WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #15

[Nancee Drue]

Hi, I read in an article the last place Mackenzie was seen on camera and I'll find it. I think it said it was at 3 as she was leaving work. Be back.

Yes, that's what LE says. But, I am guessing she was seen on camera video else where....place unknown to the public. (not fact, nor rumor...just a theory)

 

[sunhaven]

Hi, I read in an article the last place Mackenzie was seen on camera and I'll find it. I think it said it was at 3 as she was leaving work. Here is a different article, and she was seen about 3:30:

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/feb/14/investigators-say-body-is-mackenzie-cowell/

Snipped

" . . .Video shows Cowell get in her car, drive away alone

WENATCHEE — Video footage of Mackenzie Cowell shows nothing amiss at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, the day the young woman disappeared.

The video came from a camera in a City of Wenatchee parking lot near the Academy of Hair Design, where Cowell worked.

“She walked to her car normally, she was not on her cell phone, she was in her beauty academy clothes, she backed away normally, no rush, nothing appeared to be wrong,” said Jerry Moore, chief of administration with the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office. “Nobody followed her out of the parking lot. It was just normal, get in your car and drive away.”

The footage of the parking lot from a stationary camera also shows her 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix driving west up Kittitas Street, “and from there we don’t know where she went,” Moore said.

That is the last known sighting of Cowell before her body was found Saturday along the shore at Crescent Bar . . . {more @ link}

Yes I remember vaguely though that they came back and changed the time report because the copy of the video reset the time as 3:30 but the actual time that MC left was 3 PM----------or maybe it was the reverse of that but I remember some clarification that the two time differences were an error of placing the video onto the WW site.

 

[alt.theory]

Since it is slow right now and most of us are crossing our fingers and hoping for forensic evidence to come back determining who the murderer is, here is a recent Newsweek article on forensic science. Cliff-note version: ...forensics disciplines are rife with "bad methodology, sloppy performance, or intentional misconduct" yet still "impressive to juries."

 

[AutumnRose]

OK..but that doesn't explain if you thought it was re: JV vs JF & I'm genuinely curious if that made any diff to you..Feel free not to answer if you feel I'm crossing the line..Peace!

I posted about a picture of CC (MC's brother) in a car that looks very much like JV's car, just a different color. The picture was on TC's FB and described the car as CC's new wheels. Someone else recalled a post about JF's friend, also known as CC. So, there are 2 CC's. #1 MC's brother. #2 JF's friend.

I don't know who decided CC was JV's friend. Wasn't me and it was incorrect. I never thought that and never said that. This was all about the cars. If the picture was still up on the last thread, I could show you, but it has been taken down by the original poster.

 

[scandi]

"one set of prints" if we knew for certain they were not or could not have been made by MC (who left work wearing heels/boots with heels) and they were made by someone else...then we are down to two possible scenario's. Man or woman drove car to that spot and dumped it or man drove that car to that spot and carried body to another (waiting) vehicle <leaving just the one set of footprints>. If the prints went from drivers door straight to asphalt then likely it was just a driver. If the passenger door was on the asphalt then the body transfer theory could still be a possibility.

Footprints carrying another person would be deeper, likely 250-300 pound impressions. Footprints otherwise would be light. Not sure what the terrain was like up there (the dirt, weather, etc.).

Would be nice to know more info about the footprints.

Hi and Welcome to WS, At http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/02/mackenzie_cowells_murder_promp.php you will find a comment that says he read the footprints were from cowboy boots. Who knows, certainly needs allot of salt.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

If in that order she couldn't have passed with the strangulation or it wouldn't have been listed as COD. Strangulation is quite difficult and takes a long time, not like in the movies. Suspect would have needed the stab wound to finish what the others did not. But I do think it happened in that order.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strangling

As in all cases of strangulation, the rapidity of death can be affected by the susceptibility to carotid sinus stimulation.[4] Carotid sinus reflex death is sometimes considered a mechanism of death in cases of strangulation, but it remains highly disputed[3][8] [My comment: I expect this reflex is not applicable in this case due to MC's age and expected level of a 'good health' condition]. The reported time from application to unconsciousness varies from 7-14 seconds if effectively applied [9] to one minute in other cases, with death occurring minutes after unconsciousness.

bbm

Warning - what follows is somewhat graphic:

I expect an initial attack of violent blunt force to the head is of with intent to kill, with at minimum a result that renders a victim to lesser states of awareness and consciousness. The actual result is dependent upon the amount of force and location of strike(s).

