Much has been made of the ALPR (Automatic License Plate Reader/Recognition) "hit" that was made in Camden NJ about two weeks after her disappearance. The problem with the technology is that it isn't perfect and false positives are common. There is no photograph. Instead the "ALPR" picks up the image as best it can and then an algorithmic program tries to "guess" what the plate really is. Most claim about 90% accuracy but there are no situations were "inaccuracies" are more common. One is out of state plates since they would be calibrated for in state plates. There is a very good chance this was a false positive.
PA PA - Toni Sharpless, 29, Gladwyne, 23 Aug 2009
- Thread starter KaylynnCouture
- Start date
Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread
carbuff
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2009
- Messages
- 29,783
- Reaction score
- 72,959
It still makes most sense that in her impaired condition, she drove the car off the road in a place where it hasn't been found (down a ravine, into the river -- I really thought they were going to find her when they pulled all those cars out...) If false positives are possible, that might still be the case.
If she abandoned the car (either because she was a crime victim or because she needed to get help, or whatever) it's possible somebody stole the license plates.
If she abandoned the car (either because she was a crime victim or because she needed to get help, or whatever) it's possible somebody stole the license plates.
Soulmagent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Messages
- 9,444
- Reaction score
- 10,908
I just keep thinking how so many homicide cases start with "a fight broke out at the party''
carbuff
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2009
- Messages
- 29,783
- Reaction score
- 72,959
So true...
But a lot of drunk driving deaths and other stupidity start that way, too.
NetworkingStar
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2009
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 0
nothing new troubleson
Soulmagent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Messages
- 9,444
- Reaction score
- 10,908
My hubby would so hate if I had that on demand. I still have not seen this episode and it is probably on the wesite so I will watch it in the next few days. Thanks for the show info.
Missing Budweiser
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 198
- Reaction score
- 17
Not to get too personal, but why would your husband "hate if I had that on demand"?
carbuff
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2009
- Messages
- 29,783
- Reaction score
- 72,959
Probably the same reason mine would -- I'd disappear into it and he'd never see me
Soulmagent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Messages
- 9,444
- Reaction score
- 10,908
Probably the same reason mine would -- I'd disappear into it and he'd never see me
That is exactly why he would hate it.
Missing Budweiser
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 198
- Reaction score
- 17
Are you joking? I am confused. What's wrong with watching a true crime/missing person television show?
Soulmagent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Messages
- 9,444
- Reaction score
- 10,908
Not one show ,if I had I.D discovery on demand. I mean I force him to watch NG on his 52 inch TV ,He is a sport.
He would really hate it if I allowed the subject to consume more of my time without seeking a profession in one of the many feilds which can relate to these cases.
I watch so much true crime now and read everything ,he has learned the names of the show host and some guest and can tell you which case it is by the picture. He has learned this and the subject doesnt appeal to him at all. He does care though which is how I found out he knows whos picture is whos.
He would not be mad. He would just miss me more.
carbuff
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2009
- Messages
- 29,783
- Reaction score
- 72,959
More or less joking, yes, not about him, but about my own tendency to get sucked in. There's nothing wrong with watching **advertiser censored* show, but I tend to get sucked in and watch for hours. So he wouldn't see much of me. And he is not into that kind of thing at all, so he wouldn't want to join me.
Claudette
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2010
- Messages
- 1,630
- Reaction score
- 251
I was driving home from work today and was driving behind a car that *I* thought was going way too slow and went to pass it and noticed it had white words decaled on the back window. It was a dark red or maroon pontiac (I think) and I only caught a few words on it - "Daughter" "Toni" and some numbers (8-20something-0some recent year) and then there was a 7 on there too.
I caught it really quick and didn't notice the license plates. Anyway it was a few sentences and I figured it was for a missing person. Anyway it led me here and I am assuming this is who was on the car. I was assuming it was her mom since it said "Daughter" but that doesn't make sense as they are from PA. Anyway, it did its job (assuming it was about this girl) and I became interested and looked for more information. Just wanted to let you all know that people do notice that stuff.
By the way does anyone know what the 7 may be, I think it was a month. Was it her birthdate month? Just wondering if she was the person posted on the car. Wish I knew who it was, just for my own curiosity's sake.
I caught it really quick and didn't notice the license plates. Anyway it was a few sentences and I figured it was for a missing person. Anyway it led me here and I am assuming this is who was on the car. I was assuming it was her mom since it said "Daughter" but that doesn't make sense as they are from PA. Anyway, it did its job (assuming it was about this girl) and I became interested and looked for more information. Just wanted to let you all know that people do notice that stuff.
By the way does anyone know what the 7 may be, I think it was a month. Was it her birthdate month? Just wondering if she was the person posted on the car. Wish I knew who it was, just for my own curiosity's sake.
BBM. She is missing since August 23rd, 2009 so that seems to match. Her DOB is December 27th, 1979.
I watched this story on "Vanished" last night. I was astounded that I haven't heard of this since I live in Philadelphia area and these kinds of cases always intrigue me.
Does anyone know if the license plate that got a "hit" in Camden was HER car or just the plate on another car?
