GUILTY TX - Jubal Alexander, 24, found decapitated, Angleton, 27 April 2016

[mhoward48]

I am beginning to wonder if it isn't some type of serial killer. I did not read thru all the posts, but I thought I would post what I did find.
There is the Dermonds, nothing is taken of value. Mr. Dermonds head is missing.
Jubal, still has his money in his wallet, and head is missing.

Robert Hollis, head missing, but nothing taken, money, jewelry still there. http://pix11.com/2015/06/25/legally-...nia-apartment/

Kelvin Singleton, head not found. http://wavy.com/2016/04/12/man-found...howan-escapee/

 

[Razz]

If you'll click on The Clarion Call article I posted a while back, I was all ready to drop this subject until I saw Jubal had worked in Sweeney, TX. This is supposedly where this jhadist enclave is. It might be a good idea to check an employee list from Sweeny to the one at the chocolate factory. Who knows, stranger things have happened.

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[Stroke]

WELCOME!

I see you have just joined. Was it because of this crime in particular? It's always so helpful to have a local join in on the thread.
When you use the boat ramp, is your vehicle and trailer parked nearby? Are there more vehicles there at the time? Has there been any vandalism/theft to vehicles or equipment? Are there gators around there? Maybe they could help dispose of the head?

Thanks for the welcome! And yes, realizing that something this horrendous happened in a place that I've been to was a little unnerving. When I go kayaking, I always have the thought in the back of my mind of, "What would I do if I found a body?"

Yes, this boat ramp and parking area is very small. I've seen other fishermen there -- maybe 2 other vehicles -- but I've never seen more than that. I'd call it crowded if there were more than say 3 or 4 there. I've never been vandalized or robbed, but I wouldn't leave my truck unlocked, either. And there ARE alligators in the area.

 

[Stroke]

The truck was parked under the overpass (FM 2004 is 2 lanes), which would be very close to the water. The area is so small that a vehicle parked there would not go unnoticed by anyone fishing or using the boat ramp. Only the road is cement. The parking area is dirt.

 

[Bootsctr]

I have a question about Jubal's job. He was a self-employed pipe-fitter? He probably made pretty good money doing this, but it wasn't a regular job? He might work a few days or maybe as long as a month? If his checks were auto-deposit then his GF probably had access to the account to pay bills, buy groceries, gas, etc. Sounds like he wanted to save money for maybe a wedding, a house, etc. It's so sad his young life was cut so short.

My apologies. That was more than one question. Just wondering how often he moved around or if he was able to stay in the same area for any length of time.

 

[Bootsctr]

Always wondering about serial killers and happened upon this article:

10 American Serial Killers That Are Still Out There

The FBI estimates that at any given moment, there are between 25 and 50 serial killers in the United States. That's less than comforting. Here are a few that were never caught, and are probably in a neighborhood near you.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime...still-out-there/ar-BBtppsj?li=BBnb4R7#page=10

GULP! I would be interested in hearing statistics from our cousins over the pond and anyone living outside the US.

They're all dastardly evil cowards, but this name is particularly disturbing to me: Charlie Chop-Off (1972-1974).

The Honolulu strangler is suspected to be a member of LE. Yikes!

 

[Razz]

What about the ME'S report? And the tox screen. Do you think we'll get to see it? Also, I wonder if the RV place has video cameras.

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[Everyday Grace]

What about the ME'S report? And the tox screen. Do you think we'll get to see it? Also, I wonder if the RV place has video cameras.

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Possibly not on the autopsy. Toxicology is considered part of the autopsy report.

Autopsy reports are general subject to open records review in Texas under the judicial records provision as they are maintained by the justice of the peace offices.

However...

Sec. 552.108. EXCEPTION: CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONS, AND PROSECUTORIAL INFORMATION.

(a) Information held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021 if:

(1) release of the information would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime;

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm

The DA in Brazoria County can file for such an exemption with the Office of the Attorney General.

Here is a recent indication from February of how the AG's office might act if such an exemption is requested:

The Texas Attorney General's Office has agreed with Gregg County District Attorney Carl Dorrough's request to withhold preliminary autopsy reports in three Gregg County cases.

https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/feb/24/state-sides-with-gregg-da-to-withhold-autopsy-repo/

I'm vaguely familiar with one of the three exempted Gregg County cases and in my opinion, this Brazoria County case would be a much stronger candidate for an exemption.

We'll see what happens, though. Not getting hopes up is probably prudent.

As far as video cameras at the RV Park, strong possibility although there is some distance. Where any cameras might be located could be of little or no use.

It's also possible that any one or more of the RVs occupying spaces closest to (or with a clear view) of the boat ramp area and the bayou in general could have captured useful information on security cameras.

I'm figuring that DPS Texas Rangers and possibly DPS Special Investigations were immediately brought in on this murder.

