GUILTY CA - Erin Corwin, 19, pregnant, Twentynine Palms, 28 June 2014 - #1

[Teche]

Wasn't it mentioned that a park ranger saw Erin?

 

[zwiebel]

In the CNN story, Mom says 'I'm cooking in her kitchen". So I guess she is staying at the house on base, with her son in law?

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/06/us/california-missing-marine-wife/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[zwiebel]

This case reminds me of the woman in Oregon. I apologize for not being able to remember her name. She was carjacked in the morning by a neighbor, who killed her, dumped her body and left her car in the parking lot of a store or mall. I think the perp will be someone who lives near her.

Whitney Heichel?

http://www.kgw.com/news/Missing-Gresham-womans-SUV-found-in-Wood-Village-174492781.html

 

[Barbieart]

It tells me that they are confident the vehicle was at the park. Is there a fee to enter the park? If so, they usually issue a receipt.

If there is a park ranger stationed at the booth then yes, you do have to pay to get in. Most locals have a park pass where you pay a one time fee and they just swipe the card. There are MANY times there is no one at the booth so you are able to drive thru without paying.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Wasn't it mentioned that a park ranger saw Erin?

Very, very early in the investigation it was reported, but since then I have not seen it reported again:

A possible sighting of Erin Corwin and her car was reported about 8 a.m. Saturday by Joshua Tree National Park rangers.

http://www.z1077fm.com/homicide-det...gate-disappearance-of-twentynine-palms-woman/

 

[zwiebel]

Looks like you do need tickets for the park, but I don't know if there is a way in without one.

http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm

On the miltary spouse link I posted earlier, it did mention numerous off-road trails in the area.

 

[CluelessWonder]

If there is a park ranger stationed at the booth then yes, you do have to pay to get in. Most locals have a park pass where you pay a one time fee and they just swipe the card. There are MANY times there is no one at the booth so you are able to drive thru without paying.

Thanks. That helps a lot. Since she didn't know the place very well, I am assuming that she didn't have an annual pass. I saw that they cost $30 for the year. I also saw that a 7-day pass is $15. If her mom was coming, she might have purchased one. But I haven't read anything saying that she was spotted by a park worker. I've only read that her vehicle was spotted. However, I haven't read all of this thread.

 

[CluelessWonder]

Whitney Heichel?

http://www.kgw.com/news/Missing-Gresham-womans-SUV-found-in-Wood-Village-174492781.html

Yes. Whitney is who I was thinking of. Such a sad case. I recall that everyone was pointing fingers at her spouse. But it was a neighbor who asked for a ride.

 

[CluelessWonder]

Very, very early in the investigation it was reported, but since then I have not seen it reported again:



http://www.z1077fm.com/homicide-det...gate-disappearance-of-twentynine-palms-woman/

Thanks to both of you for that info. I knew someone had reported seeing her vehicle. I wonder if the reporting inadvertently used imprecise wording that makes it sound like the rangers spotted the car and the driver.

 

[zwiebel]

This is the SB Sheriff's update, from 3 days ago. They had very extensive searches going on, and I suspect they still are. In my opinion, there is no doubt they believe this is a homicide.

They got their own K9 unit just the end of last year, so I guess they were pulled in to help straight away too.

"There are no new developments in the Erin Corwin missing person investigation. The search for Erin continues today with about a dozen Search and Rescue volunteers on the ground and a Sheriff’s helicopter searching from the air. Specialized Investigators, Morongo Basin/Twentynine Palms station detectives and patrol personnel are also on scene. The search area continues to be in and around the Joshua Tree National Park.

Anyone with information about Erin Corwin is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigation Division at (909)387-3589 or Sheriff’s dispatch at (909)387-8313. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact the WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or go to www.wetip.com "

http://cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/Med.../July/UpdateTwentyninePalmsMissingPerson.aspx

 

[JeannaT]

Very, very early in the investigation it was reported, but since then I have not seen it reported again:



http://www.z1077fm.com/homicide-det...gate-disappearance-of-twentynine-palms-woman/

That's really vaguely worded, isn't it. A possible sighting was reported by park rangers. IOW, a camper may have come to the ranger station and reported they believe they saw her Saturday morning.

 

[zwiebel]

I find it very strange Erin was going to check out the park before taking Mom to visit. it just seems like a lot of trouble to go to, paying fees etc, when she had been at the base a while and would surely have been familiar enough with the desert to know if it's somewhere she'd want to go visit with mom, or not.

