Tim Miller Interview re: Blanchard Search

[cyberborg]

What factual evidence to you have to back up your accusation that the A's don't want Caylee found? Please note, that I asked for factual evidence,not personal opinion.

http://www.wftv.com/news/17953194/detail.html

"Tim Miller runs EquuSearch. The group searches for missing people all over the country. He organized several expensive search parties for Caylee's body over the weekend, but called them all off Monday.

Miller told Eyewitness News he's never had a case like this where the family offers only criticism instead of actually helping in the search."

 

[LCoastMom]

TM says "searchers in BP have ulterior motives and turning search into a circus".

This debate is a complete distraction from the common objective. This is good for the A's because not only is focus being taken off Caylee, it is also being taken off KC now and -- the blog community is focused on 3rd parties and in-fighting. Internal debates.
This is so wrong at every level.

I hate that the search teams are disagreeing so badly. The A's are behind it - guaranteed - hate to say that but the more they can stir up, the less focus is on finding a body...turn LP and TES against each other, throw MURT in the mix and you have an Anthony party...

Folks, I don't think it serves Caylee to "bash" one "team" against the other. Both Tim and Leonard have worked on their own dime trying to serve this sweet angel. Please let's not get into a fight over these two men who are doing what we all want to do, and that's find Caylee.

Respectfully snipped.

Does everyone see what happened this weekend? Who won and who potentially lost? And how a few people were able to interject this search with their own brand of poison and turn two good men against each other...

The people responsible for the circus and the poison must be rejoicing tonite after all the searchers have packed up and moved on. This special blend reeks of interference from Team Anthony. Who else stood to gain from separating TM and LP besides KC? It surely wasn't done on Caylee's behalf.

Tim left more heart broken and confused then ever. LP who truly wants to see Caylee found is being bad mouthed by the very people who asked for his help to find her a few months ago, at least until he said no more manipulation. Yes, both men have different styles and personalities. That's OK; had they been left to their own devices they could have used those differences to cover twice the territory either one would cover alone.

Only KC had anything to gain by the search being called off, but I'm predicting whether KC wins or loses in court, once the A family gets a prison sentence 'they all can live with', KC is going to to suddenly remember another nonexistent phone conversation, this one with clues that will lead to Caylee's remains. At that time Team A will welcome all searchers with open arms to bring home this sweet baby. Until that time be prepared, the results they got this weekend will surely make them feel more powerful than ever.

I'm just sick in my heart, knowing this kind of evil ever touched sweet Caylee.

 

[Pondering Mind]

Miller has that right! Padilla knew going in that the beads in question, had been claimed by another family as their own. Padilla is running out of things to flap about on his favorite tabloid TV show.

I hadn't heard that the beads had been claimed by another family, do you have a link to that info please?

 

[AutomaticAuttie]

I ask again, please enlighten me. Just what have you seen Cindy or George do besides drive around the billboard and stand at a table *accepting* donations for t-shirts. I would really love to know and would be willing to bet I am not alone. Since you state that you have seen them searching first hand, could you please give an example?

How do people that have a missing child who believe that child is still alive search for them?

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I thought it was common knowledge there were two crosses. One was claimed by the other family of NG who was murdered in the park on June 10th. Is someone now saying there was only one cross or both were claimed by the murdered woman's family?

 

[cyberborg]

Miller has that right! Padilla knew going in that the beads in question, had been claimed by another family as their own. Padilla is running out of things to flap about on his favorite tabloid TV show.

There are / were two crosses and I am only aware that one was claimed.....

http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2008/11/get-the-latest.html

"Meanwhile, there is a lot of chatter and rumors about a beaded cross necklace that was found in the woods. I have been aware of this find but was asked not to share the information. That information got leaked by a blogger on another site today and it has since been twisted into several different versions.

Yes, a cross was found hanging on a tree branch. No, it was not found today, it was found during the first search effort. The information has been carefully guarded because we were not sure of the significance of the find. It was not a store bought necklace, but a craft item that someone had made out of plastic and beads. What made the find interesting was that the beads, according to Leonard Padilla, were "identical" to beads that the female bounty hunter (the one who stayed in the house when Casey was out on bond) had seen on jewlery that Casey had allegedly made. Is it related to the case? Unknown. I saw a photo of the cross today but unfortunately that is the only thing they have. The cross was left on the branch and, according to Rob Dick, disappeared shortly thereafter.

