TX TX - Heidi Broussard, 33, & Margo Carey, 2 weeks, Austin, 12 Dec 2019 #4

[margarita25]

It's amazing to me that, in a large apartment complex, nobody saw anything. I guess that's the case, though. Rsbm .

I know what you mean but I stopped being amazed by this in 2012 when I stood in the exact same spot where little Jessica Ridgeway was abducted. I just couldn’t believe nobody saw anything. (I know I’ve talked about this many times in other cases, so sorry for repeat to those who have already heard this story a million times.)

It was broad daylight, busy morning time. Kids going to school, people going to work, the houses are super close together. Yet nobody saw a thing while monster ARS shoved Jessica in the backseat of his car, zip ties her and took off. It happens all the time, people don’t see or notice anything. In fact, we are lucky imo when there is an actual credible witness. Many people are on their phones, etc, not always aware of their surroundings. If he had a container, and being the mover he is, he could be very efficient in such a transport, again IF he is the perp.

However, for all we know maybe someone did see something potentially suspicious and did tell LE, perhaps after the fact. This is not something that LE would necessary reveal to the public, moo.

 

[mom2chloe]

i'm very uncomfortable with the fact LE has not taken the car.
i'd be BEGGING them to take it and take it all apart if they had to, if it means there might be a slight chance of producing any amount of evidence, no matter how minute.

I bet they’ve got eyes on it despite forensics being previously performed IMO

 

[susiQ]

Hypothetically, if this is a case of foul play, I think that there would potentially be 2 special circumstances in this case that would qualify it for the dp:

Texas Capital Punishment Laws - FindLaw

SABBM:

Capital punishment (the death penalty) has a long and controversial history in the U.S. Each state makes its own laws concerning the sentence. Most states, including Texas, allow capital punishment for the most serious crimes. Texas defines capital homicide as a murder involving specific circumstances or situations, including:

• The victim is a peace officer or fireman killed while on duty;
• The murder occurred while the defendant was committing (or attempting to commit) a kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, or arson;
• Murder "for hire" (both the hirer and the hired);
• The murder occurred during the course of an actual or attempted prison break;
• Multiple murders occurred as a result of the defendant’s acts; and
• The victim was younger than ten year old.

Two deaths, and one of them being a helpless infant?

Yeah, I can see the dp in those circumstances.

Fortunately, Texas ain't Colorado.

Frazee would have been burnt toast in Texas.

JMO.

Thanks GK! That's pretty clear.

PF is just stale "toast" - for 156 years + 5 years probation. That was a touch humorous, the five years

 

[UnderstandBlue]

Seems odd SC would have only worked until 1 ish

snip

I don’t think so. If he left at 6:30 he’d have been at work by 7-7:30 depending on traffic. Even if he didn’t start until 8 that’s a 5 hour moving job. In his own words he said he was leaving early that day. Depending on how long the moves are, it’s probably not practical to only go help with part of another job before overtime kicks in.

 

[whoizzit]

If that unnamed "friend" is to be believed. The whole article is odd. The friend doesn't seem to have been in regular contact with HB, admitted not knowing details about the relationship breakup and that they were back together. Grain of salt for me.

RSBBM

Wonder if it's a close friend from when they all lived in LA? A lifelong friend who either still lives in LA or has perhaps moved to another state him/herself?

Heck, friend may even live in CO for all we know.

That distance would explain the friend knowing about the pregnancy (Yay! Happy news!) but not about them getting back together (Maybe not such welcome or widespread news!).

It would also account for any irregular contact. HB might have been embarrassed to share details.

Who knows, right?

 

[Tuliptiptoe]

He let HB know he would be off early that day, so I think it was prearranged.

And now I’m wondering if there could be premeditation. I’ve kind of been thinking rage since SC seems a bit controlling and $25 seemed to be a sore point. But he did have an early day at work (if he went at all) and it was the first day HB was doing everything w/o her mom.

moo

 

[Alathea]

Thanks GK! That's pretty clear.

PF is just stale "toast" - for 156 years + 5 years probation. That was a touch humorous, the five years

I keep thinking of the KB case.

They didn't look inside her apartment for a long time. They didn't think anything had happened there. No one heard anything... she was just missing.

UNTIL THEY DID. And they found lots of blood - it just wasn't obvious at first. And they found teeth. Etc.

I have to trust and hope that LE is or will soon be looking at everything, including the car and apartment - unless, as Gordian Knot says, they already know so much that they don't need to do so.

Guess we will know soon enough.

 

[Moonracer]

Do you have a link supporting that assertion, or is that your opinion only?

Travis County DA rarely seeks the death penalty. I believe 2012 was the last time it was handed down. Info from the main paper, the Statesman.

