WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #1

[fundiva]

I think LE has checked the car thoroughly and found either soil or grass underneath on the bottom part or underneath the car that would indicate whether it had been at the Crescent Bar site before it was abandoned in Pitcher Canyon. IMO, from growing up in this area, this would have to be someone local to know these two sites enough to get around without being suspicious. I am wondering if LE has checked the gas stations in the area for any video of her vehicle anytime that day. A lot of time the stations have cameras for drive aways or in case they are held up. As I was getting gas today I realized that the only thing I took out of my vehicle was my debit card and cell phone, which may be what McKenzie would have done and why her debit card or gas card were not found in her purse. In Washington state you pump your own gas, so someone could have gotten into her vehicle then. Also, if someone drove her car out to Crescent Bar and then back to Pitcher Canyon they would have used some gas and may have had to stop and get more, depending on when McKenzie last put gas in her car and how much.

 

[chicagofa13]

Yes, I have to reiterate that it is not confirmed that this is her BF. What made me think so was the initial of her BF according to her M.S. screen name and the fact that he is on her facebook. None of the very few other "J" names seemed to fit, either too old or live out of area. Then when my friend spoke to the local PD about him they didn't exactly confirm it but were very interested when she told them the poetry was disturbing and seemed to be centered on rage and jealousy. She suggested that Mackenzie was between relationships and they said "Oh, do you know about Joaquin?". She was like "HUH?"

Do any of you know if the friends you communicate with the most on F.B. appear more often than other friends in the top 5 or 10 profiles that are shown to visitors (the ones that are actually pictured on the profile)? Because when I found her F.B. every time I refreshed 9/10 times he was in the top friends pictured.

I am halfway tempted to call my best friend's 16 YO daughter and ask her to find out in a roundabout way.

ETA- We know for sure that her BF is 17 and is a Wenatchee resident as per comments in the article. Of course this whole Joaquin thing muddies the water significantly.

BBM.

Off topic but an FYI for future reference:

You can set your FB to show the same people all the time ("always show these friends", then you list who you want. Probably teenagers use this more than adults, my guess for their BF/GF/BFFs... Or it can show random people in groups of 6, 9 or 12. You can also have it set to only be visible to you and your friends, not to random people accessing your page (like someone from WS!!).

So if the same people are always there, it is probably set that way. Other than that, I have no idea of the pattern. I refreshed my page a few times and it was the same, then the 4th time it switched.

 

[amysmom]

I think some of us have definitely considered it (although my personal opinion is that she was killed on Tuesday, shortly after she disappeared). Maybe once the autopsy results are released, we might have an official answer to that.

sbm

It's ludicrous it took 4 days (Sat-Tues) to do an autopsy in a murder case & why no news conference today to say it was completed or at least a statement by LE? I don't recall seeing anything like this before :waitasec:

 

[Liz]

Very interesting, good catch Liz. At minimum you caught the local rag in confusing reporting, a serious crime against journalism

Unfortunately, Wenatchee World doesn't have an exclusive on confusing, erroneous, and/or shoddy reporting. Check out this erroneous report I just found:

Last Tuesday, Cowell left the Academy of Hair Design where she worked, walked to the parking lot and got into her car. Surveillance cameras recorded her driving away the school at 3:30 in the afternoon. It was the last time she was seen.

Four days later, investigators found her 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix parked in a rural area of Chelan County known as Pitcher Canyon. Her purse was locked inside the car.

http://www.nwcn.com/home/Autopsy-should-confirm-if-body-is-missing-Wenatchee-girl--84479192.html

As we all know, Mackenzie's car was found hours later, after she went missing last Tueday.

It is unfortunately very commonplace in today's reporting. I think that most of the time, unless someone is really following a case, it goes unnoticed.

 

[riderofthestorm]

sbm

It's ludicrous it took 4 days (Sat-Tues) to do an autopsy in a murder case & why no news conference today to say it was completed or at least a statement by LE? I don't recall seeing anything like this before :waitasec:

This area is VERY rural, even though it is one of the state's immerging Metropolitain Areas. As such, the Douglas County Coroner does not do autopsies, has no equipment or vehicles for exuming remains (which are done in Douglas County by Ambulance workers or Funeral Home directors). I don't even think Chelan County has a Medical Examiner as a coroner, because I do recall that they're always having to bring in a Medical Examiner from the state to conduct medical examinations.

This would be why it is taking so long to get results. Central Washington is not unlike Alaska in many ways: a couple of population centers surrounded by some of the most unforgiving terrain in the lower 48.

 

[riderofthestorm]

I located a cool tool online that shows the location of all Cell Phone towers based on FCC registration data. Without knowing what carrier she's with, and other factors, it's hard to know how usefull this will be, but it can give us a picture at what towers are in the area to know how often her phone may have transfered towers before going offline:

http://www.cellreception.com/towers/towers.php

 

[Liz]

Rider, I'm sure I'd previously read a report that LE had a search warrant for Verizon, to access Mackenzie's cell phone records. That's if the reporting was accurate, of course.

 

[riderofthestorm]

Rider, I'm sure I'd previously read a report that LE had a search warrant for Verizon, to access Mackenzie's cell phone records. That's if the reporting was accurate, of course.

If she's on Verizon, I can tell you she would have pretty much nil receiption in the Crescent Bar area. I drive this area all the time and I have to end a call before hitting the rest area at the top of the ridge over Crescent Bar and Trinidad, and resume it about 4 miles north/northwest of Trinidad.