My understanding is that a second cross was found today – I am not sure if it was a jewelry item or marker – but law enforcement has since discovered that it had been placed in the area by the family of a murder victim. It is unrelated to the case."

 

[Friday]

Early last month in Orlando, an unimpeachable authority on this case shook his head and ruefully warned,

" Anyone who tries to help the Anthonys ends up getting body slammed."​

My God, at the time I thought that was a joking exaggeration, but as I scroll through this thread it's like watching an awful prophesy come true.

As a group, WSers are the most dedicated, intellectual, caring people I've ever had the privilege to interact with on the web. And yet, here we are, criticizing the methods and mistrusting the motives...doubting the intelligence and integrity...and even the courage...of the same men who were almost "heroes" to us a couple days ago, "BCG."
(Before Cindy and George).

To illustrate how big a "body slam" this must be for TM, I doubt that in all the years since he founded TES, he's ever accummulated as much censure and criticism as he's endured in this single weekend.

I don't know much about Leonard or his past, but I have a hunch he probably doesn't give a d@mn what everybody thinks about him--just so long as everybody keeps thinking about him.


I didn't mean to lecture. I think the Anthonys are driving me nuts. :bang:

 

[SoCalSleuth]

It's $25 to become a member.
People can search without becoming a member...and it's not something they "push".

Feeding horses is EXPENSIVE.
Fuel for ATV's, RV's, is EXPENSIVE.
Porta Pottys were rented.
Electricity was run to the command center.
There were phone lines put in.
Just a few things...I"m sure there are many others we wouldn't even think about.

What's the big problem with the money spent? 100 team members x $200 a ticket is $20,000 right there. Per your count about another $6,000 for hotel rooms. They also had to haul horses from Texas to Florida--that had to cost thousands of dollars. As stated they also had to feed those horses. They had to rent that high-tech software. They had to feed the horses. And they also had to pay for food and water--there weren't enough donations to cover that. I don't think $37,000 is a lot at all. They spent about $2,000,000 in one month looking at sea for Natalee Holloway. I'm getting really sick and tired of people second guessing Equusearch. I don't see anyone else searching for Caylee. And no LP search at Blancard Park doesn't count as that area had already been cleared.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

How do people that have a missing child who believe that child is still alive search for them?

First and foremost, the moment your child goes missing you dial 911. This step is essential in every missing child case as time is critical. The stats will tell you that the longer a child is missing, the less the chance the child will be found alive. They will contact the FBI or other agencies to participate in the search.

Secondly, you will be asked to provide accurate and up to date information about the last time the child was seen including descriptions of anyone last seen with the child and vehicle used to transport the child. This information will be used to determine if an Amber Alert criteria is met or is warranted.

If you do choose to go on television...you beg for people to come help you find your child. (You do not tell them to get off their @sses and you do not give them "rules and restrictions" on where they can look.) Since you should have already been in contact with legitimate missing organizations, you should have fliers in place for various volunteers to be handing out on street corners, to businesses, for people to download on the internet, and anywhere you can think to place one.

Most people with missing children attend every search even if it is to be onhand in the command center in case something is found. Most people with missing children also make it a point to get out into the public daily to pass out fliers, talk to anyone who will listen on the street to ask for information or for help, and to try to open every door to encourage others to join your search. You keep the child's name out in the public eye by working diligently side by side with people who have come to your rescue operation because they see you working so hard to find your missing child. They should want to help you because you are doing the right thing.

 

[TURBOTHINK]

While I do not doubt that both TM and LP do WANT to find Caylee, the two men and their motives are very different. TM is searching with the blessing and request of LE and is using the information and facts that they have willingly supplied him in order to determine WHERE to search. LP is using hunches that are in NO WAY based in fact or on LE information. He jumps from one hunch to the next minute by minute.