If one of the rumored instruments (hammer or bbbat) was used we might expect the force to be quite significant.

A hammer is of solid metal or mallet design, with its work-mass concentrated in the head piece. Mass acceleration and velocity energies are concentrated to within a small area = concentrated, deep-affective damage at contact point.

A baseball bat might be solid wood, or hollow or foam-filled aluminum. It's mass is more evenly distributed in its longer-than-a-hammer length, and typically is lesser than a hammers at any given point but strike force velocity might be greater, also due to its longer-than-a-hammer length = greater land-area, broad-affective damage at contact point.

Either instrument is effective at incapacitating a victim to either death or at least to lesser states of awareness and consciousness.

Manual strangulation (as relevent to this case as per autopsy report) is easier to initiate after having introduced blunt force trauma but might still be difficult to complete to death, but certainly is not impossible - I expect it depends on the unsub's adrenaline level and focused-intent.

Depending on how the strangling is performed, it may compress the airway, interfere with the flow of blood in the neck, or work as a combination of the two. Consequently, manual strangulation may damage the larynx,[3], and fracture the hyoid or other bones in the neck.[4] In cases of airway compression, manual strangling leads to the frightening sensation of air hunger and may induce violent struggling.

• If strangulation involves only blood-flow restriction (to the brain) the victim might fight back with lesser intensity due to reduced oxygenated blood in the brain in addition to the blunt force trauma.
• If strangulation includes a choking component (I *assume* this to be applicable in this case due to the level of 'violence' implied by the autopsy) a self-preservation fight-back occurs when the victim's breathing becomes interrupted, making it more difficult to maintain pressure, etc., but in this case there also is a blunt force trauma component so we might expect at least slighty-less fight-back struggle.

If MC was still alive after the BFT and strangulation, bleed-out volume still could be minimal depending upon if the stab weapon was left in place until after expiration and / or whether or not an artery was in-path.

The only 'comfort' in this case is that the initial-violence-to-expiration time was 'brief' according to the autopsy - we might expect MC did not suffer an agony.

I am reluctant to submit this post .. but sleuthing such a case includes also working through the violence aspects. My apology to all.

 

[pufnstuf]

Yes, I do remember hearing that, and that the people who found her saw her from a distance. That changes so much about the crime, IMO.

We haven't seen Del Rio in a few days, but I'd like to ask him how he was so sure that her feet were in the stream, not the river. :waitasec:

Still wondering that, too. I've looked through videos, slideshows, articles, etc. and anything that's specific on where her body was found always says "the river."

I think that she was bludgeoned at/in the house, then carried/dragged to the beach, and then strangled and stabbed and left for dead.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

We have covered the inconsistencies of the &#8220;hey&#8221; text numerous times and also last phone activity, thought it might be useful to put the following four reports into the same post as a refresher:

2/13/10 - GLC verbal interview: Moore states last time we heard from MC was 3:15pm

http://www.golakechelan.com/?name=News&file=article&sid=10276

2/14/10 &#8211; Below info located in side bar of WW article linked below:

Records from Cowell&#8217;s cell phone last week show &#8220;just normal cell phone activity for Mackenzie,&#8221; Moore said. &#8220;There were no numbers that were different or unique from who she was normally calling.&#8221;

At 3:30 p.m., Cowell made her last text message. &#8220;She texted her boyfriend, &#8216;Hey.&#8217; He responded with the same text, &#8216;Hey,&#8217; &#8221; Moore said.

At 5:42 p.m. Tuesday, a cell tower bounced a signal off her phone, and that was the last activity, Moore said. He declined to say where the cell tower was located.

