WV - NEAL FALLS, suspected SK - LE seeking link to murders in IL, NV and OR

[ElleElle]

What would be reasons NF would be stopped for "suspicious activity?" I'm sorry to sounds naive, but in Canada, it would be something like being parked on a road in the middle of the night or early morning? Perhaps someone called on him because he was out of place in the neighborhood/area?
If he worked as night security, he could have been setting his hook-ups for when he was off shift (early morning)? Maybe LE just had a "gut feeling"?

 

[Sutton]

(on mobile so can't quote, sorry!)

I understand NF having different vehicles over time, but why would a single man with no children and only a dog, buy a minivan to start with? Sure, there can be speculation as to why, but I think the easier answer is that he just isn't quite the match this case.

Not trying to be a negative Nancy here so sorry if I come across like that!

Possibilities:

1. Killers and molesters love vans. That's why I steer clear of them!

2. There aren't many full-sized vans anymore, most of them are minis.

3. If you are living in your vehicle (even part-time or during homicidal road trips), a minivan is not a bad choice.

 

[nerosleuth]

If Falls was born in 1969, when do you think he could have started killing? Most serial killers seem to start killing in their early to mid 20s, so would it be safe to assume Falls could have been killing since the early 90s? I would assume that his earliest victims were in Oregon or a surrounding state as well.

There is a BF (same name) who has legal records in Vanderburgh County, Indiana (Evansville), back in the 1990s. That is about as opposite (SW Indiana) as you can get in the state from Butler (NE Indiana).

Heavy campsite area between Bardstown, KY and Charleston, WVA. There are also several storage units in this area of Morehead, KY.

I would look at missing and murdered females starting from 1990 to the present.

I want to point out that Interstate 64 connects and goes through Charleston, West Virginia, Huntington, West Virginia, Morehead, Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Evansville, Indiana, and St. Louis, Missouri.

I do know that Morehead State University is in Morehead, Kentucky. So I would also look into college towns as well.

 

[PricklyPear]

Here are a few cold cases that might be worth checking into. Most are very unlikely; based on the timeline you guys have pieced together, I'm guessing that he started killing in Oregon in the '90s and didn't head to other states until about 2000, which rules out a lot of these, but if it was iffy I included it.

Kentucky
Jessica Wallace, remains found in March 2003 - http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/cold_case/post15coldcase9.html
They don't give very much information, but since Falls was in and out of the area when she vanished I included her.

Michelle Collins, last seen July 2004 - http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/cold_case/post11coldcase3.html
This one is possible but unlikely, especially since she's never been found.

Greta Henson, murdered in January 1992 - http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/cold_case/post10coldcase2.html
This one's unlikely because of the timeframe, but she was strangled and shot in her home.

Indiana
Amanda Lee Vanscyoc, murdered November 2001 - http://www.in.gov/isp/2938.htm
Found nude and strangled near the Ohio River near Evansville.

Oregon
Angela Kreuger, murdered May 1996 - http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/458061
They're a little tight-lipped on the cause of death ("trauma"), but she was an escort.

Cassie Stevens, murdered July 1998 - http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/358069
Shot and killed; a drug user from Seattle who "needed to support her habit."

Linda Woods, murdered April 1992 - http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/485869
Another unlikely one, but she was strangled.

Veronica James, found murdered in January 1999 - http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/486175
Drug user and occasional sex worker. They don't say it but she was found in a canvas bag so she may have been dismembered. Died due to blunt force trauma.

Sarah Yarborough, murdered December 1992 - http://www.kval.com/news/local/137105653.html
Check out the sketch on this one. Give Falls some terrible 90s hair and he could definitely be an aged version of the sketch. They have DNA, so if it was him they'll connect it.

Sharon Hiller, murdered November 1992 - http://www.kval.com/news/local/Who-killed-Susan-Marie-Hiller-139304508.html
Exotic dancer found strangled in a river.

Also, I really think Oregon police should take a look at these cases: http://www.kval.com/news/local/41372312.html
If he began killing in the early to mid-90s, these might have been some of his first victims, and he may not have escalated to dismembering bodies yet. The only ones that seem out of the realm of possibility are the the two 1980s cases. But one of them seems unconnected to the others; it's farther north, and it sounds like police had ideas but no evidence on the suspects there. The other could be coincidence, or could have been his inspiration.