Since LP has NOT been approved or sanctioned by LE, he is very much in danger of jeopardizing the case against Casey. Any type of evidence that he might locate or find would never hold up in court because he has made it clear that he is determined to condemn Casey. Tim has been adamant that all searchers be instructed on procedures, that they do not speak with media, and that they may not make calls or take photos of the search. LP has allowed and encouraged photographers, television and print media and untrained lookiloos being in the middle of everything that he does.

One man is in this to find a child and to find and preserve correctly any evidence which might be around. The other is in it to find Caylee and then do every talk show interview that he can get his face into.

Tim is needed and wanted elsewhere. He is wise enough to realize that no one single missing person is more important than another. If he can go to North Carolina and perhaps find two or three or four, it would be unconscionable to waste his time, money and resources in Florida on a hopeless search. Caylee or her body could be anywhere, there is no area to which it can be narrowed down to search any further.

Tim is as disappointed as anyone could ever be to leave without finding this child. However, he is also wise and experienced and needed elsewhere. If he says that he has searched all areas requested by LE in this case, there is nothing more for him to do. It is impossible to search hundreds of square miles of scrub areas when there is NO indication that Casey or anyone else who had Caylee was ever there.

How do you know LE has not sanctioned LP ?

I am not sure how I feel about Tim at this time. I know he is dedicated to finding children, and he has worked endlessly for that cause. I admire him for that immensely.

I don't understand his allowing hundreds of people to travel thousands of miles to help him search and 36 hours into the search calling it off saying "Caylee will never be found." It really did not affect us that much because we were not working with TES directly, but there were many I met who had also traveled long distances at considerable expense who could only work with TES because they do not have the equipment or knowledge of how to search.

I met a lady at dinner last night who had traveled from New Jersey with her four adult children and they were very upset the about the search. They did not feel they had been "done right." I wanted to invite them to search with us, but having strangers in the group tends to throw the dogs off at times, and we had to consider our mission. I felt very sorry for them.

Just saying there could have been a better way of handling all of it.

 

[realist]

I ask again, please enlighten me. Just what have you seen Cindy or George do besides drive around the billboard and stand at a table *accepting* donations for t-shirts. I would really love to know and would be willing to bet I am not alone. Since you state that you have seen them searching first hand, could you please give an example?

If you go back and re-read the post, you will see I was referring to LP, not the A's.

As a matter of fact, if you go back even further, you will see it was I who posted about GA selling his T-shirts on Goldenrod Rd. and NOT searching.

 

[EgyptNug]

I don't understand his allowing hundreds of people to travel thousands of miles to help him search and 36 hours into the search calling it off saying "Caylee will never be found."

I found it so depressing and discouraging that he said that Sunday night. I don't understand why he said that, but his words definitely took the wind out of our sails. Also, we had an important find earlier in the day on Sunday (that has not been mentioned in any of the news coverages), and I am not sure that the Crime Unit had even had time to investigate our find, as well as the other items of interest that were flagged by all the search groups on Sunday. So what is he basing his comment on if all our flagged areas hadn't even been reviewed when he said it?

I think maybe Tim just got too emotionally involved (not nec. a bad thing, but it is a bad thing if you take things personally when you are leading a search for a missing little girl, maybe.)

(Now that TES pulled out, I want to make sure what we found is investigated by someone, am I allowed to ask LE about it, or is that in violation of what I signed?)

 

[LiveLoveLaughLiza]

I found it so depressing and discouraging that he said that Sunday night. I don't understand why he said that, but his words definitely took the wind out of our sails. Also, we had an important find earlier in the day on Sunday (that has not been mentioned in any of the news coverages), and I am not sure that the Crime Unit had even had time to investigate our find, as well as the other items of interest that were flagged by all the search groups on Sunday. So what is he basing his comment on if all our flagged areas hadn't even been reviewed when he said it?

I think maybe Tim just got too emotionally involved (not nec. a bad thing, but it is a bad thing if you take things personally when you are leading a search for a missing little girl, maybe.)

(Now that TES pulled out, I want to make sure what we found is investigated by someone, am I allowed to ask LE about it, or is that in violation of what I signed?)

I would think you could ask LE about it......most definitely.

