Found Deceased PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *arrest*

[Rocky1]

We hear horrid stories continually.
We are not safe anywhere.
When you look back at these cases, you wonder 'what next'.
Even in our homes, near our homes, all around us, these Creeps are active, as they search for victims.
Hope, with added LE technology, scientific evidence, many are caught, Justice being served.
So many families, friends affected.

I think this type of think has always been going on. I believe it seems there's more of it because before the internet, we rarely heard of these things happening more that a hundred miles away unless it was on page 5 in the newpaper. Now I hear/read about house fires and police chases that are 2500 miles
away.
This world is a lot more populated too, so more people = more crime. I do believe that with the opioid epidemic we face in this country, there are more theft related crime and robberies, and there is more gang violence, but random abductions,,, I'm not so sure.
I think overall we are still safe.
I have no stats to base this on, it's just moo.

 

[Jmoose]

The info from the DA’s office said they believed she was harmed. My guess is that there is blood on the clothing they recovered, but I guess that’s not necessarily proof she was killed.

If she was bleeding but not dead, where is she? This was a line of thinking on the Jennifer Dulos thread when the authorities said the amount of blood discovered was incompatible with life, and the defense attorney for the husband suggested that she left on her own for a secret place (after a massive blood loss and no visit to a hospital)

 

[Curiosity1234]

I think this type of think has always been going on. I believe it seems there's more of it because before the internet, we rarely heard of these things happening more that a hundred miles away unless it was on page 5 in the newpaper. Now I hear/read about house fires and police chases that are 2500 miles
away.
This world is a lot more populated too, so more people = more crime. I do believe that with the opioid epidemic we face in this country, there are more theft related crime and robberies, and there is more gang violence, but random abductions,,, I'm not so sure.
I think overall we are still safe.
I have no stats to base this on, it's just moo.

We are still relatively safe but crime has risen. We have to teach children to be wary of strangers and to trust their instincts. If they feel unsafe call 911. Our new reality.

 

[Rocky1]

They all think they are smarter than LE and can get away with anything; even with CCTV, cell phone records, video cameras, and dna.

I don't think this was planned at all. I think this was random, unless he knew her schedule, and if it was planned, he did a terrible job. I would think he would have removed the hair covering or had her lay down in the seat so others wouldn't have spotted her in his car, if that was the case. My guess is there's evidence on his phone that will put him in the area where she was abducted, because he didn't think that part out. As far as video cameras...... I didn't know Amish used them, and it appears he didn't either.

 

[Curiosity1234]

I think this type of think has always been going on. I believe it seems there's more of it because before the internet, we rarely heard of these things happening more that a hundred miles away unless it was on page 5 in the newpaper. Now I hear/read about house fires and police chases that are 2500 miles
away.
This world is a lot more populated too, so more people = more crime. I do believe that with the opioid epidemic we face in this country, there are more theft related crime and robberies, and there is more gang violence, but random abductions,,, I'm not so sure.
I think overall we are still safe.
I have no stats to base this on, it's just moo.

We are still relatively safe but crime has risen. We have to teach children to be wary of strangers and to trust their instincts. If they feel unsafe call 911. Our new reality.

 

[24Roses]

I wasn't able to find, in the quoted article, information stating that the suspect's parents were Mennonite. Did I miss it?

No, you didn't miss it! I was just guessing based on his last name, which IMO is a Mennonite name.

 

[Curiosity1234]

I don't think this was planned at all. I think this was random, unless he knew her schedule, and if it was planned, he did a terrible job. I would think he would have removed the hair covering or had her lay down in the seat so others wouldn't have spotted her in his car, if that was the case. My guess is there's evidence on his phone that will put him in the area where she was abducted, because he didn't think that part out. As far as video cameras...... I didn't know Amish used them, and it appears he didn't either.

I don't think he realized how out of place it would look for a young Amish woman to be in a vehicle with a non-Amish man. But, other Amish people (witnesses) noticed that. His car was noticible too by the color description given by witnesses. I think the video might have been on at a business or home on the road he abducted her from because an upthread said it shows the abduction. LE have cell phone records showing he was in the area at the time of the abduction and he admitted he was. He worked in Gap, lived in Paradise <modsnip> I think he was familiar with that entire area.

 

[elmomom]

We are still relatively safe but crime has risen. We have to teach children to be wary of strangers and to trust their instincts. If they feel unsafe call 911. Our new reality.

Actually, no crime and violence has not increased but that is a common misconception. See the actual data here:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/10/17/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

1. Violent crime in the U.S. has fallen sharply over the past quarter century
2. Property crime has declined significantly over the long term.
3. Public perceptions about crime in the U.S. often don’t align with the data.
4. There are large geographic variations in crime rates.
5. Most crimes are not reported to police, and most reported crimes are not solved.

Those are the 5 points the Pew article makes based on FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

We are still relatively safe but crime has risen. We have to teach children to be wary of strangers and to trust their instincts. If they feel unsafe call 911. Our new reality.

As much as kids hate hearing it, remind them not to get into a car, even if the person has a gun. Chances are you aren’t being abducted by Annie Oakley, so screaming and running will probably give you a better chance at survival than getting into a car and being removed to another location.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

No, you didn't miss it! I was just guessing based on his last name, which IMO is a Mennonite name.

