The Crime Scene and Investigation

[creepingskills]

I just don't get what LE thinks the scene was "obviously staged" to LOOK like. I mean, it doesn't make sense to say that a murder for hire by the husband was staged as a murder for hire by the husband. But what was supposedly "staged" to look like anything different?? Just the side door being pried open as far as I can tell. But that's not staging "before, during and after" the crime.... :thinking:

Just thinking out loud, it LOOKS like TS was ambushed in the kitchen with a hammer by one intruder who gained entry by prying the garage door open. The intruder went undetected by the alarm because BS didn't activate it Sunday afternoon. This is likely the "before" staging. I wouldn't be surprised if the hammer left at the scene wasn't the murder weapon. I was wondering if, given the nature of the circular indents on TS's skull, LE was able to determine that a ball peen hammer was used but for whatever reason, the red claw hammer was left by the body. This could be the "after" staging.

The "during" stage is what I'm having a hard time with. What staging can be done during the act? The only thing I can think of is TS was strangled/knocked out or otherwise unconscious prior to the blunt force trauma. IOW TS's death was intended to look like a hammer attack but the hammer was secondary. Or, maybe she wasn't ambushed in the kitchen but rather, the garage. One waited in the garage, told her it was a robbery or something and not to scream...they walk in the kitchen and she's brutally murdered by the other. My thinking is they might have worried that killing TS in the garage could be loud, she could escape. They may have wanted to be in control before TS entered the house and started turning on lights. Maybe a neighbor could weigh in here, but if TS flipped on the lights in the kitchen prior to her murder, wouldn't that create the possibility that the neighbors might see something? If they didn't subdue her in someway prior to using the hammer, wouldn't screaming be a concern?

 

[Scout]

I noticed that the hammer was only bloody on one side. When it was turned over, there was no blood. I wonder if it was just placed there after the crime? Or just used once after death to get blood and hair or just laid by a clump of hair?

I'm not even convinced that was blood. In the photos the hammer does not appear to be very bloody. The only prominent stain appears to be the rust-like stain on the side of the hammer head that was adjacent to the floor. There is a matching rust-like stain on the tile very near the hammer. It appears that the hammer was moved slightly (probably scooted) after initially coming to rest on the floor. It isn't readily apparent if these two stains are blood or rust. If rust, the hammer had to have remained in that position for some period of time (long enough for oxidation to occur) before it was moved.

I expected to see a lot of blood on the hammer -- transfer of blood and other biological matter on the hammer head, spatter on the handle shaft, and hand impression blood transfer on the handle. It appears to me that either this hammer was not the murder weapon but was staged to make it appear that it was or it was washed off and then staged (with the hair and placement).

Of course, resting in blood or serum could cause it to rust, but I don't see any other blood spatter, smears, or coating of blood on it.

 

[Scout]

What do you mean by continuing effort to locate weapons used in the crime? If you just mean that was a category listed in search warrants, that doesn't mean much to me. It's on all the forms pre-filled out. Nobody wants to restrict their search by removing a common category of items from the search warrant, and if you have a "weapons" category then at least you can explain why you have to look everywhere a weapon might fit--and then if you find a firearm and the searchee is a prohibited possessor, you have something you can hold them for...but I digress.

As far as the hammers go, what would be the point of making it look like you used a hammer if you didn't? Again, what is the staging supposed to suggest to LE? Unless you were trying to set up JR "The Hammer" lol. In which case you could also make sure he took his regular cell phone and connected with it to the GPS unit in your rental car...but I digress again lol.

And the "scattering" of valuables without taking any of them suggests to me the opposite of a burglar looking for valuables. It suggests a person dropping items in a struggle with a murderer who didn't give a crap about her valuables. But I see what you mean about the lack of blood spatter on the items. So again, why stage the scene to look MORE like what it really was?? It's as if they were saying to LE, "We want to be sure you notice that there was plenty of stuff to steal and we didn't take any of it, because we were just here for one reason, which was to kill TS."

The side door does seem like staging. But if you're going to stage a "burglary gone bad," why not actually finish doing that? Take some stuff, kill the victim in a less personal and bloody way, etc.? Possibly not turn off the alarm using a code given to a family member?

