Sheila and Katherine Lyon-sisters missing since 1975 - #2

[steveP120]

I am looking to see some finger pointing and deflection from LLW at his trial, possibly using the uncle RAW as the scapegoat if the case against LLW is strong.

I don't think any case this old has been "strong," but I have to admit, for being an idiot, Lloyd did somehow come up with a viable scapegoat, the other person of interest.

Part of it may be luck, since 40 years later, the police can't confirm the uncle's 1975 alibi and go back to Lloyd saying, it's not him, so it must be you.

I sort of doubt it, and am even don't want to mention his name to avoid slandering him, but if by chance, Lloyd is innocent, and the police said (truthfully or untruthfully) we found DNA at your residence, Lloyd would likely suggest the other person who had connections to Wheaton as a prime suspect.

If the uncle was also up to no good, such being a bad security guard (the one six woman came forward about, but we still don't know his description), there may be reasonable doublt about Lloyd.

 

[beachlvr0810]

Cousin Henry Parker passed away this week. Rest in peace, cousin!

 

[WaynezWorld]

I am assuming the recently deceased Henry Parker was one of the witnesses who testified before the grand jury?

 

[steveP120]

Cousin Henry Parker passed away this week. Rest in peace, cousin!

Is this the same cousin who helped Lloyd burn two red-stained duffle bags?
A link to news of his death would clarify this.
My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think this Henry Parker was not that old, slightly older than Lloyd and had a hard life.

From:
http://wsls.com/2015/07/15/new-details-to-be-released-in-lyon-sisters-cold-case/

According to search warrants, Henry Parker, a relative of Welch, told investigators he met Lloyd Welch at a property on Taylor’s Mountain Road in 1975. Parker said he helped Lloyd take two army style duffle bags from the trunk of a car.

Parker also said the bags weighed about 60 to 70 pounds and smelled like “death.” According to the search warrants, Parker said the bags were covered in red stains and both bags were thrown onto a fire. The warrants show Parker told investigators these details in December, 2014.

 

[siriunsun]

If it is the same Henry Parker that testified, is that testimony still valid, now that he has passed away?

His testimony is absolutely is still valid, since Connie Akers also testified. Lets not overlook the fact that at least three witnesses can place Katherine and Sheila in the home of Richard Welch after they disappeared.

 

[steveP120]

If it is the same Henry Parker that testified, is that testimony still valid, now that he has passed away?

If it's the same Henry Parker, I doubt his testimony could be used in court because the defense would not have an opportunity to cross examine the accuser - a right everyone has in the sixth amendment to the Constitution.

Henry Parker gave at least two interviews to newspapers that I know of where he said in effect that he never saw the girls - only bags that may have been large enough to contain girls bodies, and that he would never have been knowingly involved in a murder or cover up (of course he spoke like a poor guy from the hills)

But Lloyds other cousin, Connie Akers, also placed Lloyd with duffel bags and bloody (Lloyd claimed it was animal/meat blood) clothing. This is on the last page of the affidavit.
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/wset/SKMBT_60115071517110.pdf

I really hope the police have some physical evidence, assuming Lloyd is responsible.

 

[steveP120]

His testimony is absolutely is still valid, since Connie Akers also testified. Lets not overlook the fact that at least three witnesses can place Katherine and Sheila in the home of Richard Welch after they disappeared.

If three reliable witnesses placed the girls in anyone's house after they disappeared, that person would be in jail now.

One of the "witnesses" is Lloyd, a known liar to say the least. Seeing the girls after the disappearance was one of his six stories, which I believe he through his lawyer if not his letter to the Washington post recanted.

Another "witness" is a cousin who was 10 or 11 in 1975, who first was adamant that Lloyd's story of his being in a car with Lloyd, the girls and the uncle never happened. I doubt he changed his story, but I would GUESS he now admits that he (like I) can't remember what he (like I) was doing in 1975 and there could have been two girls visiting some time in 1975.

I don't think the police have released much information on the third witness, but I think it's more like two girls the same age and race as the Llyon sisters were visiting and seen playing at the house sometime in 1975.

As far as I know, no witness except maybe Lloyd has come forward to say, "I saw the girls in 1975, I know I saw them in 1975, and just did not come forward for 40 years because I did not want to rat out my relatives and I was involved in some minor way."

 

[steveP120]

I THINK it's the same Henry Parker, but there could be two Henry Parkers of close age in the area. There appear to be many Henry Parkers.

From:
http://www.roanoke.com/obituaries/parker-henry/article_0f247721-282f-5148-b0ce-3f0ee6adf00e.html
"Henry Parker, 59, of Roanoke and formerly of Bedford, passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2015. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, 540-586-7360."

and similar, rather limited information, was posted on the Funeral Home's site.

Perhaps he will get a longer obituary later. It's sort of sad that's all they can say about him.

 

[steveP120]

The cousin who declined to wash Lloyd's bloody clothing was the person who posted news of Henry Parker's death on Facebook.

I obviously know the cousin's name, but don't want to post it just in case anyone here is unwisely thinking of contacting her which could 1) interfere with a police investigation and/or 2) be threats.

