NJ - Sarah Stern, 19, Neptune City, 2 Dec 2016 *Arrests* #2

[cass523]

'We were looking for a possible suicide:' Police in Stern probe

"We were looking for a possible suicide:' Police in Stern probe"

Neptune police Officer Shane Leaming describes the tide under the Route 35 bridge

FREEHOLD - In the hours after Sarah Stern's car was found abandoned atop the Route 35 bridge in Belmar, the man on trial for her murder told police his missing friend told him she was going to Canada to get away from her father, and that she had been suicidal in the past.

"I just know she's been trying to get away, go to Canada," McAtasney, now 21, of Neptune City, told Neptune City Sgt. Bradley Hindes when Hindes knocked on his door around 4 a.m. that day to ask if he knew anything about the whereabouts of the missing, 19-year-old Neptune City woman.

A jury weighing murder and other charges against Liam McAtasney got to hear the defendant's own words as he spoke to police officers on Dec. 3, 2016, after Stern's car was found on the bridge.

The conversation was recorded by Hindes' body camera and played for the jury today.

"Her dad's crazy," McAtasney told the police sergeant on the recording.

About an hour earlier, Neptune Township Officer Shane Leaming said he was searching underneath the bridge for Stern.

"At that time, we were looking for a possible suicide,'' Leaming testified.

Leaming said he had been dispatched to the bridge at 2:46 a.m. on Dec. 3, around bar closing time, on a report that a car was abandoned atop it.

"We were checking the coastline and the area near the water,'' Leaming testified. "At that point, we were looking for a body.''

But, no body was found, he testified.

Meghan Doyle, assistant Monouth County prosecutor, asked Leaming what the currents were like in the Shark River Inlet underneath the bridge at the time.

"The current is one of the fastest currents I've seen,'' Leaming responded.

Doyle and Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Decker allege that McAtasney strangled Stern, his childhood friend, the previous day during a robbery and, with the help of his roommate, Preston Taylor, threw her body off the bridge in the early morning and left her car there to make it look like she committed suicide. Sterrn's body has never been found.

Later that day, Neptune City Patrolman Michael Kepler went back to McAtasney's house with a Belmar detective to question him further about the disappearance of Stern, Kepler testified. The officers' encounter with McAtasney also was recorded by Kepler's body camera and played for the jury.

The two officers noted that McAtasney was the last person to be with Stern before she disappeared. They told him rescue workers were risking their lives swimming in the icy Shark River to look for her, and they implored him to give them any information he knew about where she might be.

McAtasney told the officers that Stern had "trust issues" with her father.

"I know that her dad's definitely taken money from her in the past," McAtasney said on the body-camera recording.

"Over the past few months, she's been telling me how bad her relationship with her father is and she needs to get out of here," McAtasney told the officers, saying Stern and her father were always arguing.

"I know she said she has friends in Canada, if she were to go there, she would have roommates,"McAtasney told them, explaining that Stern was following a You-Tube personality from Canada and may have gone to a convention there in the past.

He also told them Stern had displayed self-destructive behavior before. Several years earlier, she was "obsessed" with McAtasney's girlfriend and once told her, "If you don't come here right way, I'm going to kill myself," McAtasney told the officers.

But some of Stern's relatives last week testified she seemed happy when they last saw her. Another relative, cousin Megan Barr, reiterated that on the witness stand today and testified that she found a cell phone in Stern's driveway on Dec. 4, 2016, when she was there looking for clues to Stern's disappearance.

Taylor last week testified that McAtasney told him he lost his phone when he strangled Stern at her house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016.

McAtasney also told the officers who questioned him the following day that he had lost his phone.


Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

 

[spaz1959]

'We were looking for a possible suicide:' Police in Stern probe

"We were looking for a possible suicide:' Police in Stern probe"

Neptune police Officer Shane Leaming describes the tide under the Route 35 bridge

FREEHOLD - In the hours after Sarah Stern's car was found abandoned atop the Route 35 bridge in Belmar, the man on trial for her murder told police his missing friend told him she was going to Canada to get away from her father, and that she had been suicidal in the past.

"I just know she's been trying to get away, go to Canada," McAtasney, now 21, of Neptune City, told Neptune City Sgt. Bradley Hindes when Hindes knocked on his door around 4 a.m. that day to ask if he knew anything about the whereabouts of the missing, 19-year-old Neptune City woman.

A jury weighing murder and other charges against Liam McAtasney got to hear the defendant's own words as he spoke to police officers on Dec. 3, 2016, after Stern's car was found on the bridge.

The conversation was recorded by Hindes' body camera and played for the jury today.

"Her dad's crazy," McAtasney told the police sergeant on the recording.

About an hour earlier, Neptune Township Officer Shane Leaming said he was searching underneath the bridge for Stern.

"At that time, we were looking for a possible suicide,'' Leaming testified.

Leaming said he had been dispatched to the bridge at 2:46 a.m. on Dec. 3, around bar closing time, on a report that a car was abandoned atop it.