My comment about continuing search for weapons is partly based on this from investigative report:

"Due to the scene being obviously staged, detectives are possibly looking for any other weapons that may have been utilized during the course of the offense."

There is more that supports my belief, but I'm on phone away from access to documents and photos right now. I'll reply in greater detail later.

 

[Dmacky]

I absolutely do believe they used a hammer/ or hammer's. I was just thinking maybe they took the originals murder hammer's/evidence with them and used one of MS's to lay down next to the body. < (trying in THEIR mind only) to make it look like they came only to rob, and grabbed a "weapon" they saw in the house because they were encountered by the homeowner.

Regarding the "staging" part, It could be something as simple as unarming the home remotely with their phone at 6:09. Perhaps to confuse BS ?
Or maybe they did do a quick walk-through that morning to get an idea of where they would hide..IDK

 

[Scout]

To be clear, I believe a hammer or hammers was used to kill her. However, if the hammer beside TS's body was one of them, it was cleaned before being laid there. IMO

 

[LvsAMystry]

Just thinking out loud, it LOOKS like TS was ambushed in the kitchen with a hammer by one intruder who gained entry by prying the garage door open. The intruder went undetected by the alarm because BS didn't activate it Sunday afternoon. This is likely the "before" staging. I wouldn't be surprised if the hammer left at the scene wasn't the murder weapon. I was wondering if, given the nature of the circular indents on TS's skull, LE was able to determine that a ball peen hammer was used but for whatever reason, the red claw hammer was left by the body. This could be the "after" staging.

The "during" stage is what I'm having a hard time with. What staging can be done during the act? The only thing I can think of is TS was strangled/knocked out or otherwise unconscious prior to the blunt force trauma. IOW TS's death was intended to look like a hammer attack but the hammer was secondary. Or, maybe she wasn't ambushed in the kitchen but rather, the garage. One waited in the garage, told her it was a robbery or something and not to scream...they walk in the kitchen and she's brutally murdered by the other. My thinking is they might have worried that killing TS in the garage could be loud, she could escape. They may have wanted to be in control before TS entered the house and started turning on lights. Maybe a neighbor could weigh in here, but if TS flipped on the lights in the kitchen prior to her murder, wouldn't that create the possibility that the neighbors might see something? If they didn't subdue her in someway prior to using the hammer, wouldn't screaming be a concern?

I agree with all of this. I think the hammer left in the kitchen was not the murder weapon but one from the house to make it look unplanned, like a surprised robbery and the robber grabbed what was handy aka a hammer. The other two laying haphazardly around in the garage on the floor and freezer could be just for that reason, hammers laying around to grab unplanned.

I also agree it's a possibility she was attacked and it started in the garage.

Eta should have read ahead Dmacky already said basically same!

 

[Satchie]

Just thinking out loud, it LOOKS like TS was ambushed in the kitchen with a hammer by one intruder who gained entry by prying the garage door open. The intruder went undetected by the alarm because BS didn't activate it Sunday afternoon... I wouldn't be surprised if the hammer left at the scene wasn't the murder weapon... What staging can be done during the act? The only thing I can think of is TS was strangled/knocked out or otherwise unconscious prior to the blunt force trauma. IOW TS's death was intended to look like a hammer attack but the hammer was secondary. Or, maybe she wasn't ambushed in the kitchen but rather, the garage.

I agree, from what we know at this point, it appears it was staged to look like an interrupted burglary. I am imagining these geniuses coming up with their brillant plan to deceive LE:
* Make it seem the killer(s) broke in just to rob the place (an attempt to pry open the door by the pool, a pried-open garage side door conveniently left without the deadbolt locked)
* Make it unremarkable that he/they got past the security system (rig the alarm so MS's mother couldn't alarm it, then blame her forgetfulness)
* Make sure the dogs are not a problem (this is as yet known but they may have been lured with food and temporarily locked up, then released in a way to ensure they couldn't get into the kitchen)
* Guarantee the hit is a success - we don't want someone to be just wounded (repeated blows to the head, perhaps inflicted after the victim was unconscious)
* Guarantee there's no DNA left behind, both killers had their DNA on record (wear coveralls, possibly gloves and other hazmat protection gear. Perhaps, rather than run away immediately, take the time to clean off the worst in the sink)
* Make it look like robbery but don't go through the house and actually steal anything - they may have been afraid of encountering the dogs outside of the kitchen, and/or leaving DNA, plus MS may not have wanted anyone touching his stuff (leave some of TS's stuff scattered around as though rifled through)

 

[AZlawyer]

What is your theory as to what happened and why the crime was committed?