Probably be prudent for investigators to consult with federal investigators in the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas to see if there's anything they know that might be relevant and/or helpful to identify potential perpetrators.

No reason that I've seen to believe the Brazoria County investigation will be anything other than top-notch and thorough. I have some confidence they will be able to solve this murder, although it may take some time.

 

[KT Can]

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[Everyday Grace]

Jubal's father posted earlier today that his son made his last post to Facebook at 9:38 am on April 27.

Jubal II's brother tried to call him "many times" that morning approximately two hours later around 11:40 am.

His father also said they will update when they receive new information. I'm assuming the family will not disclose anything revealed to them that law enforcement requests they keep confidential.

I'm always struck by the kind and gracious demeanor of Jubal's family. I cannot begin to perceive the amount of anguish they are experiencing.

The family has said they believe Jubal was killed on April 27 between 9:38 am and 5:30 pm.

I think the following tentative assumptions are reasonable:

1. Jubal Alexander was most likely alive at 9:38 am on Wednesday, April 27, 2016.

2. By 5:30 pm on April 27 he was either dead or in the physical control of person(s) unknown.

3. It is possible that he was either killed or under another's physical control before approximately 11:40 am on April 27 when he did not answer phone calls from his brother.

4. It's also possible that he could have turned off his phone himself after 9:38 am in order to sleep uninterrupted.

Investigators will be able to determine some answers from his phone records and likely from the phone itself as it was found in his pickup.

The crime lab should be able to determine if his phone was turned off and if so, when.

Questions. Still many remaining.

The autopsy results will provide many answers. It is an unknown how much of that information will be made public, if any.

Was Jubal's pickup in the location under the overpass from 9:38 am on April 27 until it was first seen by the reporting fisherman sometime on Tuesday, May 3?

Was his pickup seen at that location by anyone using the boat ramp or passing by on the bayou between those time markers?

What was the weather like in that location from April 27 to May 3? How likely could it be that no one used that boat ramp between those dates?

Was his pickup or anything else concerning the boat ramp observed on any surveillance cameras at the RV Park?

If he was not killed at that location, where might he have been taken?

Do we know for certain that Jubal was using that particular spot for sleeping?

Is it possible that location was merely where his body and truck were left to be discovered?

I think because his body was found in his vehicle along with his wallet and his phone that there was an intention for the identity of the person killed to be known.

Or at the least, no perceptible reason to the killer(s) to attempt to prevent his identification.

I'm inclined to think the purpose of the decapitation was not to prevent identification.

I also think it is unusual for a body to be examined by two different ME offices. I can't say I find it surprising under the circumstances, just not something seen in most investigations.

 

[Bootsctr]

Great questions! Watching Jubal's father speak about his son tears me to pieces. I am very interested in the ME's estimate of time of death and if Jubal was beheaded post-mortem. Seven days is a very long time for Jubal and his truck to remain at the boat ramp and not be discovered by anyone. My goodness! It is fishing weather and it took 7 days for someone to think the truck was suspiciously there a long time?? It's odd.

 

[Everyday Grace]

I have a question about Jubal's job. He was a self-employed pipe-fitter? He probably made pretty good money doing this, but it wasn't a regular job? He might work a few days or maybe as long as a month? If his checks were auto-deposit then his GF probably had access to the account to pay bills, buy groceries, gas, etc. Sounds like he wanted to save money for maybe a wedding, a house, etc. It's so sad his young life was cut so short.

My apologies. That was more than one question. Just wondering how often he moved around or if he was able to stay in the same area for any length of time.

My understanding is that he was contracted labor hired by a contrating firm rather than self-employed and performing work under a contract between himself and the plant.

I'm not really clear as to his actual legal status, i.e. was he an "employee" of Performance Contractors or was he considered an "independent contractor" under contract with Performance Contractors?

Due to what seems to be periods of unemployment in his line of work, I tend to think he and others like him may be classified as independent contractors who would not be eligible for unemployment benefits during periods between work contracts.

I think the length of the contracted work periods were more likely weeks and months rather than days, but I'm not certain at all about that.

Early on his father said Jubal was sleeping in his truck to pay bills. It's a possibility that he could have accrued credit card debt to cover living expenses during periods without work.

He could have also been motivated by a desire to build a bankroll for future needs.

One of the things I saw when trying to learn more about the nature of his employment is that some of the other firms looking for workers to fill contracted needs at INES Chocolate Bayou were paying $60-65 per diem.

I think the standard was per diem for persons who lived more than 60 miles from the plant. I figure that is probably more-or-less an industry standard along the Texas coastal area.

I can understand a temptation to minimize daily expenses and bank the per diem. It would be a way to increase one's earnings considerably.

As far as relocation or a need to, I don't really know. I do know that the Texas Gulf Coast is definitely a hot spot for chemical plant employment, including the Beaumont-Port Arthur area where he was living.

