Over the past couple of days, there's been a lot of internet activity in regards to Dede Spicher--everything from support groups popping up to defenders posting hither and yon in defense of Dede. It seems almost reactionary.
Some people, here and elsewhere on the net, have said that they think that Staton's press conference last week (in which he announced the task force creation) seemed to indicate that Dede is no longer a suspect. I was not left with that impression, but I do feel that there are some pieces from a couple of recent pressers we've seen that may fit together in one fashion or another. To me, it appears that this investigation has moved from being a net cast wide in the beginning to a more focused investigation today--and I think that Dede remains a subject of the more focused investigation.
First, from mid August, we have MCSO Capt. Jason Gates responding to a question about the flier with Dede's photo: "That is a specific tool that the investigative team is using that was
designed for a specific audience."
(Start
THIS VIDEO at 7:45 to hear the question and Gates' response.)
Then, a month later (September 16), Staton speaks: We have closed multiple doors and
have target areas that we are focusing on. It is not as broad as it was before. We have reached the point where we have closed a lot of questions we've had. ... After the briefing that I had last Friday I am very confident with
continuing this investigation along the lines that we've already initiated....I believe that some of the info through some of the discussions--there are going to be concerns, not necessarily cases, there may be cases that come out of this but through the discussion there are going to be issues that the sheriff's office is going to have to address. I believe the
Portland Police Bureau will be actively involved in that.
A lot of these issues we won't address until we actually do a debrief on this investigation once it's come to a conclusion. There are a lot of issues that have developed. There is a lot of information that our detectives have developed through the course of this investigation that have developed some concerns, and I think that those concerns need to be addressed. Whether it's going to turn into an investigation and or
a notification process to other government entities, that still remains to be accessed. (Are we talking criminal?) (Pause) I can't comment on that, not at this point.
Staton video
Part 1 and
Part 2.
I'd like to discuss this more--whether Dede and co. have gone into defensive mode because of something that's happened in the past couple of weeks. To be honest, things had seemed to died down as far as she was concerned. But just recently, a flurry of internet activity around Dede makes me wonder if something is going on with her again. The people who are posting around the internet on her behalf are doing so with her permission, or so they claim. WHY NOW?
The above quotations make me wonder just what she--or other unnamed potential suspects--were involved in. What would be the specific audience that Gates mentioned? Why would other governmental entities be notified, and especially the Portland Police Bureau?
It may seem like I'm stringing disparate pieces together, but I really don't feel that I am. Targeting a specific audience with a flier, and then stating that the investigation is becoming more focused and may result in other jurisdictions being notified. I won't even add to this the comment of Staton's that closed his presser, about people being surprised...
Any ideas anyone want to share?
). I might change my mind after I read them, but as it stands now, I don't see a connection between LE's statements and any recent increase of support for DeDe.
