GUILTY OH - Two women & child killed, 13yo abducted, Apple Valley, 10 Nov 2010 #6

[greenthumb]

From my understanding there's a fire pit there and people would have bonfires from time to time.

From FB - also some beer bottles & cans... sounds like a party area, which makes me question if this find is actually relevant to this case? IMO, LE would have to gather & check out whatever evidence was there, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is related to this case.

 

[nursebeeme]

And when a man who's not a member of the family abducts a young girl, the case almost always ends in murder, even if it occurs months after the abduction, said Jack Levin, co-director of the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict at Northeastern University in Boston.

"The 13-year-old is very, very lucky to be alive," Levin said.

When a stranger abducts a girl, the kidnapper almost always acts alone, Levin said. Sometimes, a group will attack a family in a random act of violence, but those cases are rare, and the situation in Knox County doesn't seem to fit that pattern, he said.

In violent cases that do involve entire families, anyone injured or killed is typically left at the scene.

Levin did note that violent crimes often occur after the perpetrator has had a loss, such as being fired from a job or the breakup of a relationship. Those who knew Hoffman said he recently had both.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...10/11/18/abducting-a-family-rare.html?sid=101

 

[Java]

Again not knowing for sure (media?) how much blood or who’s blood was found in Tina’s home, I’m still leaning towards the dog at this point. IMHO, had the three people been injured severely and bleeding, it would have been much harder to remove them, and hide them with out leaving some sort of trail to their whereabouts. And I feel LE would of found something evident already. MH is reported to have choking in his background. The longer this goes on with the persons not being found, it seems more and more obvious, this was a carefully pre planed crime.

 

[nursebeeme]

A Bazetta mother says she is not shocked to find out a former Trumbull County man has been arrested on kidnapping charges, saying she was always fearful of him.

"When I saw it on the news that it was the same kid, my first thought was oh my gosh that kid lived next door, and I knew he was bad, I didn't know why, I just felt he was bad," said Alice Morelli.


http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/lo...ty-Kidnap-Suspect/_23WQ0ogFEq_qxCrNBAy4Q.cspx

video at link
((lady lived next to him when he was a teen))

 

[nervous_nellie]

i wonder if he had done any landscaping work for any of the "seasonal" residents in the area? if so, he would have knowledge and access to their land, landscaping equipment and buildings... or since he was employed in colorado as a plumber is it possible that he did any plumbing work as an independent contractor/self-employed??

and by access i mean that he could illegally access it without question because the owner is not there...

 

[Java]

The way this is playing out, I have wondered if this is even a first offense for MH.
4 people at once is unusual for a first try killer.
But I am not thinking all were harmed at once. However it took most of the day to get all 4.
Not a first try scenario. Or a careless one either. But a very confident one.
Not that we’ll ever know but, there could have been one or two more in the past.
He seems practiced at this. JMO

 

[belimom]

I think this sicko has scattered evidence (not the victims, though) in order to lead LE down the wrong path. I hope that's wrong. It could be that this latest evidence is really the right location, whereas the previously located bags/tarp near where the truck was found was either planted there on purpose as a distraction or just discarded there after he parked the truck and realized it was still in the truck.

 

[Java]

I think this sicko has scattered evidence (not the victims, though) in order to lead LE down the wrong path. I hope that's wrong. It could be that this latest evidence is really the right location, whereas the previously located bags/tarp near where the truck was found was either planted there on purpose as a distraction or just discarded there after he parked the truck and realized it was still in the truck.

It's seeming very likely.
This was not exicuted on a binge, or an anger meltdown. He was most likely (in his mind) planning on still being free, and watching it all happen.

 

[belimom]

Regarding the timeline, I had read some comments on FB (I know, I know...) where several folks keep giving scenarios of Tina/Steph being the first victims before Kody and Sarah got home from school.

I had always assumed the opposite timeline.