Travis County very liberal. MOO

I am on old phone, can't put link, but search for "statesman" "DA won't seek death penalty" and it will pull up the 2019 article.

I'm answering tho the question of a link was not directed to me. TY.

 

[Trudie]

We don't know what evidence they're basing that on, but I would suggest that it's the same evidence that has led them to conclude that an intensive search of the car is unlikely to lead anywhere. If they have video or eye witness testimony of the car parking and mom and baby emerging OK, then it's reasonable to focus efforts elsewhere.

Surely they verified S’s work history for that day & know she drove her car home. He doesn’t seem sophisticated enough to get away with too much, imo.

 

[missy1974]

Which is often standard in these cases. This doesn’t necessarily indicate an abduction. They have the resources to assist.

I can understand the FBI being brought in could be standard because of resources.

But a specialized team that only has 60 members nationally? A team that specializes in Child abduction? I don't want this to come off rude or insensitive, but are there no other cases where they are 100% sure that a child has been abducted that these 60 trained professionals could be?

the 60 agents nationally comes from this tweet from earlier...

Tony Plohetski
@tplohetski

Agents from the FBI’s Child Abduction Response Deployment team also on ground in #Austin made up of 60 agents nationally.

he also tweeted this...

That team has special expertise although officials say it is still unclear if this case is an abduction. #heidibroussard


I'm really not sure what to believe in this case at this point!

 

[Knox]

For unmarried parents in TX, the father does not have legal rights to his child until paternity is established.

It's a law that if an unmarried father wants legal rights to the child, there has to be a DNA test or a signed agreement.
Paternity | Office of the Attorney General

Thank you for the accurate information! In the AJ Freund case, there was also a question of paternity for all the surviving siblings. That was really the first time I saw an issue with paternity in a case I was following.

So, if Heidi & Margo come back but choose to have nothing to do with Shane. If he wanted visitation and she refused, paternity would have to be established?

 

[Luckyzmom]

Wow I am so behind! Y'all are just rocking this case ! Prayers for Mom and sweet baby to be found soon and safe, and for the family and friends. Back to catch up with you guys

 

[alexwood]

"The Travis County DA's office rarely seeks the death penalty" DA won't seek plea deals, death penalty for men charged in Austin jeweler's death

You can search here to see that there hasn't been a death sentence handed out since 2014: Faces of Death Row and that there are only 6 people currently on death row from Travis County.

Well, no wonder Travis County is so populous.

 

[margarita25]

What interview?

I’m assuming the raw interview?

 

[MassGuy]

And now I’m wondering if there could be premeditation. I’ve kind of been thinking rage since SC seems a bit controlling and $25 seemed to be a sore point. But he did have an early day at work (if he went at all) and it was the first day HB was doing everything w/o her mom.

moo

I see where you’re coming from, but this whole thing just seems incredibly rushed if it is what it appears to be.

I think this would look very different if there was more time to stage the scene.

It looks like the clock was the enemy, and the clock was the enemy because this wasn’t a planned event.

 

[jellybean96]

Thank you for the accurate information! In the AJ Freund case, there was also a question of paternity for all the surviving siblings. That was really the first time I saw an issue with paternity in a case I was following.

So, if Heidi & Margo come back but choose to have nothing to do with Shane. If he wanted visitation and she refused, paternity would have to be established?

Yes - he would have to petition the court and then the court would tell them to get a DNA test to determine paternity.

 

[Moonracer]

I'm just hoping LE is up to this. IMO no one seemed alarmed enough initially. Yes, I know they get a lot of cases where people just skedaddle with no foul play, but why then did WE all just about melt down when we first heard of the case and SC's interview (s)???

I just wish they had swarmed all over this immediately.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Surely they verified S’s work history for that day & know she drove her car home. He doesn’t seem sophisticated enough to get away with too much, imo.

Exactly. There is a limited time frame, and a limited geographic area where he or whoever could have taken them in that time frame.

 

[Trudie]

I’m sort of curious as to when the apartment was locked down as was reported today, as at least one MSM interview took place in the apartment (the one where you see HB’ s purse, the diaper bag and swing.)

I can’t find any info stating it is locked down other than the article up thread. Possibly it was searched but not actually locked down. Last night Shane was walking his dog around the complex. In one interview I think he mentioned the other kids were staying elsewhere for now. Moo

 

[Alathea]

Thank you for the accurate information! In the AJ Freund case, there was also a question of paternity for all the surviving siblings. That was really the first time I saw an issue with paternity in a case I was following.

So, if Heidi & Margo come back but choose to have nothing to do with Shane. If he wanted visitation and she refused, paternity would have to be established?

Apparently so; also - if she wanted child support (and had to force him for that), the same is true. (The latter could also be some sort of precipitating factor.)