VA VA - Claudine Gifford, 43, White Stone, 6 July 2014 *GUILTY*

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TravelingBug said:
[*]Unrelated charges of malicious wounding and assault - "Kessler is being held without bond in Lancaster jail on charges of malicious wounding and assault in an unrelated case."
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Officially unrelated but somewhere I saw/heard that that altercation may have been with the actual husband. If that's true, which has not been mentioned in media yet, that would make it related.

I wish LE would talk a little bit about what evidence may or may not have been found in car and/or house.
 
helpfulcharlie said:
Officially unrelated but somewhere I saw/heard that that altercation may have been with the actual husband. If that's true, which has not been mentioned in media yet, that would make it related.

I wish LE would talk a little bit about what evidence may or may not have been found in car and/or house.
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That's interesting.

Any idea why LE is saying unrelated?

A technicality since it wasn't against Claudine?

According to the Lancaster sheriff’s department, the investigation is still ongoing. Kessler is being held without bond in Lancaster jail on charges of malicious wounding and assault in an unrelated case.
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http://www.rrecord.com/-news/2014/8-7-14/news1a.asp

The sheriff would not say exactly why James T. “Todd” Kessler, 53, was now considered a person of interest. Kessler was arrested last month on one charge of felony aggravated malicious wounding after an altercation at the tiki bar at Pelican Point Restaurant at Windmill Point Marina on July 19. The charge was unrelated to Gifford’s disappearance.
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http://wtvr.com/2014/08/04/claudine-gifford-person-of-interest/

Kessler is the man reportedly last seen with Claudine J. Gifford, 44, of Burgess, before she disappeared on July 6. Police say that the charge is unrelated to the Gifford investigation.
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I can't sleep at night for thinking about her, Erin Corwin and Anthony Delconte.
 
“She came back here to pick up her things,” said Gabrielle. But when her mother failed to return after five days, the teenager wondered what was taking so long.

“I texted her about 8:30 the night she disappeared and asked ‘Mom, what’s taking so long? I thought you were just going back to pick up your van and things.’”

She never received a reply.

Disappearance

According to sheriff’s reports, Claudine was last seen leaving Pelicans at the Point at Windmill Point with Todd Kessler around 8:30 p.m. July 6. In his own quest for information, Richard said witnesses at the tiki bar told him that after two or three drinks Claudine was so incapacitated, Kessler carried her to his car. However, the witnesses put the departure time two hours earlier, at 6:30 p.m"

From people on the scene 6:30 time appears correct. What is interesting is the time of the text. The investigators probably could tell from the ping from the text where the phone was located at 8:30. My guess is that they were still in the area but where? Maybe on a friends boat?
 
I hope there are still searches ongoing down there. Haven't heard anything. Last week's article in the local paper, discussed previously here, have given some of the locals a bit of comfort level -- it's so damning to TK that the fear that there's still a responsible party walking free has been reduced somewhat, at least among those I've spoken with.

I'd love to know if they continue to search the waterways within the area of cellphone pings, and/or any areas within the range that he might have used as hunting grounds in the past. My hope is that if he dumped her in the water, eventually something will break free and float to the surface.
 
helpfulcharlie said:
I hope there are still searches ongoing down there. Haven't heard anything. Last week's article in the local paper, discussed previously here, have given some of the locals a bit of comfort level -- it's so damning to TK that the fear that there's still a responsible party walking free has been reduced somewhat, at least among those I've spoken with.

I'd love to know if they continue to search the waterways within the area of cellphone pings, and/or any areas within the range that he might have used as hunting grounds in the past. My hope is that if he dumped her in the water, eventually something will break free and float to the surface.
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I know of one person that has searched the immeadiate waterways the last couple of weeks but there does not seem to be a coordinated effort to do so. The immeadiate area is almost like a suburban subdivision on the water so something could turn up.

Spoke with and called the person that is sort of coordinating everything but there has been no followup.
 
