Found Deceased PA - Dakota James, 23, Pittsburgh, 25 Jan 2017 #1

[ChuckMaureen]

I am curious what the text message to his dad said. LE said he sent his dad a text around the same time he was around Katz Plaza. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, I agree on the likely scenario of DJ ending up in a vehicle since they seem to be unaware of him turning left or right. Does that mean he made it to Fort Duquesne Blvd? Is there video of him actually making it that far (ie: did he get in to a vehicle in the alley on Scott?)... Where is the next available video camera on Ft Duquesne blvd? Not even just around the alley, but down the street to the left and right? This whole thing is just mind boggling.

There is one camera on the corner of the building on FDB at Barkers Place, west of FDB and Scott Place. If DJ does not show up on that camera then I would assume DJ did not turn left on to FDB from Scott Place. That leaves he either turned right on to FDB (away from the logical direction toward his apartment), entered in to a vehicle or crossed FDB toward the sidewalk that parallels the 10th Street Bypass. One would assume DJ would continue toward the Sixth Street Bridge but he is not seen on bridge video.

1) River: relieve himself and fell in or pushed in?

or

2) Vehicle: met someone he did or didn't know, whether he wanted to or not.

 

[Falcon500]

There was a case two years ago in Washington, D.C where a young man, about the same age, left a bar and disappeared. He was found four or five days later stuck in an air handling shaft on top of an apartment building.

I have a feeling that this is the way that this case will be resolved.

 

[M-Henry]

Here's a question...(keep in mind I'm not familiar with the area as I'm not local). Based off of the map provided a page or 2 back, is there a way to cut back over to 7th and not go all the way to Fort Duquesne Blvd? It looks like there's a big gap between buildings with a sidewalk, but I could be interpreting the picture incorrectly. I haven't been able to watch the news conference, so I may also be missing a confirmation that he was seen at FDB. if it is possible that he cut back over maybe he did.

I am curious what the text message to his dad said. LE said he sent his dad a text around the same time he was around Katz Plaza. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, I agree on the likely scenario of DJ ending up in a vehicle since they seem to be unaware of him turning left or right. Does that mean he made it to Fort Duquesne Blvd? Is there video of him actually making it that far (ie: did he get in to a vehicle in the alley on Scott?)... Where is the next available video camera on Ft Duquesne blvd? Not even just around the alley, but down the street to the left and right? This whole thing is just mind boggling.

 

[SomeoneElse333]

The comments from quite a few pages back really got me thinking - why WOULD Dakota choose a route that takes him down a poorly lit alley to get to Ft. Duquesne Boulevard rather than continue straight on 7th Street? It's really not saving him any time and even though he certainly doesn't look nervous in the still photo, it doesn't seem like a street you would deliberately go down when a much brighter, more populated street is available.

I would guess that he was texting or messaging someone in a car who had pulled over off of 7th Street and waited for awhile.

Based on the Google Streetview, this would be a very convenient place to sit in your car and wait for someone.

I thought the exact same thing when I went down to Katz Plaza. I remember looking at the side streets and thinking that no one would walk down them during the day let alone at night. They're narrow with tall buildings on either side, and they're lined with dumpsters.

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[BA1973]

He could have walked from Scott Place through the parking garage to Barkers, which is an alley. Is that what you mean?

 

[SomeoneElse333]

There is one camera on the corner of the building on FDB at Barkers Place, west of FDB and Scott Place. If DJ does not show up on that camera then I would assume DJ did not turn left on to FDB from Scott Place. That leaves he either turned right on to FDB (away from the logical direction toward his apartment), entered in to a vehicle or crossed FDB toward the sidewalk that parallels the 10th Street Bypass. One would assume DJ would continue toward the Sixth Street Bridge but he is not seen on bridge video.

1) River: relieve himself and fell in or pushed in?

or

2) Vehicle: met someone he did or didn't know, whether he wanted to or not.

Barring foul play, I wonder if he was injured and is disoriented, or that he is somewhere where he does not want to be discovered.

I was gratified that one of the reporters asked about similar missing persons patterns in the city of Pittsburgh. Not that I subscribe to that thinking, but if police continue to respond to that and possibly even provide more details, they could quell this notion that there's a serial killer in the city.



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[BA1973]

I walked down Scott Place in the day and it felt creepy as hell. Some guy was coming out of the garage as i was walking and there is a section before it opens to Katz that feels very enclosed and like youre trapped. Or maybe i was just paranoid in light of DJ. You can actually walk from there through the garage to Barkers and then there is a gross alley you can take, I forget the name, that would take you all the to 6th. It comes out near Giovannis pizza or one of the Indian restaurants I think. But I can't imagine why you would do that at night.
I noticed recently there are gates closing the Katz entrance to Scott Place. Not sure if they are locked and not.sure why they have been closed recently.
I watched some of the press conference and it was discouraging because it sounds like there were no new.leads.
This whole thing is so mind boggling.

 

[SomeoneElse333]

I wonder if those gates we're always there and just not used.



