GUILTY TX - Zoe Hastings, 18, abducted & murdered, Dallas, 11 Oct 2015

[bessie]

Perhaps the A&M Football player was ruled out because he has a solid alibi for 4-5 PM on Sunday. The police probably know what he was doing the days before the murder.

It was reported that a good deal of physical evidence was found inside the vehicle. He likely was ruled out based on part of that evidence, and the eyewitness's description. But I agree. He might have a solid alibi, as well.

 

[catpatrol]

I'm wondering if that physical evidence leads police to believe the suspect is a homeless person.

 

[Dogface]

...a bit too long for a first post here I am sure.

RSBM(respectfully snipped by me) great first post and welcome to WS!

 

[EnvoyDriver61]

I think that the car being found close to the church and reports of her being found near the driver's side of the car indicate she was driving toward the church herself, possibly wounded. If this all occurred shortly after the abduction, she is trying to get to her father, whom she knows is still at the church. I think the suspect grabbed her, fought with her in the car driving toward the school not too far from the stop sign accident place, and planned an assault on the school grounds. It is a weekend, and that area looks like it could have many secluded places. Afterwards, he stabs her and runs away. She is still coherent enough to want to get to her dad, and she knows he is still at the church, so she drives as far as she can before losing too much blood.

 

[Cryptic]

It sounds like to me he probably told her he had a gun and that's why she moved over to the passenger side. I can't see in this day and time why would she just let some random guy in her car unless it was against her will.

Very possible, but there is also a chance that they were aquantiances. For example:

- The particular Mormon church / temple may have done alot of community out reach programs
- As the daughter of a bishop, she participates in most of these programs
- semi homeless perpetrator notices her at some of the programs, they briefly speak to each other during each program. He gets attracted to her, and then he sees her at the store.
- he approaches her and asks to be driven somewhere close by due to a "family emergency".
- The victim thinks this is strange, but she is not terrified. She agrees to the ride in theory. The perpetrator then gets in an rapidly takes over the vehicle.

It might be beneficial to try to identify everyone who has drifted in and out of any programs hosted by the church and may of had even passing contact with the victim. Anecdotally, I occasionally participate in programs hosted by several local churches in my area to the extent that I have gotten to know some of the members and see them around town. The members also know me and my family by face and could probably come up with our names if they really had to.

If the church / temple was hosting community out reach programs specifically for the local homeless and semi homeless, my bet is that other participants can rapidly identify all other drifters as the homeless can be territorial and tend to know each other.

 

[AliVada]

I still think it was random, I do not think she had any prior interaction with him in any way at all.

None of us know how we'd behave if approached, and who knows what he said when he spoke to her in the walgreen's parking lot?

The cell phone data might show some detail as to where they traveled. I too wonder if he harmed her, left her thinking she was already deceased and she somehow managed to drive towards the church not making it and ending up in that creek? From the street sign we know she was struggling and probably fighting him as he tried to drive?

Hopefully, yesterdays new information will lead to some more sightings during that time Sunday afternoon when so much is unknown about what went on?

And praying that they get lucky and do find a homeowner who did in fact get some footage of the van and can firm up some of the unknowns so they get closer to an arrest.

Kathy

 

[Sonya610]

I would think that insurances companies would make sure stores, ones that sell proscription drugs would have cameras running. Hoping for an arrest today.

The cameras are there to catch theft and robberies directly impacting the store and employees, not for general public safety outside of the store. Companies have a limited budget and they prioritize camera placement based on their own needs just like homeowners do when they buy a system.

 

[Cryptic]

I still think it was random, I do not think she had any prior interaction with him in any way at all.

None of us know how we'd behave if approached, and who knows what he said when he spoke to her in the walgreen's parking lot?

Possibly, but impulsive and random kidnappings / murders by strangers in broad day light on busy streets are extremely rare. This is espescially so as the area, though mixed, is not a high crime area.

My bet is that they are aquantiances, and that it would be beneficial to see if she had participated in any out reach programs at church. Likewise, her high school was a magnet school and might have hosted community events designed to attract potential students.

 

[aviatrix]

Oh ridiculousness. If I thought someone was going to call ancestry com I would not have written that. Please do not call anyone personally about something I have written. Just use it to make people use their brains and theories. There is a way to submit dna anonymously. How then can it be illegal? It can't be. They are not going to arrest you. For the person writing about outreach programs you are on the wrong track. Catholics and non denims do have outreach programs but for the most part that is not the LDS method. Chances of Zoe meeting someone through church outreach is about zero in my opinion. At this point I believe it was random. However dogs could still track scent and cell phone towers still give off info esp if for some reason the Val's were handed off from one to another which they probably were not if the van did not travel far. If they were by chance you would look for her phone signal and the perps to be switched in the same time frame as the van traveled. If the perp did not have a cell phone then this method won't work.

