Found Deceased PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *kidnapping arrest* #3

[Trackergd]

With regard to 3104 Harvest Road, after some though I think he deposited evidence at that location, then went back to hide it better, but then needed a shovel and had to go get that. Also may have removed some but not all of the evidence and moved it elsewhere. One of the few reasons to be at that site so many times.

 

[Trackergd]

Harvest Road location to give WS members a visual reference

 

[Spartygirl]

I wish he would say where she is too.
It's not over yet but if he says where she is, that means he is guilty of murder. Right now, saying where she is is of no advantage to him. He has leverage. Perhaps the DA may offer him a plea deal if he tells where he left her. (That is if he killed her. He still stands innocent until proven guilty.)

Agree-- if he tells, then it proves he is guilty and he won't do that.
Unfortunately, he does have the leverage.
Darn it.

 

[Maplesyrup]

With his obvious depravity, perhaps he kept items of clothing as "souvenirs" and buried them in a shallow hole at Harvest Drive and couldn't resist visiting this address so frequently (8 times) because he wished to remind himself of his handiwork.

I think LS was concealed here initially and later moved after he came up with a better plan. I am not, however, convinced that his vehicle was the one used to move Linda, if indeed she was moved after the fact. I would be more inclined to think a pick up truck was used which could be power washed at a car/truck wash. I think he had help at some point in this process. I also suspect either JS or his "helper" [All IMO that he had a helper] pointed out that carrying his cellphone all over creation was a very bad idea. I don't think it occurred to JS that the phone was his worst enemy. This may be why LE cannot locate Linda...a cell phone did not accompany her on her last post mortem travel in a vehicle. All IMO.

 

[Maplesyrup]

Still a lot of information we don't have. As you correctly noted, none of the locations listed in the criminal complaint put JS and LS in the heavily wooded areas of Welsh Mountain after the abduction, yet that's where LE targeted the searches and could have been based on the cell phone pings of another individual. I also wonder how extensive the search of the railroad right of way was, other than where the bra and socks were located.

The criminal complaint did not note the times (with one exception) and duration on location of each of the returns to Harvest Drive. It could have been a quick check to see if the evidence had been discovered, or something not yet discovered had been dug up by wildlife. Three times on the 23rd seems very strange.

Possibly checking for escaping decomposition odor? Depending on depth, if she was indeed buried, this would have been a real concern.

 

[Maplesyrup]

Still a lot of information we don't have. As you correctly noted, none of the locations listed in the criminal complaint put JS and LS in the heavily wooded areas of Welsh Mountain after the abduction, yet that's where LE targeted the searches and could have been based on the cell phone pings of another individual. I also wonder how extensive the search of the railroad right of way was, other than where the bra and socks were located.

The criminal complaint did not note the times (with one exception) and duration on location of each of the returns to Harvest Drive. It could have been a quick check to see if the evidence had been discovered, or something not yet discovered had been dug up by wildlife. Three times on the 23rd seems very strange.

Another thought, trying to get up the courage to exhume her remains to move them??

 

[Maplesyrup]

6/21/2020 13:30:00 North on Redwell Road, then East on Peters Road Gap, PA - JS Driving w/LS - Seen by witness - Last time JS and LS were seen together.
6/21/2020 14:32:00 3104 Harvest Road Ronks, PA - JS at location - Cell phone records 14:32 to 15.35 - Hiding the evidence
6/21/2020 15:30:00 3250 Lincoln Highway Ronks, PA - JS Washing car + Interior - Seen by witness - Getting rid of forensic evidence

All times other than cell phone pings are approximate.

I have poured over Google Earth Satellite View and cannot find any other spot on probable routes after Peters Road and Snake Lane that jump out to me as a good disposal site and areas JS was confirmed to be in other than Umble Run and the Harvest Road location. A quick look at street view show the entire area on Snake Lane to be plastered with No Trespassing signs. That does not prevent me from standing on a public road and looking with high power binoculars. I wonder if this area was searched? Any locals know or can you ask the Amish community to see if they know? If not, it really should be searched.

Somewhere there was a crime scene. I highly doubt he attacked her in the car given the warm weather. Whatever occurred likely was in an outdoor, concealed, wooded area. I wonder if they found this location?

 

[janewall]

6/21/2020 13:30:00 North on Redwell Road, then East on Peters Road Gap, PA - JS Driving w/LS - Seen by witness - Last time JS and LS were seen together.
6/21/2020 14:32:00 3104 Harvest Road Ronks, PA - JS at location - Cell phone records 14:32 to 15.35 - Hiding the evidence
6/21/2020 15:30:00 3250 Lincoln Highway Ronks, PA - JS Washing car + Interior - Seen by witness - Getting rid of forensic evidence

All times other than cell phone pings are approximate.

