Prosecutor Juan Martinez releases new book, February 2016 - #2

[TexMex]

I agree Killer needed to settle the score with Travis, and punish him in the process. That is just as obvious as the long nose on her face because if she only wanted him out of circulation she could have killed him in his sleep--it would probably have been quieter, cleaner, much less chance of evidence left behind, etc. It wasn't good enough to just take Travis out, he had to pay with more than his life--he had to suffer as he died and he had to be aware that it was HER making that happen.

And that makes my mind go to things like the need to punish other people who the killer believed had wronged her. I am not sure about Matt or Darryl...maybe/maybe not for one or both since I don't know enough about the dynamics of her relationship with either to consider how strongly she felt wronged by them, or if she even did. The women in Travis' life are a different story altogether, as I think the killer in her seriously sick mind could have blamed any or all of them for things not working out for her and Travis. She has no capacity to let things go and instead is obsessed with evening the score.

She had knives and a gun in her rental car when arrested, did she not? I mean, I heard those were found in the car--was that fact or rumor? If fact, then it stands to reason--at least for me--that she had some need for those items on her journey. If not murder, what?

Two knives and a 9mm gun.
I've thought about the timing of the murder too..she could have put the gun to his head while he slept and kept to her schedule of getting to Utah for her alibi. But she waited..

 

[TexMex]

My best guess would be the Hughes'. In her mind, she probably saw them as having had conspired with Travis to ruin her reputation.

I could see that..the Hughes were influential in PPL. Could have warned off her next marriage target

 

[Steve44]

I agree Killer needed to settle the score with Travis, and punish him in the process. That is just as obvious as the long nose on her face because if she only wanted him out of circulation she could have killed him in his sleep--it would probably have been quieter, cleaner, much less chance of evidence left behind, etc. It wasn't good enough to just take Travis out, he had to pay with more than his life--he had to suffer as he died and he had to be aware that it was HER making that happen.

And that makes my mind go to things like the need to punish other people who the killer believed had wronged her. I am not sure about Matt or Darryl...maybe/maybe not for one or both since I don't know enough about the dynamics of her relationship with either to consider how strongly she felt wronged by them, or if she even did. The women in Travis' life are a different story altogether, as I think the killer in her seriously sick mind could have blamed any or all of them for things not working out for her and Travis. She has no capacity to let things go and instead is obsessed with evening the score.

She had knives and a gun in her rental car when arrested, did she not? I mean, I heard those were found in the car--was that fact or rumor? If fact, then it stands to reason--at least for me--that she had some need for those items on her journey. If not murder, what?

Yes, she had two knives and the new 9mm gun she bought. It was originally reported here that the gun was found taped under the hood of the rental car, but now it seems it was found stashed in the trunk instead.

As I said above, I think if she was targeting anyone it would have been the Hughes'. They were closest to Travis and she probably saw them as instrumental in 'turning Travis against her'. Additionally, since Travis shared so much with them, whatever Travis knew about her, the Hughes' knew too.

 

[krkrjx]

What does this mean, from the Reddit Q&A?

"The case is now in the hands of the Arizona Attorney General's Office and no longer with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office...."

Is the AG's office the normal route for appeals? Or is this a reference to the AG investigation?

It means there is no legal reason why he could not publish and release his book at this time, that his writing it is not a conflict of interest regarding her appeals as his office is no longer involved in the case.

 

[krkrjx]

Yep, the Hughes' could have been at the top of her list, or maybe her only targets.

Two knives. Could mean two potential victims.

Gun might be for effect or to gain control, or could have been for (an)other target(s) altogether that she felt she might have more difficulty getting close enough to physically--or maybe didn't have the need to kill with such violence.

 

[Steve44]

Two knives and a 9mm gun.
I've thought about the timing of the murder too..she could have put the gun to his head while he slept and kept to her schedule of getting to Utah for her alibi. But she waited..

I agree. It was about more than just ending his life. She wanted to win, while Travis lost. She wanted the feeling of ultimate power over Travis. Her domination of the entire drawn-out scenario was proof in her mind of her fundamental superiority to Travis, it showed her she was on a completely different level. Ironically, all she really did was sink lower then she had ever been, in order to 'prove' her superiority.

 

[LinTX]

What does this mean, from the Reddit Q&A?

"The case is now in the hands of the Arizona Attorney General's Office and no longer with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office...."

Is the AG's office the normal route for appeals? Or is this a reference to the AG investigation?

Yes, the AG's office handles all felony appeals. JSS and Maricopa County prosecutor's office are involved in PCR hearing, if held, but not with direct appeals.

 

[RickshawFan]

Ryan Burns.

She lectures him all of May that he needs to be a better Mormon and tells him he needs to get right with Heavenly Father, jumps his bones the day after she slaughters Travis, asks him afterwards why he hesitated to get down with her, and when he says he was trying to respect her religious sensibilities she tells him she's a big girl and knows what she's doing, so they have phone sex and text sex, and then, after she's safely locked away she sends him a long letter saying- silly, you were never in danger with me, though since we were always on different spiritual planes I'm not sure you can really appreciate what I'm telling you...

In-person sex wasn't the only sex JA and RB had? We didn't hear about the phone/text sex? It would also be interesting, in that case, why they never had "chats".

 

[RickshawFan]

The police found her car, which had already been repossessed on July 9th, in Medford, Oregon. The rental was one that iirc her folks had got for her for the next morning(July 15th) after she had been seen talking with her mom the night before. She had been busy loading it when the police arrived and decided they had to arrest her before she left town. Apparently she had been notified by coworkers from Casa Ramos that the police were looking for her.