 

[Texas Mist]

The way this is playing out, I have wondered if this is even a first offense for MH.
4 people at once is unusual for a first try killer.
But I am not thinking all were harmed at once. However it took most of the day to get all 4.
Not a first try scenario. Or a careless one either. But a very confident one.
Not that we’ll ever know but, there could have been one or two more in the past.
He seems practiced at this. JMO

That's what I've been thinking all morning...at this point, he's looking like an organized criminal...does he have experience w/ stalking & snatching or murdering other women or young girls?

Or is it that he's had an elaborate fantasy of how he'd do this playing in his mind for a while? It all seems far too complicated & risky to have acted on impulse.

As some have said before, this is scary like a horror movie or book - but more so because it's real.

It's truly disturbing to try to figure this out because it's as tho evil walked the ground in Apple Valley last week...makes me shudder.

 

[Java]

Well, Tx. Mist
I could always be wrong, who can't?
But I am not believing this guy is the average Joe killer.
He shows all the classic traits of an organized psychopath, I really don’t think threatening him with the DP will phase him either.

Hopefully he will crack but, I’m not counting on it.
Hopefully the persons will be found, and it will be a done deal.

 

[nervous_nellie]

http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=13521589

Hoffman has Valley connection

eta: LoL -- is it just me but what does he have a connection to that we didnt already know about?? im not sure what this article is suppose to be about??:waitasec:

 

[orb4me]

still nothing? I see the silver truck is back in play again. I dont see the white sock listed anywhere that was found yesterday afternoon.

I find it interesting that with 8 dogs, none picked up a scent. poss because its been stepped all over so many times, or the dogs were not well trained.

Has video been released from the school?

Maybe mom drove one of the vehicles and the friend drove the other, they did what he said because he had both children? or he told the neighbor that he had her child.

If I dont clean my house today, Im going to throw myself out.

 

[Reannan]

Do we know if MH had an internet presence at all?? He allegedly did not have any electricity at his home, but that doesn't mean he didn't have internet access from time to time. I would love to hear more about him from the girl friend who recently moved out. What made him tick, what his interest were.

 

[darlin gal]

Knox County Prosecuting Attorney John C. Thatcher offered this Q&A to the local media Tuesday afternoon.
Q. With what offense is Hoffman currently charged?
A. Kidnapping, a first-degree felony.
Q. What is the possible sentence?
A. A definite prison term of 3 years up to 10 years.
Q. Is Hoffman still being investigated by law enforcement authorities?
A. Yes.
Q. What is the next step in the criminal proceeding?
A. A bond was established today in the amount of $1 million, cash or surety, without application of the ten percent provision. The municipal court scheduled a preliminary hearing for November 23 at 2:30 p.m. The preliminary hearing determination is whether there is probable cause to believe the accusation that Hoffman committed the offense of Kidnapping.
Q. After the preliminary hearing, what is the next step in the criminal proceeding?
A. If the municipal court finds probable cause to support the kidnapping charge jurisdiction in the Hoffman case will be transferred to the Knox County Court of Common Pleas, and a case will be presented to a Knox County Grand Jury. Hoffman will remain in jail, in the meantime.
Q. When will the case be presented to a Grand Jury?
A. In December or early January.
Q. Will charges other than kidnapping be presented to the grand jury?
A. Since the investigation is still in progress, it is possible other charges will be presented. I cannot speculate on what those charges might be without knowing what evidence the ongoing investigation may reveal.
I urge anyone with information about the disappearance of Tina Herrmann, Stephanie Sprang and Kody Maynard to contact the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 740-397-3333 to assist the investigation.
Q. What role has the prosecutor’s office had in this investigation?
A. The prosecutor’s office has given legal guidance to the investigators; prepared search warrants to assist in the investigation (the search warrants are sealed by court order because the investigation in ongoing); prepared the pending charge; and the Prosecutor’s Office will represent the State of Ohio in the court proceedings and in the Grand Jury.
Q. What can you say about Hoffman?
A. Hoffman is 30 years old; single; lives at 49 Columbus Road, Mount Vernon, Ohio; 3730 Apple Valley Drive, Howard, Ohio, is the address on his current driver’s license; and he was arrested on Sunday morning, November 14, by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.


http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/nov/16/22/mt-vernon-mom-son-friend-still-missing-ar-292197/

 

[KAE]

still nothing? I see the silver truck is back in play again. I dont see the white sock listed anywhere that was found yesterday afternoon.