It seems to me, that if she ran into bad people who hurt her, they also would have used her credit cards, phone, etc. To my knowledge there has been no activity on that front.
The sightings were interesting because of how they all popped up in similar locations and similar times.
Very baffling.
Dibba
Does anyone know if the license plate that got a "hit" in Camden was HER car or just the plate on another car?
It seems to me, that if she ran into bad people who hurt her, they also would have used her credit cards, phone, etc. To my knowledge there has been no activity on that front.
The sightings were interesting because of how they all popped up in similar locations and similar times.
Very baffling.
Dibba
Soulmagent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2008
- Messages
- 9,444
- Reaction score
- 10,908
I wish they would release her cell phone pings. It seems it would have pinged for a little while. even if the battery went dead.
That could tell us something at least.
That could tell us something at least.
Missing Budweiser
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 198
- Reaction score
- 17
Did you mean "Disappeared"? I don't believe Toni has been featured on the new show "Vanished with Beth Holloway".
xLiqoricex
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2011
- Messages
- 105
- Reaction score
- 3
I am sort of familiar with this case since I watched a program on it. I only state my opinions and I'm never 100% sure. BUT...
I'm not sure if I truly believe the hit on the car to be as accurate as stated. At first I did, but since there is room for error I'm not sure I can rely on what I believed before. But let's say it was Tonis car that got the hit. This means that she or someone else was driving her car or she was with someone else and they were both in her car. If Toni was harmed, the person who could have harmed her was driving around in her car- maybe trying to figure out the next plan in disposing of the car. I don't really feel that sticking the license plate on another car or a stolen car a very wise thing to do because that would provide room for suspicion if that person were to get pulled over and questioned and tags run. Knowing the license plate didn't match the model of the car. And if someone harmed Toni, I guess the cell phone would be turned off. Unless Toni turned her cell phone off or it died after she got done texting her daughter and then she met with foul play later never having the chance to turn on her cell phone again. I doubt Toni would have brought her phone charger to a party so that could leave room that her phone just died and she didn't bother getting another phone charger. Do they actually have the cell phone pings and are not just releasing the information that was found out? Or did the ping stop right after the texting to her daughter? What did she say to her daughter in the text..is this known? I want to believe so much and know for sure that it was her car that got the hit. Because then that leaves room for figuring out what happened. Maybe Toni just decided to turn her phone off so that she couldn't be found. I'm sure she was very angry but not angry enough to text her daughter and then afterward she just turned off her cell phone so she wouldn't be found. I just find it odd that she would text her daughter in a time when she was obviously in a terrible state of mind. Maybe someone else texted her daughter and if so, why? This person would have to know Toni and her daughter. I can understand her texting her daughter out of love but from the sounds of her state of mind I don't know how she could have thought about doing that after throwing furniture around.
There have been a lot of people who have been blaming the friend of Toni for her disappearance and that she hasn't been telling the whole story. Didn't the friend take a lie detector test and pass? Because I think she was concerned that so many people were looking at her as a suspect. I don't think the friend did anything just because when she spoke I just felt through her words that she was truly baffled as to what happened to her friend. On the other hand, I don't agree that her friend didn't really care if Toni drank knowing she was on medication. Maybe Toni drank because she wanted to feel like she was a normal person who could do anything. She could have felt bad having to take medication for the rest of her life and just drank thinking it wouldn't affect her mind. I would find it difficult to go to a club and not have a drink yet alone at a party. Even if I was on medication. When I used to smoke, I took a medication at the same time and was told not to smoke but I did it anyway.
What I can't stop thinking about is the strange pattern of Tonis sightings that supposedly occurred, according to Law. Supposedly, for some time sightings were being reported that she was seen in Philly (I THINK) for I think it was a few weeks but then the sightings would stop there and then start in Camden. This pattern was repeated for some type. Does anyone know if this pattern had stopped yet? I can't remember. I believe that the sightings are true just because the pattern of the sightings alone. I think it would be very difficult for people just to make up sightings and have it go in one area and then stop then start in another. It would just be difficult to create that. I thought I heard that the sightings stopped. And if this is true then maybe she was murdered after a while or maybe she left the area or was taken to another area. But then I'm sure more sightings would appear. I think the reason why Law suspected that it was either drugs or trafficking is because of the pattern of the sightings that supposedly happened. But if she was being trafficked, I doubt the people would want her to be seen so much knowing that someone could spot her. This is the only reason why trafficking may not be a possibilty. Then again, she could have been transferred to different people against her will to people in Camden and then back to Philly.
Maybe a reason why Toni was supposedly sighted in a pattern like manner is because she could have had a friend in Camden that she saw in secret every two weeks or so and then she was trailing it back to Philly living there and then living with this friend in Camden. Perhaps a person who was giving her drugs once a couple of weeks. I mean I do this with my boyfriend, not the drug part but the visiting part, since he lives in NJ and I live in PA. The only difference is we text and talk to each other and people have an idea of our plans-especially if my mom wants to know.
Maybe she is doing drugs and is too ashamed to come forward to her family because maybe she doesn't want to be viewed as a failure. An addiction comes with a lot of guilt. Just a thought. I'm sure she knew she wasn't supposed to be drinking while being on medication. And I think if she crashed her car would have been found already. But this theory I'm not inclined to all that much.
