TheHiredGun
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Now.... to give you a layout of the scene.... Look at the ariel view in the link I've provided and find where it says E Seminary Dr. Just above that you can see what looks like a small roundabout or circle type drive. That is the current bus stop for the mall.
Just to the north of the current bus roundabout is the mall loop road that goes around the entire mall. Also, the building just to the north of the roundabout is Sears. At the right east end of the sears building is a parking lot (inside of the look road) It is much lower than the lot in front of the building. That was the lower Garden Shop basement entrance to Sears. The Garden Shop was outdoors and covered with security bars, similar to a Walmart. There was a lower parking lot entrance to the Garden Shop. It was "well-known' shortcut into the mall. You went through the Garden Shop into the basement of Sears. Just inside the doors were the Layaway Dept, then toys, sporting goods and finally hardware. The escalator to the main level and all the clothing depts was in the middle of the basement. When you got to the main level on the escalator, you walked straight ahead, out the west doors and into the open mall.
Now, as to where the car was parked.........
Look at the parking lot just outside the Garden Shop and go across the mall loop road to the outer parking area. That is the lot where the car was found. In the ariel photo, you can see what looks like a big white van or truck sitting all by itself at the east far end of the lot, near the freeway service road. The best that I can tell from the news footage, the car was found on the next isle north of where that van is, in a parking space facing NE and apx 10 spots in from the outer end of the lot. Thats a long way from the bulidings.
In answer to your question, as you can tell from the news footage from the day after. The parking lot where the car was found was full. They were probably in a hurry as most kids always are, the lot was packed and they just found the first spot that was empty.... even it meant hoofing it a little further to get their shopping done and home for the party.
As to where the stand alone mail kiosk was....
I don't believe its been there in years.... and I can't remember the EXACT spot but.... from Sears go west all the way across the mall. It was in that first west side lot, away from the building and just inside the mall loop road. The glass doors to the mall security offices were just a few steps away at that end of the building.
Making a little for sense now, isn't it?
I'm thinking now that it is indeed possible, again although not probable, that the girls might have been detained in the basement of the mall somewhere. Its possible that there was an rogue security guard on duty that day that was hired as an extra for the holidays. If he'd had them locked in a room say for suspicion of shoplifting, claiming they were being held until their parents were contacted. He went on about his rounds driving around the mall up until closing. He then comes upon the families and finds out from them that FWPD has aleady left and isn't going to do anything for at least 24 hours. He then plays the sympathetic security guard, getting got Tommy's (THOMAS'S) information (phone # and address) telling them he'll do what he can for them.
Now, he knows the mall isn't crawling with FWPD and they're not even gonna be looking for them for 24 hours. Its now near the end of his shift. He goes back to where he has the girls held at the other end of the mall. Perhaps, he tells them... "OK, I shouldn't BUT since its Xmas, I'm gonna give you a break and let you go. C'mon I'll drive you to where your car's parked".
At this point the girls are calmed down, thinking they're going home. This works in his favor, because they won't be fighting him in public. The families are on the other side of the mall. There aren't gonna be any cops around. He now KNOWS the FWPD currently considers them runaways. So he gets an envelope, scribbles down the the runaway note in a hurry (which explains Rachel name being goofed up) takes a few steps up the the mail kiosk and drops the letter. He then goes and get the girls (who are now calm because he's claims he's sending them home) walks back up to the parking lot, away from the families and hurry them into his own personal truck. Somewhere during this point he runs into Mr. Hutchins, whom he knows.
As I recall, right near the security doors to the basemant was a Buddies/Wynn Dixie supermarket that was open late. Perhaps, Mr. Hutchins had stopped by there to pick up something on his way home and spotted the mall guard in HIS truck with as he was trying to slip away.
Perhaps, the Rachel or one of the girls were getting a little mouthy and protesting something like "You just wait Mr... when Tommy hears about this" EVEN THOUGH they THOUGHT they were being taken to there car.
Mr. Hutchins observes this from across the lot and yells "Hey.... what the Hell's goin on with you and these girls at this time of night, Bobby"? and walks towards the truck.
The mall guard tell the girls to shut up and explains that he thought they had been shoplifting but realized he was wrong and is talking them to their car at the other side of the mall.
Mr. Hutchins stated in the article that "AT THAT POINT" the girls appeared to be with him willingly. Well.... of course they did! They THOUGHT they were being driven to their car.
Mr Hutchins went on to say.... "When I apologized for my language, they laughed, you know, everybody was happy. We just exchanged a few comments, then he rolled up his window and drove off"........... NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!
A couple of days later... When Mr. Hutchins realized WHAT he had seen it was too late.... He realized that the mall guard was an extra for the holidays and wouldn't be coming back. IF he inquired further about him to mall security or reported it to the PD, maybe he felt that he'd be publicly ridiculed for NOT stepping in a little further that night. After all..... these were YOUNG girls and after thinking about it later.... "I should've thought something more of it than I did..... after all it was almost midnight. Those girls shouldn't have been with mall security that late.... no matter what. I BLEW IT!!! Those girls are probably dead now.... and I had a chance to stop it. People will blame me.... I'll lose my job"!
This could plausible and maybe the reason he FINALLY came forward 25 years later.
I still want to know:
WHAT WAS THE RUN IN ABOUT???
WHAT PART OF THE MALL PARKING LOT DID THIS HAPPEN IN???
WAS THE MALL GUARD IN THE MALL SECURITY TRUCK OR HIS OWN PERSONAL TRUCK???
