WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #7

[ajfa]

Noticed how muddy the tires were the first time I viewed this photo. Really makes me wonder if they tried to go further up PC road and couldn't make it.

Good catch, especially for a car that allegedly was just washed.

ETA - Oops, did it again. Giddyup and I must be thinking alike, except I'm slower, lol.

 

[girlfawkes]

Yeah, my sedan is Front WD and about the same size as Mac's and I couldn't make it. I bet the perp did try to continue up PC road, couldn't make it, and ditched the car where they did instead of risking a drive back to town.

 

[AutumnRose]

Below is a link to photos of the car (the caption under photo says Courtesy of Wenatchee Police Department?). There is a slide show at the bottom of the article.

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Sea...25-Wenatchee-Police-Dept-issues-press-release

I remember seeing a different photo of the car somewhere, I thought it was just a photo of the same model -- as in a "stock" photo.

I'm seeing wheels that don't require hubcaps. I'm also seeing a very dirty car and very muddy tires.

 

[girlfawkes]

Yeah, my sedan is Front WD and about the same size as Mac's and I couldn't make it. I bet the perp did try to continue up PC road, couldn't make it, and ditched the car where they did instead of risking a drive back to town.

Quoting my own post

Was thinking that if it is the case that they tried to continue further up and couldn't, it really makes me wonder if the perp did walk cross country. The reason why I wonder is because walking back to town down the canyon would have been easier if they had parked 3/4 mile down the canyon on the shoulder. There are no homes in that stretch and they wouldn't have been observed.

 

[slowbutsteady]

IMO:
...And I believe that they do indeed have a POI and that everything they are saying and letting out is what they need to do to bide some time until all the results are back.....

I too agree w/this...I think LE are still "actively looking around" so that keeps negative comments about what LE are doing to a minimum. I understand that Washington State only has one forensic crime lab however I would think with all of the interest there is in this case that someone in LE has tried to push this case to the head of the pile.

 

[del rio]

Originally Posted by del rio View Post
One last tid bit of info:

I left a couple things in the duck blind which I never bothered to retrieve.

One was a blow-up floating mattress (which I’m fairly certain I popped).

The other was a bag.

Del Rio: What was in the bag? What did it look like?

The bag was completely empty. I brought it to the duck blind to carry ducks.

 

[AutumnRose]

I'm seeing wheels that don't require hubcaps. I'm also seeing a very dirty car and very muddy tires.

Maybe they didn't get muddy and dirty up there? Maybe the car and tires got dirty in the CB area. Maybe the killer drove her car from CB up to PC and couldn't go any further so left it where it was found. Maybe the only accomplice was to pick him up and give him a ride back home or to the boat launch for his vehicle? Maybe he did walk down? Maybe there was no accomplice.

speculation

 

[greydiggity]

The bag was completely empty. I brought it to the duck blind to carry ducks.

In your opinion, do you think that Mackenzie was brought to CB already deceased?

 

[Sherlock_9]

I was thinking the same thing. It looks quite dirty, especially if it had recently been through a car wash -- and was also found where the pavement ends.

Which really makes me wonder where else that car went prior to being found.

- Did the car go further up the canyon- possibly with MC driving- and then get placed back lower?
- Did the car go to another location that the tire mud came from?

February 9th was a clear, nice day in Wenatchee. It was sunny and dry. I now remember that was the day- I took a hike up Saddlerock at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The hike was a bit muddy in spots, but not bad.

That car easily could have made it further up Pitcher canyon rd that day. I have owned a similar vehicle (GM front wheel drive mid size) and driven up in those hills with it. The only issue would have been road clearance, but if I recall correctly, it's not too rough up there- at least for a good way.

If she did have the car washed that day, there is nowhere in town, or directly on the way to the point the car was discovered that it would have picked up that much mud unless it was driven extensively on dirt roads.

This also makes me wonder: If she did have the car washed, could she have already been to the place where she went. By this I'm trying to say possibly she had a spot, off a dirt road where she had been prior to washing the car and picking up a passenger where, from where, with the car clean she took the passenger to, got the car dirty again and possibly met her demise?