I think this was completely random probably a sexual assault or robbery and she fought back and wrecked the van hoping to get away or attract attention. When the perp realized he wasn't in control he killed her. Completely random

 

[AliVada]

And the arts magnet program doesnt do any recruiting type things, it is by application and fierce competition as well as a solid portfolio of great artwork. Parents camp out to submit applications, there is zero chance that theory could pan out.

My gut is that it was random, and while some may say its a low crime area no where is 100% crime free and even in the best areas sometimes things can go very wrong.

I do feel like the dude knew the area and the creek and its privacy in an area that otherwise is fairly populated and on a sunday there are a lot of runners and dog walkers being so very close to the lake. That fact is good in that the possibility one of those who were outside did see something.

He couldve attended Robert T Hill Middle school and known the area from his own public school days. When we lived there sometimes kids would cut school and go hang out around down there. Who knows what if any connection the killer has to the area, but my vibe is he knew there would be cover along that brushy overgrown creek?

Even the Thursday night we were canvassing neighborhoods, we spoke to as many walkers and joggers as we did finding people answering their doors. So if there was erratic driving and strange things going on in that van, my guess is someone else did see something.

The news media did a great job in relaying what they are looking for, let's hope it got to the desired audience & others who didnt realize what had happened, do in fact get some more missing parts to fall into place in solving this crime.

Kathy

 

[DeDee]

I think that the car being found close to the church and reports of her being found near the driver's side of the car indicate she was driving toward the church herself, possibly wounded. If this all occurred shortly after the abduction, she is trying to get to her father, whom she knows is still at the church. I think the suspect grabbed her, fought with her in the car driving toward the school not too far from the stop sign accident place, and planned an assault on the school grounds. It is a weekend, and that area looks like it could have many secluded places. Afterwards, he stabs her and runs away. She is still coherent enough to want to get to her dad, and she knows he is still at the church, so she drives as far as she can before losing too much blood.

Nice deductive reasoning skills, EnvoyDriver.

Perhaps Zoe was disoriented enough to not know where her phone was following the brutal attack. Perhaps her wounds were so serious that she did not consider calling 911, nor her dad, after the unsub removed himself from the van, possibly at the high school that is due southeast on Peavy Rd. from Walgreens. Upon leaving the HS, turning onto Newcombe makes sense, too. If she was driving the van at this point, I'm not sure why she did not continue straight on Easton toward the church but instead took the RT turn onto Lippit.

As naomi44 mentioned, there are lots of places to hide after committing a crime since there are numerous creeks in the White Rock area. My child's rental home on East Lake Highlands Dr., as well as Peavy Rd. and other streets, have alleyways that run behind the homes where residents place their trash cans for garbage pick up service. This is visible on satellite view because the alleyways' terrain are not named.

I will not add to the map, at this point; however, using the original in satellite, you can trace from Walgreens, down Peavy Rd. to the high school and then find Newcomb and back up to Lippit. It is possible that the unsub followed Lippit Branch to camouflage his getaway. JMHO, I don't think this perp had a personal vehicle while he lie-in-wait for his victim at Walgreen's yet he is quite familiar with the area.

Original map in satellite view

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Wal...1!2m2!1d-96.7024974!2d32.8540152!3e0?hl=en-US

When viewed in Satellite, you can see the options, at the bottom, to view Walgreens where RedBox is to the left side and not all that close to the entrance at Garland Road. There is also a pic of a side view of RedBox available.

We must train our children, our youth, to become vigilant of their own safety while at the same time not alarming them.

Can a local tell us where the homeless hang out or sleep in the area? LEO needs to keep park benches, bridges and "tent cities" cleared as they do in my metropolis that has a fairly high and ever-increasing crime rate.

RIP Zoe Hastings as we hold much sorrow for the loss of your beautiful spirited presence.

 

[Lrc143]

I too believe this to be random. Which is very scary (i'm local), due to the attack beginning in broad daylight. I am very confused about the time line of this. What time do they believe the car wreck with the speed sign happen? I am most curious about her time of death. Did he have her all night or was it over fairly quickly? Poor sweet girl... I hope answers come soon!

 

[naomi44]

Another question I have is where did the car roll from down the creek? down from Easton? or down from the grassy field at Clearbrook and Dixfield?
On the news videos all the police cars are on the grassy field, which is also where the guy who waived Noriega was when he was looking for help, also we see the car being pulled back up rear bumper first and it seems to me that the video is taken from the grassy field, not the street (we see the tow truck in the grassy field not the street too).


Obvious relevance : was the car driven into the creek from the street (accident) or pushed into the creek from the grassy field (she is unlikely to have been the one driving the car to the area) IMO of course.

 

[naomi44]

If she was wounded (at the school) and bleeding heavily but alone in the car and able to drive, wouldn't she have driven to the hospital so close at Garland and Buchner?

