The Springfield Three--missing since June 1992 - #4

[wfgodot]

I just wanted to add, I just read a great cold case book called "This Night Wounds Time", which had the following great quote:
"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, via his creation Sherlock Holmes, once said, "As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. In other words, as William of Occam first put forth in the 14th century hypothesis known as "Occam's Razor," if two or more cometing theories exist to explain a given action, outcome, or event, more often than not, the theory that is the least complicated will prove to be the correct one."

Occam's Razor has long been a favorite of mine.

Question: in applying Occam's Razor to 3MW, where does that leave us? What is the least complicated theory which might explain what happened in Springfield the night of the sixth and seventh of June in 1992?

 

[Hurricane]

I just wanted to add, I just read a great cold case book called "This Night Wounds Time", which had the following great quote:
"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, via his creation Sherlock Holmes, once said, "As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. In other words, as William of Occam first put forth in the 14th century hypothesis known as "Occam's Razor," if two or more cometing theories exist to explain a given action, outcome, or event, more often than not, the theory that is the least complicated will prove to be the correct one."

I like it! Unnecessary complexity should be avoided; an axiom of the KISS principle. In working thru all of the rumors, misinformation and disinformation concerning this case that just never seems to go away, I always liked this quote:

“Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what it is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” – Alice in Wonderland.

 

[monkeymann]

Why would he tie to this case?

Ricky Evan's Farm (the one he was renting at the time), in webster county, was the site of one of the searchs conducted for the 3MW, based on a tip/informant information.
Evans was a good friend of Francis Robb. Evans had supposidly killed two people and disposed of them on his farm. Francis Robb, Sr. had killed three people and disposed of them on Robb's farm...which supposidly south of cassville, mo.

 

[monkeymann]

What I was getting at is there may have been a connection between the grave robbers and the Evans/Robb clan. If it was true that Suzie was going to testify in the upcoming trial of the grave robbers, and somehow unknown to law enforcement, there was a tie between the grave robbers and some illegal activitly that Evans/Robb clan were involved in, its not too much of a stretch, especially with the violent history of the Evans/Robb clan, to think that they might have had a vested interest in seeing Suzie and Sherrill disappear (Sherrill, because I'm sure they would have figured that mother knows anything that daughter did....because of their mother/daughter relationship). Also the Francis Robb, Sr. trial for the murders at the Cassville Farm was scheduled to begain on 6/1/92.

 

[Trooogrit]

Ricky Evan's Farm (the one he was renting at the time), in webster county, was the site of one of the searchs conducted for the 3MW, based on a tip/informant information.
Evans was a good friend of Francis Robb. Evans had supposidly killed two people and disposed of them on his farm. Francis Robb, Sr. had killed three people and disposed of them on Robb's farm...which supposidly south of cassville, mo.

Uh I think you might have your facts mixed up. The farm Ricky Evans lived at that was searched was closer to Marshfield if I remember correctly and the Robb farm was closer to Northview. Casseville is at least an hour south of Springfield. The Robb farm was searched in 1993, and was also searched for the murder case against Francis Robb which was in 1989.

 

[Missouri Mule]

I have a question for anyone who wants to speculate.

As we know from published accounts after the friends arrived at the home, the glass debris was swept away and discarded. The question of where the glass shards are will evidently forever be a mystery. Leaving that aside, I wonder where the broom or sweeping device came from with which to sweep up the shards. It also would have required a dustpan or something flat and large enough to contain the broken pieces which were then discarded somewhere. Somehow I don't think it was likely that the broom and dustpan would have been carried in the car from which to clean the porch. Just my idle thoughts for today. An insignificant point perhaps but this would be a deliberate, conscious act prior to entering the home if the published accounts are accurate, as I recall.

I ask this question for this reason. Did it not occur to these folks that perhaps this was unusual when first observed and as they went into the house it would have been obvious immediately the women were not there. As I recall, the time of their arrival was some period of time (around noon?) after they had planned to have mustered up to go down to White Water. Already, there must have been some concern if the time line I recall is accurate. How might any of us acted under similar circumstances? I wonder if the police bothered to pursue this thoroughly. I find this troubling.

Thoughts?

