FL - Somer Thompson, 7, Orange Park, 19 Oct 2009 #16

[Kateinfl]

I've been reading about the cases that hopetohelp posted, and a thought has occurred- imagine that! :idea:

I had initially suspected that the killer(s) disposed of Somer in the garbage (Ugh!! I hate to type that!!!) because they were inexperienced and in a hurry to hide the evidence of their crime, and perhaps a dumpster was nearby where she was killed. Now, I'm thinking it's a high possibility that the killer(s) planned on burying her or hiding her in a more remote location, but when the missing persons report went out and the all-out search began with cops and helicopters and neighborhood volunteers all over the place, he/she/they realized they were running out of time, so Plan A (burying her in a remote location) was discarded, and a Plan B had to be formulated quickly before it was too late and they were seen/noticed.

I say this because so many homicide victims are found buried in shallow graves or found in bodies of water, etc., and it seems that Somer's poor little body was discarded in a hurry in the hopes that she would never be found and the killer(s) wouldn't be seen or caught with her.

Feedback, please?

This makes me think it is a first time offender and panicked

 

[sorrell skye]

Makes perfect sense to me, sorrell. Do you think the killer lives in the area, or passing through?

My gut instinct says the killer either lives or works in the immediate area. If the Gano house isn't the place where Somer was killed, then the killer has to have had a place from view of witnesses - either a house or a place of business, or some type of structure/building where they wouldn't have been expected to be seen. I don't think the killer was expecting the neighborhood to be crawling with police and helicopters with search lights and dogs, etc., so soon after she went missing. I think he/she/they panicked and got rid of her as soon as possible.

If LE can pinpoint the approximate location of the dumpster she was in, they can find the one(s) responsible.

 

[Sleuthster]

ok, so while I was sitting there unable to watch amw (because I have directv and I guess we don't subscribe to the basic channels) I decided to research any similar aged girls missing in Florida. Here's what I've got:

12-29-69, age 9, Peggy Rahn, missing from Pompano Beach, FL. Disappeared while walking to the beach with a friend - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2242dffl.html
12-29-69, age 8, Wendy Brown Stevenson, missing from Pompano Beach, FL. Disappeared while walking to the beach with a friend - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2241dffl.html
02-28-72 - age 13, Debora Sue Lowe, Pompano Beach, FL. Disappeared while walking to school - http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/mcicsearch/Flyers/Flyer2PicCAP.asp?ID=11243&case_nbr=
9-22-72 - age 13, Gail Lorraine Joiner, missing from Thonotosassa, FL while walking her pet racoon after school - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2190dffl.html
12-29-72 - age 13, Deborah Sue Lowe, missing from Pompano Beach, FL. Disappeared walking to school. Gerald Schaefer has been considered as a POI in the case - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1673dffl.html
07-21-74 - age 9, Jean Marie Schoen, missing from Springfield, FL. Disappeared while walking to the store - http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-10-25/story/is_it_a_different_world_for_our_kids
08-01-74 - Annette Anderson, age 11, and Mylette Anderson, age 6, missing from Oceanway, FL. They disappeared from their home. http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-10-25/story/is_it_a_different_world_for_our_kids
09-3-74 - age 12, Theresa Amando Alsanto, missing from Marathon, FL. Disappeared while seeing a movie with a friend - http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/mcicsearch/FlyerNewPerson.asp?Case_Id=3536&case_nbr=
09-27-74 - Virginia Helm, age 12, missing from Jacksonville, FL. Disappeared while walking to the store - http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-10-25/story/is_it_a_different_world_for_our_kids
10-12-74 - Rebecca Anne Green, age 12, missing from Fairfield, FL. She disappeared walking back from the store. Her remains were found a month later - http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-10-25/story/is_it_a_different_world_for_our_kids
06-10-75 - age 12, Susan Basile, missing from Port Orange, FL - Gerald Stano confessed to murdering her but could not lead authorities to her body and he is believed to have fabricated at least some of his confessions. http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2547dffl.html
07-22-76 - age 12, Dorothy Delilah Scofield, missing from Ocala, FL - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/363dffl.html
11-15-82 - age 7, Jennifer Sofia Marteliz, missing from Tampa, FL. Disappeared on her way home from school - http://tampabayonline.net/reports/marteliz/intro.htm
12-06-82 - age 9, Maribel Oquendo-Carrero, missing from Homestead, FL - disappeared while walking to the store - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1817dffl.html
4-15-83 - age 5, Alicia Escobido, missing from Miami, FL. Disappeared from an apartment complex laundromat - http://missing87975.yuku.com/topic/1999/t/UNSOLVED-CHILD-MURDER-ALICIA-ESCOBEDO.html
5-27-84 - age 8, Marjorie Christina Luna, missing from Greenacres City, FL. Disappeared while walking home from the store. Her body was found 12 days later - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/304dffl.html
http://www.find-missing-children.org/Posters/poster228.htm
11-27-85 - age 12, Martha Jean Lambert, missing from Elkton, FL. Disappeared from the front of her home - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/308dffl.html
02-1-90 - age 13, Andrea D'Anne Durham, missing from Fort Walton Beach, FL. Disappeared from her home - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/132dffl.html
10-00-91 - age 13, Christina Evans, missing from Tampa, FL. Was reported missing in Oct '91 and it was assumed she was a runaway. On 06-10-92, her murdered body was found in a field on Dale Mabry Hwy and Ballast Point Blvd - http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Police...solved_homicides/unsolved_evans_christina.asp
02-16-93 - age 12, Jennifer Odom, missing from Dade City, FL, disappeared after the bus dropped her off after school. Her body was found a week later - http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/16/Pasco/_Nothing_will_ever_be.shtml
03-30-93 - age 13, Jennifer Rae Perry, missing from Marathon, FL. Disappeared after an argument with her mother. Although she was a habitual runaway, she's been missing since '93 and there has been at least one other disappearance in Marathon - http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/perry_jennifer.html
07-11-93 - age 10, Andrea Gail Parsons, missing from Port Salerno, FL. Disappeared walking from a store - http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/765dffl.html; http://www.find-missing-children.org/Posters/poster51.htm
05-28-06 - age 3, Jewel Mahavia Strong, missing from Panama City Beach, FL. She disappeared while at the beach with her parents. It is assumed that she drowned - http://www.missingkids.com/missingk...NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