 

[alt.theory]

MC was not expected to a “special” dinner at RC that night. She was living with him and every night dinner was at a certain time. So the expected for dinner just means she was expected home at dinner time, as usual. MC obviously met someone, somewhere. We don’t think the car wash is pertinent as from what we can surmise it was an eye witness account several days after and eye witnesses are not reliable (he could have had date wrong, mis- identification, etc.) Lowe’s, brothers are not involved either.

The spec home was searched right after the body was found, maybe MC had a key on her that had that address on it and that is why they searched it. Maybe she was using the house as a rendezvous place. She knew the place as she had helped WC in past with yard and clean up work there, she may have had her own key to it.

This might have been where she and killer met, there was an argument and MC was killed. The killer called for help, to move MC vehicle (neighbors at that time did not suspect because they were use to seeing MC vehicle at the spec home.) what ever did happen at spec home (if anything) was not bloody as realtors held an impromptu open house the Sunday after they body was found. We were thinking that a realtor showing the home called LE but since the home was not searched until shortly after the body was found we have dismissed that idea.

MC body was moved to CB during daylight hours. The property is listed and neighbors would not think about a vehicle being there and people looking around. It had to be daylight for the killer(s) to see trail, maybe use a wheelbarrow that was on site (in photos there is other equipment visible) and haul body down trial. They weren’t expecting blind it was an unexpected bonus. The feet were in the water because the body was put head towards handles and when the barrow was dumped, the feet went out first and into water.

The killer probably figures they were buying time and were surprise that someone stumbled across it so fast. We do not think there were any plans to use a boat.

Uh! Forgot to specifically state that the message above is pure speculation on all of our parts and we don't even agree on some of it.

Thanks for the input. I pulled a couple of things:

"...maybe MC had a key on her that had that address on it..."

But weren't police at the spec house on Friday? (Obviously only rumor, of course).

"...They weren’t expecting blind it was an unexpected bonus. ..."

It sounds to me they couldn't even have been expecting a trail as del rio is reporting it was recently made too, unless killers scouted the area more recently. (Correct del rio?)

"...The killer probably figures they were buying time and were surprise that someone stumbled across it so fast. ..."

Totally agree. But if they were only trying to buy time wouldn't any one of the thousands of remote forest service roads around Wenatchee have been a better location for buying time? The further removal of the boat just makes more sense.

As for moving the body during daylight hours, sure no one might get too suspicious of seeing a car there, but wouldn't they remember? Plus doing work / using a wheel-barrow and moving a body be a rather large risk when there is at least the chance of being seen from the road above?

 

[Liz]

Reward fund for Cowell hits $6,700
By Dee Riggs
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

WENATCHEE — A reward fund set up for the Mackenzie Cowell homicide case has brought in $6,700, organizers say.

They ended their efforts with $1,537 raised at a fundraising event at Caffè Mela on Saturday, said Terri Morris of Wenatchee. --> more at link

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/mar/10/reward-fund-for-cowell-hits-6700/

 

[del rio]

Just caught up on all the overnight chit chat on here. I too have a couple thoughts that I mentioned early on... I believe her car keys are still missing and that LE did not say anything because they were waiting and watching. I believe the killer has had those keys the entire time, and they were a means for him to get back into a place (spec home) where they had been prior to this. I think that is why the spec home was searched before they found her body too. I concur that the last cell phone ping came from the spec home and that is why they searched there BEFORE her body was found. Add to that the fact that she possibly had a spec home key on her car key ring that is missing and that gives more than enough reason to search there prior to the body discovery. The million dollar question is, what did the person who visited the spec home see?

I totally agree with you.

It should be pointed out, however, that LE must have had more information and evidence regarding the Spec house than what was stated in your post or what we know.

