TexasSandman
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- Apr 22, 2009
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*Warning Long Post*
I actually grew up next door to Debra & Rusty, and got to know them both quite well at different times in our lives, and I knew Judy & Fran (Renee & Rachel's moms respectfully), because my parents were pretty good friends with them. I was only 6 at the time of the girls' disappearance but I do remember Rachel & Renee, and of course this entire incident, and it has peeked my curiousity many times over the years..which led me here.
The first thing I wanted to point out from posts on this board and news reports is this ex-cop / "security guard" that came forward in recent years and stated he never saw anything on the news or in the papers. That's a major red flag to me because, as someone else stated, this was indeed plastered all over the TV and news for many nights at the time, and every Christmas for years and years after. For him to state he assumed they were found is totally unbelieveable to me, especially if he continued working at the Mall for the days/weeks afterwards as I know it was the topic of discussion for EVERY employee. His claim that he saw them at 11:00 or so with another guard is also mind-numbing. The Mall did indeed close at 9:00 at that time, so one would assume more questions would have been asked about the three underage girls in the vehicle. Were they caught shoplifting? Were they broke down? Could they not find their car? All questions any "ex-cop" would be inclined to ask in my opinion.
I also wanted to point out that in 1974 the area around Seminary South was not a "gang land" as some posts have stated. Though in later years it did become so, at the time these 3 girls disappeared the area was still reasonably safe. In fact, my cousin and I used to walk from my house to that Mall and all around that neighborhood for several years after this before it became too scary to traverse. So I have always dismissed any "gang" involvement theories.
Which brings me to another point..someone stated it would have taken the girls 20 - 30 minutes to drive to the Mall from Rachel's house. Not so. In fact it would have been closer to 10, 15 tops if they hit all the lights. Our houses were approx 2.5 miles from the Mall according to Google Maps(4300 Town Center Drive to 5700 block of 6th Ave). If the posts are true about the girls leaving the Mall to drop off Rachel's stepson, which I don't recall ever being said at the time nor have I seen the actual news release stating this, it IS conceivable that they would return to the Mall for more shopping as it would have only taken 30 - 40 minutes out of their shopping time.
Something I haven't seen pointed out. In a newspaper article posted on the Missingtrio website Rusty maintains, there is a quote of "That, combined with DNA evidence and the way DNA is collected and processed since this case was originally investigated, makes for a better outcome," Boetcher told reporters, declining to elaborate on the DNA evidence.'
This leaves me to wonder if perhaps the envelope and stamp revealed something not yet released to the public.
I am unclear on where the information came from that the "letter" from Rachel was received a few days after the disappearances. Everything I have ever heard or read has always said it was Christmas Eve, the day after they went missing, and that the stamp was shown as canceled that same day. This is the one main thing that has always bugged me and I would like to have the same answers as another post. Who normally checked the mail? Was other mail delivered later that day? "Tommy" has already stated he doesn't recall any other mail in the box along with the letter and while the canceled stamp does seem to indicate it went through the mail system properly, it is still a great point of interest for me.
The PI that died by "suicide" is very strange to me. Why in the world would he want the records destroyed? After all that time investigating and with even the slightest chance he had found a single thing the police had overlooked would he risk destroying a chance at the truth? A chance to be the hero and help this family finally rest? Even after his own death. I find that hard to believe.
Next...as far as I know..Debra and Tommy never had a relationship after the incident and the notion that she was somehow involved in this is almost laughable to me. As I said at the begining of this post, I got to know Debra pretty good years after this, her and her husband raised their two sons right next door to me, and I really don't think she would be capable of killing her own sister and a young girl, or being involved with someone that could, or keep this secret for over 30 years.
I had heard through people still on the block that Rusty developed almost an obsessiveness on this and had started blaming Debra and, after checking out his site, I see that is true. While the articles quickly point out Debra was in rehab and she admits to bad choices in life, nothing is said about Rusty. Rusty has fought his own demons over the years and I am left wondering if that, along with this new PI, have aided in clouding Rusty's judgement on his sister's guilt. Last I had heard their mother, Fran, did not share Rusty's conclusion.