Investigators assume that the phone was turned off from then on, which would have been unusual for Cowell, he said. &#8220;This is a gal who used her cell phone to text nearly 200 times a day,&#8221; Moore said.

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/feb/14/investigators-say-body-is-mackenzie-cowell/?online

2/26/10 - This is the 3:40 text time currently in the timeline:

Doug Jones, spokesman for the task force investigating Cowell&#8217;s death, said the last activities on the cell phone were two text messages. They were between Cowell and her boyfriend at about 3:40 p.m. and each was, "Hey."The texts were made when the phone was at the boat launch.

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/feb/26/cowell-boat-launch-day-she-disappeared-investigato/

3/??/10 - JV communicates with WS member MelissaW:

JV reports that MC texted him (JV) at 2:45pm saying &#8220;hey&#8221; &#8211; he texts her back at around 4:15pm, with no reply from MC.

Why the disparity? Did LE determine the 3:40 pm time from a msg timestamped in a phone, from the carrier's records or verbally? IS JV going by his memory or by the msg timestamped in his phone?

re:
&#8220;This is a gal who used her cell phone to text nearly 200 times a day,&#8221;

I encounter 'texting teenagers' quite often while I'm driving ... most encounters include seeing them with their head down, vehicle-weaving and lower speed than surrounding traffic....

... what if MC was texting en-route to where ever and 'interrupted' another driver who just happened to have had that occur once too often? Road rage?

Far-fetched. Where would this have to occur for no one to witness such an 'encounter'?

ENCOUNTER-WITHOUT-CARWASH SPECULATION:

MC texting while driving, is unattentive and causes another driver to swerve and possibly hit something or to forcefully break to avoid being hit by or to avoid hitting MC's car. MC also breaks hard. Now, both vehicles are stopped.

The other driver signals MC to pull over or into a parking lot. Boat launch or near-by? Both exit their vehicles, with the unsub's anger level at fever-pitch --- this occurrence was a last-straw trigger. Driver doors left open.

He might or might not be empty-handed (hammer / mallet). I expect the unsub to be 'in construction' or other profession where tools are commonly stored in-vehicle. He also might have one or more compact tool holsters on his belt (multi-purpose tool with plier, smooth or serrated sharpedge, screwdriver, etc.) or he carries a pocket or larger knife.

Words are exchanged and finally the unsub either strikes MC with the in-hand weapon or quickly reaches into his vehicle (probably truck bed) and emerges with and strikes.

MC falls to the ground from the blow and the unsub panics because MC has seen him and his vehicle. He wants to ensure she can not report the attack and id him. He panics due to potential vehicle and foot traffic approaching the scene.

He places MC into her vehicle, passenger side. I expect it is unlocked because MC (like me) probably unlocked her car door via the power lock button (unlocks all doors at the same time and is more convenient to press than is the mechanical lock-sway mounted sideways on the door). MC's keys still are in the ignition.

Drive drive drive, they end up at CB. MC is in a worsening condition (epidural hematoma), but conscious. The unsub carries MC on to the property and to the area above the slope to the 'beach'.

Ths unsub happens to find a bag on-site (sorry del) and places it over MC's head. It's as much of he does not want her to see him as it is he does not want to witness the result of his previous and future actions. He could not strangle her if she were 'staring' at him.

He attempts to strangle MC but finds it difficult to complete to death because it's too hands-on and / or because of MC's survival reflex struggle.

He begins to push or drag MC to the opening from the duck blind area to the 'beach' to drop her into the river to let her drown but realizes the river does not reach to the base of that slope, that she would not drop into the river.

To ensure expiration he then stabs MC in the neck or thereabouts. He then drops MC through the opening and she lands feet-first into and along the stream.

ENCOUNTER-WITH-CARWASH SPECULATION:

There was perhaps minimal contact between their vehicles during the texting accident or due to the unsubs bad driving habit, there is no blow-to-the-head fight at the 'pull over' scene and the unsub inspects both vehicles for damage (leaving fingerprints).