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[Jmd9981]

I'm curious as to what went on between 10:30 PM and 11:49 PM. Uber typically takes minutes to pick up, not over an hour. They were only a few blocks away from Wood Street T-station. Seems like something is missing...

 

[ChuckMaureen]

http://triblive.com/local/allegheny/12004988-74/james-police-duquesne

bbm

[FONT=open_sansregular]"The sad truth is the timeline will end around 11:49 p.m. when Dakota James vanishes," Lt. Vic Joseph said Tuesday at a news conference regarding the missing Duquesne University graduate student.[/FONT]
[FONT=open_sansregular]James, 23, has been missing since a night out with coworkers Jan. 25. Security footage shows some of his movements upon parting ways with friends, but the trail goes cold at Fort Duquesne Boulevard, police said.[/FONT]

Is it possible the Sixth Street Bridge camera(s) were/are not functional or are/were otherwise aimed "at the river" the evening of January 25th, as has been reported in "surveillance camera"-related articles dated last year?

I hope news media follows up with PPD to determine if the Sixth Street Bridge cameras were functional, aimed properly and video reviewed. At this point, IMO that's an outstanding question... especially given the fact it was reported DJ's last known location is on FDB at Scott Place.

 

[Beamer15]

I can't imagine why anyone would walk down FDB , there would be no reason to do that. I worked in that part of the city for 12 years. The only reason I can think of would be if he was meeting someone (in a car) since he would be walking against traffic if he was walking towards Roberto CLemente Bridge (6th street bridge). He could not have just disappeared... why would you go the whole way to the river if you had to pee? It makes no sense. Foul play for sure, there is no other answer. I feel like the police held that press conference to talk about more of what they are doing, than for any other reason. Anyone else agree?

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Last known:

 

[ChuckMaureen]

During the press conference, LE did not reveal the time when DJ's phone powered down / lost power / otherwise nonfunctional.

Did it occur while still pinging a downtown cell station(s)?

What was the phone power level (battery charge) at last ping?

 

[SomeoneElse333]

I can't imagine why anyone would walk down FDB , there would be no reason to do that. I worked in that part of the city for 12 years. The only reason I can think of would be if he was meeting someone (in a car) since he would be walking against traffic if he was walking towards Roberto CLemente Bridge (6th street bridge). He could not have just disappeared... why would you go the whole way to the river if you had to pee? It makes no sense. Foul play for sure, there is no other answer. I feel like the police held that press conference to talk about more of what they are doing, than for any other reason. Anyone else agree?

I agree with what you said about Fort Duquesne Boulevard. It seems like a strange thing to do, particularly at that time of the night.

I got the feeling that the police held the press conference to defend their response to the investigation. Dakota's mother has been very vocal on FB about her belief that local authorities have done very little for the family.



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[psu2007]

This is what I thought when he said those times. First I thought he was incorrect and meant 11:30. So, are we to believe DJ didn't stay with his coworker for a little while or that he left her at that time? It's a very short walk from the Woo'd Street T Station to Katz Plaza.

I'm curious as to what went on between 10:30 PM and 11:49 PM. Uber typically takes minutes to pick up, not over an hour. They were only a few blocks away from Wood Street T-station. Seems like something is missing...

 

[Beamer15]

I agree with what you said about Fort Duquesne Boulevard. It seems like a strange thing to do, particularly at that time of the night.

I got the feeling that the police held the press conference to defend their response to the investigation. Dakota's mother has been very vocal on FB about her belief that local authorities have done very little for the family.



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Sounds like they have done a lot...and maybe more that they are not telling us. It is never enough if it is your kid who is missing, I can't even imagine her pain. I have read her posts on FB, anger (no matter who it is guided at) is a way to cope... heartbreaking.

 

[Jmd9981]

Short of being at another bar there is NOTHING to do downtown at that hour. Other than bars, nothing is open other than some convenience stores. What were they doing? He said Dakota split from the co-worker and didn't wait for the Uber to come. What time did they split? Did they split at 10:30? If so what was he doing between 10:30 and Katz photo?

 

[SomeoneElse333]

Sounds like they have done a lot...and maybe more that they are not telling us. It is never enough if it is your kid who is missing, I can't even imagine her pain. I have read her posts on FB, anger (no matter who it is guided at) is a way to cope... heartbreaking.

Agreed. I'm not sure what else the police could have done or could be doing. That said, I've never followed a missing persons case before or any case, so I can't speak to whether what they did was timely relative to other cases. Seems like they followed up on each lead or tip pretty well.

I do wish some official someone would confront the allegations of this being indicative of a pattern. I wish they would say, "Let's go through each case you think is part of a pattern one by one" so they can dispell the rumors. But maybe it wouldn't matter...people would just say they don't trust the ME or police reports.

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[ChuckMaureen]

Heard during the press conference:

"...three computer crimes detectives..."

Interesting.

 

[Beamer15]

Heard during the press conference:

"...three computer crimes detectives..."

Interesting.

They never said if anything was found on the computers, I do believe they revealed to DJ's parents with an entourage of officers.