His comments that Rachel, and only Rachel, is still alive and even visits the Fort Worth area every Christmas and yet he won't reveal why he believes this, is very troubling. I would think his site would be chalk full of the known evidence..a timeline..and maybe even last sightings..along with what HIS theory is. Yet he has none of this, makes no attempt to correct disreprencies in the news articles, nor explain why he points blame at Debra. Since the site hasn't been updated in several years and recent or unique news articles on this are slim to none, I am unsure if Debra ever agreed to the polygraph test or not. If not, I do have to wonder why, if she indeed "has nothing to hide" and if she completed the test, did she pass or fail it? Did she leave areas of doubt? Why exactly is Rusty so certain his sister is involved?
Rusty and I were pretty good friends at one point..heck he was my "boss" at my very first job selling newspaper subscriptions door-to-door, and while he may have done some crazy things in his life and be as bullheaded as the day is long, he is a very passionate and loving person and I know he would not put Debra, and the rest of their family and the other girls' families, through this unless he was certain in his heart of what he believes.
I noticed on the letter to Debra that everyone had signed it except Fran. I am not sure if this is due to her disagreement with it, or if she had passed on. This goes back to my earlier question of why not publish what they think? Apparently they haven't hidden that fact from Debra..so what could they reveal that isn't already known? I am very curious as to why Debra is being looked at on this.
Unfortunately I haven't been back to the neighborhood in quite a few years and I have lost contact with most everyone, though finding this site and reading over the facts has me considering a trip by when I visit the area next month. I hope I added something to the conversation and hopefully someday we'll be able to discuss the ending of this case. Someone out there knows something. Whether friend or foe, family or stranger, whomever it is needs to come forward. These girls' didn't deserve whatever happened to them and these families don't deserve the hell of not knowing and being torn apart by accusations and guilt.
I think I may well take the time to go by and see Rusty..if I do and he doesn't mind, I will post an update here. Maybe I can talk him into a more informative website as well.
Anyway..I joined the site for this particular thread but Im going to check the rest out..seems like a place I might enjoy.
Thanks in advance for reading.
Pray for the girls.
Pray for the families.
Pray for resolution.
I actually grew up next door to Debra & Rusty, and got to know them both quite well at different times in our lives, and I knew Judy & Fran (Renee & Rachel's moms respectfully), because my parents were pretty good friends with them. I was only 6 at the time of the girls' disappearance but I do remember Rachel & Renee, and of course this entire incident, and it has peeked my curiousity many times over the years..which led me here.
The first thing I wanted to point out from posts on this board and news reports is this ex-cop / "security guard" that came forward in recent years and stated he never saw anything on the news or in the papers. That's a major red flag to me because, as someone else stated, this was indeed plastered all over the TV and news for many nights at the time, and every Christmas for years and years after. For him to state he assumed they were found is totally unbelieveable to me, especially if he continued working at the Mall for the days/weeks afterwards as I know it was the topic of discussion for EVERY employee. His claim that he saw them at 11:00 or so with another guard is also mind-numbing. The Mall did indeed close at 9:00 at that time, so one would assume more questions would have been asked about the three underage girls in the vehicle. Were they caught shoplifting? Were they broke down? Could they not find their car? All questions any "ex-cop" would be inclined to ask in my opinion.
I also wanted to point out that in 1974 the area around Seminary South was not a "gang land" as some posts have stated. Though in later years it did become so, at the time these 3 girls disappeared the area was still reasonably safe. In fact, my cousin and I used to walk from my house to that Mall and all around that neighborhood for several years after this before it became too scary to traverse. So I have always dismissed any "gang" involvement theories.
Which brings me to another point..someone stated it would have taken the girls 20 - 30 minutes to drive to the Mall from Rachel's house. Not so. In fact it would have been closer to 10, 15 tops if they hit all the lights. Our houses were approx 2.5 miles from the Mall according to Google Maps(4300 Town Center Drive to 5700 block of 6th Ave). If the posts are true about the girls leaving the Mall to drop off Rachel's stepson, which I don't recall ever being said at the time nor have I seen the actual news release stating this, it IS conceivable that they would return to the Mall for more shopping as it would have only taken 30 - 40 minutes out of their shopping time.