The unsub has no license and / or insurance and / or has warrants on him and / or he has an ill-intent ... pretty 17 yr old, etc.

He convinces MC his vehicle is undrivable due to the encounter and he claims he has no insurance and does not want to report it. He convinces MC to 'clean' her car of contact indication with his vehicle, that he'll pay for the car wash.

He dons his loaded tool-belt with the excuse 'he does not want it to be stolen'.

They drive to and through the car wash and he asks MC to drive him to his house or place of business ... and so forth.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Interesting. But they confirmed with Shari's & looked at receipts and then went to JV to personally apologize for the questioning.

Why did LE then pursue that angle?

LE might have 'lost' JV during their surveillance drive and spotted a vehicle similar to his as Shari's? Not likely as LE would know his tag identifier.

So .. who reported to LE that JV was there?

 

[Nancee Drue]

ChuckMaureen, your theories are interesting....something to think about....

 

[ChuckMaureen]

He doesn't know anything about the keys and AFAIK, he doesn't know anything about the footprints. I know it was pretty dark when he got there, so I don't think it was possible to examine everything. He did say her purse being in the backseat was very off, because she never would have done that.

IMO, that's should be added to the 'speculative' timeline.

I believe that emphasizes the possibility of a second person in the car ... no where to place the purse so toss it to the back seat ... I assume a girl would not want to toss her purse to the passenger side floor if someone were sitting in that seat and would not want it to become 'dirtified' on a winter-seasoned floor mat.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

This carwash issue really frustrates and infuriates me.

This is probably the single most important location placing MC with another person (male) and we have NO information.

Vid cams at carwash that can not establish sex of the passenger let alone description.

No passenger description from attendants, height, weight, color hair, race, length of hair, body build, clothing?

Yet, if MC knew this guy than most likely MC's best girlfriends would know who this was. JV is clueless that this person exists.

Pics of MC's car are inconclusive that the car was washed...pressing towards not washed...JV says MC did not care about washing car.

SO, what is the deal with this place. If this actually occurred there would have been severe LE interogation on a POI and an arrest 1 week after MC was found.

This sounds like a hoax on WSers. To date, no press or LE even have made a hint to a carwash.

In my previous life I was an industrial accident investigator and the heresay people throw out to mess you up is unbelievable.
No disrespect for our new posters but we need to really scrutinize this information IMO

Based on my ownership and years experience with the same model body style car, I see evidence of water having streamed from the spoiler.

I'm leaning to at least a recent experience of, if not the same day then one or two days previous to discovery, of a rain, garden hose and / or car wash occurence.

That is based on experienced observance of the physical surface of the car ... not LE-stated fact, yes, but definitely the result of an experienced observance.

 

[cmlegend99]

IMO, that's should be added to the 'speculative' timeline.

I believe that emphasizes the possibility of a second person in the car ... no where to place the purse so toss it to the back seat ... I assume a girl would not want to toss her purse to the passenger side floor if someone were sitting in that seat and would not want it to become 'dirtified' on a winter-seasoned floor mat.

Exactly. When I have someone riding with me in the front I always put my purse in the back. Makes sense.

 

[Salem]

Good morning everyone! I wish we had an arrest! Maybe this week?

Please remember that taking pictures from official sites and reposting them as attachments is a CopyRight violation, if credit is not given to the original source of the photo. Linking to the site that is hosting the photos is fine.

I have deleted a couple of posts because they violated the CopyRight laws.

Thank you!

Salem

 

[greydiggity]

Why did LE then pursue that angle?

LE might have 'lost' JV during their surveillance drive and spotted a vehicle similar to his as Shari's? Not likely as LE would know his tag identifier.

So .. who reported to LE that JV was there?

I wondered the same thing. Who reported this. I know for a FACT that LE questioned a waitress at Shari's. They asked her to pull receipts from the early morning hours of 2-10. There was a hispanic couple there at that time. They showed her some photos. One was a picture of a car. When they asked her if she recognized the car, she said "that is mine." SO, like you said, WHO reported this initially? If LE drove by and saw the car, they could have run the tags to see it was not his. Hummmmmm...