I can't really find records of missing FL children or unsolved homicides of FL children from the late 90's on in which there hasn't already been an arrest. Maybe someone has additional records.

Actually, this case reminds me of Jennifer Odom's case.

Her bookbag was found 2 years after her remains where found like they where dropped there by the purp 2 years after. I dont believe LE thought the bookbag and clarinet case where there the whole time.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/16/Pasco/_Nothing_will_ever_be.shtml

 

[Cheewawa007]

My gut instinct says the killer either lives or works in the immediate area. If the Gano house isn't the place where Somer was killed, then the killer has to have had a place from view of witnesses - either a house or a place of business, or some type of structure/building where they wouldn't have been expected to be seen. I don't think the killer was expecting the neighborhood to be crawling with police and helicopters with search lights and dogs, etc., so soon after she went missing. I think he/she/they panicked and got rid of her as soon as possible.

If LE can pinpoint the approximate location of the dumpster she was in, they can find the one(s) responsible.

A couple of weeks ago I drove through the area. I noticed several streets over, someone was having new shingles put on their roof. There were at least 4 or 5 men working on that house. I was thinking at the time how it could have been a worker from a house other than the one on Gandy.

 

[trigger]

My gut instinct says the killer either lives or works in the immediate area. If the Gano house isn't the place where Somer was killed, then the killer has to have had a place from view of witnesses - either a house or a place of business, or some type of structure/building where they wouldn't have been expected to be seen. I don't think the killer was expecting the neighborhood to be crawling with police and helicopters with search lights and dogs, etc., so soon after she went missing. I think he/she/they panicked and got rid of her as soon as possible.

If LE can pinpoint the approximate location of the dumpster she was in, they can find the one(s) responsible.

ITA. First off it was daylight. It wasn't dark. So when she got into the car/truck wouldn't he be afraid someone would see her sitting in the car? He had to tail out of that area right away. How brazen to do this when children were walking home from school. Crossing guards around, parents outside waiting? This guy probably said to her hurry your mom wants me to take you home right away. Get in and she did.

 

[hopetohelp]

I'm thinking that the lunchbox/bookbag went with Somer to the murder site, which means, the perp had control over them after that point. I think they would have found them if they'd been left at the abduction site (assuming that the abduction site and the murder site are not the same, because certainly, they could be).

So the perp either ditched them elsewhere (out the window, another trash can), OR he kept them as souvenirs. It's not that uncommon for perps to keep items belonging to the victim. It seems stupid to do it, but its not rare (think of Jimmy Ryce's killer).

 

[Sleuthster]

I'm thinking that the lunchbox/bookbag went with Somer to the murder site, which means, the perp had control over them after that point. I think they would have found them if they'd been left at the abduction site (assuming that the abduction site and the murder site are not the same, because certainly, they could be).