I have poured over Google Earth Satellite View and cannot find any other spot on probable routes after Peters Road and Snake Lane that jump out to me as a good disposal site and areas JS was confirmed to be in other than Umble Run and the Harvest Road location. A quick look at street view show the entire area on Snake Lane to be plastered with No Trespassing signs. That does not prevent me from standing on a public road and looking with high power binoculars. I wonder if this area was searched? Any locals know or can you ask the Amish community to see if they know? If not, it really should be searched.

Tracker, have you mentioned this to LE? They would know if they had searched it, and if they shared that information with you then you could judge how much additional effort the location could merit – whether you're trying to figure out a way to gain permission to search it, or perhaps someone else wants to.

I appreciate the thorough way you've traced all of JS' known locations, scouted notable features, and put together a plausible route he may have followed. Getting inside this perp's head is difficult but necessary to answer the "why" of his meanderings, and hopefully to locate Linda.

 

[Trackergd]

@janewall, I am still piecing together how JS got from Amish Road to Red Well Ln. So many paved cow paths he could have taken, but given the times listed in the criminal complaint, I feel he stuck to main roads so he could move quickly. Racing down back roads would have drawn further attention, possibly by LE. The last time I contacted LE to be put on a standby list for searching, they were very nice but were sticking with a particular SAR team. The SAR team is not communicating anything about this case. My hunch is that when they found the bra and stockings, they also found blood that had soaked into the ground...to much for LS to have survived and why they charged JS with murder. I'm going to take a look for myself first, before others go tromping all over the indicators I look for.

 

[Maryland Oracle]

Still a lot of information we don't have. As you correctly noted, none of the locations listed in the criminal complaint put JS and LS in the heavily wooded areas of Welsh Mountain after the abduction, yet that's where LE targeted the searches and could have been based on the cell phone pings of another individual. I also wonder how extensive the search of the railroad right of way was, other than where the bra and socks were located.

The criminal complaint did not note the times (with one exception) and duration on location of each of the returns to Harvest Drive. It could have been a quick check to see if the evidence had been discovered, or something not yet discovered had been dug up by wildlife. Three times on the 23rd seems very strange.

I know exactly what you mean by "another individual" and completely agree.

 

[Maryland Oracle]

I think LS was concealed here initially and later moved after he came up with a better plan. I am not, however, convinced that his vehicle was the one used to move Linda, if indeed she was moved after the fact. I would be more inclined to think a pick up truck was used which could be power washed at a car/truck wash. I think he had help at some point in this process. I also suspect either JS or his "helper" [All IMO that he had a helper] pointed out that carrying his cellphone all over creation was a very bad idea. I don't think it occurred to JS that the phone was his worst enemy. This may be why LE cannot locate Linda...a cell phone did not accompany her on her last post mortem travel in a vehicle. All IMO.

I also think she was taken to the Harvest Drive site, was later moved and that help was provided.

 

[Maryland Oracle]

I was touched by this case ever since it was first reported. An innocent girl living a simple way of life taken away from her family. On Fathers Day.

I searched for updates daily hoping that she was back home and that the reported abduction was just a dreadful misunderstanding.

In this website I found splendid reporting of news and common sense applied to the facts as well as genuine empathy towards the Stoltzfoos family. I'm pleased to have joined you all.

 

[Maryland Oracle]

I have a few thoughts on JS and what MIGHT have been going on in his life last June and, based on this, what may have transpired on that day.

He was a street kid in the Dominican Republic before being adopted age 7 by a Lancaster couple. His adopted father describes him as always being trouble.

He ended up doing well at wrestling at High School but after that turned to crime involving his younger sibling and spent almost all of his adult life in prison.

When released in Feb 2019, he would have been 33/34 and a convicted felon. Any friends he knew from before may have moved on and perhaps had families and didn't want to know someone who'd been in prison for the last (approx) 12 years.

Had he ever had a relationship before prison? He probably wasn't exactly the most eligible bachelor after release back in a small town where his history would be well known.

Had he always been shunned by girls since he came to Lancaster County from the streets of a Caribbean Island with likely little or no spoken English or formal education at the time?

Did he begin stalking young Amish girls because of their innocence and naivety? Much easier to snatch into his car than older and more streetwise women?

Drinking liquor whilst driving around stalking suggests he was somewhat depressed and/or needed some Dutch courage to follow through with what he had planned.

It's reasonable to assume that he may have planned to violate whoever he was able to bundle into his car. The purchase of gloves seems to indicate plans to eliminate the chance of being identified by his victim.

Was he heading to the Welsh Mountain? The last sighting at Peters Road places him 10 minutes away at approximately 1:30 yet his cell phone pings show he was at the Harvest Drive address just one hour later from 2:30 - 3:30 and a witness saw him sanitizing his car shortly after at home.

I think he may have become agitated at how many people were noticing him with LS. The liquor may have started to wear off and he began to panic.

