gave them the tip as to what they did with Sherry. They havent to this day ever said "such" is proof. People dont feel safe and are very concerned why they havent found her. I checked my tree rows and the grass growing around them, my fire break has no grass(because its cultivated) but is very muddy right now do to the warm weather. Also this is stated here ----> “Our primary mission is to get Mrs. Arnold back to her family,” Busching said.
http://sidneyherald.com/articles/2012/01/20/news/doc4f1602e53ab1c076128068.txt I just hope they dont give up looking, if these jerks did this then I want them off the streets for good, not let off on a technicality.