Murder for hire by the husband. I'd be shocked if it's anything else, but I'm always willing to go where the evidence leads.

Just thinking out loud, it LOOKS like TS was ambushed in the kitchen with a hammer by one intruder who gained entry by prying the garage door open. The intruder went undetected by the alarm because BS didn't activate it Sunday afternoon. This is likely the "before" staging. I wouldn't be surprised if the hammer left at the scene wasn't the murder weapon. I was wondering if, given the nature of the circular indents on TS's skull, LE was able to determine that a ball peen hammer was used but for whatever reason, the red claw hammer was left by the body. This could be the "after" staging.

The "during" stage is what I'm having a hard time with. What staging can be done during the act? The only thing I can think of is TS was strangled/knocked out or otherwise unconscious prior to the blunt force trauma. IOW TS's death was intended to look like a hammer attack but the hammer was secondary. Or, maybe she wasn't ambushed in the kitchen but rather, the garage. One waited in the garage, told her it was a robbery or something and not to scream...they walk in the kitchen and she's brutally murdered by the other. My thinking is they might have worried that killing TS in the garage could be loud, she could escape. They may have wanted to be in control before TS entered the house and started turning on lights. Maybe a neighbor could weigh in here, but if TS flipped on the lights in the kitchen prior to her murder, wouldn't that create the possibility that the neighbors might see something? If they didn't subdue her in someway prior to using the hammer, wouldn't screaming be a concern?

Good thoughts-thanks!

My comment about continuing search for weapons is partly based on this from investigative report:

"Due to the scene being obviously staged, detectives are possibly looking for any other weapons that may have been utilized during the course of the offense."

There is more that supports my belief, but I'm on phone away from access to documents and photos right now. I'll reply in greater detail later.

Thanks! I missed that comment.

 

[No it's not]

I just don't get what LE thinks the scene was "obviously staged" to LOOK like. I mean, it doesn't make sense to say that a murder for hire by the husband was staged as a murder for hire by the husband. But what was supposedly "staged" to look like anything different?? Just the side door being pried open as far as I can tell. But that's not staging "before, during and after" the crime.... :thinking:

The staging may not just have been done for LE. It may or may not involve another individual (or 2), who had been told another story. Now this is just a thought, nothing else. What if MS told someone (before or after the crime), that TS was planning to divorcing him, taking the kids away and everything else.

Perhaps he even suggested TS changed her travel plans to return to Florida and to contact a divorce lawyer. That may include changing the locks.

So MS hires his longtime friend to stage a break-in into the house in order to get out some personal stuff including ..money? However, the friend is late and coincides with TS's return from the airport. They run into each other, the rest we know. The friend flees, nothing is taken from the house.

While this scenario is full of flaws and therefore does or did not fly with LE, it may still fly with someone else. MS may not have told anyone upfront, but he may use this story now, as "justification" towards someone he loves..and who knew about a possible divorce.

And then there is always the possibility, that the quality of the staging was just simply - mediocre.

-Nin

 

[No it's not]

And an after thought regarding a possible staging "during" the time of the attack: Staging could also include not only to place or throw objects into the scene, but to also hold and turn a body in different directions, so it looks like a fight, when in reality the victim may have been passed (out).

An additional way would be to disperse someone else's (unrelated) blood into the scene, so it would look like the attacker(s) got hurt or there were more attackers present. Fake blood, fake DNA..oh the possibilities. It would take quite some time for LE to sort out, how many assailants were in the house.

-Nin

 

[creepingskills]

And an after thought regarding a possible staging "during" the time of the attack: Staging could also include not only to place or throw objects into the scene, but to also hold and turn a body in different directions, so it looks like a fight, when in reality the victim may have been passed (out).

