The Key: Planted or Not? Impact?

[Cymbaline]

You wouldn't need to thoroughly cleanse it. If it was someone who was a first time handler or someone who never should have handled you could simply wipe it down with a Clorox towlet. Once dry, handle with gloves, find a DNA ripe source such as socks, toothbrush, shirt armpit, shoes, etc.

The only issue is that TH's DNA wasn't anywhere on the key. Only SA's was found on it.

MOO

 

[Cymbaline]

ohhhh I finally found something about that dang lanyard!!!!!!

DAY 18 Page 106 Michael Riddle, the fingerprint guy.

He is talking about what he did on Nov 7th when he started processing the SUV.

Q. And, finally, during the course of your inventory of the contents of this vehicle, did you find an Air National Guard lanyard?

A. Yes, I did.

Q. And if you recall, can you tell us the approximate location of that lanyard?

A. Yes, it was in the center console between the driver's -- front driver's seat and the front passenger seat.

Do you know if the lanyard was tested for DNA?

 

[missy1974]

Do you know if the lanyard was tested for DNA?

They wouldn't want to do that, that's silly!!!! lol

I don't recall reading anything about it being tested, I have not seen it in any reports, it was the first time in all the documents that it popped up.

On that note.... during the trial, there is testimony that she had other keys, she had a studio key, a house key, and a garage key. There has been much speculation that this was probably her spare key (a valet key) and as far as I know, her other keys have never been found. Finding this lanyard in the SUV just adds to the theory that the key was planted. When was the SUV found... the 5th.... when was the magically falling key found.... the 7th (? gee, I can't even remember lol)

If you look back to the beginning of this thread, the question was, well if it was planted, where did he get it? My guess at this point.... it was in the SUV, in the middle console. So if you believe that the key could be planted and it came from the SUV where the other half of that lanyard was..... that means "someone" had access to that SUV either before or after it was found on the 5th. If they had access to the SUV, IMO you can't disregard the possibility that "someone" also planted that blood.

Also.... her purse was never found. I wonder if that is where her 'set of keys' would be. IF she was using her spare key that day because she misplaced her other set of keys.... in the 1 1/2 years between her being killed and the trial.... no one found her keys? no way.

 

[Justiceseeker35]

I had this idea earlier that she might have kept the spare key in the car on the lanyard in case someone at her job needed to borrow her car? She did a lot of traveling around the area for auto trader, photo shoots and such but possibly she lent her co workers the car to do their shoots on an emergency basis while she was in the office. I've never kept a spare key on a lanyard but I have had id badges and prox entry cards on lanyards and I never ever unclipped it purposefully from the neck part because that's the easiest way to loose them. Also keeping the main key on a lanyard doesn't make since because trying to drive with the lanyard dangling around your legs seems like it would get annoying.

 

[Justiceseeker35]

View attachment 88057

Do you know if the lanyard was tested for DNA?

If SA really got his dna on one piece of the lanyard then he got his dna on the other piece when he unclasped it.

 

[pleasestandby]

... pair of slippers ...

You mean like a key inside a slipper that has a nightstand leg sitting on it to make sure enough DNA got on it? Just a thought...

 

[MysticJynx]

I find it funny that on the same day they found that key and they all stopped and didn't touch it. Why cause they all KNEW it was IMPORTANT EVIDENCE. Took the picture of it and collected it. However that same day they find the Body/Bones of TH but they don't stop and handle it with care like they did the key. Was the body/bones not also important evidence. They are careless with the BODY, just moving stuff around no pictures of them, using shovels to remove them from the ash and dirt, they do not call and actually keep the coroner off the property and out of the investigation. But with this important evidence a HUMANS REMAINS, they are careless, just moving stuff around no pictures, no grid,
using shovels to remove them from the ash and dirt. Seems very fishy.

 

[MysticJynx]

I had this idea earlier that she might have kept the spare key in the car on the lanyard in case someone at her job needed to borrow her car? She did a lot of traveling around the area for auto trader, photo shoots and such but possibly she lent her co workers the car to do their shoots on an emergency basis while she was in the office. I've never kept a spare key on a lanyard but I have had id badges and prox entry cards on lanyards and I never ever unclipped it purposefully from the neck part because that's the easiest way to loose them. Also keeping the main key on a lanyard doesn't make since because trying to drive with the lanyard dangling around your legs seems like it would get annoying.

I think she left that key in her purse or her car, Maybe her camera bag. I could imagine her having to go to a job such as a wedding, or christening and it taking more time then a picture of a car. A whole evening or day possibly. So she may have kept that key in her purse. She could remove her camera and leave all her belongings, take that key and put it around her neck while shes off at a venue for an event she is take photographs for. Mean while all her other belongings in her car, purse, possibly her camera bag and her KEYS that she normally carries with her that would have her house, business, garage, and other car key on it are safe in her Locked car. They may be to bulky to carry around with her when she is working. The key around the neck on that lanyard would make sense to me. And it would make sense it be in her purse or left in her glove box.

