Deceased/Not Found FL - Lacey Buenfil, 25, Altoona, 27 Dec 2011

[Breazy]

Still thinking of and praying that Lacey is found and comes home. lease:

 

[HeinekenMan]

I haven't checked out this case since she first disappeared. I was pretty sure then that something was afoul. I once hiked about 15 miles through that forest. I was north of State Road 40, but it's all about the same in terms of terrain.

That sand is really fine and is not compacted. Your feet sink into the stuff. A person might not go more than 2 mph for the first hour or two and possibly as slow as 1 mph after that. If you're not on a trail, it's easy to zig zag or change course without knowing it. That can affect you, too.

You can hear cars even when you are 4-5 miles from a road. This is especially true with louder engines like on a motorcycle. And the inclination is to walk toward the sound.

Sunset isn't until around 5:30 at that time of year. But the sun is low on the horizon for the last year and that makes it relatively dark by 4:30 in the forest, where the light is filtered by the trees.

Obviously, the math could be relevant here. It's possible that her walking speed and distance would have put her smack in the forest at sunset. And that would have exposed her to cold temperatures with no food and no water.

It got down to about 45 degrees that night. She might have been wearing shorts and a T-shirt. So it's possible that she died from exposure. The range for hypothermia in open air is about 35-50. Hypothermia sets in more easily if someone has been drinking.

So that's one theory. But I'm doubting that one. I believe she would have made it to a road or found a way to survive the cold.

Here's another angle.

About four miles north of State Road 40, my cell phone worked just fine while I was camped out in the middle of the forest about five years ago. That might not be the case closer to Altoona. I'm not sure. I assume that both of them had cell phones. I can't imagine her walking away without her phone. Even if it wasn't working, I would expect her to carry it so that she could call someone after she was out of the forest.

That forest is huge. It would take several thousand people to do a thorough search of that forest. And there are areas where access is extremely limited. In 2007 (actually about a month after my hike in the forest), a woman left a bar in the area and vanished. Her car was found in the forest, and they found her blood in the car. I'm not sure whether they ever solved the case. I believe they suspected a boyfriend or acquaintance. The point is that she was never found even though they had the vehicle. That forest is notorious for body dumping. And the locals know that some of the bodies are never found. It's the first place someone from that area would go to get rid of a body. If she was spotted at a convenience store, though, we can probably conclude that she was alive when she went into the forest. And that would suggest that whatever happened to her occurred while she was in the forest.

So that last bit provides another theory. And that pretty much indicates that she was killed in the forest.

Now, it's also possible that she made it out of the forest and caught a ride and disappeared. I imagine she wouldn't be the first hitchhiker to be killed. It seems unlikely that she'd jump into a vehicle and just decide never to return. But I suppose that's also a theory.

Here's my take on this: Her friend seems to suggest that she got out of the forest. That's a great way to discourage people for checking the forest for her. If I had a friend who was missing, I would assume that the person was still lost in the forest, and I'd be in a terrible panic to find them.

The bottom line is that this is a case that likely will never be solved unless someone, somehow, happens to stumble upon her remains.

 

[HauntsForHope]

.....Now, it's also possible that she made it out of the forest and caught a ride and disappeared. I imagine she wouldn't be the first hitchhiker to be killed. It seems unlikely that she'd jump into a vehicle and just decide never to return. But I suppose that's also a theory.

Here's my take on this: Her friend seems to suggest that she got out of the forest. That's a great way to discourage people for checking the forest for her. If I had a friend who was missing, I would assume that the person was still lost in the forest, and I'd be in a terrible panic to find them.

The bottom line is that this is a case that likely will never be solved unless someone, somehow, happens to stumble upon her remains.

I'd like to expand on your theory... i think we talked about this but I can't seem to find the posts. Didn't LE say the dogs tracked her scent out of the forest to SR19? Is that the same direction her friend said she went?

If I remember right, when she first went missing LE said she was picked up in a vehicle on SR 19 which is why they did not start a missing persons investigation until 2 weeks later. I will back track and see what I can find... we may need to go back to the beginning on this case.

 

[HeinekenMan]

I am about to start reading about tracking dogs. In all of these cases, there is a ton of reliance on them, and I just want to know how much we should trust their conclusions.