And on an unrelated side note, there were a truly disturbing number of young African-American women being strangled, stabbed or both in Portland in the 1980s and early 1990s.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

rah Yarborough, murdered December 1992 - http://www.kval.com/news/local/137105653.html
Check out the sketch on this one. Give Falls some terrible 90s hair and he could definitely be an aged version of the sketch. They have DNA, so if it was him they'll connect it.

RSBM, I think the second sketch in the video is closer to looking like NF. I really don't see it at all in the first sketch.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

I wish we knew whether the recent article in the media saying they have confirmed he has been connected to ten murders is true or just bad reporting. Everyone is calling NF a serial killer and we really don't know that yet. That article had nothing new it except that statement.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?284368-NM-Missing-Murdered-linked-to-West-Mesa

This thread had me very curious. This is an 8.5 mike drive from Henderson, NV and a shorter drive from Kingman, AZ where coworkers said he would drive to. What catches my attention is the timeline that the poster lays out. A lot of activity from 2001 to 2006 and then a dry spell of missing prostitutes/women until 2013. In 2005 is when the Las Vegas disappearances picked up. Was he driving long distances in his early career to avoid being caught and then stayed closer to home (the Las Vegas area) as he felt more comfortable? IIRC, he was in Vegas area til around 2008? Wish I knew where he was from 2008 to 2013.

Another thought: I wonder how many cases of discovered bodies there are across the potential areas for NF in which LE may have withheld the dismemberment info back as "something only the killer would know". If there are instances like that, the dots just won't be connected unless LE physically looks into ALL of their unsolved murder files. This is where VICAP would've come in handy. Thank you to the person who posted the article about VICAP, it was both very interesting and very disheartening.

 

[Cintaurus]

If Falls was born in 1969, when do you think he could have started killing? Most serial killers seem to start killing in their early to mid 20s, so would it be safe to assume Falls could have been killing since the early 90s? I would assume that his earliest victims were in Oregon or a surrounding state as well.

I am on board with this train of thought as well. The "Coastal Killings" were happening in Oregon during the early to mid 90's. The most recent, and what seemed the most likely suspect(Serial Killer Bobby Jack Fowler)was ruled out as a POI a couple of years ago. NF would have been in his early to mid twenties at the time and was living 50 miles south of Newport in Coos Bay Oregon. A straight shot down the 101. I hope he is being looked at for these crimes.

Link: http://www.katu.com/news/specialreports/41351642.html

 

[Cintaurus]

Also, I really think Oregon police should take a look at these cases: http://www.kval.com/news/local/41372312.html
If he began killing in the early to mid-90s, these might have been some of his first victims, and he may not have escalated to dismembering bodies yet. The only ones that seem out of the realm of possibility are the the two 1980s cases. But one of them seems unconnected to the others; it's farther north, and it sounds like police had ideas but no evidence on the suspects there. The other could be coincidence, or could have been his inspiration.

Yes I hope they are taking a look at him for these!

 

[Mountain_Kat]

If you removed the handcuffs, everything found in Falls vehicle would be something you would find in the vehicle of someone staying in the woods. Axes for chopping wood, shovels for fires and squat holes, bleach for purifying water, knives for 1001 uses. I'm not sure how we go from one attempted murder (holding a victim at gunpoint and attempting to strangle them), to assuming this guy is a multi-state serial killer/dismemberer.

Not saying that he isn't, mind you. I'm just trying to understand the leap from point A to point B.

 

[Cintaurus]

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?284368-NM-Missing-Murdered-linked-to-West-Mesa

Wish I knew where he was from 2008 to 2013.

He was living/working in Eugene and Springfield Oregon for a good chunk of that period. I can look up the specifics later for you if you like. For now I need to get some sleep! :countsheep:There's also a couple of articles early on in the thread that cover some of this time period.

 

[Cintaurus]

If you removed the handcuffs, everything found in Falls vehicle would be something you would find in the vehicle of someone staying in the woods. Axes for chopping wood, shovels for fires and squat holes, bleach for purifying water, knives for 1001 uses. I'm not sure how we go from one attempted murder (holding a victim at gunpoint and attempting to strangle them), to assuming this guy is a multi-state serial killer/dismemberer.

Not saying that he isn't, mind you. I'm just trying to understand the leap from point A to point B.

First things that spring to mind:
His comfort level with the crime.
His living and working in Vegas during the same time period a series of prostitutes were being abducted and dismembered.
His probable connection to a very questionable Facebook Page.
His verifiable use of online escorts.
His verifiable record of extensive cross country travel.
A list of escorts names and numbers on his person.