To be honest, I also find it strange that her husband wasn't more alarmed when she didn't come home that night - given that some family say she has a bad sense of direction and her last known destination was a blazing desert.

 

[pamlet]

The thing that strikes me is that looking from Google maps it's SO open looking .. relatively small number of buildings of any kind just outside the base. It seems that if someone left a car and walked back on base they'd be noticed. For that matter I would THINK someone walking on base would be unusual .. while things are in walking distance it seem odd.

Not sure I've seen an "answer" here - but are there cameras showing both ways at the gates (in and out) ... and I wonder if the cameras (if any) just show license plates - or have a broader picture that catches faces? ( Thinking here - if they have her on camera leaving base - and if she was actually driving)

 

[JeannaT]

I find it very strange Erin was going to check out the park before taking Mom to visit. it just seems like a lot of trouble to go to, paying fees etc, when she had been at the base a while and would surely have been familiar enough with the desert to know if it's somewhere she'd want to go visit with mom, or not.

To be honest, I also find it strange that her husband wasn't more alarmed when she didn't come home that night - given that some family say she has a bad sense of direction and her last known destination was a blazing desert.

I think we've talked the possibility of whether someone would do that, and I have to say I find that not the least bit strange that someone would drive for an hour to check out a planned destination with others that they were leading. I happen to like to drive alone, and meander about, and I would do that for sure. There are others who say are you kidding you can research it on the internet, but fact is, you really can't.

Your second sentence has been something I think we all ponder. Under what circumstances do you NOT report that someone doesn't return from an outing in the expected timeframe?
1. you don't know they haven't returned ?
2. they frequently don't return X
3. they've made it pretty clear they may not return today ?
4. you don't care one way or the other if they're gone X
5. you're afraid if you report it will be discovered publicly they are doing something illegal or embarrassing when found (don't know how to characterize this one)
6. you're paralyzed by fear and reporting would make it all too real ?
7. you don't want to draw attention to yourself in a military type setting by reporting your wife hasn't returned home ?
8. you know for sure where they are ?

X = doesn't seem possible ? = don't know how possible

Any more reasons?

 

[zwiebel]

SB SAR have had a cave team out there looking for her.

http://www.sbsar.org/

 

[JerseyGirl]

SB SAR have had a cave team out there looking for her.

http://www.sbsar.org/

They have been out there since early in the investigation, or at least a week ago.

 

[Mrs.g]

If she was at the park maybe someone (a stranger) harmed her there and drove the car to where it was found. Maybe it was a coincidence that they drove it near the base where she lives?

 

[JerseyGirl]

UPDATE-July 6, 2014

Investigators for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department have continued their search throughout the weekend for 19-year-old Erin Corwin. Investigators have been assisted by at least 50 search and rescue works along with the assistance of members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. There have been no new developments in this case.

http://local.nixle.com/alert/5229140/

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Has it been stated the husband has an alibi or has been cleared? It should be so easy to verify where he is all the time, except when at home.

The fact that the husband's whereabouts on that day has not been reported is very interesting to me, too...

:waitasec:

 

[zwiebel]

I think we've talked the possibility of whether someone would do that, and I have to say I find that not the least bit strange that someone would drive for an hour to check out a planned destination with others that they were leading. I happen to like to drive alone, and meander about, and I would do that for sure. There are others who say are you kidding you can research it on the internet, but fact is, you really can't.

Your second sentence has been something I think we all ponder. Under what circumstances do you NOT report that someone doesn't return from an outing in the expected timeframe?
1. you don't know they haven't returned ?
2. they frequently don't return X
3. they've made it pretty clear they may not return today ?
4. you don't care one way or the other if they're gone X
5. you're afraid if you report it will be discovered publicly they are doing something illegal or embarrassing when found (don't know how to characterize this one)
6. you're paralyzed by fear and reporting would make it all too real ?
7. you don't want to draw attention to yourself in a military type setting by reporting your wife hasn't returned home ?
8. you know for sure where they are ?

X = doesn't seem possible ? = don't know how possible

Any more reasons?

I think some of those can already be excluded if we take what mom says she's been told by husband as accurate. That he thought Erin might have stayed at 'the ranch' overnight, so that's why he didn't notify LE straightaway.

That indicates he was aware she hadn't come home
Was aware of where she was going
That she hadn't indicated she'd definitely be staying away overnight
He wasn't paralyzed by fear

In my opinion.