We still don't know why she declined to wash Lloyd's cloths. She could have declined because 1) she thought the blood (animal or human) could not be washed out, 2) (like me) she as a did not wash any cloths for anyone and said "Wash your own shirts," or 3) she declined because she thought it was human blood and evidence of some crime, which she did not volunteer for years.

I doubt that Henry Parker, who was 19 at the time and a couple of hundred of miles away from Wheaton, was a major player in the crime, but often after a criminal dies, a family member comes forward and say something like, "I could not turn my dad in while he was alive, but I discovered a corpse in his backyard which you should look into."

 

[siriunsun]

The cousin who declined to wash Lloyd's bloody clothing was the person who posted news of Henry Parker's death on Facebook.

I obviously know the cousin's name, but don't want to post it just in case anyone here is unwisely thinking of contacting her which could 1) interfere with a police investigation and/or 2) be threats.

We still don't know why she declined to wash Lloyd's cloths. She could have declined because 1) she thought the blood (animal or human) could not be washed out, 2) (like me) she as a did not wash any cloths for anyone and said "Wash your own shirts," or 3) she declined because she thought it was human blood and evidence of some crime, which she did not volunteer for years.

I doubt that Henry Parker, who was 19 at the time and a couple of hundred of miles away from Wheaton, was a major player in the crime, but often after a criminal dies, a family member comes forward and say something like, "I could not turn my dad in while he was alive, but I discovered a corpse in his backyard which you should look into."

We will just have to see how it plays out in court, then, balanced with all the other evidence. The only information the public has been able to peruse concerning the cousin who was eleven has been references in the police reports, citing him as a witness, and a couple of mentions in the news. Also, the results of the search warrant were shared with the public before the lab had even received the items that were found. It is quite likely that we have much more information now.

 

[beachlvr0810]

I THINK it's the same Henry Parker, but there could be two Henry Parkers of close age in the area. There appear to be many Henry Parkers.

From:
http://www.roanoke.com/obituaries/parker-henry/article_0f247721-282f-5148-b0ce-3f0ee6adf00e.html
"Henry Parker, 59, of Roanoke and formerly of Bedford, passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2015. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, 540-586-7360."

and similar, rather limited information, was posted on the Funeral Home's site.

Perhaps he will get a longer obituary later. It's sort of sad that's all they can say about him.

Yes...this is the same Henry Parker. That's why I posted about his passing. I went to the memorial service last night and it broke my heart to see the photos of him, knowing that he was so devastated by what has transpired in this investigation. To quote a crying family member as I hugged them tight "Cindy, he didn't know what was in those bags...he didn't know!" And I truly believe cousin Henry didn't know! Rest in peace

 

[Ibiz]

It seems like police at the time just focused to much attention on the tape recorder guy, and failed to broaden the investigation. One thing I don't get is how the sketch supposedly shows an uncanny resemblants to LW as all the articles have said.

It seems to me that the guy in the sketch had a small nose where in LW's mugshot photo he had a very large giant nose. Other features did not seem to match as well.

Therefore I can see why police at the time would not have thought him to be the same man, but because of his age and the fact that he lied, then he still should have been looked at, and not over looked.

It amazes me how many of these cases have went unsoled due to a lack of simple common sense by so many who were investigating.

 

[steveP120]

Yes...this is the same Henry Parker. That's why I posted about his passing. I went to the memorial service last night and it broke my heart to see the photos of him, knowing that he was so devastated by what has transpired in this investigation. To quote a crying family member as I hugged them tight "Cindy, he didn't know what was in those bags...he didn't know!" And I truly believe cousin Henry didn't know! Rest in peace

Thanks for posting about Henry Parker passing. If you did not post, I think I and everyone except the police who needed him as a witness would not have noticed. But you may want to say why you are posting instead of just leaving it up to us to assume, fortunately correctly in this case, why you are posting.

I never meet Henry Parker and only read a couple of interviews with him, but I am fairly sure that he did not know what was in the bags, as he told the police and restated in several news interviews. I think it's extremely unlikely that 1) criminals would unnecessary involve others who could implicate them, 2) someone like Henry could keep his mouth shut for 40 years even if he wanted to and 3) at some time in his life he would have wanted to talk and 4) the police could not break or offer Henry a deal if he knew more.

 

[STANDREID]

I don't get why Welch would deliberately involve a witness when there was no reason for him to. He's obviously a bad guy but he surely isn't that stupid. I assume this will be part of his defense.

 

[TallCoolOne]

It seems like police at the time just focused to much attention on the tape recorder guy, and failed to broaden the investigation. One thing I don't get is how the sketch supposedly shows an uncanny resemblants to LW as all the articles have said.

It seems to me that the guy in the sketch had a small nose where in LW's mugshot photo he had a very large giant nose. Other features did not seem to match as well.

Therefore I can see why police at the time would not have thought him to be the same man, but because of his age and the fact that he lied, then he still should have been looked at, and not over looked.

It amazes me how many of these cases have went unsoled due to a lack of simple common sense by so many who were investigating.

