VA - Alexis Murphy, 17, Shipman, 3 Aug 2013 - #1

[wendle83]

The Liberty gas station is directly off of Rt 29 up a little hill. It is on the outskirts of a tiny shopping center. If you were heading to Cville from Lynchburg, it's on your left. It's fairly "new" being built maybe in the early 90's. The entrance to it is at the only stoplight in Lovingston. There is a McDonalds that shares the building with the gas station. The shopping center has a Food Lion and a few other shops (a Subway is one).IMO out there it is a popular place and a place to be "seen" because there isn't much else out there. Across the highway are the older shops that were popular before this shopping center came along. There's a BB&T and some other stores over in the "village" type setting across the street. There are residences over there but they wouldn't be able to really see the Liberty. There is a library and community center on one side of the shopping center (I doubt neither would have been open later than 5 on a Saturday). There is a wooded area on the other side before the volunteer fire department. There are residences up Rt 29 N but I wouldn't consider them "close" by.

 

[jellybeanz]

I would love to know when she saw that car as well! I definitely feel like whatever happened occurred very soon after the gas stop. I have felt that way for awhile and now wonder if someone got into her car while she was inside paying for gas. Is that too risky though? It was light out and I'm not sure how many other customers were at the station. The twitter quote referenced by other sleuthers bothers me because someone mentions seeing her at that gas station wearing the same floral leggings. The clerk also said she was a regular. I'm not familiar with that gas station, but are there houses, apartments, places of business around it? Could someone watch from a house and see the gas station? Did someone see her twitter and decide to wait and see if she stopped for gas? Did they follow her? Did they get in her car? Did she stop in Lovingston at a house and pick up someone? It's been years since I've been to Lovingston and it's a small area. Anyone familiar with that gas station and surrounding properties?

BBM

Its a possibility, but surely one of the cameras would have picked that up?

 

[FrauShan78]

I am not sure if anyone saw this on her ask . fm but I read through all over 700 messages and she had a hateful message calling her a N word gal after she didn't reply to I assume was the person's sexual previous question.

 

[PBJ2585]

Definitely should have! Unless the angle is wrong or the car was parked out of the view of the camera. As I am thinking about it, it seems far fetched. Hmmm....so she gets in her car and ??? Thoughts? If that phone was ditched in Lovingston, than what happened after she paid for that gas?


ybeanz;9735982]BBM

Its a possibility, but surely one of the cameras would have picked that up?[/QUOTE]

 

[jellybeanz]

Definitely should have! Unless the angle is wrong or the car was parked out of the view of the camera. As I am thinking about it, it seems far fetched. Hmmm....so she gets in her car and ??? Thoughts? If that phone was ditched in Lovingston, than what happened after she paid for that gas?

When you leave the station, there is an incline down to R29.

Someone 'could' have jumped onboard then, as Alexis waited to join the freeway?

 

[Tonto]

It would have had to have been very soon after the gas station that the woman saw the car weaving strangely in her neighborhood, etc. The reason is because LE says that's the gas station is the last place she was known to be, and that the phone went out shortly afterwards. So, if her phone pinged at that house, and it is where the car was seen, then she was there or the phone was there - either inside or outside - when it was turned off/went dead.

I don't know what could have happened in that short span other than someone jumping in the car at Liberty, her going to meet a shady someone for something (perhaps weed?), or her intentionally ditching/turning off her phone. It couldn't have been the latter because it was on the southbound side of a divided highway north of the Liberty in the opposite direction of C-Ville.

I think she knows a shady someone in that area - possibly in that house - and went by to pick something up. I feel that someone would have noticed if another person jumped in at the gas station.

Unless, of course, this person was already in the car with her and was supposed to be. LE would not comment on whether someone was in the car with her.

 

[beachlvr0810]

http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/web...phy/-/20128466/21395750/-/r247vm/-/index.html

I cannot begin to know what these parents are going through right now. I don't see how they can sleep at night, not knowing if their daughter is laying somewhere out in the rain, in a shallow grave somewhere, or being tortured by someone. I pray Alexis is found alive and brought back home to her grieving family!!!

 

[carbuff]

What if somebody followed her and flagged her down saying she had a flat tire, her gas cap was off, etc.? That's a method that's been reported to be used by the route 29 rapist/killer.

 

[Just K]

The Liberty gas station is directly off of Rt 29 up a little hill. It is on the outskirts of a tiny shopping center. If you were heading to Cville from Lynchburg, it's on your left. It's fairly "new" being built maybe in the early 90's. The entrance to it is at the only stoplight in Lovingston. There is a McDonalds that shares the building with the gas station. The shopping center has a Food Lion and a few other shops (a Subway is one).IMO out there it is a popular place and a place to be "seen" because there isn't much else out there. Across the highway are the older shops that were popular before this shopping center came along. There's a BB&T and some other stores over in the "village" type setting across the street. There are residences over there but they wouldn't be able to really see the Liberty. There is a library and community center on one side of the shopping center (I doubt neither would have been open later than 5 on a Saturday). There is a wooded area on the other side before the volunteer fire department. There are residences up Rt 29 N but I wouldn't consider them "close" by.