 

[theforgotten]

I have a question for anyone who wants to speculate.
I ask this question for this reason. Did it not occur to these folks that perhaps this was unusual when first observed and as they went into the house it would have been obvious immediately the women were not there. As I recall, the time of their arrival was some period of time (around noon?) after they had planned to have mustered up to go down to White Water. Already, there must have been some concern if the time line I recall is accurate. How might any of us acted under similar circumstances? I wonder if the police bothered to pursue this thoroughly. I find this troubling.

Thoughts?

You know I've thought about this aspect of the case over and over again through the years. They were very young when this happened and maybe they weren't thinking and cleaned up the glass. I know, I do a lot of things without thinking first. I just can't imagine making plans with friends and going to there house a couple of times and their not there. That is the point makes me crazy. Why did they wait until noon to call someone? I mean for gods sakes, the door was unlocked,the tv was on, and the dog was alone. Then when they do call Stacys mother, then friends and family come over and walk through the house. Why couldn't they wait till the police came. I know this was years before Csi and Criminal minds and the other shows, but still.:banghead:

I would not be so calm if this happened to people I know. Maybe everyone involved that day, looks back now and regrets some of their actions on that day. In retrospect things are much clearer.

 

[Trooogrit]

I have a question for anyone who wants to speculate.

As we know from published accounts after the friends arrived at the home, the glass debris was swept away and discarded. The question of where the glass shards are will evidently forever be a mystery. Leaving that aside, I wonder where the broom or sweeping device came from with which to sweep up the shards. It also would have required a dustpan or something flat and large enough to contain the broken pieces which were then discarded somewhere. Somehow I don't think it was likely that the broom and dustpan would have been carried in the car from which to clean the porch. Just my idle thoughts for today. An insignificant point perhaps but this would be a deliberate, conscious act prior to entering the home if the published accounts are accurate, as I recall.

I ask this question for this reason. Did it not occur to these folks that perhaps this was unusual when first observed and as they went into the house it would have been obvious immediately the women were not there. As I recall, the time of their arrival was some period of time (around noon?) after they had planned to have mustered up to go down to White Water. Already, there must have been some concern if the time line I recall is accurate. How might any of us acted under similar circumstances? I wonder if the police bothered to pursue this thoroughly. I find this troubling.

Thoughts?

If someone doesnt come home at night, people become concerned. In this case it was morning/early afternoon, with the house appearing as the residents stepped out for a short time. I do not believe this would be cause for alarm. I think common sense would tell me that there is a good reason for these people to be gone, and that they would be back soon. What occurred would not have entered anyones mind until later.

 

[monkeymann]

Uh I think you might have your facts mixed up. The farm Ricky Evans lived at that was searched was closer to Marshfield if I remember correctly and the Robb farm was closer to Northview. Casseville is at least an hour south of Springfield. The Robb farm was searched in 1993, and was also searched for the murder case against Francis Robb which was in 1989.

I don't mean to be contrary, but according to Mo.Casenet Court docket entrys the Francis Robb, Sr. Murder Trial was scheduled to start on 06/01/1992.

And, the one of the main articles that was printed by I think Ky3 News very specifically stated that at least one search was conducted at a property south of Cassville.

Incidently, If one were to drive east out of town on Cherry, you can follow a couple county roads that snake south and east...right down to where the former Ricky Evans farm is located.

Ricky Evans farm was on KK Hwy. many miles south west of Marshfield.

Ricky Evans didn't supposidly kill the two people he had been accussed of killing until 1996.

And I'm still confused as to the actual location of the Francis Robb, Sr. Farm.

Also there was a location that Law Enforcement searched that was a dumping site for a concrete company as well.

It would be nice for some one to outline these propertys correctly to help eleaviate the confusion.

 

[Trooogrit]

I don't mean to be contrary, but according to Mo.Casenet Court docket entrys the Francis Robb, Sr. Murder Trial was scheduled to start on 06/01/1992.

And, the one of the main articles that was printed by I think Ky3 News very specifically stated that at least one search was conducted at a property south of Cassville.

Incidently, If one were to drive east out of town on Cherry, you can follow a couple county roads that snake south and east...right down to where the former Ricky Evans farm is located.

Ricky Evans farm was on KK Hwy. many miles south west of Marshfield.

Ricky Evans didn't supposidly kill the two people he had been accussed of killing until 1996.

And I'm still confused as to the actual location of the Francis Robb, Sr. Farm.

Also there was a location that Law Enforcement searched that was a dumping site for a concrete company as well.