 

[HauntsForHope]

"...The truck got stuck in sand and rather than wait for help Buenfil walked away to try to catch a ride on nearby State Road 19 in Altoona. There was no evidence of foul play and no suggestion that the two were using drugs in the truck, sheriff's officials said.
Deputies searched the area until late Thursday night using bloodhounds and a helicopter with heat-sensing technology. The bloodhounds were only able to track her scent to the State Road 19 area, where they believe she ended up getting a ride."

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-12-30/news/os-woman-missing-in-ocala-forest-folo-20111230_1_lake-deputies-ocala-national-forest-search

 

[HauntsForHope]

It's not just the dogs, it's the LE handling them that make the interpretation and decisions based on the overall outcome.

 

[HauntsForHope]

Now that it's been about three weeks since 25-year-old Lacey Buenfil went missing in the Ocala National Forest, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said Friday that the lapse in time coupled with inactivity on her Facebook page means her disappearance has grown "more suspicious."

Bloodhounds have combed the area of the forest where an acquaintance of Buenfil, Terry McDowell, said they had been, and crime-scene investigators searched her house and car.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-01-15/news/os-lk-missing-woman-20120115_1_surveillance-video-facebook-page-ocala-national-forest

 

[Breazy]

Hoping & Praying that Lacey is found!!!!

 

[HeinekenMan]

Anybody live in Central Florida? It's summer. The wife is a teacher. I could use a hiking buddy. I'm going to see what I can find out there in the woods this summer.

 

[HauntsForHope]

"Family and friends still gather at 10 a.m., every Saturday and Sunday at Nelson's Fish Camp on Southeast Highway 42 in Umatilla to search the area and pass out fliers.
Anyone with information may call the Lake County Sheriff's Office, or Central Florida CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS. In addition, Crime Stoppers of Marion County is also available to receive information and can be reached at 352-368-STOP.

 

[HeinekenMan]

Thanks for that info. I believe I read that earlier, but I usually disregard search details because I'm usually nowhere near the search area. I could use the exercise and enjoy nature. I better take a compass with me, though. Or I might get lost out there.

 

[HauntsForHope]

Oh yes, especially if you like to go off trail. Be prepared with trail maps, water, cell phone with gps in case you need assistance they can locate you faster, a lighter and protein bars. If your a Fl native you know to watch for our local snakes and spiders, which are poisonous, which aren't. The most dangerous being the coral snake, which looks very similar to the harmless king snake, just remember, Red on black, friend of jack, Red on Yellow, Kill a Fellow!

 

[HauntsForHope]

 

[HauntsForHope]

 

[HauntsForHope]

I'm in central Fl but I dont hike the outback anymore, it's too harsh for me. I really suggest an atv or other vehicle if you want to travel through the scrub.

 

[HeinekenMan]

I have hiked the Florida National Trail. I'm good at finding my bearings in the woods. But it can be overwhelming to be surrounded by all of that forest!

I took the dog for a walk one day and came home to find a small coral snake camped out by my front door. I threw a few sticks, and it crawled under the house. It was the second time I've seen one. I saw one on the side of my house once before. When you look at those rings and make the connection, it's rather startling. I've read up on them. Their teeth are in the back of their mouth. They have to latch on real good to dump their poison. I read a story where a guy was bitten, and the local hospital didn't have the anti-venom. They had to fly it in from South Florida!

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Lacey added to Charley Project - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/buenfil_lacey.html

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Lacey added to Charley Project today - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/buenfil_lacey.html

 

[summer_breeze]

NamUs Profile

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/13822/0/

Case Information
Status
Missing
First name
Lacey
Middle name
Marie
Last name
Buenfil
Nickname/Alias
Lacey Lynn Lovett
Date LKA
December 27, 2011 09:30
Date entered
02/03/2012
Age LKA
25 to years old
Age now
26 years old
Race
White
Ethnicity
Sex
Female
Height (inches)
60.0
Weight (pounds)
90.0

 

[tlzzdavis]

Lacey added to Charley Project - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/buenfil_lacey.html

Are their details correct? It says she walked away with her wallet, cellphone & keys...contrary to previous reports. This case makes you :banghead:

TIA!