My impression is that a willingness to work contracted needs in the plants outside of one's immediate area is somewhat necessary or desirable.

Beaumont-Port Arthur would be a relatively "central" location to position oneself in as the industry is also thick in Louisiana to the east.

I'm not sure how long he had been living in Port Arthur. I may have read it somewhere, but I can't recall for sure.

He is from the northeast area of Texas around Longview. There are chemical plants in that part of Texas, but nowhere near the opportunities one would find on the coast.

 

[Everyday Grace]

Great questions! Watching Jubal's father speak about his son tears me to pieces. I am very interested in the ME's estimate of time of death and if Jubal was beheaded post-mortem. Seven days is a very long time for Jubal and his truck to remain at the boat ramp and not be discovered by anyone. My goodness! It is fishing weather and it took 7 days for someone to think the truck was suspiciously there a long time?? It's odd.

Yes, it seems a bit odd to me that a deceased person in a vehicle would go unnoticed for seven days.

Odd, but also possible. Some folks might have thought the vehicle belonged to a person out on a kayak/canoe/raft and not given it a second thought. Other folks might be of a "mind one's own business" mindset.

Some of the early reports of the discovery identify the person who noticed it as an off-duty police officer from Galveston.

Kinda stands to reason that a law enforcement officer might be more inclined to think differently or notice something that may not have seemed right and be inclined to check it out.

I took a somewhat quick look at the weather for Angleton during that period of time. There were days of measurable rain, but not of any major amounts.

I don't fish, but I used to live on a large lake with literal boatloads of fishing on it. Seems like there were always some dedicated die-hards who were out there rain or shine. Had more than one wash up on our shore when they should have stayed off the lake during storms.

Brazoria County saw some heavy rains and flooding in April, but I think it was earlier in the month. The Brazos and San Bernard Rivers (to the west in Brazoria County) hit flood levels, but IIRC, they crested before the 27th.

I don't know if there was flooding along Austin Bayou, but I didn't see any road closures on FM 2004 when other roads were closed during April flooding.

Someone local could say with more accuracy than my searching has found.

 

[Razz]

What I don't understand and forgive me, but if he was decapitated a week before he was discovered, wouldn't the smell of decomposition be overpowering?! Even after they removed the truck I think the smell would linger. Can"t tell if that was a pool of blood on the driver's side outside of the truck.

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[watcher9]

Have LE put a call out for any persons who may have used the boat ramp during the time frame to call into their office? Maybe someone may have seen something but didn't think it is relevant to the victim and his blue truck, although maybe they can recall another vehicle or person that was there?

 

[Everyday Grace]

I found some USGS (US Geological Survey) historical data for water levels at Chocolate Bayou.

I looked for Austin Bayou, but they don't seem to take measurements on that waterway. They do have some 2005 water quality data for Austin Bayou at FM 2004. The USGS number for Austin Bayou at that location is 08078720.

I only included that information in the event someone else can navigate the USGS better than I can and find more data for that location.

Chocolate Bayou is considered to be in the Coastal Basin watershed. My assumption is that would also be the classification for Austin Bayou rather than being a part of the Brazos River watershed.

The USGS number for Chocolate Bayou is 08078000. Their map shows their reading takes place on Chocolate Bayou a few miles north of FM 2004.

The USGS site provides precise lat-long for both the Chocolate Bayou and Austin Bayou data points if anyone wants to tinker with the exact distance from the available USGS data on Chocolate Bayou to the spot on Austin Bayou where Jubal Alexander's body was discovered.

The gage heights and discharge rates for Chocolate Bayou and Austin Bayou could be considerably different in terms of height and volume.

What may be comparable is the rate of rise and the time frames for rise and fall due to rainfall in their watersheds. Chocolate Bayou seems to be the best option for something comparable.

Chocolate Bayou is noted as having rainfall measurements available at USGS, but those measurements are noted "Eqp" for the relevant time frame. "Eqp" is "Equipment malfunction."

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv?site_no=08078000&format=gif&period=31

I selected date parameters of April 23--May 3.

Using the Table option, I see a maximum gage height of 17.67 at 8:00 pm (2000 hrs) on April 25. The water level and discharge rate fall briefly and rise again by the 27th of April.

Chocolate Bayou gage heights (feet):

April 27 - 9:45 am: 14.49
April 27 - 11:45 am: 15.15
April 27 - 5:30 pm (1730): 16.73

April 27 - 10:00 pm-11:30 pm (2200-2330):
17.11 - Max. gage height from 4-27 -- 5-3

May 3 - 9:00 am: 11.32
May 3 - 6:00 pm (1800): 11.03

One of the early articles states the fisherman who discovered Jubal's body arrived at the boat ramp "early" that morning on the 27th.

Going strictly from memory, I think he returned to the boat ramp at around 6:00 pm when he checked on the pickup and discovered the body.