So the perp either ditched them elsewhere (out the window, another trash can), OR he kept them as souvenirs. It's not that uncommon for perps to keep items belonging to the victim. It seems stupid to do it, but its not rare (think of Jimmy Ryce's killer).

That's what I think, that the perps keep these personal items as souvenirs or as a way to control the situation, when they are ready to give them up they do and they make sure that it will be found. Unfortunately by that time i believe that they may have moved on to another victim and another souvenir.

 

[eyes4crime]

My gut instinct says the killer either lives or works in the immediate area. If the Gano house isn't the place where Somer was killed, then the killer has to have had a place from view of witnesses - either a house or a place of business, or some type of structure/building where they wouldn't have been expected to be seen. I don't think the killer was expecting the neighborhood to be crawling with police and helicopters with search lights and dogs, etc., so soon after she went missing. I think he/she/they panicked and got rid of her as soon as possible.

If LE can pinpoint the approximate location of the dumpster she was in, they can find the one(s) responsible.

Hi sorrell skye - I agree with you that the murderer either lives or works in the immediate area. This person did not appear out of place to the children, LE, guards, so he had to somehow look as though he belonged. Nobody remembers seeing anything!!!

I agree, it could be panic but how bout this?
Maybe he was expecting the compacter to destroy Somer's little body so there would be little, if any, evidence. If so, he's really sadistic don't you think? Perhaps indicating he has done this before with this mo.

And maybe he was hoping that the DNA evidence would be destroyed by throwing her in the trash - if so, that tells me he most likely has done this before. mho

 

[dannyodie]

I have the feeling for a long long time that AMW was more into sensationalism and not much substance. I remember thinking that years ago and wondering how JW got to be so slick.

At any rate, LE was certainly looking for backpacks , whatever, in the garbage, I am sure. I don't think it would have slipped past them.

LE has said that no one is NOT a suspect. The construction owner said that they were in the clear. That is not so according to the sheriff, IMO.

I just can't see SP? Too little time. If he wanted to do some weird crime against Somer, that certainly wouldn't be the time to do it.

But you have to wonder what ST and SP were up to that day. Doesn't make sense that she comes home for lunch. If he has a car, and he has nowhere to go, why not meet at a restaurant right by her work somewhere?

yeah and ouch my hinky meter just went off maybe they had more then lunch on that day?? meeting at a restaurant would have been more appropriate if it was just lunch now I am thinking something different about meeting at home. hmmmmm?

 

[Skully]

Hi,

I haven't posted about this case because I have been following the Caylee Anthony and Haleigh Cumming's case. Both so sad, didn't want to start another one. But I was thinking this person could be a teen, late teens. He wouldn't be noticed by others as it was a school route and no one would think anything of seeing a teenager. I wonder if he could have lived close by and had parents that worked or a single parent at work; giving him the house to himself? I read that they are looking for someone with scratches on his face? I hope they are looking at HS boys. Somer may have even known him though family or friends.

My first encounter with a predator was an 18 yr old boy. I was 8 yrs old. So it crossed my mind that this person could be new to this and no one would know if he wasn't registered or caught yet.

 

[dannyodie]

Hi,

I haven't posted about this case because I have been following the Caylee Anthony and Haleigh Cumming's case. Both so sad, didn't want to start another one. But I was thinking this person could be a teen, late teens. He wouldn't be noticed by others as it was a school route and no one would think anything of seeing a teenager. I wonder if he could have lived close by and had parents that worked or a single parent at work; giving him the house to himself? I read that they are looking for someone with scratches on his face? I hope they are looking at HS boys. Somer may have even known him though family or friends.

My first encounter with a predator was an 18 yr old boy. I was 8 yrs old. So it crossed my mind that this person could be new to this and no one would know if he wasn't registered or caught yet.

that very thought has crossed my mind several times and I like the way you are thinking, a trash container would be a easy disposal for a teen to get rid of something fast and it would have been very easy for him to have done very good thought u got going on there....

 

[Noway]

I've been wondering if the bookbag and lunch box were purchased out of the country. Because if they purchased them at Target or WalMart or whatever store ... it would not be hard to get a picture from the manufacturer. There would be no need for an artist's rendition.

And then, I wondered if LE was being deliberately confusing (with all the backpack variations) in case they did get something in the tips that talked about the skulls/hearts backpack and the pig lunchbox (which until AMW, I had never heard she was carrying).

