Found Deceased OH - Joey LaBute, 26, Columbus, 4 March 2016 #1

[CARIIS]

I don't know anything about those apps, but is it possible to use them just to talk to others, and not meet face to face? Even as Joey used those apps, I don't think there has been any kind of confirmation of how many of those he were in contact with on those apps that he met face to face. Maybe he used those apps for hook-ups, or maybe just for talking with other men, I don't think (most of us here) know for sure how comfortable he was with random hook-ups. Just by having the opportunity to have random sex means that one has to take it. Joey was out that evening with relatives and was to meet up with friends later, was it his normal behaviour to "sneak away" for a hook-up, or was it something he didn't normally do?

I think anything is possible. But IMO, generally speaking there is just a different motivation, in gay world. I rarely saw guys , in the bars, approacing fat ugly men.

And there were other actions that night, and unlike generally females are actually meeting someone to see if they want to date someone.

Not applying to every woman, but i think on those apps stright or gay, the males are much more motivated to hook up. Males I think are hoping to get laid.

I think it woud "rarer" for woman to say I am going on line, for some sex tonight. I think it would be more "where does work"? !!!! Wonder if he has been divorced, has kids etc.

Again it goes more to male female that orientatoion IMO

 

[CARIIS]

Several?!

http://nbc4i.com/2016/03/30/police-continue-to-investigate-after-body-found-in-scioto-river/

Hi mrsobrien!

What time zone are they in , I dont like tardiness, I think the delay is about politcal stuff somone to write up all this we thank this and this , and without the help of our marevlous this and that bla bla bla

 

[CARIIS]

I wonder if we'll ever get over the damned "human trafficking" angle... For gods sake... It just makes it difficult to read. Every time someone comes up missing we want to go and blame human trafficking. How many of those cases have turned out to be Human Trafficking? "0" that I know of... It's about as speculatory, general, and uneducated a guess as saying he was killed because he was under 6 foot. I have a bad feeling this is Joey. I also have another feeling that NONE OF US know what happened... yet. Maybe I'm confused as to how this works on here and should just veil into the shadows again and shut up? lol.

I think the trafficking comes from

The link between big sporting events and sex trafficking ... for the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic,

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2016/02/20/columbus-group-fights-sex-trafficking-with-bars-of-soap.html

 

[eric136]

Does this possibly mean that the body was in the water too long to get a fingerprint?

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They obtain fingerprints from the body in order to compare it to those obtained from criminals.

 

[MerryB]

People, his car was found in the same spot he typically parks it a few blocks from the Union. Yet, he told his mom he was "driving." Obviously, he was in a car not his own and had to have been with someone. Whomever was in that car with him is murder suspect number 1. I have said from the beginning that, unfortunately, he would not be found alive. Hopefully, they have tried to gain access to his accounts on every social media he has - including Grindr and Scruff. Someone earlier said he was active on either or both of those sites at midnight on the night he disappeared. This is clearly a murder. Could have been a passion killing. Could have been drug-related. Could have been a robbery. Not buying this nebulous smiley face killer theory -- it is too dramatic and covers too wide of an area.

Yes. Completely agree. I think he got in a car with someone, and he did not want to talk on the phone. Hopefully cell phone and/or app info will shed some light onto who he was with.

 

[eric136]

When bodies are in the water and then removed, the air causes decomp immediately. That autopsy should have been performed yesterday.


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I am sure the forensic pathologist has dealt with situations like that. I am sure they know how to deal with that issue.

 

[OccamsRazor]

I need to know WHO picked him up from the Union. That is the killer.

 

[CARIIS]

This article says that the divers were present based on a hunch from detectives....

http://myfox28columbus.com/news/local/autopsy-planned-today-for-body-found-in-scioto-river

Man they have great hunches, its insulting they think anyone following this would by this they were out just looking for bodies (plural) its obserd IMO

 

[CARIIS]

How deep is this river in the relevant area? Does it run fast?
A victim ends up in a river by being put there (with the exception of suicides, and I do not feel this is the case here, not one bit). If they are deceased when placed in the water - there will be no water in the lungs. If they are alive when put it, there will be, right? If they are incapacitated in some way (injured, under influence of something, etc) the COD may still likely come back as drowning; so in that case, really it'd be the MOD we are waiting on.
Sorry for rambling, just trying to organize my thoughts and such.
I wonder if security camera evidence from one of the area businesses led them to the river, and if so, where that business is located in relation to the Union and the river site.
I keep coming back to "I'm driving" and I get lost. I wish we knew more about that phone convo.

ETA another way to land in the river is by accident of course, but I can't create a scenario whereby Joey was strolling along the river, fell in, and was unable to get out. I can't make sense of that possibility.

And he was found not submergered which fits with your air in lungs notion and very close to shoreline.

Moreover, there is a boat ramp near there--drive car down ramp, open trunk and .................

 

[Margo/Mom]

getting anxious..

audobon natural park -- this is the first time this mentioned does this make the location different??