The times of 9 am and 6 pm may not be precise, but close enough to get a sense of what water levels may have been like on the bayou that day as compared to days back to the 27th.

I have no idea what is normal with regard to water levels on Austin Bayou. I am aware thar Brazoria County experienced some flooding in April, indicating that overall conditions were not normal.

If the data from Chocolate Bayou is relatively comparable, it would indicate that water levels and rates of discharge on Austin Bayou on the 27th if April were likely higher than normal and peaked sometime that evening.

I don't know if higher than "normal" water levels and rates of discharge would make boating/fishing on Austin Bayou inadvisable or undesirable from April 27 to May 3.

It does seem that utilization of the boat ramp for that time period could have been below normal for that time of year, reducing the number of opportunities for someone to notice Jubal's pickup if it was at that location the entire time.

I remember reading on the kayak website (linked earlier in this thread) that the writer was on Austin Bayou when water,levels were higher than normal.

He wrote about the current at that level being strong enough that they had to set up a take-out spot rather than paddle back as originally planned to where they put-in at the FM 2004 boat ramp.

 

[Everyday Grace]

After that mental exercise with the USGS data, I have had some slight shifts in what I think may have possibly transpired.

I've reduced the odds of probability that the perp(s) may have accessed the boat ramp from the water. Still within possibilities, but less likely.

More likely that only a few people may have seen Jubal's pickup at the boat ramp from April 27 to May 3 than I was previously thinking as conditions on the bayou may have been considerably less than optimal.

The fewer people who might have seen the pickup, the more likely no one might check it out until May 3.

I can't rule out that he could have been abducted from that location (or elsewhere) on the morning of the 27th and killed elsewhere at a different time. His truck and his body could have been left at that location to be discovered.

I am inclined to think that location was where he was sleeping while he was working shifts at the Chocolate Bayou facility. Nothing really firm to support that other than his family indicates that is where he had been sleeping.

(His 4-13 5:14 am FB post [see post made by me after this one] possibly made from the boat ramp area tends to support that it was a location where he was sleeping between work shifts.)

The possibility of discovery during the act(s) of the murder is why I keep drifting toward the killing taking place at a different location.

Perp(s) would not have to be someone trusted by Jubal in order to either get him out of his vehicle or get him to drive to another location.

Hold a gun on me and I'm liable to act as directed up to the point where I saw no hope of getting out of a situation alive or an opportunity to get away occurs. Been there.

Information from the autopsy will be critical as to whether he was killed in his truck and when. Good likelihood that the investigators already know those answers and may have been informed of any other information from the autopsies at this stage that may be vital to help them get a picture of what happened.

As there is no guarantee the preliminary autopsy report will be made public, I would expect the investigators will at least release anything learned from the autopsy that could help the public narrow down some of the whens and wheres if that kind of information is still needed from the public.

ETA: Added comment about 4-13 FB post.

 

[Everyday Grace]

Just a possible timeline notation:

The last public post I can see on Jubal's Facebook page was made on April 13 at 5:14 am from a location noted as Danbury, Texas.

Danbury is in Brazoria County and it's possible that he was posting from the boat ramp area that morning. Danbury is just to the north of that spot and the cell phone tower that services the boat ramp may be designated as Danbury.

This suggests to me that he was likely working at the Chocolate Bayou facility at least as early as April 12.

The post is an audio recording of Jubal playing a guitar piece of his own composition that he described as "rainy day music."

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1052378724822508&id=100001511722653

It's lovely music. I listen to it from time to time for the pleasure of the music and to try to attune myself to who he was and is as a person.

The post is both funny and sad in that the comments contain an exchange between Jubal and one of his brothers that is typical and classic banter between siblings.

There are also a couple of comments from guys he had worked with in the past. Those comments read to me that Jubal was a young man of many talents who had yet to fully display his gifts to the world.

A sad loss for us all.

ETA: Added the link.

 

[Bootsctr]

Everyday Grace, you should be called Amazing Grace! Your posts are Amazing! I happen to like Jubal's name very much. It's very unique and special, like he was before someone robbed this earth of a good man. It is unusual and I too think he was very talented. It just breaks my heart to here his father plead for information and the message on the concrete pillar where Jubal and his truck were found brings me to tears. I am going to take some time to listen to him play his guitar and pray there will be Justice for Jubal.

 

[Razz]

Everyday Grace, you should be called Amazing Grace! Your posts are Amazing! I happen to like Jubal's name very much. It's very unique and special, like he was before someone robbed this earth of a good man. It is unusual and I too think he was very talented. It just breaks my heart to here his father plead for information and the message on the concrete pillar where Jubal and his truck were found brings me to tears. I am going to take some time to listen to him play his guitar and pray there will be Justice for Jubal.

http://www.behindthename.com/name/jubal

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