Have you had an opportunity to view the other sketch though? There are two different sketches that depict two different peeps, one being the Tape Recorder Man and the other The Long Haired Man. The Long Haired Man very much resembles LW to a "T".

 

[steveP120]

I don't get why Welch would deliberately involve a witness when there was no reason for him to. He's obviously a bad guy but he surely isn't that stupid. I assume this will be part of his defense.

Even smart people make mistakes, but Lloyd Welch is pretty stupid. While he later got his GED (maybe in prison), he was a high-school drop out who worked gardening and other menial jobs, and was stupid enough to get convicted for the same crime over and over - although it's tough for even smart pedophiles to kick the habit even if they want to.

That being said, while Lloyd or another person helping asked Henry Parker via his Mom (now both deceased) to help bury/burn some bags. As far as we know, Lloyd was smart enough not to let Henry Parker or others see exactly what was in the duffle bags.

It is possible that no bodies were in the bags because 1) Lloyd is totally innocent or 2) Lloyd is guilty but disposed of the bodies some other way.

If the bodies were in the bags it is possible that 1) nobody, besides Lloyd, saw what was inside the bag or 2) other people saw and said nothing. I sort of doubt that Henry Parker could see dead bodies and keep his mouth shut for 40 years.

 

[steveP120]

I don't get why Welch would deliberately involve a witness when there was no reason for him to. He's obviously a bad guy but he surely isn't that stupid. I assume this will be part of his defense.

There was actually a witness PRIOR to the crime happening. Lloyd was staring so much at the Lyon sisters and a friend that the friend walked up to Lloyd and said, "Take a Polaroid. It will last longer." This friend of the Lyon sisters, whose name has not be released by the police, was the one who helped the sketch artist make the long-hair-man sketch, which looks like Lloyd.

One would have to be pretty stupid to continue with a planned crime, knowing someone had seen you with the intended victims.
Lloyd could have no self-control and continue with the crime even if he knew there was a good chance of getting caught; it was only through dumb luck (for Lloyd) that the police did not identify him as the Long Hair Man in 1975, or the crime could have gotten more deadly than Lloyd expected (a crime gone wrong) or Lloyd could be innocent.

Another totally stupid thing Lloyd did, if he had any involvement with the crime, was to talk to the police. Any lawyer will tell anyone not to talk to the police if guilty in any way. Lloyd had decades of experience with the legal system. Lloyd was living in prison with people who were there because they made the mistake of talking to the police, and getting tripped up on their own words. Many 18-year old punks think they can lie to and outsmart the police; most are wrong. Any con with years of jail time knows not to talk to the police if guilty. Either Lloyd was pretty stupid or he had no involvement with the crime.

 

[Der600]

Was his involvement with police before or after Lyon sisters' disappearance?

 

[zensiert]

Was his involvement with police before or after Lyon sisters' disappearance?

LLW2 spoke with LE on several occasions. He first spoke with them about a week after the sisters were abducted in 1975 when he claimed to have info that he thought would supposedly allow him to receive the offered $7k reward money. They found him to be unreliable with his info and dismissed him, unfortunately. LE many years later (2013) visited him in the DE prison he was in for sexual child abuse. They met and spoke with him several times where they got bits and pieces of details from him about the case. What parts he stated were true, who knows.

 

[foureyes]

There was actually a witness PRIOR to the crime happening. Lloyd was staring so much at the Lyon sisters and a friend that the friend walked up to Lloyd and said, "Take a Polaroid. It will last longer." This friend of the Lyon sisters, whose name has not be released by the police, was the one who helped the sketch artist make the long-hair-man sketch, which looks like Lloyd.

One would have to be pretty stupid to continue with a planned crime, knowing someone had seen you with the intended victims.
Lloyd could have no self-control and continue with the crime even if he knew there was a good chance of getting caught; it was only through dumb luck (for Lloyd) that the police did not identify him as the Long Hair Man in 1975, or the crime could have gotten more deadly than Lloyd expected (a crime gone wrong) or Lloyd could be innocent.

Another totally stupid thing Lloyd did, if he had any involvement with the crime, was to talk to the police. Any lawyer will tell anyone not to talk to the police if guilty in any way. Lloyd had decades of experience with the legal system. Lloyd was living in prison with people who were there because they made the mistake of talking to the police, and getting tripped up on their own words. Many 18-year old punks think they can lie to and outsmart the police; most are wrong. Any con with years of jail time knows not to talk to the police if guilty. Either Lloyd was pretty stupid or he had no involvement with the crime.

He has no involvement with the crime?

Failing a lie detector test and becoming an "unreliable witness" to the abduction in 1975, kept the LE from searching the 4xxx Baltimore Avenue house. Afterall, his testimony was proven false and useless, just another mercenary out for the reward money. <modsnip>
Sounds like a stellar move to me…….. for career criminals.

House searches may yield mtDNA or may not for the upcoming trial, but must withstand admissibility and discovery to be considered. I wonder how Mr. Anderson, Attorney, will portray his client to the grand jury.