LE must have searched the Spec house pursuant to a search warrant. But the small amount of info stated in your post and what we know is not enough to establish probable cause for a judge to issue a search warrant for a house.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Just caught up on all the overnight chit chat on here. I too have a couple thoughts that I mentioned early on... I believe her car keys are still missing and that LE did not say anything because they were waiting and watching. I believe the killer has had those keys the entire time, and they were a means for him to get back into a place (spec home) where they had been prior to this. I think that is why the spec home was searched before they found her body too. I concur that the last cell phone ping came from the spec home and that is why they searched there BEFORE her body was found. Add to that the fact that she possibly had a spec home key on her car key ring that is missing and that gives more than enough reason to search there prior to the body discovery. The million dollar question is, what did the person who visited the spec home see?

My exact thoughts. It's reported that person became 'very upset' at what she saw at the spec house so I expect it would be something horrific, perhaps something bloodied?

 

[giddyup]

The spec home was searched right after the body was found, maybe MC had a key on her that had that address on it and that is why they searched it. Maybe she was using the house as a rendezvous place. She knew the place as she had helped WC in past with yard and clean up work there, she may have had her own key to it.

<snipped>

I realize you stated the above was speculation at the end of your post, but am wondering if anyone has confirmed that they've ever seen MC's car at the spec house prior to the recent events?

 

[AutumnRose]

My exact thoughts. It's reported that person became 'very upset' at what she saw at the spec house so I expect it would be something horrific, perhaps something bloodied?

Perhaps the neighbor saw an open or broken window or patio door and she investigated and that was what prompted LE's arrival?

speculation

 

[ChuckMaureen]

A while back, I thought I saw a pic of MCs car when it was recovered - maybe it was a LE photo posted. I recall the car did not have hub caps. When I viewed the parking lot video her car appeared to have hub caps. Could someone confirm this?

Not unless the rims were changed on that Grand Prix. GPs came with solid-front rims, not 'hub cup' types.

 

[del rio]

Back to Crescent Bar, at one time settlers traveled through Crescent Bar on a trail near the cliff wall. I am not sure if it is above or below. I know there as a couple of old shacks above CB, as well as other old west style features. I have also heard that there are some small caves in the area. Settlers used them to hide from Indians and I imagine Indians used them to hide from settlers.
Again, I have not spent time down in that area and the conversation we had yesterday got me thinking and I have a couple of questions to those that know the area.

Are there any old houses in Crescent Bar that may have hand dug wells? (hand dug wells are large enough for a person to climb into)
Are there caves near the area?
Did LE use metal detectors to check the area for buried materials? (keys, phone)
Are there areas where someone can hide?
Some place behind the golf course is a small valley that I believe leads to the highway? Is this easily accessible?
Did LE search all garbage cans and dumpsters in Crescent Bar?

Sorry if I seem like a broken record, but I still think that the key to solving the case it at Crescent Bar….

Are there any old houses in Crescent Bar that may have hand dug wells? (hand dug wells are large enough for a person to climb into)
**** No.

Are there caves near the area?
**** Probably.

Did LE use metal detectors to check the area for buried materials? (keys, phone)

Are there areas where someone can hide?
**** Are you kidding? Of course.

Some place behind the golf course is a small valley that I believe leads to the highway? Is this easily accessible?
**** Which golf course and which highway are you referring to?

Did LE search all garbage cans and dumpsters in Crescent Bar?
**** No, impossible (no P/C for search warrant). Plus, all houses except for the one at which MC’s body was found are located in a different county.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Here's a link to a picture provided by LE of the car; it does have hub caps.

http://www.examiner.com/x-34328-Sea...25-Wenatchee-Police-Dept-issues-press-release

ETA - I see Giddyup beat me to it and posted while I was in the process of posting. :smile: Sorry for the double post.

There are no 'hub caps' ... those are solid-front rims.

 

[del rio]

Yeah, my sedan is Front WD and about the same size as Mac's and I couldn't make it. I bet the perp did try to continue up PC road, couldn't make it, and ditched the car where they did instead of risking a drive back to town.

If this is true, then based on the perps known history in this case, I SUSPECT they may have been planning on ditching the car near or just over the county line (Chelan County / Kittitas County).

 

[James Vic]

Is Grant County involved in the investigation? I was under the impression that they were? Since people at CB were questioned I had assumed that they were involved in the CD Search?