"We were checking the coastline and the area near the water,'' Leaming testified. "At that point, we were looking for a body.''

But, no body was found, he testified.

Meghan Doyle, assistant Monouth County prosecutor, asked Leaming what the currents were like in the Shark River Inlet underneath the bridge at the time.

"The current is one of the fastest currents I've seen,'' Leaming responded.

Doyle and Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Decker allege that McAtasney strangled Stern, his childhood friend, the previous day during a robbery and, with the help of his roommate, Preston Taylor, threw her body off the bridge in the early morning and left her car there to make it look like she committed suicide. Sterrn's body has never been found.

Later that day, Neptune City Patrolman Michael Kepler went back to McAtasney's house with a Belmar detective to question him further about the disappearance of Stern, Kepler testified. The officers' encounter with McAtasney also was recorded by Kepler's body camera and played for the jury.

The two officers noted that McAtasney was the last person to be with Stern before she disappeared. They told him rescue workers were risking their lives swimming in the icy Shark River to look for her, and they implored him to give them any information he knew about where she might be.

McAtasney told the officers that Stern had "trust issues" with her father.

"I know that her dad's definitely taken money from her in the past," McAtasney said on the body-camera recording.

"Over the past few months, she's been telling me how bad her relationship with her father is and she needs to get out of here," McAtasney told the officers, saying Stern and her father were always arguing.

"I know she said she has friends in Canada, if she were to go there, she would have roommates,"McAtasney told them, explaining that Stern was following a You-Tube personality from Canada and may have gone to a convention there in the past.

He also told them Stern had displayed self-destructive behavior before. Several years earlier, she was "obsessed" with McAtasney's girlfriend and once told her, "If you don't come here right way, I'm going to kill myself," McAtasney told the officers.

But some of Stern's relatives last week testified she seemed happy when they last saw her. Another relative, cousin Megan Barr, reiterated that on the witness stand today and testified that she found a cell phone in Stern's driveway on Dec. 4, 2016, when she was there looking for clues to Stern's disappearance.

Taylor last week testified that McAtasney told him he lost his phone when he strangled Stern at her house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016.

McAtasney also told the officers who questioned him the following day that he had lost his phone.


Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

Sarah was the happiest, bubbly person you could meet. Great manners, tons of friends. Not that she didn't get sad. Sucicidal? What a piece of crap. I knew LM phone had been found by SS driveway. I didn't know that her cousin actually found it instead of the LE. There were 2 videos of LM speaking with LE. Was it the video when all the kids are outside of a house ? Or the one where LM is at a table speaking to LE?

 

[Seattle1]

Stern came to Draper's house on Ridge Terrace in Neptune City with McAtasney during the day on Dec. 2, 2016 to drop off a cardboard box and a bin of items she was cleaning out of her own house, Draper said.
[...]
‘She said that she found $20,000 in a safe in a house that they had in Avon,’ Draper testified.

Stern also shared her thoughts about her father that day, the childhood friend said.

‘She said, 'I lost all respect for my father,’ Draper said, adding that McAtasney chimed in, ‘Well, who hasn't?'

McAtasney told the officers that Stern had "trust issues" with her father.

"I know that her dad's definitely taken money from her in the past," McAtasney said on the body-camera recording.

"Over the past few months, she's been telling me how bad her relationship with her father is and she needs to get out of here," McAtasney told the officers, saying Stern and her father were always arguing.

OK, today I see more pieces of the puzzle coming together re. earlier allegations by witness that SS stated she lost respect for her Dad were probably over money issues. However, I don't believe a teen would be suicidal over finances. MOO

 

[cass523]

Sarah was the happiest, bubbly person you could meet. Great manners, tons of friends. Not that she didn't get sad. Sucicidal? What a piece of crap. I knew LM phone had been found by SS driveway. I didn't know that her cousin actually found it instead of the LE. There were 2 videos of LM speaking with LE. Was it the video when all the kids are outside of a house ? Or the one where LM is at a table speaking to LE?

I can still picture Sarah behind the counter helping at her mother's store, I shopped there frequently. She was young and adorable. My kids were a little older than Sarah at Wilson.

I think it was when LE talked to all of them, recording the conversation.
This paragraph: "Patrolman Michael Kepler went back to McAtasney's house with a Belmar detective to question him further about the disappearance of Stern. He also told them Stern had displayed self-destructive behavior before. Several years earlier, she was "obsessed" with McAtasney's girlfriend and once told her, "If you don't come here right way, I'm going to kill myself," McAtasney told the officers."

I also did not know LE went to LM's house at 4am.

I thought LE found the phone too. Here is more about the cell phone.

"In the days after Sarah Stern went missing, family gathered at her Neptune City home. It was there, outside in the front yard, that one of Stern’s cousins found something interesting: a cellphone.

The cousin, Meagan Barr, said on the witness stand Tuesday she knew the phone didn’t belong to Sarah because her phone had distinct features.

Authorities said they later learned that the phone belonged to Stern’s alleged killer, Liam McAtasney. He had left it at the house after he strangled his childhood friend and stole about $9,000 in cash from her, according to authorities and testimony of his admitted accomplice.