An additional way would be to disperse someone else's (unrelated) blood into the scene, so it would look like the attacker(s) got hurt or there were more attackers present. Fake blood, fake DNA..oh the possibilities. It would take quite some time for LE to sort out, how many assailants were in the house.

-Nin

And who could forget MS telling LE to be sure to check under TS's finger nails for DNA. I wonder if MS was being extra careful to ensure that whatever was planted would be detected.

 

[howonkee]

I've been thinking about the blood spot in the van on the center console and how it got there.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B717FUtKwdU8YXRFM0k0MnlkOG8&usp=drive_web (Bates 29062) a little over halfway down the page

I don't think she was attacked in the van. I think that maybe when the murder was completed and the perps were getting ready to leave, one of them went into the van to get the garage remote control and accidentally dripped blood on the console. I'm not sure why they would do that except to throw off LE's investigation regarding how they entered the property.

Where I live the police say not to leave your garage remote in your vehicle because thieves are breaking in to them and getting the remotes so they can come back and burglarize your house. If they do the break ins while the vehicle is at a public place, they take the registration too so they know which house to get into.

 

[howonkee]

Something else that's been bothering me about the crime scene is why did they not find and photograph TS's cell phone? LE was going to ask MS about any electronic devices but then he retained a lawyer who told them that info along with other requests would not be provided.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3g3DEap84xwQlY1VTRzTWtFRms/view (pgs 8 & 9)

 

[Bobbywoo]

Something else that's been bothering me about the crime scene is why did they not find and photograph TS's cell phone? LE was going to ask MS about any electronic devices but then he retained a lawyer who told them that info along with other requests would not be provided.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3g3DEap84xwQlY1VTRzTWtFRms/view (pgs 8 & 9)

Maybe her phone info and pics is in an upcoming doc dump. There seems to still be many holes in the case and guessing that LE probably has the info but hasn't released it yet. JMO. But then again......JR and CW haven't yet been charged with 1st degree murder so maybe the holes in the case are actually very real? I'm hoping for the first scenario

 

[howonkee]

Maybe her phone info and pics is in an upcoming doc dump. There seems to still be many holes in the case and guessing that LE probably has the info but hasn't released it yet. JMO. But then again......JR and CW haven't yet been charged with 1st degree murder so maybe the holes in the case are actually very real? I'm hoping for the first scenario

That makes sense because anything they would get from her cell phone would probably be relative to communications with MS, not CWW or JRR. There probably is a good reason that the two in custody haven't yet been charged with 1st degree YET and it probably is tied in with the hopefully pending arrest of MS.

 

[debbiegarcia36]

Something else that's been bothering me about the crime scene is why did they not find and photograph TS's cell phone? LE was going to ask MS about any electronic devices but then he retained a lawyer who told them that info along with other requests would not be provided.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3g3DEap84xwQlY1VTRzTWtFRms/view (pgs 8 & 9)

I saw her cell phone on the kitchen floor not far from her wallet.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[msboo]

Maybe her phone info and pics is in an upcoming doc dump. There seems to still be many holes in the case and guessing that LE probably has the info but hasn't released it yet. JMO. But then again......JR and CW haven't yet been charged with 1st degree murder so maybe the holes in the case are actually very real? I'm hoping for the first scenario

JMO, I think LE is withholding some evidence to protect their ongoing investigation. Leaves us wondering but that's ok, I'm all for a thorough & complete investigation as possible.

 

[No it's not]

PDF:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3g3DEap84xwRGM4N0RDa2ZWNlE/view?usp=sharing

LINKED:
http://s29.postimg.org/k7v8zfy5z/Crime_Scene_FINAL_TICKET_A.jpg

http://postimg.org/image/pja5k5k8j/full/

-Nin

 

[irishchook]

PDF:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3g3DEap84xwRGM4N0RDa2ZWNlE/view?usp=sharing

JPG:

-Nin

You're amazing. Wow, NIN!! You never seize to amaze me &#128537;

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[debbiegarcia36]

You're amazing. Wow, NIN!! You never seize to amaze me &#128537;

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For sure!

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