My money is on someone at McDonald's. There is a clear view there based on Google Street view.

 

[Tonto]

What if somebody followed her and flagged her down saying she had a flat tire, her gas cap was off, etc.? That's a method that's been reported to be used by the route 29 rapist/killer.

Also a possibility. If that's the case, I would bet LE is looking at every car at the Liberty, as well as any and all cars that may have followed her on the highway (if they have video to that effect).

I don't know why, but I think she drove up to get gas and then doubled back around to the area her phone last pinged to pick up some weed from a shady dude before heading to L-burg. Shady dude said 'let's hit one together' or something to that effect (I've been told that small time dealers often smoke with their buyers) and then things took a turn for the worse.

Pure speculation, of course.

 

[cluciano63]

I have never seen anyone on WS with SO much social media...if she was a totally random victim, I will be kind of shocked.

 

[Just K]

Also a possibility. If that's the case, I would bet LE is looking at every car at the Liberty, as well as any and all cars that may have followed her on the highway (if they have video to that effect).

I don't know why, but I think she drove up to get gas and then doubled back around to the area her phone last pinged to pick up some weed from a shady dude before heading to L-burg. Shady dude said 'let's hit one together' or something to that effect (I've been told that small time dealers often smoke with their buyers) and then things took a turn for the worse.

Pure speculation, of course.

Maybe, she picked someone who said they needed to head to a weed contact in C-ville...to pick up their own stash.

 

[Tonto]

Maybe, she picked someone who said they needed to head to a weed contact in C-ville...to pick up their own stash.

Possible, but if she was ok for that trip her phone would not have turned off. It seems that something would have had to have happened then and there.

 

[PBJ2585]

So, the shady dude deals with her phone and drives her car to Charlottesville at some point. There has got to be video of that car....

I don't think she parked that vehicle....I think the perp did it. Which is NOT the ending I wanted!

Also a possibility. If that's the case, I would bet LE is looking at every car at the Liberty, as well as any and all cars that may have followed her on the highway (if they have video to that effect).

I don't know why, but I think she drove up to get gas and then doubled back around to the area her phone last pinged to pick up some weed from a shady dude before heading to L-burg. Shady dude said 'let's hit one together' or something to that effect (I've been told that small time dealers often smoke with their buyers) and then things took a turn for the worse.

Pure speculation, of course.

 

[Just K]

I have never seen anyone on WS with SO much social media...if she was a totally random victim, I will be kind of shocked.

ITA, yet it is very possible that some local creeper found out about her SM pages and found a way to stalk her every move...maybe even talking to her anonymously. She invited lots of DMs (direct message /private messages on Twitter) with some of these anonymous characters. Any private arrangements could have been made.

 

[Just K]

Possible, but if she was ok for that trip her phone would not have turned off. It seems that something would have had to have happened then and there.

Exactly, but perhaps a way to get her in a deserted area then toss the phone. But he/she would have had to have known to park the car near Grandma's home or AM's job.

 

[Nolita]

I hope they find her soon, I just keep thinking about her parents. It's so sad that they have to go through this without knowing where she is, if she is ok. The thoughts that must run through their heads must be horrifying. I just don't understand how anyone could harm someone else...we all know she didn't leave on her own accord. This was someone else's doing. I just hope they find out where she is and what happens to her soon, for her sake and her parents sake. I just keep thinking of my parents in this same situation if anything were to happen to be, god forbid - it's so heartbreaking. Poor girl.

 

[Tonto]

So, the shady dude deals with her phone and drives her car to Charlottesville at some point. There has got to be video of that car....

I don't think she parked that vehicle....I think the perp did it. Which is NOT the ending I wanted!

Here's a problem with my (our) scenario:

If a perp drove her car to C-ville, it would have had to have been driven there very soon after whatever transpired. If her car didn't get there until Monday or Tuesday, then that means it would have had to have been in Charlottesville prior to that and then moved to where it was found. No way would the perp have driven it to Charlottesville from the Lovingston area on Mon or Tues considering LE presence in that specific area.

 

[Nolita]

Here's a problem with my (our) scenario:

If a perp drove her car to C-ville, it would have had to have been driven there very soon after whatever transpired. If her car didn't get there until Monday or Tuesday, then that means it would have had to have been in Charlottesville prior to that and then moved to where it was found. No way would the perp have driven it to Charlottesville from that area on Mon or Tues considering LE presence in that specific area.

Agreed, way too risky.

 

[PBJ2585]

If the perp drove it to Charlottesville and maybe moved it once or twice, I can buy that. Everyone was focusing on Lynchburg and Lovingston at the start of this. Just randomly thinking here.

Here's a problem with my (our) scenario:

If a perp drove her car to C-ville, it would have had to have been driven there very soon after whatever transpired. If her car didn't get there until Monday or Tuesday, then that means it would have had to have been in Charlottesville prior to that and then moved to where it was found. No way would the perp have driven it to Charlottesville from the Lovingston area on Mon or Tues considering LE presence in that specific area.