 

[No More]

Here are some themes that I came up with. I'm not trying to imply anything but instead just stepping back and grouping some things in a different way:

PUD Land

1. Riverfront Park
2. Site where MC was found at CB property (according to del)
3. Yellow utility or construction spray paint on lawn at CB property

Water or Cleansing

1. MC worked at the Hair Academy, last seen there
2. Riverfront Park
3. Rumored car wash
4. Rumored broken wind shield wiper
5. Rumored hair cut by JF
6. MC found on shore of the Columbia
7. Rumored that MC looked like she had been through the dam, probably not.
8. LE report in WW that MC's feet were in the water

Ranchers

1. MC's car found next to a cattle gate
2. MC's car found in an area where ranchers live
3. MC's body found in an area where ranchers live
4. Rancher citizen at CB reports in WW seeing new brodies in lawn

Construction

1. MC's car found in an area where construction workers live
2. MC's body found by a house that many construction workers would know
3. Yellow utility or construction spray paint on lawn at CB property
4. Rumored tool used in homicide could be a construction tool

Landscapers / Lawn-Property Maintenance

1. Riverfront Park gets maintenance
2. Pretty sure CB property receives some maintenance
3. Rumored tool in homicide could be a yard tool (IMO)

 

[TRI-CITIES]

Based on my ownership and years experience with the same model body style car, I see evidence of water having streamed from the spoiler.

I'm leaning to at least a recent experience of, if not the same day then one or two days previous to discovery, of a rain, garden hose and / or car wash occurence.

That is based on experienced observance of the physical surface of the car ... not LE-stated fact, yes, but definitely the result of an experienced observance.

I agree 100% - I would add that the car clearly looks to me that it was washed and still somewhat damp when it hit the dusty/dirt roads. It looks like the kind of dirt/dust that sticks to a recently washed car. I do not however, have any idea on the probability of rain being the other answer.

 

[TRI-CITIES]

Why the disparity? Did LE determine the 3:40 pm time from a msg timestamped in a phone, from the carrier's records or verbally? IS JV going by his memory or by the msg timestamped in his phone?

re:
&#8220;This is a gal who used her cell phone to text nearly 200 times a day,&#8221;

I encounter 'texting teenagers' quite often when I'm driving ... most encounters include seeingtheir head-dowm, some vehicle-weaving and lower speed than surrounding traffic....

... what if MC was texting en-route to where ever and 'interrupted' another driver who just happened to have had that occur once too often? Road rage?

Far-fetched. Where would this have to occur for no one to witness such an 'encounter'?

ENCOUNTER-WITHOUT-CARWASH SPECULATION:

MC texting while driving, is unattentive and causes another driver to swerve and possibly hit something or to forcefully break to avoid being hit by or to avoid hitting MC's car. MC also breaks hard. Now, both vehicles are stopped.

The other driver signals MC to pull over or into a parking lot. Boat launch or near-by? Both exit their vehicles, with the unsub's anger level at fever-pitch --- this occurrence was a last-straw trigger. Driver doors left open.

He might or might not be empty-handed (hammer / mallet). I expect the unsub to be 'in construction' or other profession where tools are commonly stored in-vehicle. He also might have one or more compact tool holsters on his belt (multi-purpose tool with plier, smooth or serrated sharpedge, screwdriver, etc.) or he carries a pocket or larger knife.

Words are exchanged and finally the unsub either strikes MC with the in-hand weapon or quickly reaches into his vehicle (probably truck bed) and emerges with and strikes.

MC falls to the ground from the blow and the unsub panics because MC has seen him and his vehicle. He wants to ensure she can not report the attack and id him. He panics due to potential vehicle and foot traffic approaching the scene.

He places MC into her vehicle, passenger side. I expect it is unlocked because MC (like me) probably unlocked her car door via the power lock button (unlocks all doors at the same time and is more convenient to press than is the mechanical lock-sway mounted sideways on the door). MC's keys still are in the ignition.