Something I haven't seen pointed out. In a newspaper article posted on the Missingtrio website Rusty maintains, there is a quote of "That, combined with DNA evidence and the way DNA is collected and processed since this case was originally investigated, makes for a better outcome," Boetcher told reporters, declining to elaborate on the DNA evidence.'
This leaves me to wonder if perhaps the envelope and stamp revealed something not yet released to the public.
I am unclear on where the information came from that the "letter" from Rachel was received a few days after the disappearances. Everything I have ever heard or read has always said it was Christmas Eve, the day after they went missing, and that the stamp was shown as canceled that same day. This is the one main thing that has always bugged me and I would like to have the same answers as another post. Who normally checked the mail? Was other mail delivered later that day? "Tommy" has already stated he doesn't recall any other mail in the box along with the letter and while the canceled stamp does seem to indicate it went through the mail system properly, it is still a great point of interest for me.
The PI that died by "suicide" is very strange to me. Why in the world would he want the records destroyed? After all that time investigating and with even the slightest chance he had found a single thing the police had overlooked would he risk destroying a chance at the truth? A chance to be the hero and help this family finally rest? Even after his own death. I find that hard to believe.
Next...as far as I know..Debra and Tommy never had a relationship after the incident and the notion that she was somehow involved in this is almost laughable to me. As I said at the begining of this post, I got to know Debra pretty good years after this, her and her husband raised their two sons right next door to me, and I really don't think she would be capable of killing her own sister and a young girl, or being involved with someone that could, or keep this secret for over 30 years.
I had heard through people still on the block that Rusty developed almost an obsessiveness on this and had started blaming Debra and, after checking out his site, I see that is true. While the articles quickly point out Debra was in rehab and she admits to bad choices in life, nothing is said about Rusty. Rusty has fought his own demons over the years and I am left wondering if that, along with this new PI, have aided in clouding Rusty's judgement on his sister's guilt. Last I had heard their mother, Fran, did not share Rusty's conclusion.
His comments that Rachel, and only Rachel, is still alive and even visits the Fort Worth area every Christmas and yet he won't reveal why he believes this, is very troubling. I would think his site would be chalk full of the known evidence..a timeline..and maybe even last sightings..along with what HIS theory is. Yet he has none of this, makes no attempt to correct disreprencies in the news articles, nor explain why he points blame at Debra. Since the site hasn't been updated in several years and recent or unique news articles on this are slim to none, I am unsure if Debra ever agreed to the polygraph test or not. If not, I do have to wonder why, if she indeed "has nothing to hide" and if she completed the test, did she pass or fail it? Did she leave areas of doubt? Why exactly is Rusty so certain his sister is involved?
Rusty and I were pretty good friends at one point..heck he was my "boss" at my very first job selling newspaper subscriptions door-to-door, and while he may have done some crazy things in his life and be as bullheaded as the day is long, he is a very passionate and loving person and I know he would not put Debra, and the rest of their family and the other girls' families, through this unless he was certain in his heart of what he believes.
I noticed on the letter to Debra that everyone had signed it except Fran. I am not sure if this is due to her disagreement with it, or if she had passed on. This goes back to my earlier question of why not publish what they think? Apparently they haven't hidden that fact from Debra..so what could they reveal that isn't already known? I am very curious as to why Debra is being looked at on this.
Unfortunately I haven't been back to the neighborhood in quite a few years and I have lost contact with most everyone, though finding this site and reading over the facts has me considering a trip by when I visit the area next month. I hope I added something to the conversation and hopefully someday we'll be able to discuss the ending of this case. Someone out there knows something. Whether friend or foe, family or stranger, whomever it is needs to come forward. These girls' didn't deserve whatever happened to them and these families don't deserve the hell of not knowing and being torn apart by accusations and guilt.
I think I may well take the time to go by and see Rusty..if I do and he doesn't mind, I will post an update here. Maybe I can talk him into a more informative website as well.
Anyway..I joined the site for this particular thread but Im going to check the rest out..seems like a place I might enjoy.
Thanks in advance for reading.
Pray for the girls.
Pray for the families.
Pray for resolution.