I think I’ve seen an article from
Lancaster Newspapers, one of those floating around from his armed robbery days, that he was adopted at age 7 by a Mennonite family.

Justo Smoker: Man Charged With Kidnap of Missing Amish Girl | Heavy.com

 

[nataliewould]

I don't think this was planned at all. I think this was random, unless he knew her schedule, and if it was planned, he did a terrible job. I would think he would have removed the hair covering or had her lay down in the seat so others wouldn't have spotted her in his car, if that was the case. My guess is there's evidence on his phone that will put him in the area where she was abducted, because he didn't think that part out. As far as video cameras...... I didn't know Amish used them, and it appears he didn't either.

Some Amish businesses use security cameras. Just not in their homes. Kind of like phones & electricity. Our Amish neighbors have a business & they use security cameras around the outside of their buildings. Even at their cheese & egg stand. But no cameras, phones or electricity in their home.

 

[Curiosity1234]

As much as kids hate hearing it, remind them not to get into a car, even if the person has a gun. Chances are you aren’t being abducted by Annie Oakley, so screaming and running will probably give you a better chance at survival than getting into a car and being removed to another location.

Lol at Annie Oakley. I trained a granddaughter that if a car pulled up to her, she was to walk in the direction she came from because the car would have to back up. Also run to the nearest house or adult.

 

[Curiosity1234]

Actually, no crime and violence has not increased but that is a common misconception. See the actual data here:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/10/17/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

1. Violent crime in the U.S. has fallen sharply over the past quarter century
2. Property crime has declined significantly over the long term.
3. Public perceptions about crime in the U.S. often don’t align with the data.
4. There are large geographic variations in crime rates.
5. Most crimes are not reported to police, and most reported crimes are not solved.

Those are the 5 points the Pew article makes based on FBI and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Tell this to people in St. Louis, Chicago, Baltimore, and Memphis.

 

[LadyL]

dbm

 

[HailedSunSea]

The picture of Justo Smokers vehicle that is the main available photo, comes from in front of 557 Beechdale rd. Its quite sad to think, that unless he turned around right after this photo, and believing Linda is in the vehicle at this stage, then most likely they drove right past Lindas family home at 519 Beechdale rd. Looking at the garage across from 557, im thinking possibly a camera could be hiding somewhere, but I'm thinking more likely a dashcam, is what captured this image of JS's vehicle.

 

[Brubon]

As much as kids hate hearing it, remind them not to get into a car, even if the person has a gun. Chances are you aren’t being abducted by Annie Oakley, so screaming and running will probably give you a better chance at survival than getting into a car and being removed to another location.

Rebekah Bletsch refused to get into Jeffrey Willis's car as she was jogging on a road north of Muskegon, Michigan in June of 2014.
He shot her and she died on that road she was jogging on.

A teenage girl, a couple years later, did get in his car. Luckily she successfully jumped from his vehicle when she saw he had a gun, ran for her life and survived. She is the reason Jeffrey Willis has been convicted of two murders: Jessica Heeringa ( still missing, presumed dead) and Rebekah Bletsch.
Getting in the car or not getting in the car....6 one way...half a dozen the other.
I hope LS is found alive.
MOO

 

[HailedSunSea]

I cant believe it, Smoker was 4 inches shorter than her,and 15 pounds heavier upon his release six months ago. I hope he didnt brutalize her for a long duration, I hope she kept her faith, and I hope she stayed strong. Poor young woman,she was just a kid.

 

[LadyL]

That’s a good question. I’m sure children get some warnings about strangers at home and at school.

They have several outreaches to the Amish where they teach children farm safety, safety for walking on the road, and how to call 911 (It’s precious—we were at farm day with a lot of Amish. They had a phone where children could practice calling 911 and telling their details to a lady on the other end.) They distribute fluorescent vests for kids to wear to keep them visible on the roads. There’s a manual for buggy drivers. But I’m not sure if they cover personal safety topics for situations like this.

I’m wondering if Linda’s reported docile nature and the Anabaptist value of nonresistance played a role in her going with her kidnapper without screaming or putting up a fight.

[bbm]

where does it say she didn't scream or put up a fight?

 

[Limecat]

Well ....every word I can think of is four letters. I’m so very sorry for the family. How much more agonizing that they have the perp and their daughter’s clothing was buried with apparently enough evidence to indicate she was harmed and to now be in this new purgatory of waiting and wondering, except now they know the outcome is horrific.

I only wish I could say I was surprised.

Prayers for Linda and her family and that this heinous criminal does something right and tells LE where to find her. I wonder what the judge thinks about his decision in sentencing Smoker on his previous conviction?

 

[Curiosity1234]

Well ....every word I can think of is four letters. I’m so very sorry for the family. How much more agonizing that they have the perp and their daughter’s clothing was buried with apparently enough evidence to indicate she was harmed and to now be in this new purgatory of waiting and wondering, except now they know the outcome is horrific.

I only wish I could say I was surprised.

Prayers for Linda and her family and that this heinous criminal does something right and tells LE where to find her. I wonder what the judge thinks about his decision in sentencing Smoker on his previous conviction?

I read somewhere what the judge who sentenced him for the armed robbery said. He basically said he could give him a lot more time but he was giving him a chance to one day redeem himself and become a productive citizen.
Justo Smoker: Man Charged With Kidnap of Missing Amish Girl | Heavy.com