AMBER ALERT WI - Jayme Closs, 13, Barron, missing after parents found shot, 15 Oct 2018 *endangered* #24

[human]

Right, not that particular night. But you bring up a salient point - that kind of absolute night darkness is normal to you, and it would be normal to locals and local LE, and their mental mapping is adapted to it. About 2/3 of the population of the USA live in urban and suburban areas where there are a lot of lights all night. There are also vast spaces that do not have woods and usually have clear skies. When urban people drive in an area like Barron County the darkness is surprising.

So is the suspect local or not local? I have a hard time imagining that a true local could pull this off in the small town atmosphere without someone suspecting or knowing. I have a hard time imagining a non-local person can operate there in the dark without recon of the house location, alternate escape routes other than Hwy 8, which would be done in daylight as well as at night before the crime. If I am going to invade a home, murder two people by gunshots, and abduct a child, I want more than one way out. I don't want to find myself on farm road X in the dark and find out a little bridge is washed out. I also do not want a record of googling 1268 13 1/2 Ave, Barron, WI, on my IP address because prior to 10/15/18 there would not be many such searches.

*ripping hair out* Is this criminal(s) Local or Not Local?

Excellent points,. And driving up a driveway in the dark. What is the turnaround situation?

 

[kc1023]

Well, jmo, it seems we were wrong about James possibly arriving home at the time of the crime and finding the crime in progress. But have we considered then that maybe he was getting ready to go to work instead? Same "he's not supposed to be awake/around surprise" to the bad guy(s) but going to instead of coming from work?

Maybe the person thought the whole family would be asleep since they thought James had worked already on Sunday... I don't know, I find holes in every theory I can come up with except totally random.

All moo

 

[BellaStella]

I’m not sure if it was ever mention because there are soooo many threads, but my question is - Do we know what type of clothing the parents were wearing when they were killed? I thought I read somewhere that the officer on scene saw a boot or foot? I just can’t recall.

Just wondering if they were wearing pjs that would mean that they weren’t expecting anyone. And if they were wearing clothing, maybe they were entertaining someone? I know that when we are in for the night we usually change into our pjs.....

 

[Rubiconbob]

I have no theory of a motive to offer, only my own sense that this was a 6-degrees-of-separation type crime of opportunity. I think it is someone known to the family, probably on the periphery of their family relationships and friendships. That is a very wide circle to sift through, but probably more manageable since it is a small community rather than NYC for example. I hope LE has enough manpower to continue an intense thorough investigation. Don’t you wish we could help....somehow, some way???

Think your correct... they will have to go back last 2/3 years... who they came across..
I think whoever involved knew the home / residents / phone locations...likely was in home before. Pretty gutsy to kill someone through door then enter home without knowing what’s inside. You certainly wouldn’t of u thought there were 6 people with phones next to them... let alone guns.

 

[1987]

the way I am seeing this we certainly could assume that someone would not go to bed with boots on but someone might let someone else in if they were in pjs that covered well. I don't think there was a knock and I don't think the bell was rang. I think it took more than one blow to the door and that is what places father at front door. the blow was heard and was abnormal and he just reacted and went to the door.

 

[WiseOwl]

Well, jmo, it seems we were wrong about James possibly arriving home at the time of the crime and finding the crime in progress. But have we considered then that maybe he was getting ready to go to work instead? Same "he's not supposed to be awake/around surprise" to the bad guy(s) but going to instead of coming from work?

Maybe the person thought the whole family would be asleep since they thought James had worked already on Sunday... I don't know, I find holes in every theory I can come up with except totally random.

All moo

There's a good chance they were all asleep at the time. I think this is what caught James unaware, the fact he was in bed when the perp(s) started kicking the door in. He could have got to the door just as the perp(s) broke in and they killed him instantly, possibly with the two shots the neighbours heard?

 

[ZsaZsa]

Also flight records, connections into Minneapolis airport. From that point forward, it’s a hop, skip and a jump to Barron, WI. It’s a 98.8 mile trip with gun shops all along the way.

Minneapolis airport is a Hub, so they have 38 million passengers a year through there....