TravelingBug said:
I can't imagine there aren't MANY others who have had similar experiences with him, given he apparently went from ONE interaction with Claudine to basically being obsessed with her and not taking no for an answer on anything!

There's just no way this is a first time incident. Maybe first time murder, but someone like this just doesn't flip overnight to this extreme, IMO.

From a one time meeting to essentially becoming obsessed with someone, not listening to their wishes/comforts, threats and blackmail, the whole nine yards.

Just a little list of what are my big red flags from the article:


  • Argument - "Kessler said they had an argument"
  • Leaves her on the road - "and he dropped her off on the side of the road about a mile from the marina."
  • Gives false info/lead - "Kessler was the individual who gave deputies the information that 'four white men assisted her into a silver Nissan SUV.'"
  • Lying - Won't accept help yet claimed she was in such bad shape he needed to carry her (and then used this real event as the basis for his lie about that night's events - "Page, who first reported Claudine missing, claimed witnesses said a couple of men separately offered to help but were turned down and that they were still at the tiki bar after Claudine and Kessler left."
  • Listens in on a conversation a separate party, elsewhere in the restaurant, was having with a person he essentially didn't know- "Kessler, who was also in the restaurant, came over and interrupted the conversation"
  • Interrupts that same personal phone conversation - "Kessler, who was also in the restaurant, came over and interrupted the conversation"
  • Insists on wiring her money - and more than her friend was going to - "insisting he would wire her $200"
  • Insists on driving down to pick her up - "and then drive down to pick up Claudine, said Page."
  • Persists and continues to insist on something despite protests - "Since the women had only met him briefly once before, they declined his offer."
  • Disproportionate response and insistence given she was essentially a stranger - "Since the women had only met him briefly once before, they declined his offer."
  • Refuses to listen to their wishes - "But he refused to listen and left for North Carolina.
  • Convinces the person he'd only met once and who didn't want to go with him to date him in a matter of hours "After Claudine returned with him, they started dating, said Page."
  • Incessant contact - "Kessler called Claudine incessantly"
  • Demanding and orders her around - "insisting she return to Lancaster"
  • Threatens to blackmail her - “threatening to blackmail her”
  • Blackmail threats are targeted at her minor daughter - “'threatening to blackmail her' with her daughter in order to get her to return"
  • Purpose of threats/blackmail to get her to return to him - “'threatening to blackmail her' with her daughter in order to get her to return"
  • Calls and texts her spouse - “He even started calling and texting me.”
  • Heated argument w/ victim's spouse "Richard said he and Kessler got into a heated argument"
  • Constant (undesired) calls - "Richard said he and Kessler got into a heated argument over the constant calls"
  • Interference in the marriage - "Kessler’s interference in the couple working on their marriage."
  • Makes additional threats - “'She returned because of his threats'”
  • Additional threats also include/targeted at daughter - “'She returned because of his threats to send Gabrielle things. She was afraid he would.'”
  • Threats seemed to carry weight - “'She returned because of his threats to send Gabrielle things. She was afraid he would.'”
  • Manipulated her into returning because of the threats - “Claudine indicated she was going to stay (with Kessler) only to find the ‘things’ he could use to blackmail her,” Page said.
  • Enough concerning behavior she told others - "She also told her friend of her concerns about Kessler’s behavior.
  • Impersonation / posed as her husband - "At a store in White Stone, employees told him Claudine’s husband had already dropped off a poster."
  • Impersonation PLUS being sneaky / suspicious about missing persons posters - "After Richard explained he was her husband, employees played the store surveillance video for him which showed Kessler pulling out a rolled up poster he had stuffed down the front of his shirt, he said."
  • Unrelated charges of malicious wounding and assault - "Kessler is being held without bond in Lancaster jail on charges of malicious wounding and assault in an unrelated case."
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Yep - he's definitely a piece of work and I think you are right; he didn't just recently develop these behaviors. This is a very dangerous man. If he did the worst to poor Claudine, then I hope LE finds the evidence ASAP because this guy needs to be locked up permanently. No doubt in my mind that he would obsess over another woman in a heartbeat.
 
musicman said:
I know of one person that has searched the immeadiate waterways the last couple of weeks but there does not seem to be a coordinated effort to do so. The immeadiate area is almost like a suburban subdivision on the water so something could turn up.

