Good Morning all,
I joined this forum to relay the information I have about this case. I can put a time and a place on the van in question after the abduction. This is going to be a bit long, so you might want to take a minute before reading.
FYI: When I became aware of the case and the van in January 2011, I called both the Pennsylvania State police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and relayed the information below. I have never received a follow up from either, thus I'm giving the information here in hopes somebody can run with it as there is enough information here to possibly connect a person to the vehicle.
In January 2011, CNN.com highlighted this case which included a description of the van in question which immediately caught my attention. I looked online for descriptions and sketches of the van and I was shocked as I regularly would see the van while waiting for the bus when I attended middle school. The sketches are very accurate - I'm 80% the van was a Dodge, 20% a Chevy and I'm sure it was not a Ford as my dad had one and this was not the body style. The rear round bubble, the blue body, the red skier, the mountains, all spot on. The van might have had a ladder and spare in the back, but I'm not positive. I also think it had cheap custom wheels which were chrome, but faded & pitting. I remember the van being in fair shape: unwashed with a bit of rust, but I can not recall any dings or dents.
I attended middle school from 1984 through 1987. The last school year (86-87) I would wait for the bus in front of my house; I used to wait a few houses down as another student and myself would board the bus together instead of the bus making two stops a few houses away. Since I remember seeing the van from in front of my house, it would have to be in this time frame as I waited alone.
While I waited in the morning, I most always saw the van travel west on Green Avenue in Poydras, LA 70085 and turn north onto LA 46 (East St. Bernard Highway) - which I presume was traveling to work being the time was consistent.
This information places the vehicle originating from one of the following streets, all in Poydras, LA 70085: Green Avenue, West Christie Street, East Christie Street, Goldfinch Drive, Kingbird Blvd, Starling Drive, Bobolink Drive, Flamingo Drive, Kingbird Drive, Kingfisher Drive, Meadowlark Drive, Redbird Drive, Bobwhite Drive, Egret Drive, Warbler Drive, Kinglet Drive.
It would take some serious digging, but if the vehicle were registered properly in 1986-87 and were traced to these streets, you would have the information of the owner or could at least narrow it down to a few people.
That is about all I can recall at this time. If anyone has any questions I'll monitor this thread for awhile.