The accomplice, Preston Taylor, testified on the first day of the triallast week that McAtasney was frantic when he returned to the apartment they shared after he killed Stern because he lost his phone.

“He was more concerned about his phone than anything else,” Taylor said on the witness stand.

“He was more concerned with the fact that he lost his phone than the fact that he told you he killed Sarah Stern?” Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Decker asked Taylor.

“Yes,” Taylor responded.

Taylor testified that he was instructed by McAtasney to go to Stern’s house, look for the missing phone and then remove her body from the home. He said he never found the phone.

Barr, Stern’s cousin, said Tuesday that she found a cellphone next to a walkway beside the driveway in front of Stern’s home. She and another family member had gone outside to see if they could find any clues that would help them find Sarah, Barr said.

“I knew it wasn’t Sarah’s phone because she had a distinct phone, a green iPhone,” Barr said. “I’ve seen her on it a million times.”

She said she picked up the phone and gave it to Sarah’s dad, Michael."
During his testimony last week, Taylor said McAtasney had instructed him to mention things to police that would “make (Sarah Stern) look unstable,” like that she was a closet lesbian.

McAtasney also told police that he had lost his cellphone but he had purchased a new one. He told police the last time he remembers having his phone was when he was in the car with Sarah on Dec. 2, 2016.

Later that evening, McAtasney also left work several times to rummage through his home looking for the phone, according to Taylor. Prosecutors played surveillance video footage from the steakhouse McAtasney worked at that showed him coming and going throughout his shift.

Police told McAtasney not to activate the new phone because they were going to ping his existing phone to see if they could locate it. The police wanted to find it in case there were any messages from Stern, the officer said.

Barr didn’t testify as to whose phone she found but that she noticed it had a lot of missed calls.

Later in the day Tuesday, the lead detective at the start of the investigation, Wayne Raynor, testified that Stern’s family gave him McAtasney’s phone. In an interview with McAtasney on Dec. 4, 2016, at his home in Neptune City, Raynor said McAtasney consented to a search of the phone.

A search of the phone showed a missed call from Taylor at 11:52 p.m. on Dec. 2, Raynor said. He said he asked McAtasney why he would receive a call from Taylor at that time when McAtasney had told him earlier that they were together.

McAtasney replied that he used Taylor’s phone to call his in an attempt to locate the missing phone, according to Raynor. The phone also had calls from Taylor at 5:06 p.m. and 5:09 p.m., and showed a phone call from McAtasney to Stern in the afternoon on Dec. 2. Raynor said McAtasney told him the call with Stern was from when they went to get Taco Bell together that day.

Raynor said he also made other observations during his discussion with McAtasney, who was not a suspect at the time. McAtasney, he said, was calm, quiet and had a “passive demeanor."

“He was upset with what was going on (with Sarah),” Raynor said.

Family searching for Sarah Stern found her suspected killer’s phone. Turns out he dropped it at the crime scene.

 

[Seattle1]

Feb 3, 2017 Asbury Park Press

"It's just strange," Stern said. "I can't believe the deceit and lies."

The news of Sarah's death was the second loss Stern had suffered within a week. On Jan. 27, his mother-in-law died. On Friday evening, dressed in the all-black outfit he wore to his mother-in-law's viewing, Stern sat on a couch in the foyer of his home and reflected on his fondest memories of Sarah.


She loved engaging with YouTube personalities online, video chatting with friends around the world, attending conferences in New York City, Anaheim, California and Toronto. She liked science fiction. She was a jokester. She and her dog, Buddy, were inseparable. She'd go out with her friends to get half-priced appetizers after 10 p.m. at Applebee's.

"She was a good kid," he said.

It had been just the two of them ever since his wife, Carla, died from cancer in 2013. Stern recalled the last time he saw Sarah. She had returned from visiting Florida, he was just leaving for a trip to the Sunshine State.

"See you next week," he recalled them saying to each other. "I love you."

But he never saw her again. His vacation was interrupted by a 3 a.m. phone call from a sheriff's deputy. Sarah's car was found at the top of the bridge on Route 35 in Belmar, abandoned, with the keys inside the car. Her disappearance sparked a massive search of the Shark River and surrounding waterways; dozens searched for her on the Ocean Grove beachfront.
Sarah Stern's father struggles to make sense of her death

Sarah's story is so painful to read. She lost her mother at a critical time in a girl's life, her grandmother died not knowing if SS was lost, dead, or alive, and her Dad not only learned of the ultimate betrayal by friends, but he also lost his only child.

#JusticeforSarah

 

[spaz1959]

I can still picture Sarah behind the counter helping at her mother's store, I shopped there frequently. She was young and adorable. My kids were a little older than Sarah at Wilson.

I think it was when LE talked to all of them, recording the conversation.
This paragraph: "Patrolman Michael Kepler went back to McAtasney's house with a Belmar detective to question him further about the disappearance of Stern. He also told them Stern had displayed self-destructive behavior before. Several years earlier, she was "obsessed" with McAtasney's girlfriend and once told her, "If you don't come here right way, I'm going to kill myself," McAtasney told the officers."