 

[puppyraiser]

If you removed the handcuffs, everything found in Falls vehicle would be something you would find in the vehicle of someone staying in the woods. Axes for chopping wood, shovels for fires and squat holes, bleach for purifying water, knives for 1001 uses. I'm not sure how we go from one attempted murder (holding a victim at gunpoint and attempting to strangle them), to assuming this guy is a multi-state serial killer/dismemberer.

Not saying that he isn't, mind you. I'm just trying to understand the leap from point A to point B.

Maybe they tested the knives, axe and other items and discovered human blood was present.

I find it interesting that LE is also looking into murders in Niagara Falls as well.

 

[Mountain_Kat]

First things that spring to mind:
His comfort level with the crime.
His living and working in Vegas during the same time period a series of prostitutes were being abducted and dismembered.
His probable connection to a very questionable Facebook Page.
His verifiable use of online escorts.
His verifiable record of extensive cross country travel.
A list of escorts names and numbers on his person.

Right...but all of those things amount to speculation. Many men hire escorts. Many of those men keep lists of escorts (especially hobbyists). Many men live in Vegas. Many men travel across country. Many people have "questionable" facebook pages, and so on and so forth. I assume LE has something solid they are going off of here...I just wonder what that is.

 

[tlcya]

Neal Falls, of Springfield, Oregon, was carrying axes, a shovel and bleach when he was killed July 18, and authorities said Monday he had been stopped, interviewed or investigated by police in at least 20 states.

SNIP

No history of major crimes in Falls’ record has surfaced. However, police said records show that authorities in states including Arizona, Kentucky and Virginia had interactions with Falls such as stopping him, running his license plate or checking his Social Security number

http://www.dailynews.com/general-ne...for-the-disappearances-of-women-across-the-us

Has LE released any of the dates of the AZ interactions? None of the articles I have read give dates or time periods for those interactions. MY mind of course goes right to the West Mesa cases.

ETA and yes, I know it's a stretch but sheesh, there don't seem to be many places this guy did not travel in the course of the last 20 years. so creepy in that he looks so average and nondescript.

 

[ElleElle]

First things that spring to mind:
His comfort level with the crime.
His living and working in Vegas during the same time period a series of prostitutes were being abducted and dismembered.
His probable connection to a very questionable Facebook Page.
His verifiable use of online escorts.
His verifiable record of extensive cross country travel.
A list of escorts names and numbers on his person.

Also, the woman that shot and killed him also said she felt as though this was not his first time attacking/strangling.

 

[ElleElle]

Right...but all of those things amount to speculation. Many men hire escorts. Many of those men keep lists of escorts (especially hobbyists). Many men live in Vegas. Many men travel across country. Many people have "questionable" facebook pages, and so on and so forth. I assume LE has something solid they are going off of here...I just wonder what that is.

This IMO, is not normal. How many people zigzag across America with this in their hatch?

 

[puppyraiser]

This IMO, is not normal. How many people zigzag across America with this in their hatch?

I searched for a photo of the SUV he was driving and noticed that the windows didn't appear to be tinted at all. I would think that typically LE at least glance through the windows as they walk up to the driver's window. Maybe it isn't common practice but I wonder if that stash in the hatch was concealed or visible. Was he driving the SUV in the body camera video?

 

[trexian]

Yes, reports say it was the same vehicle. I can also confirm that officers are trained to look in vehicles for suspicious items.

However, having worked landscaping for several years in my youth, there is also nothing inherently suspicious about those items.

The officer likely picked up on NMF's slight nervousness and asked again where he was going. If the answer changed, then more questioning might be in order. The answer, WV, was the same, so no reason to extend the stop.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

[PricklyPear]

The fact that Neal Falls is dead and you can't libel the dead may have the police a little more speculative than usual.

But working in journalism, in general — especially after the Altanta Olympic bombing — law enforcement is incredibly tight-lipped about things unless they have very solid evidence. Look at the Darren Vann case. They wouldn't speculate he was a serial killer for days even after he led them to seven bodies. Police in other states looking into possible victims wouldn't speak about the case at all.

With Neal Falls, police have confirmed with the media that they suspect he's a serial killer. They've confirmed that they're looking into cases in 20 states. Law enforcement in Nevada and New York have confirmed they are looking at Falls for specific murder clusters.

My bet is that he had trophies of some sort in the van, or that there is some other evidence — DNA that flagged a family member or something — that connects him to other murders. I really doubt they would have been this straightforward about things if there wasn't.