TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #12

[Pearl*]

Most of the people who are making such a ruckus and leading the search for her are total strangers.

And thank goodness for that beautiful ruckus! We need more ruckus for all the missing women that go basically unnoticed and unaccounted for, not just Gail but everyone.

I think there could be a context issue here. Here is a larger portion from the quoted section:

As for Gail going to a shelter and the time she has been gone...I don't really know what to say. I do have to question the network of friends you mention. We have heard from Arlene, we have heard about Susie Button, we have heard of one or two others who used to work with her, but who else has stepped forward to claim friendship with Gail? Not saying that Gail was unfriendly or anything like that, but it seems strange to me that no one else really has chimed in with how close to Gail they were. Most of the people who are making such a ruckus and leading the search for her are total strangers. I just wonder if she did have people who she was 100% certain she could count on. Did she have a network of friends? Family, yes, I am sure her sister and brother and other family members, but friends...

[bbm]

I read the question differently: I see it as wondering where are those friends she might have had some regular contact with in the weeks right before her disappearance. I think it's reasonable to think there might have been some, other than Arlene and Susie. I also think it's a reasonable curiousity that we haven't heard from anybody else who would be a "friend" with first-hand knowledge of her recent activities before April 30.

So... why would it be that MOST of the loudest voices are the ones who seem to be complete strangers? I read in this quote no criticism of those strangers, but instead it is to my knowledge a statement of fact.

I think it's a great question.

ETA: Confused and Hollyblue, thanks for two great posts that raise some very thought-provoking questions from different perspectives.

 

[Emeralgem]

I think there could be a context issue here. Here is a larger portion from the quoted section:



[bbm]

I read the question differently: I see it as wondering where are those friends she might have had some regular contact with in the weeks right before her disappearance. I think it's reasonable to think there might have been some, other than Arlene and Susie. I also think it's a reasonable curiousity that we haven't heard from anybody else who would be a "friend" with first-hand knowledge of her recent activities before April 30.

So... why would it be that MOST of the loudest voices are the ones who seem to be complete strangers? I read in this quote no criticism of those strangers, but instead it is to my knowledge a statement of fact.

I think it's a great question.

ETA: Confused and Hollyblue, thanks for two great posts that raise some very thought-provoking questions from different perspectives.

IMHO..The words "making such a ruckus" and " are total strangers" helped tremendously to influence my take on the subject...JMHO.

 

[Melodie]

I think that is entirely possible. We know she left the house but we do not know if she came back.

Yet another question that could be answered by the children. JMO

 

[Pearl*]

Yet another question that could be answered by the children. JMO

If I understand correctly, we do not know if LE ever requested a formal statement of MP.

Do we know if LE ever requested to speak with the children?

 

[Pearl*]

IMHO..The words "making such a ruckus" and " are total strangers" helped tremendously to influence my take on the subject...JMHO.

Perhaps those words have some negative connotation associated with them, but do we know the answer to the original question as to whether Gail had a network of friends with whom she had regular contact? Have we heard from more than best friend Arlene and neighbor/friend Susie?

 

[glorias]

I think there could be a context issue here.

With all due respect, I read the full post and am pretty well versed in the English language. I understand what was said.

So... why would it be that MOST of the loudest voices are the ones who seem to be complete strangers?

Well, why not? Most of the loudest voices in any case are strangers -- the media, people following the news, people talking on internet forums, pundits, talk show hosts, etc. This doesn't seem odd to me personally. I've read the threads of 3 other missing persons cases here -- Bob Harrod, the Springfield Three, and Bill and Lorraine Currier -- and AFAIK none of them have family members who speak out. All for different reasons I'm sure, but it doesn't seem unusual to me.

What DID seem odd to me was that from the very beginning, some people have been saying that this case should be ignored because Gail's family isn't speaking out which means they must know secret information that explains most (or everything) about this case. I disagree, and I used Confused's comment about "strangers making a ruckus" as a way to express my disagreement.

 

[Melodie]

If I understand correctly, we do not know if LE ever requested a formal statement of MP.

Do we know if LE ever requested to speak with the children?

