Victim: Alexis Murphy, 17, missing from Shipman, VA, 03 August 2013 - #6

[Ashley426]

I still check in a few times a day on here, just to see if anything has happened. It's so sad to me that when I press refresh after 10+ hours of not reading, there's only 1-2 new posts. I hope there is some movement very, very soon. I can't imagine what her family is feeling. This $*@&$%^ needs to crack, now. It's so discouraging when cases slow down like this...and it hasn't even been a full month Still thinking of Alexis every day.

 

[1&2&3]

It would seem with the wide assortment of medications, there would be some type or mixture available to get information out of him. What about the twilight sleep they use in dentist office or doctor's office or years ago it was said they used sodium pentathol? Hypnotism is a questionable means, but may work if a really good hypnotist was used.

RAT has been telling lies, half-stories, and who knows what. So even if given this medicine which brings out more lies, it would be worth the risk as you may get new information that is the piece needed!. What is there to lose?!

The shame of this is LE has a suspect sitting snugly in jail, not talking, just buying his time. My belief is the FBI was called in so quickly as this RAT was on the radar for his challenging the local LE and having found the illegal GPS, the local LE knew their hands were tied and would be questioned on every move. So the CYA was the best move to make!

At this point, it looks doubtful to me, that there will be enough evidence to hold him for abduction. I think he is biding his time, the grand jury will dismiss it, and the time he is serving since arrested will fulfill the probation violation need, so he will be back on the streets!

My opinions, thoughts, and crazy ideas. They stay right here on Websleuths.​

 

[l'burgchelle]

Just a thought...how far is it from RAT house to where he worked? How many miles to the gallon does his truck get? How can he afford to get to and from work with that type of gas guzzling vehicle? Did his employer give him a loaner vehicle from her auto place that was better on gas mileage? Was he allowed to use what ever vehicle on the lot whenever he so chooses?

 

[l'burgchelle]

Another thought...It kinda seemed in my opinion that his employer gave him a lot of free reign with her business and home. She commented that people need to be given a second chance in life. Didn't she allow him to do remod work at her house? Wonder if he manipulated her somehow to use cars off lot when he had no money to put gas into his huge vehicle. I see salesmen/carwash employees of other car dealerships driving around in cars off the lots all the time. RAT also was probably privy to license plates being the dealership has to have a few on hand for test drives. Just wondering!!!!

 

[Sun48shine]

I still check in a few times a day on here, just to see if anything has happened. It's so sad to me that when I press refresh after 10+ hours of not reading, there's only 1-2 new posts. I hope there is some movement very, very soon. I can't imagine what her family is feeling. This $*@&$%^ needs to crack, now. It's so discouraging when cases slow down like this...and it hasn't even been a full month Still thinking of Alexis every day.

The less tips LE has to go on, the less movement will occur. My niece's childhood friend has been missing since February 21, 2010. There was very little media coverage on her case. Alexis' family and friends will have to get more media attention for Alexis and organize their own search parties. I have not yet seen any media coverage in my state of Maryland about Alexis. When a teenage girl went missing in Maryland, her family kept her case active by organizing their own searches, contacting the media, and contacting state delegates. A new law was created in her name which requires the state to publish a list of missing children along with statistics, and a list of volunteers who can aid law enforcement in the search for missing children.

 

[4MYGUYS]

Another thought...It kinda seemed in my opinion that his employer gave him a lot of free reign with her business and home. She commented that people need to be given a second chance in life. Didn't she allow him to do remod work at her house? Wonder if he manipulated her somehow to use cars off lot when he had no money to put gas into his huge vehicle. I see salesmen/carwash employees of other car dealerships driving around in cars off the lots all the time. RAT also was probably privy to license plates being the dealership has to have a few on hand for test drives. Just wondering!!!!