Edit: Sorry, just finished catching up and saw this had already been answered a few times...

Ahhh, but you provided new details! Thx.

I had thought LE had seen her packing the night before.

I love it that she wore virginal white pants supposedly for a "camping" trip. One little sit on a picnic table bench.....

I can't believe co-workers at Casa Ramos would be stupid (or fond of Jodi) enough that they texted her LE was on the way. They didn't realize maybe there was a reason and they'd better be glad?

The other thing I can't fathom, is why her parents would help her organize a rental car. She'd finally got a job. She owed them a ton of money. There was no compelling reason for her to visit DB and MM. There is so much fostering of her lack of responsibility. What the heck?

 

[RickshawFan]

I tend to think that if she was on a mission to kill someone else it would be a person who was a threat to HER. She had settled the score with Travis in her sick mind. So IMO Deanna, MiMi, Lisa..were of no consequence to her. No possible way they could be close to Travis now.
She'd be after anyone who could be a threat to her freedom...
Darryl? He loaned her gas cans
Matt? Did he know anything?

If it came to it, she could always have just said she had to go and "off" the ninjas.... Out of self-defense, natch.

And all this self-defense offing required, let's see, a white car, a gun, no money except what she had allocated for strawberry frappuccinos, sun tan lotion, a case of condoms, red hair dye, and 5 bikinis.....

Oh, blinding flash of the obvious... She was planning on the ninjas inviting her to Cancun?

 

[RickshawFan]

Yes, she had two knives and the new 9mm gun she bought. It was originally reported here that the gun was found taped under the hood of the rental car, but now it seems it was found stashed in the trunk instead.

As I said above, I think if she was targeting anyone it would have been the Hughes'. They were closest to Travis and she probably saw them as instrumental in 'turning Travis against her'. Additionally, since Travis shared so much with them, whatever Travis knew about her, the Hughes' knew too.

I believe the gun took some years to discover? It wasn't simply stashed in the "boot": it was duct-taped into a wheel (spare?) well?

 

[RickshawFan]

Yep, the Hughes' could have been at the top of her list, or maybe her only targets.

Two knives. Could mean two potential victims.

Gun might be for effect or to gain control, or could have been for (an)other target(s) altogether that she felt she might have more difficulty getting close enough to physically--or maybe didn't have the need to kill with such violence.

Her MO might have been 2 knives all along: it's not clear whether she used one or two knives on Travis. Since she's a "florid" liar, I would venture to bet she's a florid knife owner. Or maybe I should say, she's a florid filcher of other people's property, and this naturally pertains to knives that she ripped off from her employers.

 

[krkrjx]

I believe the gun took some years to discover? It wasn't simply stashed in the "boot": it was duct-taped into a wheel (spare?) well?

Maybe it was not found right away, but Killer knew where it was. I mean, that's assuming she put it there for a purpose while on this trip in an inconspicuously colored rental car. And knives along for the ride, too.

I doubt anyone really knows where Killer was going and what her plans were! But I suspect she was once again up to no good!

 

[Steve44]

I believe the gun took some years to discover? It wasn't simply stashed in the "boot": it was duct-taped into a wheel (spare?) well?

I hadn't heard that it took years. Wow.

 

[krkrjx]

Her MO might have been 2 knives all along: it's not clear whether she used one or two knives on Travis. Since she's a "florid" liar, I would venture to bet she's a florid knife owner. Or maybe I should say, she's a florid filcher of other people's property, and this naturally pertains to knives that she ripped off from her employers.

True, we do not know for sure. I think autopsy would have concluded if different knives were used and I don't recall it ever being said injuries came from separate blades but that doesn't mean they didn't. I think it would have been made public though, especially since she tried blaming two intruders, something which may or may not have been part of her premed plan.

I do believe, though, that if the Hughes' were her intended targets it would have been both of them. Her reason(s) for needing to do them harm probably pertained not just to one or the other.

IMO.

 

[krkrjx]

I hadn't heard that it took years. Wow.

I never heard years, but I did hear the gun was not found right away. Knives were, though.

 

[samspace070]

You won't be disappointed I doubt. I'm happy that you're happy. :happydance:

Been reading ever since it got here. Can't put it down. Everyone was right, it is very well written but I am not surprised. Juan talks as well as he writes. Unlike his counterparts, Nurmi and Wilnot.

 

[samspace070]

Mine too, woohooo!

I wonder how many of us got our books this week? I pre-ordered mine in November but didn't want to pay the extra postage to get it on the 16th. But I am sure happy I got it now, it is an all nighter for sure.

 

[krkrjx]

Her MO might have been 2 knives all along: it's not clear whether she used one or two knives on Travis. Since she's a "florid" liar, I would venture to bet she's a florid knife owner. Or maybe I should say, she's a florid filcher of other people's property, and this naturally pertains to knives that she ripped off from her employers.

The knives could have been stolen from an employer. In fact, they likely were because cutlery used in restaurants is typically kept very sharp.

Even if Killer had a fetish for knives or was a simple kleptomanic and stole them due to that, she packed the knives in her getaway car. She did that for a reason.

 

[samspace070]

Yep, the Hughes' could have been at the top of her list, or maybe her only targets.

Two knives. Could mean two potential victims.

Gun might be for effect or to gain control, or could have been for (an)other target(s) altogether that she felt she might have more difficulty getting close enough to physically--or maybe didn't have the need to kill with such violence.

Two knives could mean she needed one for a spare. Remember the blue eyed butcher? She broke one knife and had to go to the kitchen for a second one. She stabbed her husband over a 100 times then dragged his body out of the house and buried him in the garden.