 

[Cardinal47]

I don't believe she would have voluntarily let him in the vehicle, no way. If it were someone she knew and they begged for a ride she might give them one, but she wouldn't slide over and let them drive (unless the young woman had some challenges that we are unaware of).

The weird thing about the football player was that the police said he was NOT a suspect 2-3 hours after his arrest. That was way way to soon to have ruled him out IMO, they couldn't have run lab tests that fast so how did they make that determination? An alibi? His word?

After all of this time they probably have run lab tests but it still seems very strange.

Also I tried to find a booking photo of Thomas Johnson (the football player) and couldn't find one, the photos online do not appear to be mugshots and they don't look recent, so it is possible his hair had grown out.

Is there a topic on Thomas Johnson on WS. I would like to read about that murder. TIA

 

[Cardinal47]

Oh ridiculousness. If I thought someone was going to call ancestry com I would not have written that. Please do not call anyone personally about something I have written. Just use it to make people use their brains and theories. There is a way to submit dna anonymously. How then can it be illegal? It can't be. They are not going to arrest you. For the person writing about outreach programs you are on the wrong track. Catholics and non denims do have outreach programs but for the most part that is not the LDS method. Chances of Zoe meeting someone through church outreach is about zero in my opinion. At this point I believe it was random. However dogs could still track scent and cell phone towers still give off info esp if for some reason the Val's were handed off from one to another which they probably were not if the van did not travel far. If they were by chance you would look for her phone signal and the perps to be switched in the same time frame as the van traveled. If the perp did not have a cell phone then this method won't work.

I think this was completely random probably a sexual assault or robbery and she fought back and wrecked the van hoping to get away or attract attention. When the perp realized he wasn't in control he killed her. Completely random

I pretty much have to agree it seems random.

But what keeps going round and round as I think about it is why would she slide over and let somebody take the wheel without protesting?

If she protested I believe the witness would have called the police and I don't think that happened.

Have they established a time of death and I am also curious if this was also a sexual attack?

LDS do seem to keep pretty much to them selves. We had a family living behind us. They were wonderful neighbors but they never knocked on doors or advertised for members. Their daughter and our granddaughter were great friends and she was a lovely girl.

I also keep thinking of her parents statement on that video. They showed such love and closeness in the loss of their beloved daughter. Then her father broke down in tears. Hard to watch such pain.

I hope they find this one quick.

 

[aviatrix]

Is there any location on this route where Zoe ever used wifi? Like when you go to Starbucks? Did she ever go to Starbucks? Sometimes you can check router logs if a person drove by there The logs will pick up their phones

 

[aviatrix]

I am not positive I believe the Walgreens witness but if Zoe slid over to let him drive he showed her a gun or a knife. No teenager would let someone drive the family van if they had never driven it before

 

[Sonya610]

LDS do seem to keep pretty much to them selves. We had a family living behind us. They were wonderful neighbors but they never knocked on doors or advertised for members. Their daughter and our granddaughter were great friends and she was a lovely girl.

They do the door knocking stuff when they go on a mission as youths, they don't pester people to convert otherwise though, which is very nice. The Mormons I have known were very nice and happy to socialize with non-Mormons.

LDS may not have outreach programs but they are big into prepping (storing food supplies), they have warehouses that sell long term storage food supplies in every major city, the warehouses are primarily for the LDS community but they are also open to non-Mormons at the same prices.

If she was approached by a stranger in the parking lot I have to think it was because she was "too nice to be rude", a very common trait for young women. Some guy comes up asking a question and seeming friendly and while the woman feels very unsafe she is more afraid of "being rude" right up until the knife or gun comes out.

 

[davehead21]

I pretty much have to agree it seems random.

But what keeps going round and round as I think about it is why would she slide over and let somebody take the wheel without protesting?

If she protested I believe the witness would have called the police and I don't think that happened.

Have they established a time of death and I am also curious if this was also a sexual attack?

LDS do seem to keep pretty much to them selves. We had a family living behind us. They were wonderful neighbors but they never knocked on doors or advertised for members. Their daughter and our granddaughter were great friends and she was a lovely girl.

I also keep thinking of her parents statement on that video. They showed such love and closeness in the loss of their beloved daughter. Then her father broke down in tears. Hard to watch such pain.

I hope they find this one quick.

I almost think he must have had a weapon and she just did what she was told in the beginning. She was still a kid and probably had been quite sheltered her entire life (not saying that as a criticism at all), so her first instinct was to obey in order to not be shot or stabbed. I think those of us who follow crime sometimes forget that not everyone does and may not know how to react in such situations. It's so sad that anyone needs to be educated in such subjects. I mean, an 18 year old girl should be able to return a Redbox movie without being afraid of being attacked.