I've had the same thoughts, especially when browsing the maps and his res. on 29. You can see a red car in the drive. So how old are these maps?
I am pretty sure LE has access to more recent mapping however.
And he lived right across the hwy. from some sort of car sales, (it appears). How hard would it be for a seasoned criminal to "borrow" a vehicle? He'd have no trouble surveilling it for any sort of reasons.
I too wonder about his employer and her supportive statements, even reportedly saying he was her personal assistant, & he was in her daughters bedroom just before this, & nothing ever came of that. IMO He's slick, and built this relationship and trust for a reason... I'd bet money that there are tons of things gone missing that she is unaware of. JMO

Is he allowed visitors in jail. I am also wondering, with him asking to be allowed to live with his x, if bonded out, what his relationship is there. Must be ok if he was asking to live with her.
Sometimes old ties die hard.
I'm thinking help may have come along these lines. IDK.

 

[Sun48shine]

Wouldn't the FBI's involvement have to do also with the information being sealed? Anytime they are involved in an ongoing investigation detailed information is protected from public exposure. That's one of their policies. It would explain having no media present. Also, it helps to protect those who may be key people within the investigation.

Of side note, do we know exactly why they became involved? In kidnappings, they become involved when it's kids age 12 and under, or if it's more than one person in more than one state, or if state lines have been crossed.

I assumed it had to do with possible cyber involvement, but I didn't know.

When a 17 year old girl went missing in Maryland, more than 100 detectives, including half of the Baltimore police department's homicide unit, Maryland State Police and the FBI were assigned to her case two weeks after she went missing.

 

[4MYGUYS]

When a 17 year old girl went missing in Maryland, more than 100 detectives, including half of the Baltimore police department's homicide unit, Maryland State Police and the FBI were assigned to her case two weeks after she went missing.

With the reports of helicopter searches, K9 teams and 3 LE agencies involved, & considering the rough terrain, when the time is right, I think we will find that the numbers looking for Alexis will be high.

I am suggesting that we all add our support daily by checking and posting here, even just a line of support for the friends and family to read.
Also if you can send financial help for this family who will need continued help for day to day expenses while they are unable to work, would, I am sure be appreciated. " & Hey!" you can avoid fearing that 75% of your donation will be spent on "administrative costs" by agencies.

 

[Eclipse33]

Checking in and bumping up for Alexis! I hope today is THE DAY she is found!!

 

[2Hope4]

Just a thought...how far is it from RAT house to where he worked? How many miles to the gallon does his truck get? How can he afford to get to and from work with that type of gas guzzling vehicle? Did his employer give him a loaner vehicle from her auto place that was better on gas mileage? Was he allowed to use what ever vehicle on the lot whenever he so chooses?

Doubtful. RAT doesn't have a driver's license does he? Mighty risky for her insurance if he were to have a wreck in one of the vehicles off the lot. IMO

 

[katinva]

Poor Alexis! Can you imagine being her family and slowly losing hope? With each passing day they realize that this is what their future will be like. That she really isnt going to walk through the door again.

 

[x_files]

Doubtful. RAT doesn't have a driver's license does he? Mighty risky for her insurance if he were to have a wreck in one of the vehicles off the lot. IMO

People make horrible decisions. She may never asked if he had a license.
The more I follow cases and meet people, the more I learn people do not use common sense in daily life.

 

[Aeronomy]

When a 17 year old girl went missing in Maryland, more than 100 detectives, including half of the Baltimore police department's homicide unit, Maryland State Police and the FBI were assigned to her case two weeks after she went missing.

Yes, but two weeks is far different than two days imho.

 

[Bsublime]

The lack of searching does make me suspicious that they knew bad news from the start. They had search teams and dogs, but I think they were looking for her phone, not for her. I also suspect that must be telling the family not ask for the publics help with a search party. So that leads me to conclude the worst. Either they know she is no longer with us, or the suspect she is alive but no longer in the area.

I think they really want to build a strong case against this guy. That means not doing anything like they did in the SC case where defense might be able to argue his rights were violated, and by not having the public trample through potential evidence so that it too could be called into question in court.

 

[Aeronomy]

I'm not sure if this question had been addressed or answered, but pertaining to the Liberty gas station/McD's that AM was last spotted, do they have free wifi?