 

[amysmom]

This area is VERY rural, even though it is one of the state's immerging Metropolitain Areas. As such, the Douglas County Coroner does not do autopsies, has no equipment or vehicles for exuming remains (which are done in Douglas County by Ambulance workers or Funeral Home directors). I don't even think Chelan County has a Medical Examiner as a coroner, because I do recall that they're always having to bring in a Medical Examiner from the state to conduct medical examinations.

This would be why it is taking so long to get results. Central Washington is not unlike Alaska in many ways: a couple of population centers surrounded by some of the most unforgiving terrain in the lower 48.

Normally LE forensic teams remove remains (to collect & preserve evidence) but there it's Ambulance workers or Funeral Home directors..Do I have that right?

 

[Liz]

"The poet" is online, as I type this.

 

[Liz]

Someone commented on his poem, Fatality

Comment by: poetguyraza - 2010-02-16 03:54
Add to Readers

This poem flows wonderfully. Your expression is very straight forward. Very well written indeed.

"And scares what remains of the def, then you talk"

This line though disturbs the flow... It looks very dragged...I'd suggest a little rephrasing and shifting of the punctuation.

 

[riderofthestorm]

Normally LE forensic teams remove remains (to collect & preserve evidence) but there it's Ambulance workers or Funeral Home directors..Do I have that right?

That would be correct. Central Washington really doesn't have a CSI. As far as I know Douglas County, Chelan County, and Wenatchee PD call in State forensics teams.

I would assume, with the sensitivity of this case, the remains were removed by State or FBI officials and transported by one of the ambulance companies. They may not have their own forensics teams here, but they do know to call in the Staties when this happens.

 

[Liz]

It's been re-edited to:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in serpent blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And stains your remnants denied detox.

(Now *that's* creepy!)

ETA:
When the site was first posted here, that stanza of the poem read:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in certain blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And scares what remains with black attacking hawks.

Then late last night it was changed to:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in certain blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And scares what remains of the def, then you talk.

And tonight we now have a new version! And the poet responded with a thanks to the person for their suggestion.

 

[Liz]

Here's a link to possibly substantiate that Mackenzie's cell provider was Verizon.
http://www.king5.com/news/local/FBI-asked-to-help-search-for-missing-Wenatchee-girl-84241332.html

Sheriff's spokesman Jerry Moore says search warrants were faxed Friday for information from MySpace, Facebook and Verizon.

 

[riderofthestorm]

Do we know what connection our poet not-so-laurelate has to MC?

 

[teedie2]

It's been re-edited to:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in serpent blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And stains your remnants denied detox.

(Now *that's* creepy!)

ETA:
When the site was first posted here, that stanza of the poem read:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in certain blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And scares what remains with black attacking hawks.

Then late last night it was changed to:

For all of those who cannot hear,
I’ll shape your fate in certain blocks.
Making sure the pain exploits your fears,
And scares what remains of the def, then you talk.

And tonight we now have a new version! And the poet responded with a thanks to the person for their suggestion.

Isn't that what this site is for, basically? It seems like the contributers are learning as they go, and accept suggestions to improve their work.

Not that I like it. This kid either has a real dark side, or is pretending to. "Posturing" is the word I'd use to describe him. I hope.

 

[teedie2]

Do we know what connection our poet not-so-laurelate has to MC?

That's a good question. Isn't he the friend of a friend? Or am I confused?

 

[Liz]

Do we know what connection our poet not-so-laurelate has to MC?

Girlfawkes (a local) had previously posted that Mr. Poet was Mac's b/f, but that has not been verified anywhere, that I'm aware of. Even though 'a boyfriend' has been mentioned in the media, no name has ever been released.

Here's a link to girlfawke's post about 'alleged' b/f':
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, missing 2/9/10, Orondo/Wenatchee

At some later point (maybe even earlier today) girlfawkes posted about not being sure about it, if memory serves me correctly.

However, his age does match the age of the b/f reported in the news - 17 years old. And the timing of the poetry (and poetry re-edits) surely does give me pause! That said, I would certainly not go so far as to say he is now, or ever was her boyfriend. Because I just don't know.

 

[riderofthestorm]

Yeah, it's pretty clear this kid needs to talk to someone, even people I know who write dark pieces not all of them are dark, this kid's are pretty much all dark.

 

[girlfawkes]

Girlfawkes (a local) had previously posted that Mr. Poet was Mac's b/f, but that has not been verified anywhere, that I'm aware of. Even though 'a boyfriend' has been mentioned in the media, no name has ever been released.

Here's a link to girlfawke's post about 'alleged' b/f':
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, missing 2/9/10, Orondo/Wenatchee

At some later point (maybe even earlier today) girlfawkes posted about not being sure about it, if memory serves me correctly.

However, his age does match the age of the b/f reported in the news - 17 years old. And the timing of the poetry (and poetry re-edits) surely does give me pause! That said, I would certainly not go so far as to say he is now, or ever was her boyfriend. Because I just don't know.

No, we still don't know through any media sources.

However, JV is 21 according to his M.S. and according to his school records which can be Googled. I also found out through a definitive source today that he lives in Orondo. The WenWorld reported that her BF lives in Wenatchee and she spent a lot of time at his home. Some of the towns here are close by, but Orondo is on the East Wenatchee side of the river, so I can't really see that as being a typo.

Liz, I thought I remembered her BF being reported as 17 as well but now can't find it. Sigh.

About the poetry edits, that line has now been edited I believe 4 times. At first it was "scare you out of your socks".