 

[EmMomma]

What's the big problem with the money spent? 100 team members x $200 a ticket is $20,000 right there. Per your count about another $6,000 for hotel rooms. They also had to haul horses from Texas to Florida--that had to cost thousands of dollars. As stated they also had to feed those horses. They had to rent that high-tech software. They had to feed the horses. And they also had to pay for food and water--there weren't enough donations to cover that. I don't think $37,000 is a lot at all. They spent about $2,000,000 in one month looking at sea for Natalee Holloway. I'm getting really sick and tired of people second guessing Equusearch. I don't see anyone else searching for Caylee. And no LP search at Blancard Park doesn't count as that area had already been cleared.

:clap:
ITA, *except* I think that it's fine and acceptable for people (ahem, LP) to search areas already "cleared"...after all, it's his dime. My experience this weekend led me to the conclusion that a LOT of these areas will never be completely "cleared", it's amazing what people searching are up against...I personally feel that some of the areas could be gone over again and again...5 people may walk past something, and the 6th may see it...JMO, of course.
Hm...for some reason, quote got mixed up...original post was from SoCalSleuth.

 

[Pondering Mind]

If you go back and re-read the post, you will see I was referring to LP, not the A's.

As a matter of fact, if you go back even further, you will see it was I who posted about GA selling his T-shirts on Goldenrod Rd. and NOT searching.

Sorry, not seeing it, but then your post had to be edited by a mod for some reason.

 

[Friday]

Snipped and bolded by me

Thanks for the props, fellow posters. People seem to have chosen sides and are so emotionally involved that to step back and look at this logically, realistically and objectively is becoming impossible for some people.

I don't hate LP, but I do care about you. I don't like to see people who I think are sincerely interested in this case used to promote an agenda that if they looked objectively at it would not be in the best interest of justice for this little girl. He is causing material harm to this case and has done irreparable damage to the reputation of Equusearch for which Tim Miller has had to publicly disassociate himself from LP. Shouldn't that make you think again about what is happening here? He is doing to this case the same thing that Darnay Huffman did in the Ramsey case - he's making it almost impossible to get a conviction, justice and a resolution in this tragedy.

OMG, Bev, you're right, and it's not only breaking my heart, it's starting to feel really creepy. Like a Stephen King novel, everyone who gets involved with the Anthony case soon ends up turning on each other. Even here at WS.

 

[Imajica]

I've got a question. I've seen several posters make the claim that Tim Miller said "Caylee will never be found.." I have such a hard time believing this could be true. As a Texan who remembers when his daughter Laura disappeared years ago, and how hard he worked to find her body and bring it home, I have SUCH a hard time believing Tim Miller of all people would make that kind of claim. Did anyone here actually hear those words come out of Tim's mouth, or this another rumor being reported as fact?

 

[justbetweenus]

I've got a question. I've seen several posters make the claim that Tim Miller said "Caylee will never be found.." I have such a hard time believing this could be true. As a Texan who remembers when his daughter Laura disappeared years ago, and how hard he worked to find her body and bring it home, I have SUCH a hard time believing Tim Miller of all people would make that kind of claim. Did anyone here actually hear those words come out of Tim's mouth, or this another rumor being reported as fact?

I recall it along the lines of him saying "like all searches we have to face the fact she may never be found." I could be wrong though.

I seen over at Murts tonight an interview on channel six (I think) with Tim Miller (Murt had a mike up to the tv and it was hard to hear clearly) but Tim said that at the search this past weekend all LP did was have his picture taken with fans, and handed out business cards. Has anyone seen this, and have a link to this interview? I can't find it.

 

[starpatch]

http://www.wesh.com/video/17947522/index.html

Approx. 2 minutes 30 seconds into interview. Says "searchers in BP have ulterior motives and turning search into a circus".

Seems as though, everybody is mad at some body...Lots of tension in this case.

 

[Amster]

Why does TM care one iota what LP is or isn't doing? LP isn't a part of TES. And, all I've ever heard from LP is praise for TM. Makes no sense to me.

I do hope that TM at least thanked all the volunteer searchers. I heard him say he was disappointed in the turn out, but what about the ones who did show up?