I don't think we know if they requested a statement from them, but I think a recent article has been quoted on here several times that said to that date neither MP nor the children have given statements to LE. Wasn't that in a recent article?

I don't believe that the investigators have not requested interviews. Others may disagree. That is just what I believe. It would make no sense to me that a woman disappears and they are investigating the case thoroughly and they would not request an interview with the woman's husband and the children who are known to be two of the last people to see Gail on 4/30. I would be stunned to find that was true.

So, no, to my knowledge we don't have an official statement from LE saying that they requested interviews and were denied. We don't have a statement saying interviews were offered and turned down. All we have is a statement in an article saying that up until that point they had not been interviewed. I personally believe they had to have been requested. But, that's just my opinion.

 

[glorias]

Perhaps those words have some negative connotation associated with them, but do we know the answer to the original question as to whether Gail had a network of friends with whom she had regular contact? Have we heard from more than best friend Arlene and neighbor/friend Susie?

In the media, we have also heard about Maria G and Alaine G.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14655364

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/may/23/searchers-comb-signal-missing-woman/?news


This article references "about a dozen friends" including Brandie L.

http://www.waka.com/news/7502-the-s...ssee-mother-intensifies-in-elmore-county.html


We used to hear from several here on WS, but not anymore. Surely you remember fbx, fireflylink, MacGyver, and locals like perico and sophieness. ETA: Also Kikidee, I forgot her earlier.

 

[BeanE]

What DID seem odd to me was that from the very beginning, some people have been saying that this case should be ignored because Gail's family isn't speaking out which means they must know secret information that explains most (or everything) about this case.

Wow. I've never seen a single person say that - anywhere. In fact, I've never seen a single person on any case I've followed - and I've been following them for years - say that a case should be ignored.

I'm floored. Would you care to share where you've seen that?

 

[hollyblue]

Perhaps those words have some negative connotation associated with them, but do we know the answer to the original question as to whether Gail had a network of friends with whom she had regular contact? Have we heard from more than best friend Arlene and neighbor/friend Susie?

Just because we haven't heard from them or about them doesn't mean they don't exist or better...working behind the scenes in a joint effort to help. imo

 

[Melodie]

Perhaps those words have some negative connotation associated with them, but do we know the answer to the original question as to whether Gail had a network of friends with whom she had regular contact? Have we heard from more than best friend Arlene and neighbor/friend Susie?

I think a few of Gail's friends have been verified as such here on WS, haven't they? I don't think many of her friends have spoken to the media. I don't blame them. Have we heard anything from any of MP's friends? Does he have friends that have spoken to the media?

 

[Pearl*]

In the media, we have also heard about Maria G and Alaine G.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14655364

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/may/23/searchers-comb-signal-missing-woman/?news


This article references "about a dozen friends" including Brandie L.

http://www.waka.com/news/7502-the-s...ssee-mother-intensifies-in-elmore-county.html


We used to hear from several here on WS, but not anymore. Surely you remember fbx, fireflylink, MacGyver, and locals like perico and sophieness.

Yes, I do recall those. I do not know, however, if they are more in the category of "acquaintenance" or confidant. There's also the issue of friends from long ago that may or may not have been in regular contact recently. I sometimes go for a year or two out of contact with people I consider friends--particularly childhood friends--but I consider them close friends although they know little of my daily life, etc.

Just because we haven't heard from them or about them doesn't mean they don't exist or better...working behind the scenes in a joint effort to help. imo

Yes, I do agree with you about that. Just trying to clarify what we know about her social circles in general.

 

[glorias]

Early on we heard lots of reports that the family didn't want any attention. The first thing I remember is this from DNeecie:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6457485&postcount=44"]Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #1[/ame]



It came up so much fbx and MacGyver both had to keep reminding people that the family DID want help:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6527229#post6527229"]TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #3 - Page 9 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]


[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6757067#post6757067"]TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #6 - Page 31 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]


Gail's HS friends "vigilant" in looking for her:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6647990#post6647990"]TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #5 - Page 11 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]



MacGyver also mentioned that someone they knew was called by someone unidentified at BCBS saying that the best thing would be to just stop talking about the case:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6496981#post6496981"]TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #1 - Page 33 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[Melodie]

Wow. I've never seen a single person say that - anywhere. In fact, I've never seen a single person on any case I've followed - and I've been following them for years - say that a case should be ignored.