 

[kay74]

This was rage. I don't believe someone looking for Jayme would have this rage?! In my mind, it was someone after one of the parents, someone angry.

 

[human]

Someone bought up a case of a man flying to the States from New Zealand to locate a teen he met online after she stopped communicating with him. He was shot by her Mother when he attempted to force his way into the home. He had a knife.

If someone did travel from a distance, by plane, he (assuming) would need to buy a gun. LE would need to track sales prior to October 15th on classifieds, for a private sale, and search records for retail gun shops.

Car rental information would also be investigated. Doubtful there is much Uber / Lyft available in the area.

Edit for typo and addition of car rental paragraph.

You can carry a gun in checked luggage

 

[Bravo]

Welcome all newbies

 

[OhThatVictoria]

there could be hot guns that certainly is illegal. more that might not be illegal sale but more like illegal buys. a felon certainly can not buy a gun. I'm sure there are illegal sale and buy going on in every state.

Actually, if you’re from outside the U.S., a retail purchase wouldn’t be possible. A private party sale is basically unregulated. If that gun were used is the commission of a crime, I could face some sort of punishment.

 

[1987]

Actually, if you’re from outside the U.S., a retail purchase wouldn’t be possible. A private party sale is basically unregulated. If that gun were used is the commission of a crime, I could face some sort of punishment.

I agree and I think that the risk only matters if the person at risk cares or thinks it is a concern enough to document it. some firearms will go threw several private sales so who knows where it even came from.

 

[Jazzy5980]

But if you are going to murder two people and abduct a child, you are not going to do that to some obscure address. Well, it wouldn't be smart.

I made the point re GPS/Mapquest in response to a post re. difficulty of finding the Closs home on a dark night unless the perp(s) was familiar with the area. My response had no relation whatsoever to googling some obscure address.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

You can carry a gun in checked luggage

Domestic flights, yes. In order for an international traveler to bring a gun into the U.S., it requires advance permission from the TSA. I don’t think a killer would want to leave that paper trail.

https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/th...ting-firearms/bringing-firearms-into-the-u-s/

 

[1987]

we are thinking like people on the right side of the law. obviously the killer did not think like us or there wouldn't be two killed and another missing.

 

[OhThatVictoria]

Minneapolis airport is a Hub, so they have 38 million passengers a year through there....

True. If the timeline was narrowed to one week before the murders, that might be a more manageable byte size database search. I’m sure the FBI knows how to do that.

 

[WiseOwl]

we are thinking like people on the right side of the law. obviously the killer did not think like us or there wouldn't be two killed and another missing.

This is so true 1987. We are all trying to apply some sort of logic to this case but criminals do not use logic at all most of the time. So many times I've watch a crime show and and when you find out who did it and why you think 'what the ....'. It never makes any sense and you can't understand why in the world anyone would do such a crime. Sadly this case will probably fit into this scenario when its solved.

 

[Jethro4WS]

That got me to thinking what phase was the moon in that night and what was the weather. Looking up the phases of the moon that month it was only 5 days after the new moon - that is, no moon at all. And what little light from the moon would be blocked because it was cloudy that night per Weather Underground.

I remember playing capture the flag as a boy scout and on clear nights of a full moon it was easier to guard the flag because there would be so much light you could actually see your shadow. Special forces - SEAL's, Rangers, Marine SPECOPS, etc. - prefer moonless nights with a new moon or cloudy because those nights are the darkest and their night vision gives them an advantage.

I highly doubt the killer(s) considered the darkness at all as one night was just like another to them. Besides, they probably just pulled up in their vehicle and then proceeded to the porch where they kicked in the door. But I had to satisfy my curiosity.

The moon had already set about two hours prior to the crime - what little there was of it.

 

[margarita25]

I would imagine the vast majority of criminals obtain their guns illegally. I can't see how checking all gun shop sales would help at all unless the gun used was an unusual type.

Another note is that pawn shops buy and sell guns.

 

[margarita25]

I agree and I think that the risk only matters if the person at risk cares or thinks it is a concern enough to document it. some firearms will go threw several private sales so who knows where it even came from.

Another note is that many gun owners purchase them at gun shows. That is where my ex bought our Glock.