If Toni is missing and without medication, then I'm sure she will be unstable making it harder for her to think clearly. Because if she's without a cell phone, no money and I'm guessing not using any credit cards then that raises a red flag that maybe she really was murdered. She could be getting her resources elsewhere or on the down low. People could be helping her who may know if she doesn't want to be found or not.
However, I really hope this poor woman is found.
Anyone have any new information regarding this case?
I'm not sure if I truly believe the hit on the car to be as accurate as stated. At first I did, but since there is room for error I'm not sure I can rely on what I believed before. But let's say it was Tonis car that got the hit. This means that she or someone else was driving her car or she was with someone else and they were both in her car. If Toni was harmed, the person who could have harmed her was driving around in her car- maybe trying to figure out the next plan in disposing of the car. I don't really feel that sticking the license plate on another car or a stolen car a very wise thing to do because that would provide room for suspicion if that person were to get pulled over and questioned and tags run. Knowing the license plate didn't match the model of the car. And if someone harmed Toni, I guess the cell phone would be turned off. Unless Toni turned her cell phone off or it died after she got done texting her daughter and then she met with foul play later never having the chance to turn on her cell phone again. I doubt Toni would have brought her phone charger to a party so that could leave room that her phone just died and she didn't bother getting another phone charger. Do they actually have the cell phone pings and are not just releasing the information that was found out? Or did the ping stop right after the texting to her daughter? What did she say to her daughter in the text..is this known? I want to believe so much and know for sure that it was her car that got the hit. Because then that leaves room for figuring out what happened. Maybe Toni just decided to turn her phone off so that she couldn't be found. I'm sure she was very angry but not angry enough to text her daughter and then afterward she just turned off her cell phone so she wouldn't be found. I just find it odd that she would text her daughter in a time when she was obviously in a terrible state of mind. Maybe someone else texted her daughter and if so, why? This person would have to know Toni and her daughter. I can understand her texting her daughter out of love but from the sounds of her state of mind I don't know how she could have thought about doing that after throwing furniture around.
There have been a lot of people who have been blaming the friend of Toni for her disappearance and that she hasn't been telling the whole story. Didn't the friend take a lie detector test and pass? Because I think she was concerned that so many people were looking at her as a suspect. I don't think the friend did anything just because when she spoke I just felt through her words that she was truly baffled as to what happened to her friend. On the other hand, I don't agree that her friend didn't really care if Toni drank knowing she was on medication. Maybe Toni drank because she wanted to feel like she was a normal person who could do anything. She could have felt bad having to take medication for the rest of her life and just drank thinking it wouldn't affect her mind. I would find it difficult to go to a club and not have a drink yet alone at a party. Even if I was on medication. When I used to smoke, I took a medication at the same time and was told not to smoke but I did it anyway.
What I can't stop thinking about is the strange pattern of Tonis sightings that supposedly occurred, according to Law. Supposedly, for some time sightings were being reported that she was seen in Philly (I THINK) for I think it was a few weeks but then the sightings would stop there and then start in Camden. This pattern was repeated for some type. Does anyone know if this pattern had stopped yet? I can't remember. I believe that the sightings are true just because the pattern of the sightings alone. I think it would be very difficult for people just to make up sightings and have it go in one area and then stop then start in another. It would just be difficult to create that. I thought I heard that the sightings stopped. And if this is true then maybe she was murdered after a while or maybe she left the area or was taken to another area. But then I'm sure more sightings would appear. I think the reason why Law suspected that it was either drugs or trafficking is because of the pattern of the sightings that supposedly happened. But if she was being trafficked, I doubt the people would want her to be seen so much knowing that someone could spot her. This is the only reason why trafficking may not be a possibilty. Then again, she could have been transferred to different people against her will to people in Camden and then back to Philly.
Maybe a reason why Toni was supposedly sighted in a pattern like manner is because she could have had a friend in Camden that she saw in secret every two weeks or so and then she was trailing it back to Philly living there and then living with this friend in Camden. Perhaps a person who was giving her drugs once a couple of weeks. I mean I do this with my boyfriend, not the drug part but the visiting part, since he lives in NJ and I live in PA. The only difference is we text and talk to each other and people have an idea of our plans-especially if my mom wants to know.
Maybe she is doing drugs and is too ashamed to come forward to her family because maybe she doesn't want to be viewed as a failure. An addiction comes with a lot of guilt. Just a thought. I'm sure she knew she wasn't supposed to be drinking while being on medication. And I think if she crashed her car would have been found already. But this theory I'm not inclined to all that much.
If Toni is missing and without medication, then I'm sure she will be unstable making it harder for her to think clearly. Because if she's without a cell phone, no money and I'm guessing not using any credit cards then that raises a red flag that maybe she really was murdered. She could be getting her resources elsewhere or on the down low. People could be helping her who may know if she doesn't want to be found or not.
However, I really hope this poor woman is found.
Anyone have any new information regarding this case?
Missing Budweiser
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 198
- Reaction score
- 17
Toni did not text her daughter AFTER the leaving the party.