I also did not know LE went to LM's house at 4am.

I thought LE found the phone too. Here is more about the cell phone.

"In the days after Sarah Stern went missing, family gathered at her Neptune City home. It was there, outside in the front yard, that one of Stern’s cousins found something interesting: a cellphone.

The cousin, Meagan Barr, said on the witness stand Tuesday she knew the phone didn’t belong to Sarah because her phone had distinct features.

Authorities said they later learned that the phone belonged to Stern’s alleged killer, Liam McAtasney. He had left it at the house after he strangled his childhood friend and stole about $9,000 in cash from her, according to authorities and testimony of his admitted accomplice.

The accomplice, Preston Taylor, testified on the first day of the triallast week that McAtasney was frantic when he returned to the apartment they shared after he killed Stern because he lost his phone.

“He was more concerned about his phone than anything else,” Taylor said on the witness stand.

“He was more concerned with the fact that he lost his phone than the fact that he told you he killed Sarah Stern?” Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Decker asked Taylor.

“Yes,” Taylor responded.

Taylor testified that he was instructed by McAtasney to go to Stern’s house, look for the missing phone and then remove her body from the home. He said he never found the phone.

Barr, Stern’s cousin, said Tuesday that she found a cellphone next to a walkway beside the driveway in front of Stern’s home. She and another family member had gone outside to see if they could find any clues that would help them find Sarah, Barr said.

“I knew it wasn’t Sarah’s phone because she had a distinct phone, a green iPhone,” Barr said. “I’ve seen her on it a million times.”

She said she picked up the phone and gave it to Sarah’s dad, Michael."
During his testimony last week, Taylor said McAtasney had instructed him to mention things to police that would “make (Sarah Stern) look unstable,” like that she was a closet lesbian.

McAtasney also told police that he had lost his cellphone but he had purchased a new one. He told police the last time he remembers having his phone was when he was in the car with Sarah on Dec. 2, 2016.

Later that evening, McAtasney also left work several times to rummage through his home looking for the phone, according to Taylor. Prosecutors played surveillance video footage from the steakhouse McAtasney worked at that showed him coming and going throughout his shift.

Police told McAtasney not to activate the new phone because they were going to ping his existing phone to see if they could locate it. The police wanted to find it in case there were any messages from Stern, the officer said.

Barr didn’t testify as to whose phone she found but that she noticed it had a lot of missed calls.

Later in the day Tuesday, the lead detective at the start of the investigation, Wayne Raynor, testified that Stern’s family gave him McAtasney’s phone. In an interview with McAtasney on Dec. 4, 2016, at his home in Neptune City, Raynor said McAtasney consented to a search of the phone.

A search of the phone showed a missed call from Taylor at 11:52 p.m. on Dec. 2, Raynor said. He said he asked McAtasney why he would receive a call from Taylor at that time when McAtasney had told him earlier that they were together.

McAtasney replied that he used Taylor’s phone to call his in an attempt to locate the missing phone, according to Raynor. The phone also had calls from Taylor at 5:06 p.m. and 5:09 p.m., and showed a phone call from McAtasney to Stern in the afternoon on Dec. 2. Raynor said McAtasney told him the call with Stern was from when they went to get Taco Bell together that day.

Raynor said he also made other observations during his discussion with McAtasney, who was not a suspect at the time. McAtasney, he said, was calm, quiet and had a “passive demeanor."

“He was upset with what was going on (with Sarah),” Raynor said.

Family searching for Sarah Stern found her suspected killer’s phone. Turns out he dropped it at the crime scene.

Any video of LM at Brennan's, his place of work, available ?

 

[spaz1959]

OK, today I see more pieces of the puzzle coming together re. earlier allegations by witness that SS stated she lost respect for her Dad were probably over money issues. However, I don't believe a teen would be suicidal over finances. MOO

There really is so much more to the picture. It's very easy for the Defense to try to say Sarah felt, this or that. Remember they are painting a favorable picture of their client .They hope is to create reasonable doubt that Sarah either left the state, or killed herself. Your correct not to buy into it.

 

[jellybean96]

