Still Missing CA - Orson & Orrin West (3&4), California City, 21 Dec 2020

[LietKynes]

“I realized that I left the back gate open and I panicked and came inside the house, searched the house, me and my wife. Once that didn’t pan out, I got in the van, I looked down the street in both directions, it was getting dark, getting cold.”

I don't want to be that guy who questions every single word or action, but here goes.....if you realized the gate was left open and they were gone, wouldn't your first inkling be to go check OUTSIDE where they may have roamed? Instead of searching INSIDE the house? Especially since, as I beleive he said he was on his way back OUT when he noticed they weren't there (If he was coming from outside his gate he would have seen them).

bbm
Agreed, and you're absolutely right to question this statement as it made no sense.

The logical action would've been to run out into the two back vacant lots to check to see if they were still out there, and shout their names.
It appears from the two search warrants and removal of multiple large bags of evidence that LE didn't buy that fabrication, either.
So sad for these little boys.
How long have they been missing if no neighbors saw them since Sept. ?
MOO

 

[legalmomma]

BBM My apologies, but I missed this and have been unsuccessful in finding the source of this information. Who said there were no chalk drawings? Can somebody link for me, please? MOO

I have seen NO statement by LE that there weren’t chalk drawings. I believe the statements are being asserted from the drone photos. Certainly not conclusive.

 

[cvaldez1975]

but with 6 kids and the youngest being 3 and 4, the others almost have to be school age, right? And still neighbors haven’t seen them? This is really bad.

most california school districts have not opened.

 

[legalmomma]

Dbm. Double post

 

[Knox]

<modsnip>There are other possible avenues regarding the missing boys and at WS we look at all possibilities. I checked the sexual offender list and several live nearby. There is a park with a lake close, as I posted earlier, within a 7 minute walk. There are bio relatives that knew where the adopted boys live. I hope LE is looking into these possibilities too.

With all the agencies involved, CCPD, FBI, KCSO & BPD - I'm confident they are following where the evidence is leading them. We don't know exactly what that evidence is, but from the actions we have seen this far, it's leading them to the home in Cal City and possibly to other homes, in other cities.

We all know the standard response of LE in identifying POI's/suspects while in the early stages of an investigation. They will say no one has been cleared, when in fact it's obvious who the suspect(s) is/are. Gannon Stauch's case is a good example of that. We knew LS was being looked at based on what LE was doing at the time.

At this point, I don't think the bio parents or RSO's have anything to do with Orrin & Orson going missing, JMO.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I'm not sure if it's the same in CA, but most schools are on winter/holiday break until after the beginning of the year. It's unlikely they had school to attend. MOO

we are, but most of our children have not attended in person school since march. neighbors in california city wouldnt have seen any of the older kids getting on a bus or anything.

 

[Knox]

Did everyone catch Chief Walker talk about the under covers that have been present watching the house?
I believe it was towards the end of his press conference where a reporter asked him about it and he answered (ish).

Good catch, protecting potential evidence and crime scene? Not just from a potential perp IMO, there have been lots of people showing up at that house.

 

[LietKynes]

LE said at one point that the adoptive parents are not at the residence.
They (LE) may know where they are.
Too much harassment from others ?
But still --if your children went missing , wouldn't you stay at the house when not searching --- in case they came back ?
Because most adoptive parents consider their adopted children as their own.
Imo.

 

[Dawookie]

This reporter stated last night that police have been going over security video footage and have found:
- no sign of the boys leaving by the gate which was supposedly left open
- no sign of an animal or anyone else entering the gate area to take the kids.
BakersfieldNow ETA around the 2:30 mark

To me this indicates that they have strong video evidence of that area. Which is why they are so focused on the home.

That said, the police chief also stated in the press conference it was possible there was an abduction/ someone picked them up in a vehicle. So not too sure how to square that... unless there is some other angle of entering or exiting the property that may not have been picked up on video. Moo

If they have footage that shows they don't leave through the gate, thats pretty telling about the parents story and where this case is going

 

[Edinlass]

MISSING BOYS REWARD: A $10,000 reward has been offered "to the person, or persons who provide information leading to the finding of Orrin and Orson," West, the two boys reported missing in California City Dec. 21. The owners of of GreenStone, a cannabis dispensary in California City announced the reward Wednesday morning.

 

[vickjul]

This is so worth repeating. Thanks @MsBetsy !
7. Police say that although they are cooperating, they do not know where the parents are, but someone knows, and they hope they will come forward.

When the police chief addressed the question of the parents' whereabouts, I thought he was deliberately evasive. He seemed to emphasize the word *I,* as though to indicate that he personally didn't know where they were at that precise moment in time. (I felt like he was trying to shut down that line of questioning since the parents had previously been harrassed by members of the community.) I didn't interpret his response as a blatant denial that the department was keeping tabs on their whereabouts, especially when he immediately followed by saying that, yes, the department had a means of contacting them at any time.

 

[LietKynes]

This is so worth repeating. Thanks @MsBetsy !

1. LE has said no-one has been ruled out so I would assume anyone close to the boys would be POI's.

2. They must have found solid evidence that points to the home since they were able to obtain warrants for the house and the vehicle so quickly.

3. They removed several brown bags and a large duffel bag from the house, while the father stated they only took their phones.

