Found Deceased WI - Kathleen Ryan, adult, teacher, car found burned with body inside, St. Francis, 2 Feb 2019

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How far off the beaten path is this to her final destination? I know it wasn’t her “typical” route but how far off is it from where she was going?
 
Schmitz5100 said:
How far off the beaten path is this to her final destination? I know it wasn’t her “typical” route but how far off is it from where she was going?
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10 miles. 20-30 minutes. While not her regular route. 41 runs parallel to the main tollway and is a popular alternative during very bad construction. Although the family said she never went off her regular route. Google Maps
 
As for straying from her regular route....Gurnee Mills (large mall, and many surrounding strip malls) is about 3.5 miles from where she was found (about 10 minutes down Stearns School road mentioned in articles). I wonder if she thought to treat herself to some birthday shopping? Could explain going off of her typical route.

That being said, she would have been stopping earlier in the day where these shopping areas would have been crowded. So...harder to get away with anything and more chance someone saw something.

Gurnee Mills itself has had some issues lately, with gangs and the like. Typically though it's issues of large groups of teens fighting, etc. Same at Six Flags. Have not seen much on calculated attacks of random passerbys.
Most other area shopping I wouldn't think twice about going to.
 
MeJane00 said:
10 miles. 20-30 minutes. While not her regular route. 41 runs parallel to the main tollway and is a popular alternative during very bad construction. Although the family said she never went off her regular route. Google Maps
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If she exited 94 to shop at Gurnee Mills, a carjacker could have taken Grand Avenue right over to Hwy 41. She was last heard from in Milwaukee at 12/12:30PM. If she left early to shop, it is quite feasible.

2301 N US Highway 41 - Gurnee IL - MapQuest
 
Joe Friday said:
If Kathleen was the victim of spontaneous human combustion or her car suddenly caught on fire while driving down the highway, don't you find it a little odd that she would be parked in a private drive on a road that was said to be off the route she normally would have taken, seven hours after she should have arrived at her destination, which was only 13 miles or 25 minutes away from where she and her car were found?

If a car starts on fire most people are not going to look for a place to pull off the road and park. They will pull over to the side of the road and save themselves from the burning fire.

JMO
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Eleanor Rigby said:
I came upon a "very interesting" blog called "Jumping Jack Flash Hypothesis." Anyway, because of that blog, Kathleen's car fire caught my attention. However, after reading the reports and that the ME believes her death was a homicide, I'm betting (but not a kidney) he's right, and also that it was personal. MOO.
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LarkBunting said:
I’m bringing up the Google Earth pics I posted back on page 1. This is the intersection of Route 41 & Stearns School Road. One of the recent news articles mentioned that the driveway went back into the trees (a piece of privately owned forest, I believe they called it), & is approx 1,000 feet from a gas station. I measured from the two driveways on the left, right up against the forest, & over to the first entrance to the gas station/truck stop area: just over 1,000 feet.
If these are the driveways, does knowing they’re so close to not just a regular gas station, but a gas station plus Gurnee Truck Stop help our thinking at all? Would this have made it easier for the perp to walk to the truck stop in the dark & blend in, maybe have a bite to eat or use the bathroom or something while calling for a ride - an accomplice or unknowing friend, a Lyft or an Uber? Hitching a ride with one of the truck drivers? I’m wondering how the hypothetical perp got away from the scene of the burning car.
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Does anyone know if this area of HWY 41, especially the motel and truck stop, is known for gang activity? I know that sometimes drug dealers set up business in motels. I've always heard that most gang and drug-related violence is between rivals, so I wonder what the motive to attack Kathleen would be. Could it be to steal her credit cards or something expensive she purchased at the mall, or to use her car to commit another crime? I couldn't readily see a motive for a gang hit on a middle-aged teacher, which is one of the reasons I thought it seemed personal. MOO.
 
Meth head? If a druggie forced his/her way into ms. Ryan's car at any point along her route the addict could have ditched the car there to make it appear a trucker serial killer. Seems too conveniently close to a truck stop. Stokes me as if planted there by someone local or local enough (e.g., visits mall regularly) to know that highway and truck stop. Yes? No?

One thing we all have learned I'd imagine is that method heads, crack heads will kill for little to nothing to get their fix. Quick can of gas (perhaps she tried helping someone posing as stranded and needed gas) and a lighter. Perhaps to rid the car of evidence.
 
Eleanor Rigby said:
However, after reading the reports and that the ME believes her death was a homicide, I'm betting (but not a kidney) he's right, and also that it was personal. MOO.
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Oh yeah, I forgot to reply. This made me LOL...literally. :D now I'm going reply to fire science post!
 