 

[Sustained]

I assume they treated all Toyota keys from the Avery Salvage yard as important evidence ? Out of the hundreds of cars present, how many of them were Toyotas and how many other Toyota keys did they confiscate and check in the RAV4 ? Since they "found" the key on the 8th, it seems like they would've had plenty of time to check all of the other Toyota keys on the lot.

Never saw a report on this ...

 

[Madeleine74]

How many other vehicle keys were found in the Avery trailer? How many Toyota keys?

 

[Sustained]

How many other vehicle keys were found in the Avery trailer? How many Toyota keys?

Not sure, but the RAV4 key was found in the trailer on 11/8 by Lenk. The RAV4 was found on 11/5. LE had 3 days to check all of the other keys present @ Avery Salvage to see if one of them fit the RAV4. Did they check any of them ? Never saw a report on this ...

Also ... if SA is the one who moved TH's car to the back of the salvage lot, he had 3+ days to dispose of the vehicle until LE came looking at Avery Salvage. Car was found on the 11/5 - why didn't SA crush the car or move it off property under the cover of darkness ?

 

[Justiceseeker35]

I think she left that key in her purse or her car, Maybe her camera bag. I could imagine her having to go to a job such as a wedding, or christening and it taking more time then a picture of a car. A whole evening or day possibly. So she may have kept that key in her purse. She could remove her camera and leave all her belongings, take that key and put it around her neck while shes off at a venue for an event she is take photographs for. Mean while all her other belongings in her car, purse, possibly her camera bag and her KEYS that she normally carries with her that would have her house, business, garage, and other car key on it are safe in her Locked car. They may be to bulky to carry around with her when she is working. The key around the neck on that lanyard would make sense to me. And it would make sense it be in her purse or left in her glove box.

I'm going on the assumption that the last person to move the car would have touched both pieces of the lanyard and likely didn't remember to remove DNA from the neck part. I think it should be retested to rule out certain parties.

 

[missy1974]

The other part of the lanyard was in the middle console in the rav4. I dont know if it was tested at all.

 

[Cymbaline]

The other part of the lanyard was in the middle console in the rav4. I dont know if it was tested at all.

No, that part wasn't DNA tested. I downloaded all 27 days of the trial transcripts to iBooks and just finished reading them.

 

[Sustained]

No, that part wasn't DNA tested. I downloaded all 27 days of the trial transcripts to iBooks and just finished reading them.

I would think Zellner knows this and will be testing the rest of the lanyard.

 

[diesel]

Absolutely agree.

 

[Madeleine74]

The assumption is that the key fob was connected to the lanyard portion at the time of TH's kidnapping/murder. However, having a long lanyard attached to the key fob and dangling down from the ignition and bumping into ones leg would be annoying. I don't believe those 2 pieces were connected together while she was driving. That the lanyard was found in the middle console implies it was put there, on purpose. I suspect TH put it there.

I agree it should be tested if it wasn't.

 

[Sustained]

The assumption is that the key fob was connected to the lanyard portion at the time of TH's kidnapping/murder. However, having a long lanyard attached to the key fob and dangling down from the ignition and bumping into ones leg would be annoying. I don't believe those 2 pieces were connected together while she was driving. That the lanyard was found in the middle console implies it was put there, on purpose. I suspect TH put it there.

I agree it should be tested if it wasn't.

Good thought, but how do we know that key was the one being used to drive the RAV4 that day ? Where were her house keys, office key, etc ?

 

[Madeleine74]

We don't. We only know where that particular key was found and what was found on it through testing at the Wisconsin State Lab.

 

[missy1974]

I would think Zellner knows this and will be testing the rest of the lanyard.

if that is the case... it's unfortunate that it was handled without gloves during the trial. I remember seeing at least her sister touching it, but there might have been another time too. I remember because I posted about it, I was surprised anyone touched evidence without gloves.

ETA: most of the young kids (haha I say that and I mean in their 20's, I feel old *sigh*) I know... use lanyards for their keys, but they usually don't have the part that detaches. The kids at work use them so they don't lose their keys while working, they can put it around their neck and in their shirt/jackets. Some use them because I think they think it's cool.. LOL I'm also Canadian... live in the prairies... we might just do things differently here LOL My daughter has used a lanyard since she got her first car when she was 16... why? cuz she loses her keys all the time!!!!!! she is now almost 24, and still uses it LOL