Thank you all for sharing the trial here. This case dropped off my radar, but I am glad to have refound this thread to finish watching it play out.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, January 30th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9am ET) - NJ - Sarah Stern (19) (Dec. 2, 2016, Neptune City; not found) - *Liam McAtasney (21/19 @ time of crime) charged (2/1/17) & indicted (2/2/17) with 1st degree murder, 1st degree robbery, felony murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains (2nd degree), tampering with physical evidence & hindering his own apprehension. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA seeks Life.
Trial started 1/23/19; should last 4 to 6 weeks & will only be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays.
1/23/19 Day 1: Opening Statements. State witness: Preston Taylor (accomplice).
1/24/19 Day 2: State witnesses: Preston Taylor. Carly Draper (Sarah's friend). Shirley Longo (Sarah's aunt). Michelle Bahr (Sarah's cousin). Kearny Bank Branch Manager Raymond Bloetjes & teller Lynda Capobianco. A detective with the financial crimes unit of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Laura Carmody, a waitress & former co-worker of Liam at Brennan's Steakhouse. Trial continues on Tuesday, 1/29.
1/29/19 Day 3: State witnesses: Neptune Township Officer Shane Leaming. Neptune City Patrolman Michael Kepler. Neptune City Police Sgt. Bradley Hindes. Megan Barr, Sarah's cousin. Detective William Raynor of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Detective Dave Sidorakis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Trial continues on 1/30.
His accomplice Preston Taylor (19) faces up to 20 years in state prison and is subject to the No Early Release Act. (Was facing up to life in prison on the felony murder charge and 51 years for the additional charges). He pleaded guilty (4/27/17) to 1st degree robbery, 2nd degree conspiracy to commit robbery, 2nd degree distributing or desecrating human remains, 2 counts of 3rd degree hindering apprehension & 4th degree tampering with physical evidence. His sentencing will be adjourned until later in the year, pending McAtasney’s trial. Will testify at LMc's trial.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Spent pretty much the entire day shoveling the snow yesterday (not a fan of snow blowers ...), but with wind chills of -35 F, it’s probably a good idea to stay inside for now, so here I am.

I haven’t seen any reports so far this morning. Just posting some photos from yesterday:



Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

 

[cass523]

More on LE testimony 1/29.

"McAtasney told the detective he called Stern in the afternoon to ask if she wanted to get something to eat, and then the pair went in Stern’s car to the Taco Bell in Neptune, Raynor testified. They later went to a neighbor’s house across the street to drop off a bin of items that Stern was cleaning out of her house before returning to Stern’s house, Raynor said McAtasney told him. McAtasney said he left and went to work at Brennan’s Steakhouse in Neptune City, the detective said.

Raynor said he checked to see if there were any surveillance cameras with views of the Route 35 bridge where Stern’s car was found and learned from NJ Transit police, which has jurisdiction over the bridge, that there weren’t any. But he said he learned that a house across the street from Stern’s did have a surveillance camera.

Detective Dave Sidorakis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office testified that he retrieved the surveillance footage from the house across the street. The footage showed McAtasney and Stern leaving the house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016, he said. It showed Stern’s car leaving and returning several times and, around 4:08 p.m., it showed McAtasney leaving Stern’s house in his own car, Sidorakis testified.

At 4:28 p.m., the footage showed someone in the Sterns’ backyard, the detective testified.

Taylor testified last week that he moved Stern’s body to some bushes in the backyard late that afternoon, at McAtasney’s behest, and both of them returned later at night to put her body in her car, drive it to the bridge and toss her into the Shark River Inlet.

Sidorakis testified that the surveillance footage showed the lights on Stern’s car go on at 11:44 p.m. and the car leaving, about an hour before Stern’s aunt and grandmother are seen arriving at the house to look for the missing woman.

The detective said he also retrieved surveillance video from the Neptune Taco Bell that showed McAtasney and Stern were there that afternoon.

In addition, Sidorakis testified there was a series of text messages between McAtasney and Anthony Curry on Nov. 24, 2016, which was Thanksgiving. The text messages indicated the pair were getting together after dinner with their families.

Authorities allege that Curry, an acquaintance of McAtasney, came forward to them in January of 2017 and informed them that McAtasney told him on Thanksgiving at McAtasney’s house that he was planning to rob and kill Stern. Prosecutors said Curry that January secretly recorded McAtasney confessing to doing just that."

Latest World & National News & Headlines - USATODAY.com

Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

 

[cass523]

Any video of LM at Brennan's, his place of work, available ?

I have not viewed a video of LM at work, only the partial testimony of the woman who worked with him. I read todays APP e-Edition and the surveillance footage testimony was added. Then I checked APP and it was there, too.

I will double check to see if there a video of Brennans.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

From a few minutes ago:

“FREEHOLD - In the months leading up to Sarah Stern's disappearance, the 19-year-old Neptune City woman had agreed to wait until the following summer to follow through with her dream of moving to Canada, her aunt testified today.

Linda Stitely, an aunt of Stern's who lives in Florida, told a jury she convinced Stern to wait until the summer of 2017 to move to Canada so Stitely, a teacher, could help her move while she was on summer break from school.

Stitely also said Stern agreed to wait to allow time for Stitely and another aunt in Florida to move their mother, Stern's 96-year-old grandmother with whom she lived her whole life, to the Sunshine State.

Stitely, who said she had a motherly relationship with Stern after Stern's mother died when she was 15, testified that she advised her niece she couldn't move to Canada without a plan. Stitely said she told her niece she first needed to find a job and save some money.

[SBM]

McAtasney, in the hours after Stern's disappearance, told police she may have gone to Canada.

But Stitely testified Stern had other plans for the immediate future just before her disappearance - she wanted to go to bartending school so she could bartend at night and create art during the day.