Eleanor Rigby said:
While spontaneous human combustion is rare, apparently While spontaneous human combustion is rare, spontaneous combustion of other things, especially vehicles and buildings, is not. After noticing many media reports of car fires in my state, often with the death of an occupant, I was surprised and curious, so naturally I started Googling for more information. :) At the bottom of the internet "rabbit hole," I came upon a "very interesting" blog called "Jumping Jack Flash Hypothesis." While the hypothesis sounds very wild, and I have no inkling about the science of hydrogen sulfide, what I found interesting was the author's very thorough documentation of unexplained fires from all over the world. He has archived day-by-day lists of fires and explosions going back years that don't seem to have easy explanations. Each fire is documented with several MSM reports. The numerous lists of fires are amazing. I had no idea there were so many occurring everywhere; I had thought there was just something odd going on in the Midwestern state in which I currently reside. One of my friends had a sudden, unexplained car fire while driving on a freeway in San Francisco, which at the time I thought was rare, but it's not. Luckily, she escaped in time and wasn't hurt, but her car was engulfed. Anyway, because of that blog, Kathleen's car fire caught my attention. However, after reading the reports and that the ME believes her death was a homicide, I'm betting (but not a kidney) he's right, and also that it was personal. MOO.
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While spontaneous human combustion is rare - yes, I agree. When I read the msg asking about spont. comb. I automatically assumed the poster meant human spont. comb. So that's where I directed my response. Even then I forgot to mention there are Co troversy especially among scientist whether it is truly spont. comb. or something else and disagreement about the cause and it's process. Very very few recorded, verifiable cases.

spontaneous combustion of other things, especially vehicles and buildings, is not. -- yes, that's my understanding too. When this case first hit, this was my initial theory until it became obvious that this wasn't along her path.

At the bottom of the internet "rabbit hole," - haha..yeah, that usually means something.

"Jumping Jack Flash Hypothesis." - I've never heard of or prior to this however it seems an interesting read. I'll give it a look because I'm curious too about "the author's very thorough documentation of unexplained fires from all over the world." The numerous lists of fires are amazing. I had no idea there were so many occurring everywhere; - I'm anxious to read about it.

I'm betting (but not a kidney) - this kills me. :D

Thanks so much for sharing this detailed post! I'm sure I'll have more to say after I read. ;)
 
WTH? I live in Saint Francis...this is the first I'm hearing about this!!!

Edited to add: I live a few blocks from this poor woman. This area is not known for gang activity/ car jackings. IMO, It's personal.
 
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Aqua said:
WTH? I live in Saint Francis...this is the first I'm hearing about this!!!

Edited to add: I live a few blocks from this poor woman. This area is not known for gang activity/ car jackings. IMO, It's personal.
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I think the media coverage has been so heavy with the police officer who was killed that this story has been a little forgotten.
 
Schmitz5100 said:
I think the media coverage has been so heavy with the police officer who was killed that this story has been a little forgotten.
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Local news in Milwaukee leaves much to be desired. ABC / Ch 12 did an extended segment on last Monday’s news about the Budweiser ad that ran in the Super Bowl attacking Miller Lite. This LEAD story was about corn syrup and beer and corn growers. Saw a riveting story on the debris left on roads when snow melts .

Same thing happened when the Closs murders / abduction occurred. You would think that Barron WI was in Alaska. (Sorry, venting!) Then AFTER the fact, after it’s solved, they jump on the bandwagon and run a promo that they were the #1 station covering the Closs case . . .
 
Wagtales10 said:
IMO, Its personal or doomsday preppers. Their presence in this country has been growing and growing. I cant drive in rural areas without seeing bunkers and truly fear those who stockpile weapons and are aggressively territorial
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Wagtales10 said:
The point of bunkers is not to be seen. Stockpiles of weapons are not laid out in the open. These people exist all around the country. There are cults that exist in rural areas.

There is just as much credence to this theory as the one of carjacking but leaving the car behind and crazy mad max gangs running people off the highways
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RBBM
Apologies for the late reply to this, but these statements are kind of in opposition to one another. Bunkers are not meant to be seen OR they can be spotted everywhere. You can't have it both ways.
 
Unless someone can come up with an area-based incident in which a gang kidnaps then subsequently burns a vehicle containing the victim - that's low-priority. Likewise with a carjacker, not many there, or elsewhere, I would think, steal the vehicle then torch it with the original owner inside.

Which leaves lone nut/psychopath/meth head looking likely, or someone known to the victim, or accident, or suicide.
 
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