GUILTY OH - Two women & child killed, 13yo abducted, Apple Valley, 10 Nov 2010 #5

[Leila]

These neighbors both acknowledge the fact that this truck was parked in front of Hoffman's for days - from Wednesday until it was removed by LE on Sunday when Sarah was rescued.

LE has not said a word about it.

Sure seems like if it was connected to this case - it would have been shown along with the other three today at the press conference.

I agree. If that truck had been part of this case, I'm sure it would have been mentioned. It may have been parked there by a neighbor or someone visiting a neighbor, or for some other unrelated reason.

I'm sure that LE would contact the registered owner, or attempt to contact the registered owner before moving it.

 

[nyc]

I like to heard from this ex girlfriend but I sure she in shock right now and my prayers goes out to her too.

Yes, I would think she would have the most significant insight into what was going on in MH's head, but this must be a terrible time for her. I'm sure LE has been talking to her though. I wonder how long she and her son lived with MH? I worry about what an eight-year-old would have seen there too. I hope he is getting some attention and help.

 

[crocus]

Ugghhhhh - one big, HUGE uggghhh at the reporting on this case. The differences on the details from one MSM article to the next has been maddening, to say the least. Can't remember another case where it's been as bad as it has been with this one so far. So irresponsible in a case of this magnitude with 4 victims. I hope that LE in this case are magnitudes above the reporters.

Praying for the remaining 3 to be found.

 

[JenRen]

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread (sorry, can't remember where) that the dog Tanner would get out a lot, and the neighbors would bring him back. I keep thinking he may have used the dog (if it was loose) to gain entry into the house. Telling them he found their dog running around.

 

[Leila]

but why not burn the house down?

That could have been part of his plan. He left Sarah alive, bound and gagged in his basement. We can only guess what he planned to do with her. And, when he was done with her, maybe he planned on burning the house down with her inside. :frown:

 

[Cazzie]

Yes, I would think she would have the most significant insight into what was going on in MH's head, but this must be a terrible time for her. I'm sure LE has been talking to her though. I wonder how long she and her son lived with MH? I worry about what an eight-year-old would have seen there too. I hope he is getting some attention and help.

The only reference to this ex g/f and son existing, so far, is the word of DD.

Note that DD declined to name her (which is understandable, under the so-called circumstances).

Just saying.

But if they exist, I hope they are in a safe place.

 

[nyc]

This Mount Vernon website has alot of info that I have not seen discussed here.

OMG, look at this:

Wow! That is a lot more info on MH from the neighborhood. All the time spent with children is very frightening, and especially that 14-year-old girl! That family must feel sick right now. It's particularly telling that the ex-gf said to keep their children away from him. They must not have felt uncomfortable with him originally--or was the gf and her son a good enough cover for people to not look closely at him? Still, the wierdest behavior described must not have been happening before. I wonder what was going on that caused things to change? I'm also curious about how long his relationship with this gf was, and whether he had many relationships before that? He sounds like much more of a loner type, so I guess I'm curious to know how he got into this other relationship

 

[antiquegirl]

Yes, I would think she would have the most significant insight into what was going on in MH's head, but this must be a terrible time for her. I'm sure LE has been talking to her though. I wonder how long she and her son lived with MH? I worry about what an eight-year-old would have seen there too. I hope he is getting some attention and help.

ITA, but also think that LE would order her not to talk to the media even if she wanted to. If he was abusive to her or her son and she made this public knowledge, couldn't it jeopardize a future trial? Or, at least, taint the jury? Just guessing here, but I predict we won't be hearing from her any time soon.

JMO

 

[VicVixvi]

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread (sorry, can't remember where) that the dog Tanner would get out a lot, and the neighbors would bring him back. I keep thinking he may have used the dog (if it was loose) to gain entry into the house. Telling them he found their dog running around.

Or maybe simply broke in when no one was home and took the dog only to use it later as his method of "acquainting himself with them". (per Sheriff Barber's presser - "..he acquainted himself with the family whether they knew he was acquainting himself with them or not").

 

[nyc]

“I had asked him if he’d ever been locked up because he was so observant like people from prison are,” Donna said.

What in the hello does this mean??

LOL. I wondered the same thing.

Donna does sound like she might be embroidering some things after the fact (see above), but the children spending the night, the dogs disappearing, etc., that stuff sounds like it would be backed up by other people as well and less likely to be made up (like her personal impressions).

 

[snapdragon]

Interesting bits of information on Stephanie Sprang

She has lived at the Magers Rd. address since at least 1996. This would open the possibility that MH knew her from back when he was a teen, before he moved to Colorado. Not sure how long his mother has been with his step-father nor how long they've lived at the Apple Valley Drive address.