If he was in HIS OWN truck..... then I believe Mr. Hutchins story is most likely somewhat true.....
Just to the north of the current bus roundabout is the mall loop road that goes around the entire mall. Also, the building just to the north of the roundabout is Sears. At the right east end of the sears building is a parking lot (inside of the look road) It is much lower than the lot in front of the building. That was the lower Garden Shop basement entrance to Sears. The Garden Shop was outdoors and covered with security bars, similar to a Walmart. There was a lower parking lot entrance to the Garden Shop. It was "well-known' shortcut into the mall. You went through the Garden Shop into the basement of Sears. Just inside the doors were the Layaway Dept, then toys, sporting goods and finally hardware. The escalator to the main level and all the clothing depts was in the middle of the basement. When you got to the main level on the escalator, you walked straight ahead, out the west doors and into the open mall.
Now, as to where the car was parked.........
Look at the parking lot just outside the Garden Shop and go across the mall loop road to the outer parking area. That is the lot where the car was found. In the ariel photo, you can see what looks like a big white van or truck sitting all by itself at the east far end of the lot, near the freeway service road. The best that I can tell from the news footage, the car was found on the next isle north of where that van is, in a parking space facing NE and apx 10 spots in from the outer end of the lot. Thats a long way from the bulidings.
In answer to your question, as you can tell from the news footage from the day after. The parking lot where the car was found was full. They were probably in a hurry as most kids always are, the lot was packed and they just found the first spot that was empty.... even it meant hoofing it a little further to get their shopping done and home for the party.
As to where the stand alone mail kiosk was....
I don't believe its been there in years.... and I can't remember the EXACT spot but.... from Sears go west all the way across the mall. It was in that first west side lot, away from the building and just inside the mall loop road. The glass doors to the mall security offices were just a few steps away at that end of the building.
Making a little for sense now, isn't it?
I'm thinking now that it is indeed possible, again although not probable, that the girls might have been detained in the basement of the mall somewhere. Its possible that there was an rogue security guard on duty that day that was hired as an extra for the holidays. If he'd had them locked in a room say for suspicion of shoplifting, claiming they were being held until their parents were contacted. He went on about his rounds driving around the mall up until closing. He then comes upon the families and finds out from them that FWPD has aleady left and isn't going to do anything for at least 24 hours. He then plays the sympathetic security guard, getting got Tommy's (THOMAS'S) information (phone # and address) telling them he'll do what he can for them.
Now, he knows the mall isn't crawling with FWPD and they're not even gonna be looking for them for 24 hours. Its now near the end of his shift. He goes back to where he has the girls held at the other end of the mall. Perhaps, he tells them... "OK, I shouldn't BUT since its Xmas, I'm gonna give you a break and let you go. C'mon I'll drive you to where your car's parked".
At this point the girls are calmed down, thinking they're going home. This works in his favor, because they won't be fighting him in public. The families are on the other side of the mall. There aren't gonna be any cops around. He now KNOWS the FWPD currently considers them runaways. So he gets an envelope, scribbles down the the runaway note in a hurry (which explains Rachel name being goofed up) takes a few steps up the the mail kiosk and drops the letter. He then goes and get the girls (who are now calm because he's claims he's sending them home) walks back up to the parking lot, away from the families and hurry them into his own personal truck. Somewhere during this point he runs into Mr. Hutchins, whom he knows.
As I recall, right near the security doors to the basemant was a Buddies/Wynn Dixie supermarket that was open late. Perhaps, Mr. Hutchins had stopped by there to pick up something on his way home and spotted the mall guard in HIS truck with as he was trying to slip away.
Perhaps, the Rachel or one of the girls were getting a little mouthy and protesting something like "You just wait Mr... when Tommy hears about this" EVEN THOUGH they THOUGHT they were being taken to there car.
Mr. Hutchins observes this from across the lot and yells "Hey.... what the Hell's goin on with you and these girls at this time of night, Bobby"? and walks towards the truck.
The mall guard tell the girls to shut up and explains that he thought they had been shoplifting but realized he was wrong and is talking them to their car at the other side of the mall.
Mr. Hutchins stated in the article that "AT THAT POINT" the girls appeared to be with him willingly. Well.... of course they did! They THOUGHT they were being driven to their car.
Mr Hutchins went on to say.... "When I apologized for my language, they laughed, you know, everybody was happy. We just exchanged a few comments, then he rolled up his window and drove off"........... NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!
A couple of days later... When Mr. Hutchins realized WHAT he had seen it was too late.... He realized that the mall guard was an extra for the holidays and wouldn't be coming back. IF he inquired further about him to mall security or reported it to the PD, maybe he felt that he'd be publicly ridiculed for NOT stepping in a little further that night. After all..... these were YOUNG girls and after thinking about it later.... "I should've thought something more of it than I did..... after all it was almost midnight. Those girls shouldn't have been with mall security that late.... no matter what. I BLEW IT!!! Those girls are probably dead now.... and I had a chance to stop it. People will blame me.... I'll lose my job"!
This could plausible and maybe the reason he FINALLY came forward 25 years later.
I still want to know:
WHAT WAS THE RUN IN ABOUT???
WHAT PART OF THE MALL PARKING LOT DID THIS HAPPEN IN???
WAS THE MALL GUARD IN THE MALL SECURITY TRUCK OR HIS OWN PERSONAL TRUCK???
If he was in HIS OWN truck..... then I believe Mr. Hutchins story is most likely somewhat true.....