I'm floored. Would you care to share where you've seen that?

I saw this several times online and heard it said by people in the community. I have not heard this in a long time, though. People that thought this initially don't seem to feel that way anymore.

 

[JBean]

I can tell you without hesitation that the family would like national attention to gail's situation and just because they are not making loud noise does not mean they are not seeking attention.

ETA: To clarify I am referring specifically to Gail's side of the family. I have no idea if Matt or Matt's side of the family want national attention.

 

[BeanE]

I don't think we know if they requested a statement from them, but I think a recent article has been quoted on here several times that said to that date neither MP nor the children have given statements to LE. Wasn't that in a recent article?

I don't believe that the investigators have not requested interviews. Others may disagree. That is just what I believe. It would make no sense to me that a woman disappears and they are investigating the case thoroughly and they would not request an interview with the woman's husband and the children who are known to be two of the last people to see Gail on 4/30. I would be stunned to find that was true.

So, no, to my knowledge we don't have an official statement from LE saying that they requested interviews and were denied. We don't have a statement saying interviews were offered and turned down. All we have is a statement in an article saying that up until that point they had not been interviewed. I personally believe they had to have been requested. But, that's just my opinion.

The article said that Matt and the kids haven't given "formal statements" to LE.

What the article did *not* say is if Matt or the either of the children have ever been asked to give a formal statement.

A formal statement means a specific thing - at least to me - but perhaps not to the reporter who wrote the article. To me, a formal statement is requested by LE, is usually recorded (audio or video), is recorded in writing, is required to be signed by the person giving it, is taken to potentially be used as evidence at trial with the person being either accused of a crime or a witness to a crime.

It makes sense to me therefore that, since LE has said there is no evidence of foul play, and nothing to indicate that anything nefarious has occurred, that they would not have asked anyone to give a formal statement.

Now an interview means something different to me. It can mean anything from an informal conversation in which LE can gain information from a person not thought to be involved in a crime nor even considered a witness to one, all the way up to and including what is frequently called an interrogation of a person who suspected by LE of having committed a crime. There may or may not be an accompanying request for a formal statement.

So... again, just to my understanding, which certainly could be completely wrong, but... two different things - interview and formal statement.

The only person we know gave an interview was Arlene, to the FBI. We don't know if she - or anyone else was asked for an interview, or if she, or anyone else was asked to give a statement.

A reporter could say that *I* have never given a formal statement in this case. That is true - I haven't. It doesn't mean I have any involvement in this case. It would only potentially have some meaning or relevance if it was known whether or not I've been asked to give a formal statement, or asked, for that matter, for an interview.

 

[BeanE]

I don't know If they have spoken with LE, however she does have friends.

I believe MacGyver is a friend. Arlene is a friend and I suspect Gail had other friends & neighbors in Alabama too.. Susie B, her neighbor...Gayle Dixon who worked with her at Novartis.. There is Karen who is a friend of Gail's family.. Maria Gallivan, her friend from Buffalo.. IIRC she was interviewed in early May when she was here in TN...

BBM. Who are Gayle Dixon and Karen? Have they been interviewed where I can read the article or see the video?

TIA

 

[BeanE]

MacGyver also mentioned that someone they knew was called by someone unidentified at BCBS saying that the best thing would be to just stop talking about the case:

TN TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #1 - Page 33 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Oh I don't think I ever saw that. I just tracked back through the posts from the one you linked, but I'm not finding the one saying the best thing would be to just stop talking about the case. Do you know where I might find that?

TIA

 

[Emeralgem]

BBM. Who are Gayle Dixon and Karen? Have they been interviewed where I can read the article or see the video?

TIA

Not to my knowledge...JMHO

 

[Melodie]

BBM. Who are Gayle Dixon and Karen? Have they been interviewed where I can read the article or see the video?

TIA

I think the original question was regarding Gail's circle of friends in general, not friends that have been interviewed. She has many friends. They have not all been interviewed by the media.