Were the texts he sent a clumsy way of trying to show he was doing other things if he were investigated? In a similar way to posting vacuously on Facebook that he was washing his car. Or was he texting/calling to share the fact that he'd abducted a girl, people were noticing and the girl herself will identify him if allowed. Was he desperately asking for help with what to do?

Had he continued another 10 mins to the Welsh Mountain then he would be another 25 minutes from Harvest Drive if he decided/was advised on a change of plan. Either way, it doesn't seem that there was enough available time for the crime that harmed LS to be before arriving at at Harvest Drive.

Was he told to meet someone there? A person who would help him cover up his awful crimes?

Did JS know this location or, if he had a helper, was it an address that this person was familiar with?

The available facts and timeline seem to point towards this being a possibility.

 

[Maplesyrup]

I have a few thoughts on JS and what MIGHT have been going on in his life last June and, based on this, what may have transpired on that day.

He was a street kid in the Dominican Republic before being adopted age 7 by a Lancaster couple. His adopted father describes him as always being trouble.

He ended up doing well at wrestling at High School but after that turned to crime involving his younger sibling and spent almost all of his adult life in prison.

When released in Feb 2019, he would have been 33/34 and a convicted felon. Any friends he knew from before may have moved on and perhaps had families and didn't want to know someone who'd been in prison for the last (approx) 12 years.

Had he ever had a relationship before prison? He probably wasn't exactly the most eligible bachelor after release back in a small town where his history would be well known.

Had he always been shunned by girls since he came to Lancaster County from the streets of a Caribbean Island with likely little or no spoken English or formal education at the time?

Did he begin stalking young Amish girls because of their innocence and naivety? Much easier to snatch into his car than older and more streetwise women?

Drinking liquor whilst driving around stalking suggests he was somewhat depressed and/or needed some Dutch courage to follow through with what he had planned.

It's reasonable to assume that he may have planned to violate whoever he was able to bundle into his car. The purchase of gloves seems to indicate plans to eliminate the chance of being identified by his victim.

Was he heading to the Welsh Mountain? The last sighting at Peters Road places him 10 minutes away at approximately 1:30 yet his cell phone pings show he was at the Harvest Drive address just one hour later from 2:30 - 3:30 and a witness saw him sanitizing his car shortly after at home.

I think he may have become agitated at how many people were noticing him with LS. The liquor may have started to wear off and he began to panic.

Were the texts he sent a clumsy way of trying to show he was doing other things if he were investigated? In a similar way to posting vacuously on Facebook that he was washing his car. Or was he texting/calling to share the fact that he'd abducted a girl, people were noticing and the girl herself will identify him if allowed. Was he desperately asking for help with what to do?

Had he continued another 10 mins to the Welsh Mountain then he would be another 25 minutes from Harvest Drive if he decided/was advised on a change of plan. Either way, it doesn't seem that there was enough available time for the crime that harmed LS to be before arriving at at Harvest Drive.

Was he told to meet someone there? A person who would help him cover up his awful crimes?

Did JS know this location or, if he had a helper, was it an address that this person was familiar with?

The available facts and timeline seem to point towards this being a possibility.

You have raised very good points.

 

[crhedBngr]

I like your avatar!

Thank you!

Love yours as well!

 

[crhedBngr]

@Trackergd , thanks for your timelines and continued perusal of JS' activities.

Hoping and praying she is found soon.

JMVHO.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, December 30th:
*Preliminary Hearing (re murder) (@ 10am ET) - PA – Linda Stoltzfoos (18) (last seen June 21, 2020, Bird-In-Hand, Lancaster County) – *Justo Roberto Smoker (34) arrested (7/10/20 at work at Dutchland, Inc.), charged (7/11/20) & arraigned (8/24/20) with felony 1st degree kidnapping to inflict injury/terror & misdemeanor false imprisonment. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
*Charged (12/14/20) & arraigned (12/18/20) with criminal homicide.
Case & court info from 7/11/20 thru 9/24/20 reference post #939 here:
PA - PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *kidnapping arrest* #3
11/5/20 Update: Hearing was rescheduled because the prosecution was still gathering materials that it's required to provide to Smoker’s attorneys. Next status hearing on 11/23/20. 11/25/20 Update: Granted motion for continuance.
12/14/20 Update: On Monday, East Lampeter Township police & Pennsylvania State Police, after consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, filed an additional charge – of criminal homicide – against Smoker, who was previously charged with kidnapping Stoltzfoos on June 21, 2020. Arraignment on 12/18/20.
12/18/20 Update: No info on arraignment hearing on murder charge. Next preliminary hearing on 12/30/20 @ 10am before District Judge Denise Cummins.

 

[Darling136]

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[Darling136]

Thread #4 is now available for further discussion

PA - PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *kidnapping arrest* #4