[SBM]

Stern had purchased a television on Black Friday 2016 to give to her grandmother for Christmas, Stitley said.

She made the purchase with some money she informed her aunt she found in her father's house in Avon, Stitely said.

The aunt said she advised Stern to put the money in a safe deposit box.

Stern did, but spent $2,000 of the money for surgery on her beloved dog, Buddy, Stitely said. And, she ordered a hovercraft to use for personal transportation when she moved to Canada, Stitely said.

Christopher Decker, an assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, asked Stitley if Stern told anyone else about the money she had found in the Avon house.

‘She told me that she had told one of her friends,’ Stitely responded. "I’was very upset because we agreed I didn't want her to talk about it.

[SBM]”
Sarah Stern murder: Aunt says Stern's move to Canada was on hold

 

[cass523]

Spent pretty much the entire day shoveling the snow yesterday (not a fan of snow blowers ...), but with wind chills of -35 F, it’s probably a good idea to stay inside for now, so here I am.

Wow! Having to be outside clearing snow in that temp, I can't imagine!
Thanks for posting the photos

not sure how I messed this up

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

More on LE testimony 1/29.

"McAtasney told the detective he called Stern in the afternoon to ask if she wanted to get something to eat, and then the pair went in Stern’s car to the Taco Bell in Neptune, Raynor testified. They later went to a neighbor’s house across the street to drop off a bin of items that Stern was cleaning out of her house before returning to Stern’s house, Raynor said McAtasney told him. McAtasney said he left and went to work at Brennan’s Steakhouse in Neptune City, the detective said.

Raynor said he checked to see if there were any surveillance cameras with views of the Route 35 bridge where Stern’s car was found and learned from NJ Transit police, which has jurisdiction over the bridge, that there weren’t any. But he said he learned that a house across the street from Stern’s did have a surveillance camera.

Detective Dave Sidorakis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office testified that he retrieved the surveillance footage from the house across the street. The footage showed McAtasney and Stern leaving the house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016, he said. It showed Stern’s car leaving and returning several times and, around 4:08 p.m., it showed McAtasney leaving Stern’s house in his own car, Sidorakis testified.

At 4:28 p.m., the footage showed someone in the Sterns’ backyard, the detective testified.

Taylor testified last week that he moved Stern’s body to some bushes in the backyard late that afternoon, at McAtasney’s behest, and both of them returned later at night to put her body in her car, drive it to the bridge and toss her into the Shark River Inlet.

Sidorakis testified that the surveillance footage showed the lights on Stern’s car go on at 11:44 p.m. and the car leaving, about an hour before Stern’s aunt and grandmother are seen arriving at the house to look for the missing woman.

The detective said he also retrieved surveillance video from the Neptune Taco Bell that showed McAtasney and Stern were there that afternoon.

In addition, Sidorakis testified there was a series of text messages between McAtasney and Anthony Curry on Nov. 24, 2016, which was Thanksgiving. The text messages indicated the pair were getting together after dinner with their families.

Authorities allege that Curry, an acquaintance of McAtasney, came forward to them in January of 2017 and informed them that McAtasney told him on Thanksgiving at McAtasney’s house that he was planning to rob and kill Stern. Prosecutors said Curry that January secretly recorded McAtasney confessing to doing just that."

Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

Thank you for posting this.

Unless the defense drops some sort of bombshell, I feel strongly that LM is going down and fast. And they haven’t even played the confession tape yet.

Thank goodness LE was able to retrieve footage from the neighbor’s security system. What it apparently shows basically corroborates what PT told the court last week and vise versa.

Of course, you never know what a jury is going to do, but based on what has been reported so far, I just do not see an acquittal. A hung jury, maybe, but a conviction is most likely. IMO.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

not sure how I messed this up

No problem!

Definitely couldn’t do it without my good old trusty winter coat. I’ve had it for about ten years, and after the first 15 minutes or so of shoveling, I’m sweating! I think I paid $150 or so at the time, but it was definitely a good investment .

And good snow boots with liners. Can’t leave them in the garage though because if you do, they stay frozen - ha!

 

[spaz1959]

More on LE testimony 1/29.

"McAtasney told the detective he called Stern in the afternoon to ask if she wanted to get something to eat, and then the pair went in Stern’s car to the Taco Bell in Neptune, Raynor testified. They later went to a neighbor’s house across the street to drop off a bin of items that Stern was cleaning out of her house before returning to Stern’s house, Raynor said McAtasney told him. McAtasney said he left and went to work at Brennan’s Steakhouse in Neptune City, the detective said.

Raynor said he checked to see if there were any surveillance cameras with views of the Route 35 bridge where Stern’s car was found and learned from NJ Transit police, which has jurisdiction over the bridge, that there weren’t any. But he said he learned that a house across the street from Stern’s did have a surveillance camera.

Detective Dave Sidorakis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office testified that he retrieved the surveillance footage from the house across the street. The footage showed McAtasney and Stern leaving the house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016, he said. It showed Stern’s car leaving and returning several times and, around 4:08 p.m., it showed McAtasney leaving Stern’s house in his own car, Sidorakis testified.