I find it interesting that with 8 dogs, none picked up a scent. poss because its been stepped all over so many times, or the dogs were not well trained.

Has video been released from the school?

Maybe mom drove one of the vehicles and the friend drove the other, they did what he said because he had both children? or he told the neighbor that he had her child.

If I dont clean my house today, Im going to throw myself out.

Yeah, the logistics of moving the vehicles is a real puzzle. I've even used my cell phone (Black for the pickup), my old cell phone ( silver for the Toyota) and my camera (the Jeep) - and moved them around my desk to and from three locations. It does work better if two of them are moving at the same time...

I did find that there's a shuttle bus at the college:
http://www.kenyon.edu/shuttle.xml

Mount Vernon Shuttle

If you need to go to Mount Vernon for shopping, a movie, or to get away -- hop on the shuttle! The shuttle leaves from Scott Lane next to the bookstore on the hour. Free for students with a student ID; $2 for non-students (round trip).

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 4-10pm
Saturday: 1-10pm
Approximate schedule (on each hour):
4pm - depart from the bookstore
4:10 - stop along Coshocton Road
4:20 - stop in downtown Mount Vernon
4:30 - leave downtown for Coshocton Road and return to campus

The Shuttle routinely stops along Coshocton Road (movie theater, Knox Village Square, Wal-Mart, etc) and downtown Mount Vernon as requested.

I'm not sure if it fits into the time line though.

 

[grayjay]

http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=13521589

Hoffman has Valley connection

eta: LoL -- is it just me but what does he have a connection to that we didnt already know about?? im not sure what this article is suppose to be about??:waitasec:

It's a highly condensed (?) summary of the argument made by MH's attorney in an effort to get a lower bond for his client. They wanted to give the impression that he's a stable member of our community and won't be a flight risk.

 

[CKay]

Yeah, the logistics of moving the vehicles is a real puzzle. I've even used my cell phone (Black for the pickup), my old cell phone ( silver for the Toyota) and my camera (the Jeep) - and moved them around my desk to and from three locations. It does work better if two of them are moving at the same time...

I did find that there's a shuttle bus at the college:
http://www.kenyon.edu/shuttle.xml



I'm not sure if it fits into the time line though.

I have thought a lot about this too, and it makes the most sense that he walked/rode a bike to the house/area, after leaving his car near Kenyon (near where he was questioned by LE, but that timing is unknown). Then he would have taken the truck back to get his car.

But who knows really ... many possibilities, including that he forced one of the women to follow him, having the children with him. If anyone remembers, what prompted LE to find that truck in the 1st place, was that someone reported a gunshot in the area.

 

[Java]

Not knocking our judicial system, because we are a lucky Country to have a fair and just one (most of the time) And we’ve worked hard for that over the years.
But that said :
I really don’t see how come they even bother to assign public defenders to some people.
MH was caught red handed, with a young girl bound and gagged in his basement! And if that’s not enough, the rest of her family is missing, and have been presumed to have met with foul play.

Who the heck can go home at night and sleep, knowing they have defended, or even made any effort to have defended this? I sure couldn’t. JMO

 

[Texas Mist]

The mystery of how the truck got moved makes me think of those river crossing puzzles...e.g., the mom & dad w/ 2 kids & a small boat that only holds 2 people, or the one w/ the man & the animals he needs to get across the river.

Those riddles are solvable -- but the solution is drawn out & time consuming....I'm trying to think of any similar crime where the perp took so much time w/ concealing the victims.

Part of me wants to think that maybe it's not all that complicated because of the risk of getting caught...and part of me thinks that this crime is like some twisted game that MH played for the thrill of it...his ultiimate fantasy...his last hoorah.