"At the the request of SVU"

I believe that Audubon Natural Park is just the newer (and less well-known) name for the Whittier peninsula, or old police impound lot.

I think that yesterday there was some off-base speculation connecting to Berliner Park--but that is several blocks down river.

 

[anonypotomous]

I apologize for not remembering, who was it that called him when he said "I'm driving"? And why would they be calling him so late?

 

[Tssiemer]

His aunt.


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[smoothcheetos]

I've been out and about, has it be verified it's Joey?

 

[tarabull]

Here's another body of a man found in the water near Whittier back in April 2011

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2011/04/14/story-columbus-body-found-whittier-boat-ramp.html

Wondering how that turned out? Suspicious??? (still looking for the results of that discovery)

 

[Margo/Mom]

They obtain fingerprints from the body in order to compare it to those obtained from criminals.

I had to think about it for a few. I think it means that they have no source of fingerprints from a missing person to match to those on the body.

Apparently dental records are available from a missing person in order to compare to the body. Perhaps the delay is in obtaining said records and getting them to the coroner?

There was, perhaps, a wallet on the body (reading into the detective's non-answer to that question yesterday), and then likely some ID. I understand not making the leap that the wallet and ID in the pocket belonged to the body. However, was facial recognition also not possible? Sad.

 

[MerryB]

I believe that Audubon Natural Park is just the newer (and less well-known) name for the Whittier peninsula, or old police impound lot.

I think that yesterday there was some off-base speculation connecting to Berliner Park--but that is several blocks down river.

This picture might help you visualize the area. You can see the park's proximity to downtown Columbus, where the Short North area is located. Joey was last seen in the Short North. Audubon Park is a Metro Park located in Franklinton, which is not a great part of town on the south side of Columbus. It used to be a remote, kind of abandoned-industrial area and the city recently made it into a park, with boat docks, fishing, grassy areas, and trails. You can see the area where the body was found along the bottom of this picture. That "finger" of land that stretches out is called the Whittier Penninsula. The body was between there and the shore. It would be an easy place to dispose of a body IMO.

Local Channel 6 News is reporting Joey's father is on his way to Columbus.

 

[bighairdontcare]

If it was a very violent crime, the victim's face may not be identifiable. The clothes seem like it would be enough for the family to ID the victim. His prints wouldn't be used for identification. Unless he's had a government or public school job (or a prior record), his prints wouldn't be in the system.

I am disappointed that we're not hearing anything until tomorrow.

However, Detective Sicilian noted that the body was in decent shape. According to news article on ABC6, there is no obvious signs of trauma. They didn't indicate if a wallet was located on the victim, right? I agree with you- I believe that the clothes would be enough of an identifier- I mean, they did note that the victim was wearing clothes. I hope that we hear something later on this evening...
I think Joey def left with someone and was in the car with the perpetrator. I am not a scientist, but for a body to be in "decent" shape, I would think that the person was more recently deceased- not 25 days later. I always thought water is somewhat of a preserver, but after almost a month submerged, I would think the body would be pretty decomposed (not to mention, fish and other creatures helping the process).
Also, in all reality (if this is Joey), the "speculated" perp could have placed the body in the water at any location upstream- even towards Henderson/Bethel road area. I still have to question why he would get into the car with someone? This person has to be somewhat familiar? Maybe he got into the car to "talk" or have a conversation with someone. Whatever happened, I do not think Joey did this to himself. I most def believe someone else is to blame. Walking from the Union to the Scioto is quite a walk...

 

[JadeSLeuth]

This made me think of Matthew Kustra in the Montreal area (thread here on WS) - similarities in how he disappeared, although not enough to make me connect the two cases. He got up from the table in the pub and seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving a wife and young daughter. That thread just never took off for some reason. He's still not been found; his poor mother.

Please let Joey come home!

 

[Margo/Mom]

I think the trafficking comes from

The link between big sporting events and sex trafficking ... for the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic,

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2016/02/20/columbus-group-fights-sex-trafficking-with-bars-of-soap.html

Connection acknowledged.

However, I do believe that "human trafficking" is somewhat misperceived as being an enterprise that runs around throwing blankets over the heads of unsuspecting potential "workers" and then enslaving them through some process. I'm no expert, but I do know a bit, and I would suggest that an openly gay young man, out for dinner/drinks with family is not in a high risk group for being trafficked. Much higher risk are young people--of whom a hugely disproportionate number are gay and transgendered--living on the street, frequently as a result of being abandoned by their families.

A trafficker looks for vulnerability--which comes with young age, inability to self-support, lack of family/community resources, as well as addictions. They would not be looking INSIDE of Union, or other Short North bars (where the clientele has money to spend)--but rather to the kids outside on the streets in the same area.

 

[CARIIS]

Human trafficking usually means a body is not found right away. This one is either suicide, accidental drowning or something more sinister such as the typical smiley face killer theory which is what I believe is happening.

RE;Human trafficking usually means a body is not found right away

Having trouble how to word this, DO they typically kill them -- I thought they used them repeadily for most money??