Spoke with and called the person that is sort of coordinating everything but there has been no followup.
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An efficient and well planned and coordinated search is definitely needed. I grew up in a neighborhood very similar to this one and it presents multiple challenges for searchers. There's wooded areas, many homes, the waterways... Then you have the marinas with countless boats to search, in water and on land, vessels which have cargo holds and storage areas large enough to stow an adult. I would look in the boatyards in the boats which have remained on land for a few years. Don't overlook small pleasure boats because even they have a cubby/ storage under the bow.

ETA - I am sure boatsmen know enough to search around docks and pilings where things can get hung up. Just thought I'd mention it to be sure.
 
EmmaRose said:
An efficient and well planned and coordinated search is definitely needed. I grew up in a neighborhood very similar to this one and it presents multiple challenges for searchers. There's wooded areas, many homes, the waterways... Then you have the marinas with countless boats to search, in water and on land, vessels which have cargo holds and storage areas large enough to stow an adult. I would look in the boatyards in the boats which have remained on land for a few years. Don't overlook small pleasure boats because even they have a cubby/ storage under the bow.

ETA - I am sure boatsmen know enough to search around docks and pilings where things can get hung up. Just thought I'd mention it to be sure.
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You might want to drop a couple of hints on the "Bring Claudine Home" site. The people closest to her had been organizing things at one time but activity seems to have slowed down.
 
Thanks, musicman. I followed your suggestion.
 
I haven't heard anything about more searches, but people are still keeping their eyes open. Last weekend I drove down Cox's Farm Rd and saw three people standing around with dogs, but they weren't wearing uniforms and didn't look like they were on a mission, more like neighbors walking dogs. I've worked with dog teams before and they didn't have that look to them. I probably should have asked, but didn't want to be nosy in case he's got local allies.[modsnip] . One can only hope that they find something before his September 3 court date on the unrelated felony, because without much of a history, he won't get much of a sentence for that. I hope their strategy was to use that to hold him long enough to find further evidence, or that they have enough evidence being held close to the vest that they're able to keep him after that.
 
http://www.rrecord.com/-news/2014/8-21-14/news2a.asp

[SIZE=+1]LANCASTER—Sheriff’s investigators last week executed a search warrant at the home of James Todd Kessler, 53, of Cox’s Farm Road in Weems. Kessler was recently named a “person of interest” in the disappearance of Claudine Jaquier Gifford, 44.[/SIZE]
 
Stop posting addresses and sleuthing friends/family. Everyone knows the rules. Here's a refresher:

Victim Friendly

Websleuths is a victim friendly forum. Attacking or bashing a victim is not allowed. Discussing victim behavior, good or bad is fine, but do so in a civil and constructive way and ONLY IF IT IS RELEVANT TO THE CASE. Additionally, sleuthing family members or others that are not suspect is not allowed. Don't make random accusations or post personal information (even if it is public) like parking tickets, address, or first and last names of all their relatives and their neighbors. Also, never "bash" or attack them, or accuse them of involvement. However that does not mean that family members or others cannot come into discussion as the facts and issues of the case are discussed.

The other rules can be found right here: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?65798-Etiquette-amp-Information
 
Is anyone (or any group) still searching the area for Claudine? Any updates? No mention at all in the newspapers this week. Sad.
 
Hannahsmith said:
Is anyone (or any group) still searching the area for Claudine? Any updates? No mention at all in the newspapers this week. Sad.
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It is sad but it is a nearly impossible task. The possible seach area includes many rivers, the Chesapeake bay, thousands of acres of vacant timberland, and all of this assumes that she is in the area as there was a 12 hour window before she was declared missing. The local population is very small as well which also limits the number of people that could search.
 
Interested in seeing what happens at TK's preliminary hearing tomorrow 11AM on the "unrelated charges."
 
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