At 4:28 p.m., the footage showed someone in the Sterns’ backyard, the detective testified.

Taylor testified last week that he moved Stern’s body to some bushes in the backyard late that afternoon, at McAtasney’s behest, and both of them returned later at night to put her body in her car, drive it to the bridge and toss her into the Shark River Inlet.

Sidorakis testified that the surveillance footage showed the lights on Stern’s car go on at 11:44 p.m. and the car leaving, about an hour before Stern’s aunt and grandmother are seen arriving at the house to look for the missing woman.

The detective said he also retrieved surveillance video from the Neptune Taco Bell that showed McAtasney and Stern were there that afternoon.

In addition, Sidorakis testified there was a series of text messages between McAtasney and Anthony Curry on Nov. 24, 2016, which was Thanksgiving. The text messages indicated the pair were getting together after dinner with their families.

Authorities allege that Curry, an acquaintance of McAtasney, came forward to them in January of 2017 and informed them that McAtasney told him on Thanksgiving at McAtasney’s house that he was planning to rob and kill Stern. Prosecutors said Curry that January secretly recorded McAtasney confessing to doing just that."

Latest World & National News & Headlines - USATODAY.com

Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

Spent pretty much the entire day shoveling the snow yesterday (not a fan of snow blowers ...), but with wind chills of -35 F, it’s probably a good idea to stay inside for now, so here I am.

I haven’t seen any reports so far this morning. Just posting some photos from yesterday:

View attachment 166586 View attachment 166584 View attachment 166585 View attachment 166587

Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

Ya gotta love Liam's thumbs up!

 

[spaz1959]

More on LE testimony 1/29.

"McAtasney told the detective he called Stern in the afternoon to ask if she wanted to get something to eat, and then the pair went in Stern’s car to the Taco Bell in Neptune, Raynor testified. They later went to a neighbor’s house across the street to drop off a bin of items that Stern was cleaning out of her house before returning to Stern’s house, Raynor said McAtasney told him. McAtasney said he left and went to work at Brennan’s Steakhouse in Neptune City, the detective said.

Raynor said he checked to see if there were any surveillance cameras with views of the Route 35 bridge where Stern’s car was found and learned from NJ Transit police, which has jurisdiction over the bridge, that there weren’t any. But he said he learned that a house across the street from Stern’s did have a surveillance camera.

Detective Dave Sidorakis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office testified that he retrieved the surveillance footage from the house across the street. The footage showed McAtasney and Stern leaving the house on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016, he said. It showed Stern’s car leaving and returning several times and, around 4:08 p.m., it showed McAtasney leaving Stern’s house in his own car, Sidorakis testified.

At 4:28 p.m., the footage showed someone in the Sterns’ backyard, the detective testified.

Taylor testified last week that he moved Stern’s body to some bushes in the backyard late that afternoon, at McAtasney’s behest, and both of them returned later at night to put her body in her car, drive it to the bridge and toss her into the Shark River Inlet.

Sidorakis testified that the surveillance footage showed the lights on Stern’s car go on at 11:44 p.m. and the car leaving, about an hour before Stern’s aunt and grandmother are seen arriving at the house to look for the missing woman.

The detective said he also retrieved surveillance video from the Neptune Taco Bell that showed McAtasney and Stern were there that afternoon.

In addition, Sidorakis testified there was a series of text messages between McAtasney and Anthony Curry on Nov. 24, 2016, which was Thanksgiving. The text messages indicated the pair were getting together after dinner with their families.

Authorities allege that Curry, an acquaintance of McAtasney, came forward to them in January of 2017 and informed them that McAtasney told him on Thanksgiving at McAtasney’s house that he was planning to rob and kill Stern. Prosecutors said Curry that January secretly recorded McAtasney confessing to doing just that."

Latest World & National News & Headlines - USATODAY.com

Sarah Stern murder: Suspect said she wanted to run away, had suicidal past

Thank you for posting these pictures

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

“‘Probably the most important thing in her life was Buddy,’ Stern's dog for which she had just spent $2,000 to undergo surgery to remove a skin tag, [Linda] Stitely [an aunt of Sarah's] said.

[SBM]

Stitely recalled receiving nine missed phone calls from Stern one day in late September 2016 before calling her back and receiving the news.

‘She told me that she found a box of money in her father’s house in Avon,’ Stitely testified.

Stern used some of the found money to take a trip to Toronto, and also traveled to Florida to visit her aunts for Thanksgiving that year, Stitely testified.

The aunt testified Stern kept the money in a fireproof box in her bedroom. She told her to put it in a safe deposit box in a bank, so Stern got one at Kearny Bank and also put $5,200 of the money into a checking account she had at Chase Bank to avoid paying monthly fees on the account, Stitely said.

She said she was alarmed to learn that one of Stern’s friends knew she had found the money.

‘She told me that she had told one of her friends,’ Stitely responded. ‘I was very upset because we agreed I didn't want her to talk about it.’