It would be nice for some one to outline these propertys correctly to help eleaviate the confusion.

All three locations are seperate and are miles apart. The trial for Robb was scheduled in 92, but the crimes occurred in 1989.

 

[monkeymann]

All three locations are seperate and are miles apart. The trial for Robb was scheduled in 92, but the crimes occurred in 1989.

Ok...I'm not really sure what you're getting at.

Keeping with the old addage of things are usually explained with the easiest explanation.

I would place the Grave Robbers or known associates (Poss. Robb/Evans clan) at the top of the suspect list. Especially considering the direct connection to Suzie Streeter...ie Ex-boyfriend was one of the Grave Robbers. The fact (If true) that Suzie Streeter was scheduled to testify at their upcoming trial that started in late June 1992. The Proximity of them being charged with the crimes, to the timeframe of the disappearance of the 3MW. The Robb Trial starting on 6/01/92...if there was a connection to him, and the violent history of both the Robb's and Evans and co. The area of the Robb Farm was a hop skip and a jump from springfield and could have been easily driven to by going out east cherry street, as has been the speculated route of travel for the perps, (if the van sighting by the porch lady was a valid lead)

 

[Hurricane]

What I was getting at is there may have been a connection between the grave robbers and the Evans/Robb clan. If it was true that Suzie was going to testify in the upcoming trial of the grave robbers, and somehow unknown to law enforcement, there was a tie between the grave robbers and some illegal activitly that Evans/Robb clan were involved in, its not too much of a stretch, especially with the violent history of the Evans/Robb clan, to think that they might have had a vested interest in seeing Suzie and Sherrill disappear (Sherrill, because I'm sure they would have figured that mother knows anything that daughter did....because of their mother/daughter relationship). Also the Francis Robb, Sr. trial for the murders at the Cassville Farm was scheduled to begain on 6/1/92.

For some time Francis Robb Sr. had been in jail awaiting trial for murder. If there was a connection between Robb and the grave robbers as you suggest, I doubt seriously that Francis Robb Sr. was concerned with anything Suzie might know and testify to, that he would orchestrate the abduction and disappearance of the 3MW. He had other problems which he could not beat and ultimately plead guilty to murder.

Looking from your viewpoint one question which never gets answered: If worried about what testimony in a small time case of institutional vandalism might lay at his doorstep, why would (Robb; Little; Mr. Big; plug in name of your choice) orchestrate the abduction and disappearance of the women instead of eliminating the connection to themselves; Recla, Reidel, & Clay?

 

[Valiant]

My thoughts? I know a lot of people in my neighborhood have carports like this house did. It's very common for there to be a broom, dustpan and even a garbage can sitting on the carport in plain sight.

I have a question for anyone who wants to speculate.

As we know from published accounts after the friends arrived at the home, the glass debris was swept away and discarded. The question of where the glass shards are will evidently forever be a mystery. Leaving that aside, I wonder where the broom or sweeping device came from with which to sweep up the shards. It also would have required a dustpan or something flat and large enough to contain the broken pieces which were then discarded somewhere. Somehow I don't think it was likely that the broom and dustpan would have been carried in the car from which to clean the porch. Just my idle thoughts for today. An insignificant point perhaps but this would be a deliberate, conscious act prior to entering the home if the published accounts are accurate, as I recall.

I ask this question for this reason. Did it not occur to these folks that perhaps this was unusual when first observed and as they went into the house it would have been obvious immediately the women were not there. As I recall, the time of their arrival was some period of time (around noon?) after they had planned to have mustered up to go down to White Water. Already, there must have been some concern if the time line I recall is accurate. How might any of us acted under similar circumstances? I wonder if the police bothered to pursue this thoroughly. I find this troubling.

Thoughts?

 

[Missouri Mule]

My thoughts? I know a lot of people in my neighborhood have carports like this house did. It's very common for there to be a broom, dustpan and even a garbage can sitting on the carport in plain sight.

I agree. That would make perfect sense if those items were there but we don't know that and the statements in the media have never addressed this obvious question.

In the event these items were not in the carport, then logically entry would have had to have been made to go into the house to obtain those items. It should have been obvious immediately to anyone with good eyesight that something was wrong. It was at that point that someone should have blown the whistle and started the investigation. But hindsight is always 100%. We are still left with the question of how that porch was cleaned since we were never told.