Drive drive drive, they end up at CB. MC is in a worsening condition (epidural hematoma), but conscious. The unsub carries MC on to the property and to the area above the slope to the 'beach'.

Ths unsub happens to find a bag on-site (sorry del) and places it over MC's head. It's as much of he does not want her to see him as it is he does not want to witness the result of his previous and future actions. He could not strangle her if she were 'staring' at him.

He attempts to strangle MC but finds it difficult to complete to death because it's too hands-on and / or because of MC's survival reflex struggle.

He begins to push or drag MC to the opening from the duck blind area to the 'beach' to drop her into the river to let her drown but realizes the river does not reach to the base of that slope, that she would not drop into the river.

To ensure expiration he then stabs MC in the neck or thereabouts. He then drops MC through the opening and she lands feet-first into and along the stream.

ENCOUNTER-WITH-CARWASH SPECULATION:

There was perhaps minimal contact between their vehicles during the texting accident or due to the unsubs bad driving habit, there is no blow-to-the-head fight at the 'pull over' scene and the unsub inspects both vehicles for damage (leaving fingerprints).

The unsub has no license and / or insurance and / or has warrants on him and / or he has an ill-intent ... pretty 17 yr old, etc.

He convinces MC his vehicle is undrivable due to the encounter and he claims he has no insurance and does not want to report it. He convinces MC to 'clean' her car of contact indication with his vehicle, that he'll pay for the car wash.

He dons his loaded tool-belt with the excuse 'he does not want it to be stolen'.

They drive to and through the car wash and he asks MC to drive him to his house or place of business ... and so forth.

Interesting, certainly not completely improbable...

I was watching a case on t.v. a while back where they had a "serial" killer who's tactic was to follow lone female drivers on freeways at night and try to lightly bump them from behind with his car when they would exit an off-ramp and slow to stop or turn. His intent was to get them to think they had been accidently rear-ended and pull over to asses damage and exchange insurance. Police would find vehicles on the side of the road with no evidence of anything and even more disturbing was that there was never obvious signs of the car being rear-ended or damaged in any way.

This guy was finally caught only because he chose a potential victim one night that was a police detectives daughter. When she exited an off-ramp and slowed toward a stop light she was rear-ended by this guy but had realized he was following her for a few miles prior. When she did not pull off to the side of the road to deal with it he pulled up along side of her and yelled that they needed to exchange insurance info. She drove off immediately suspecting it was very strange and later told her dad, who knew of the other cases and eventually they put it all together. It may still be unsolved if she didn't act the way she did and other victims would likely have mounted up.

So not to get off topic at all...just think that a theory of this sort is not completely out of question.

 

[jgk10414]

Based on my ownership and years experience with the same model body style car, I see evidence of water having streamed from the spoiler.

I'm leaning to at least a recent experience of, if not the same day then one or two days previous to discovery, of a rain, garden hose and / or car wash occurence.

That is based on experienced observance of the physical surface of the car ... not LE-stated fact, yes, but definitely the result of an experienced observance.

I understand your observation. But records show that it rained that Monday...and it rained Wednesday on. Why spend money on a car wash?

Granted, it rained only trace amounts, but that could be the explaination for the water trace marking...not car wash. The carwash scenario to date is heresay from a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy.

I hope and pray as much as anyone here that this leads to a credible witness, description of a suspect, and more pieces of the puzzle. But the responses I am hearing are suspect. :snooty:


http://www.accuweather.com/us/wa/wenatchee/98801/forecast-month.asp?mnyr=2-01-2010&view=table

 

[del rio]

Still wondering that, too. I've looked through videos, slideshows, articles, etc. and anything that's specific on where her body was found always says "the river."

I think that she was bludgeoned at/in the house, then carried/dragged to the beach, and then strangled and stabbed and left for dead.

Specificity doesn’t equal veracity—especially when it’s a “third party source” like the media. I have first party source(s) who said "the stream." LE’s press release of February 13 stated “the water.” Based upon my personal knowledge of the CB property, it makes little sense for MC’s feet to have been in the river.