Prosecutors allege McAtasney is the person she told about finding the money, and that he killed her to get his hands on it.

[SBM]

Stern, a budding artist, was planning to go to bartending school so she could bartend at night and focus on her art during the day, Stitely said.

While Stern and her father had a rocky relationship at that time, the father and daughter ‘absolutely’ loved each other, Stitely said.

When asked if Stern's father knew of his daughter’s goal to move to Canada, Stitely responded, ‘It was not a secret.'’

A close friend of Stern, Robert St. Amand, told the jury he knew Stern wanted to go to Canada, but he also said she wasn't planning to run away from her father.

St. Amand told the jury he last saw his friend around 1 or 2 a.m. on the day she disappeared, when he left Stern's house after they spent the night before playing a game called ‘Eight Ball’ on their phones. He said the game was like playing pool on a phone.

St. Amand said he didn't see Stern later that day, but they continued playing ‘Eight Ball’ together on their cell phones.

He had an innocent explanation for a seemingly eery string of text messages they sent to each other that day.

St. Amand acknowledged he had sent Stern a text that said, ‘I'm honestly going to kill myself,’ and she responded, ‘Me, too.’

St. Amand said they were both frustrated by glitches they were experiencing playing the game on their phones.

‘Did you think she was serious?’ Meghan Doyle, an assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, asked him.

‘No,’ he said.

St. Amand said if he thought she had been, ‘I would have gone right over to her house.’

Doyle then brought up the next text that Stern sent to St. Amand: ‘I didn’t even shoot the right way, it moved, throwing it off the bridge.’

St. Amand insisted that text referred to ‘just messing up on the game.’

‘He said he texted Stern later on that day, asking her to accompany him to Walmart so he could get blinds for his room. St. Amand said Stern didn’t respond, and he never heard from her again.

‘Do you think she would have gone to Canada and not told you?’ Doyle asked him.

‘No,’ St. Amand responded.

[SBM]”



Sarah Stern murder: Aunt says Stern's move to Canada was on hold

 

[spaz1959]

“‘Probably the most important thing in her life was Buddy,’ Stern's dog for which she had just spent $2,000 to undergo surgery to remove a skin tag, [Linda] Stitely [an aunt of Sarah's] said.

[SBM]

Stitely recalled receiving nine missed phone calls from Stern one day in late September 2016 before calling her back and receiving the news.

‘She told me that she found a box of money in her father’s house in Avon,’ Stitely testified.

Stern used some of the found money to take a trip to Toronto, and also traveled to Florida to visit her aunts for Thanksgiving that year, Stitely testified.

The aunt testified Stern kept the money in a fireproof box in her bedroom. She told her to put it in a safe deposit box in a bank, so Stern got one at Kearny Bank and also put $5,200 of the money into a checking account she had at Chase Bank to avoid paying monthly fees on the account, Stitely said.

She said she was alarmed to learn that one of Stern’s friends knew she had found the money.

‘She told me that she had told one of her friends,’ Stitely responded. ‘I was very upset because we agreed I didn't want her to talk about it.’

Prosecutors allege McAtasney is the person she told about finding the money, and that he killed her to get his hands on it.

[SBM]

Stern, a budding artist, was planning to go to bartending school so she could bartend at night and focus on her art during the day, Stitely said.

While Stern and her father had a rocky relationship at that time, the father and daughter ‘absolutely’ loved each other, Stitely said.

When asked if Stern's father knew of his daughter’s goal to move to Canada, Stitely responded, ‘It was not a secret.'’

A close friend of Stern, Robert St. Amand, told the jury he knew Stern wanted to go to Canada, but he also said she wasn't planning to run away from her father.

St. Amand told the jury he last saw his friend around 1 or 2 a.m. on the day she disappeared, when he left Stern's house after they spent the night before playing a game called ‘Eight Ball’ on their phones. He said the game was like playing pool on a phone.

St. Amand said he didn't see Stern later that day, but they continued playing ‘Eight Ball’ together on their cell phones.

He had an innocent explanation for a seemingly eery string of text messages they sent to each other that day.

St. Amand acknowledged he had sent Stern a text that said, ‘I'm honestly going to kill myself,’ and she responded, ‘Me, too.’

St. Amand said they were both frustrated by glitches they were experiencing playing the game on their phones.

‘Did you think she was serious?’ Meghan Doyle, an assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, asked him.

‘No,’ he said.

St. Amand said if he thought she had been, ‘I would have gone right over to her house.’

Doyle then brought up the next text that Stern sent to St. Amand: ‘I didn’t even shoot the right way, it moved, throwing it off the bridge.’

St. Amand insisted that text referred to ‘just messing up on the game.’

‘He said he texted Stern later on that day, asking her to accompany him to Walmart so he could get blinds for his room. St. Amand said Stern didn’t respond, and he never heard from her again.

‘Do you think she would have gone to Canada and not told you?’ Doyle asked him.

‘No,’ St. Amand responded.

[SBM]”

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Sarah Stern murder: Aunt says Stern's move to Canada was on hold

Breaks my heart.