According to this site http://www.mcvirginia.com/wifi/, they do, but just wondering if it's true. Isn't there a possibility this could have been used as a method of communication by Taylor?

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Although it's been rumoured that the CIA has been working on a truth serum for decades, no such drug has been proven to exist.

Most sources I scanned state that "truth serum" may make a subject more friendly and co-operative with an interviewer, but may also cause the subject to have fantasies. A liar without the serum will likely continue to lie with the serum. These drugs may also make the subject more susceptible to suggestion. The subject may not even remember that an interview had taken place--like the effect of a date rape drug. So the information from drug enhanced interrogations cannot be taken at face value.

In fact, in 1963, Townsend v Sain, the Supreme Court decided that confessions made under the influence of truth serums were "unconstitutionally coerced".

Sadly, it seems that there is no way of forcing someone to tell the truth, even in dire circumstances. However, I join with you, BeginnersLuck, in wishing that somehow, especially when someone is missing, there was a way to compel a suspect to reveal what they know to be true.

My thought process on this was there may be a chance they could at least find the missing when they have a suspect and the family could have some closure, but with the way our laws are, any evidence they obtained in the process would most likely be inadmissible in court.

I still think it's something that should be considered, most likely has and maybe some changing of the laws would be of great benefit.

There are just to many missing out there

 

[Sun48shine]

With the reports of helicopter searches, K9 teams and 3 LE agencies involved, & considering the rough terrain, when the time is right, I think we will find that the numbers looking for Alexis will be high.

I am suggesting that we all add our support daily by checking and posting here, even just a line of support for the friends and family to read.
Also if you can send financial help for this family who will need continued help for day to day expenses while they are unable to work, would, I am sure be appreciated. " & Hey!" you can avoid fearing that 75% of your donation will be spent on "administrative costs" by agencies.

I will send money to support the family. That's what we did in Maryland to help the family of the missing girl. We also helped with searches and gave out flyers.

 

[Justice101]

RAT doesn't look like the laptop, tablet or even smartphone guy. Bet he's got a basic model of cell phone... perhaps even just a pay as you go Tracfone or such.

FYI

 

[Aeronomy]

The lack of searching does make me suspicious that they knew bad news from the start. They had search teams and dogs, but I think they were looking for her phone, not for her. I also suspect that must be telling the family not ask for the publics help with a search party. So that leads me to conclude the worst. Either they know she is no longer with us, or the suspect she is alive but no longer in the area.

I think they really want to build a strong case against this guy. That means not doing anything like they did in the SC case where defense might be able to argue his rights were violated, and by not having the public trample through potential evidence so that it too could be called into question in court.

Your comment struck me in an odd way, not bad--just odd. I suppose it's because I have found myself trying to determine if it were one of the two. I think it's a deeper desire causing me to focus more on the latter of the two though. Of course, from what little facts I know, both possibilities carry equal weight. Yet, the lack of searching and the unfortunate prevalence of sex trafficking within Virginia also affects my focus on the latter as well.

Over the past couple of years there have been many arrests related to traffickers in Virginia. I read an article I came across within one of the VA state government pages that detailed one particular way girls were either recruited or abducted. A particular group of people had done both and they stated one of their ways were to search social media for attractive young females. They would chat them up, compliment them, offer and provide illegal substances to them and after careful planning they would eventually abduct or recruit them. The girls were then threatened to prevent resistance.

I don't have a link for that article and I apologize that I don't, but I'm certain just searching the terms "sex trafficking" and "Central Virginia" or even adding in Albemarle or Augusta would bring up many news reports of such arrests and convictions over the past year or so.

There's been no mention of charges or suspicion of homicide or the like when it comes to Alexis, only abduction...I don't know where to go with that and it saddens me that my own greatest hope in her case is so bittersweet.

 

[VaBchLady]

http://m.wdbj7.com/two-underage-chi...ng/-/20129166/21686060/-/tita9pz/-/index.html

I find it interesting that authorities were investigating meth trade & sex trafficking. I know they're minors, but I'm curious to see if the girls had been reported missing.