A lot of us have gone online, looked at stores, etc., and have not been able to find those items with no luck. I wonder if the bag was initially for something else since they said Somer used it to carry books ... (duh, what else would the purpose of a bookbag be)?

 

[trigger]

Dont forget to watch the Jaycee story on tonite on TLC.

 

[sorrell skye]

I know many of us here have our top list of suspects. From the beginning, LE focused on RSOs in the area and the house on Gano (because that was the last known location she was spotted).
If we go with the hypothesis that the killer was someone Somer was familiar with (based on statistical likelihood), my top list of suspects would include someone who works at Grove Park Elementary (teachers, substitute teachers, parent volunteers, custodians, administrative personnel, crossing guards, etc.), someone who works at a nearby store Somer might have encountered on a regular basis (and therefore not leery of), someone she was acquainted with via her school friends, or someone known by the family.

Was Somer a member of Girl Scouts? Did she participate in any extra-curricular activities?

Who were the non-family adults in her life that she would have interacted with, either through school, sports, dance classes, employees at local stores her family shopped at, restaurants they ate at, friends of past/current babysitters?

Hopefully, LE is looking at all these areas.

 

[Skully]

that very thought has crossed my mind several times and I like the way you are thinking, a trash container would be a easy disposal for a teen to get rid of something fast and it would have been very easy for him to have done very good thought u got going on there....

Lots of predators start early in childhood, picking on younger kids. I knew another one who was 18 and tried to get a 6 yr old to preform oral sex. This person was dating the little girls sister. So I wouldn't rule out late teens.

 

[sorrell skye]

A couple of weeks ago I drove through the area. I noticed several streets over, someone was having new shingles put on their roof. There were at least 4 or 5 men working on that house. I was thinking at the time how it could have been a worker from a house other than the one on Gandy.

I like your line of thinking!

I want to add to my list of POIs undocumented workers. More and more contractors are hiring them these days due to the economy, and an undocumented worker would be difficult (if not impossible) to track down. In essence, they're invisible!

What other work was going on at the various homes in the neighborhood during the time of Somer's disappearance? Especially work that might have been less supervised - like yard work?

What was the name of that little girl that disappeared in Utah? She was abducted by a man the family hired to do work around the house.

 

[dannyodie]

Lots of predators start early in childhood, picking on younger kids. I knew another one who was 18 and tried to get a 6 yr old to preform oral sex. This person was dating the little girls sister. So I wouldn't rule out late teens.

thats a thought I bet le hasn't really looked at too, it could even be a big brother of one of her friends too? good post!!

 

[paris_paris]

Hi,

I haven't posted about this case because I have been following the Caylee Anthony and Haleigh Cumming's case. Both so sad, didn't want to start another one. But I was thinking this person could be a teen, late teens. He wouldn't be noticed by others as it was a school route and no one would think anything of seeing a teenager. I wonder if he could have lived close by and had parents that worked or a single parent at work; giving him the house to himself? I read that they are looking for someone with scratches on his face? I hope they are looking at HS boys. Somer may have even known him though family or friends.

My first encounter with a predator was an 18 yr old boy. I was 8 yrs old. So it crossed my mind that this person could be new to this and no one would know if he wasn't registered or caught yet.

This reminds me of a poster last week (week before?) that came across a MySpace site for teenager that lived next door (or behind?) the burned out house on Gano Ave.. There were photos of him peeking in the women's washroom door across the street at the park.

I know that sounds vague, but I forget who the poster was, and my inbox has been cleared out with the info.

 

[momtective]

Okay, this is just too weird...
*Warning graphic language*
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpRdU77oetg"]YouTube- Somer Thomson Missing girl found dead.[/ame]

Then I watched this one *listen to his wording and watch body language when he talks about character transformer dying.*
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheUncannykodiak#p/u/7/YKs8RlzYSQE

Maybe nothing more than very weird or...
Haven't been through the rest of his videos yet...maybe my hinky meter is just a little too sensitive but I've just gotta check it out...
Maybe he's just as outraged as we are and youtube is his outlet...who knows.
Anyway...just thought I'd pass it along.

 

[human]

I still am stuck at the Gano house. Whatever happened, happened at that point forward.

I wish that someone could meditate upon the info given by the uncle of Somer's friend. The one that Somer would walk with sometimes. What happened to her? When did they part company? As we get closer to Somer's house, the more people that are there that would not be considered strangers.

I think also that a teenager would not be considered a stranger by a child. Until the Olten case, I didn't consider a teenager a "stranger" to be aware of. What I mean is, someone that would be of super danger to a child.