Thank you for your thoughts, however.

 

[kemo]

Ok...I'm not really sure what you're getting at.

Keeping with the old addage of things are usually explained with the easiest explanation.

I would place the Grave Robbers or known associates (Poss. Robb/Evans clan) at the top of the suspect list. Especially considering the direct connection to Suzie Streeter...ie Ex-boyfriend was one of the Grave Robbers. The fact (If true) that Suzie Streeter was scheduled to testify at their upcoming trial that started in late June 1992. The Proximity of them being charged with the crimes, to the timeframe of the disappearance of the 3MW. The Robb Trial starting on 6/01/92...if there was a connection to him, and the violent history of both the Robb's and Evans and co. The area of the Robb Farm was a hop skip and a jump from springfield and could have been easily driven to by going out east cherry street, as has been the speculated route of travel for the perps, (if the van sighting by the porch lady was a valid lead)

Monkeyman, from your post (#444), there was no trial for the grave robbers in June 1992, only a "probable cause hearing". They had not even been indited at the time of the disappearances. There would have been no testimony from witnesses. (if Missouri is different from other states and there would have been some witness testimony, someone please let me know). Assuming there was no scheduled testimony, this takes the grave robbers of the top of any list.

Cherry St is definitly on the way to the Robb farm, but that doesn't mean much unless some sort of connection can be made between the grave robbers and the Robb "gang". It is all just speculation. It puts the Robb/Evans network at the same level as Garrison, Carnahan, Cox, the Cheevers crew etc: local bad actors that were perfectly capable of such a crime but lacking any motive or connection the the crime.

My understanding is that there was a lot of talk in Springfield about the Robb "gang" as suspects eary in the investigation (probably connected to Francis's trial.) Presuably they were checked out by the SPD. It would be interesting to know what the investigation turned up.

 

[monkeymann]

One of the Grave Robbers was sentenced to a Rehab Program as part of his sentence in the Grave Robbers Case. My thought was that there might have been a Drug connection between the Grave Robbers and the Robbs'/Evans. Evans was supposidly dealing Meth at the time he supposidly murdered the two people on his farm.
If there was a Drug Connection of which someone believed might be compromised in someway by Suzies testimony then who knows. Who knows how much information Suzie was privy to ? If one of the guys had been her boyfriend at one time, she probably knew pretty much about him...at least to some degree. Especially if she was into what ever he was into as well. (I know its never been proven one way or another if she was into drugs). However Bartt Streeter was...and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...so to speak!

 

[theforgotten]

I've always wondered about how saintly Suzie was. She had the tendency to date questionable men. I've always wondered what kind of bad things she was into. Could this have been the reason Stacy and Suzie were not really close friends? Just thinking out load!

 

[gaia227]

I don't think Suzie was ever accused of being saintly or at least I never thought of her that way. From what I understood she was more of a wild child, liked to party, drink, do drugs,hang out with older guys, she smoked which in high school was usually indicitive of 'rebel' or 'party-girl', and the fact her mother let her smoke and bought her cigarrettes for her has always made me think Sherrill was a pretty lenient mother letting Suzi kind of do her own thing, etc. Stacey was much more of your popular high school girl into student gov't, cheerleading ,etc. Now that I think about it I don't where or how I formed these opinions about the 2 girls but that is always how I have thought of them of course that is not to say I am right.

 

[theforgotten]

Sorry, saintly may not have been the right term.

 

[wfgodot]

I don't think Suzie was ever accused of being saintly or at least I never thought of her that way. From what I understood she was more of a wild child, liked to party, drink, do drugs,hang out with older guys, she smoked which in high school was usually indicitive of 'rebel' or 'party-girl', and the fact her mother let her smoke and bought her cigarrettes for her has always made me think Sherrill was a pretty lenient mother letting Suzi kind of do her own thing, etc. Stacey was much more of your popular high school girl into student gov't, cheerleading ,etc. Now that I think about it I don't where or how I formed these opinions about the 2 girls but that is always how I have thought of them of course that is not to say I am right.

Yep, me too, and "exactly" to all of the above. I always thought it odd that, although Suzie & Stacey were friends in grade school, they'd parted ways in the meantime but got back together not long before graduation. Maybe "odd" isn't the right term, but it seemed an out-of-the-ordinary thing in the procession of their lives - and thus might hold a clue as to what happened.