4. They also quickly carried out a second search and collected more evidence which indicates they found something incriminating after the first search of the home and property.

5. LE said the boys scent never left the home and they have not been able to make out how the boys left the house, even though the father implied they left through an open gate after playing in the yard.

6. Neighbors claim to have never seen the children since the family moved there in September.

7. Police say that although they are cooperating, they do not know where the parents are, but someone knows, and they hope they will come forward.

8. The remaining four children have been placed in protective custody.

9. LE are not searching the neighborhood or the desert but instead are concentrating on the home.

We don't know the specific reasons why the parents are the main focus but I expect we will know more as the investigation continues. It seems to be moving pretty fast.Imo"

I want to add to her comment. LE dug up their back yard, with the sound of what a neighbor said sounded like jackhammers.

Also LE showed up yesterday with guns drawn.

There is more but my memory is not cooperating.

I wouldn't say WS's have posted derogatory comments. I appreciate how great minds have come together, sharing msm, listing facts and trying to locate these precious little boys.

bbm
Saving this great post.

Re. the bolded : I do think it's a traumatic action to place children in foster care away from their home especially when two of their siblings are missing--- but it's possible LE would like to speak to the children without the adoptive parents present ?
To get some truthful unvarnished information ?
Imo.

 

[Laughing]

we are, but most of our children have not attended in person school since march. neighbors in california city wouldnt have seen any of the older kids getting on a bus or anything.

Wasn't there a case this fall, family moved, the toddler was never seen at the new residence, remins were eventually found at the previous address???

@cvaldez1975 , I hale you for every Cali case, sorry, but you know where the towns & cities actually are!!!

 

[Warwick7]

LE said at one point that the adoptive parents are not at the residence.
They (LE) may know where they are.
Too much harassment from others ?
But still --if your children went missing , wouldn't you stay at the house when not searching --- in case they came back ?
Because most adoptive parents consider their adopted children as their own.
Imo.

Agreed.

"Stan and Julie Patz never changed their phone number or moved, in the hopes that their son, Etan would reach out or return home.

“They waited and waited and never left because God forbid there was something to wait for,” said Meisel, who spoke to the family this past week.
never changed their phone number or moved, in the hopes that their son would reach out or return home."

I think I would handle things this same way. I would have to stay and never move because that would be the address the missing child would know.moo

 

[Mistree]

Good catch, protecting potential evidence and crime scene? Not just from a potential perp IMO, there have been lots of people showing up at that house.

Without posting the link to his presser , I believe his words were (paraphrasing), “ so we can see who does and doesn’t come to the house”

 

[LietKynes]

When the police chief addressed the question of the parents' whereabouts, I thought he was deliberately evasive. He seemed to emphasize the word *I,* as though to indicate that he personally didn't know where they were at that precise moment in time. (I felt like he was trying to shut down that line of questioning since the parents had previously been harrassed by members of the community.) I didn't interpret his response as a blatant denial that the department was keeping tabs on their whereabouts, especially when he immediately followed by saying that, yes, the department had a means of contacting them at any time.

bbm
Agreed.
As this is now an open criminal investigation (LE suspect foul play) the police chief is probably having to watch his words.
Much like sheriff Spezze (Suzanne Morphew) and the LE involved saying very little.
Imo.

 

[vickjul]

I'm not familiar with CA's police record database. Is it possible to search by address and see what, if any, prior criminal activity might have occurred at this address?

Given that the family had only recently moved into the house and that police said they're monitoring traffic to/from the house, I'm wondering if anything that had transpired at that address in the past could have played a role in the boys' disappearance ...

 

[Warwick7]

California City dispensary offers reward for missing boys

$10,000.00 reward for the boys.

 

[LietKynes]

This reporter stated last night that police have been going over security video footage and have found:
- no sign of the boys leaving by the gate which was supposedly left open
- no sign of an animal or anyone else entering the gate area to take the kids.
BakersfieldNow ETA around the 2:30 mark

To me this indicates that they have strong video evidence of that area. Which is why they are so focused on the home.

That said, the police chief also stated in the press conference it was possible there was an abduction/ someone picked them up in a vehicle. So not too sure how to square that... unless there is some other angle of entering or exiting the property that may not have been picked up on video. Moo

ETA a local company just announced a $10,000 reward in the case https://twitter.com/bayanwang/status/1344389410624737280?s=21

If there's a ring doorbell cam. or other security footage from the front of the boy's house or from across the street, etc., LE should know who came and went from the house.
That might rule out a SO or an abduction.
I'm thinking that LE know much more about who was at the home that evening and who may have visited, etc.
MOO

 

[kyrarose]

Agreed.

"Stan and Julie Patz never changed their phone number or moved, in the hopes that their son, Etan would reach out or return home.

“They waited and waited and never left because God forbid there was something to wait for,” said Meisel, who spoke to the family this past week.
never changed their phone number or moved, in the hopes that their son would reach out or return home."

I think I would handle things this same way. I would have to stay and never move because that would be the address the missing child would know.moo

I think it’s kind of unfair to compare parent reactions in this way. When my daughter went missing, everything in the house reminded me of her. If she hadn’t been found, I don’t know that I could have handled staying here. IMO.