Stephanie has been and out of trouble with the law and appears drink (beer??). She has multiple priors under no less than 5 different last names. She also has a civil judgment against her for not paying the lawyer who defended her in the DUI case listed below.

2007 - OVI
2001 - DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION
2000 - OBSTRUCTING OFFICIAL BUSINESS
1998 - DRIVING UNDER FRA SUSPENSION
1998 - VICIOUS DOG/FAILURE TO CONFINE

She also has had multiple last names (assuming via marriage..)
1996 - Kupiec
1998 - Glancy
2000 - Thompson
2001 - Cochran
2007 - Sprang

Not sure what relevance this has to the case (other than maybe the beer cans were hers/Tina's & not MH's?) but found the info interesting.

Now THIS in interesting, if it is accurate. Could be that Stephanie was the target all along... perhaps she brought him along over to TH's?? Let's have a little party? A party that when bad when she may have inadvertently insulted him?

We have no info if Sarah was sexually abused. Perhaps he favored her for some reason.. who knows.

LE has his computer. I'm sure they already know what his "preferences" are...

 

[crocus]

And yet - have to go back to the sheriff saying that they KNEW they would find Sarah at Hoffman's but hoped they would find the other 3.

What did LE find out specifically to raid Hoffman's house??

Cell phone data/transmissions?

 

[nyc]

So, the last time Sarah may have seen Stephanie was Thursday????

Whoa, that's a strange piece of information! If that were true, it might mean that Sarah wasn't moved to MH's house as soon, possibly? Or that Stephanie was moved there too?

 

[Leila]

What about his father? And were his parents divorced or did his father die?

I haven't been able to find anything about his biological father. We need a name.

 

[mikeysmommom]

Me either.

What would make a person who is locked in a cell 24/7 so astute at being observant?

My guess

To be more careful not to wind up back in a cell again:waitasec:

 

[tfrohning]

Now THIS in interesting, if it is accurate. Could be that Stephanie was the target all along... perhaps she brought him along over to TH's?? Let's have a little party? A party that when bad when she may have inadvertently insulted him?

We have no info if Sarah was sexually abused. Perhaps he favored her for some reason.. who knows.

LE has his computer. I'm sure they already know what his "preferences" are...

He had no computer no electricty.... but maybe he had a lap top with an air card. I see this guy has reader(don't know why just do.

Do we know if LE has a computer of his?

 

[nyc]

What's even weirder is that this woman would ask that, and then let her son stay over his house? And let her daughter get a ride from him?

I thought it was a different mother whose daughter rode home with him--I think there were three mothers sharing their stories in that piece (which made me believe it more than if it had just been Donna). But the point is still a very good one re Donna and her son--although the GF is the bigger question there. I guess it's obvious that MH wasn't hiding his criminal past.

 

[crocus]

Any search warrants that were served & executed on Hoffman's residence or Hermann's has not been told or reported about, afaik.

Is any MSM in the area trying to get them released under the public's right know, freedom of information act?

 

[Leila]

Yes - nothing about Hoffman's bio-father. I thought maybe that was why he went to Colorado in the first place at such a young age (18-19).

Wonder if there is a juvenile record for Hoffman? I know we won't find that out - sealed minor records...........

MH's step-father and mother bought the property on Apple Valley Road in March 2003, so they've been there for 7 years.

 

[belimom]

And yet - have to go back to the sheriff saying that they KNEW they would find Sarah at Hoffman's but hoped they would find the other 3.

What did LE find out specifically to raid Hoffman's house??

Cell phone data/transmissions?

This has puzzled me. And I think it's more than cell phone/pings. He could have stolen her cell phone and just had it with him (if she had one). This wouldn't have been enough to know FOR A FACT that she was there. Being bound and gagged (most of the time), I don't believe she would have had the opportunity to contact anyone to let them know where she was. (ETA: If she had been the one to somehow contact LE or someone else and let them know where she was, I believe the sheriff could have shared that info w/o compromising the investigation... or someone else's safety.)

My number one hunch is the ex-GF. If he really was distraught and wanted her back, maybe he contacted her and told her that he had a new GF now - trying to make her jealous. Perhaps he even said that her name was Sarah, etc. Then either she contacted LE or perhaps they contacted her as part of their investigation into MH once they found the receipt, got his name from the vehicle on the bike trail, etc.

I have no basis for believing this is what happened other than the sheriff saying that they will not reveal how they knew, and that they KNEW Sarah was there. Just MOO.

My 2nd hunch is that they may have started surveillance on MH after finding the receipt and getting his name from sitting in the vehicle on the bike trail. Some part of their surveillance could have yielded information that she was inside. If this is what happened, I'm thinking some kind of audio surveillance?

Both of these are JMO...