the following theory in the missing child case of Haleigh Cummings. Of course all thoughts are based on my personal opinions and deductions in the case and should not be mistaken for fact. While I have developed a theory based on as many facts as possible, there are multiple theories that might fit or various perpetrators that given the exact circumstances might be interchanged. For my theory, I will be exploring an abduction between the hours of 8 pm and 3 30 am with the perpetrator of the abduction being Cousin Joe who was visiting from Tennessee the week Haleigh went missing with possible help from Hank Croslin jr.
MOTIVE: Retaliation for fight over 9 mm Berretta that Cousin Joe allegedly stole from Ronald Cummings 2 weeks before Haleigh went missing. Initially I believe the plan may have been to make access into 202 Gr Lane on the night of February 9th and steal back the gun that had previously been recovered from Joe’s hiding spot in a culvert on Tommy and Lindsey Croslin’s property.I believe that Haleigh woke while the thieves were in the home and since she would have been able to identify Joe and Misty’s brother Hank jr (Tommy) she was taken.
OPPORTUNITY: I believe that it was widely known to members of the Croslin family that Ronald Cummings worked the evening shift at PDM Bridge. Being that Cousin Joe was in Florida for two weeks prior to Haleigh’s disappearance and was staying with the brother and sister in law of Misty and had exclusive access to the blue family van. Believe it or not a consistent story was told by various members of the Croslin family in reference to the gun. The overwhelming theme was that Cousin Joe had taken the gun and placed it in a culvert for safe keeping until gun could be retrieved and make the trip over state lines back into Tennessee with Cousin Joe. Misty’s father Hank SR, Lisa Croslin, Lindsey Croslin alongside her Husband Hankjr all recounted the story about the gun hidden in the culvert. Lindsey pointed out the culvert to numerous people and stated that the gun was hidden in the drainage pipe when Misty went to retrieve the while on the phone with Ronald.
THE STEPS: It has been stated that Misty turned her phone off around the 8:30 pm mark on the evening of Feb. 9th. Upon repeated unanswered calls from initiated by Ronald a phone call was then made to the Croslin home to inquire if perhaps Misty was there and not answering her phone. After gaining the information that Misty was not answering Ronalds calls, I believe that Cousin Joe saw an opportunity to “give Ronald what he had coming to him” those were the words used to describe Joe’s reaction after the fight over the missing gun.
Hank jr and perhaps Cousin Joe as well would have known entry points at 202 Gr Lane. I think it is reasonable to assume that both men had been inside Haleigh’s home and would not have been troubled about fingerprints or possible DNA being found in the trailer. Both men also would have known that Misty is known to be a sound sleeper and with the knowledge gained by the phone call from Ronald, they knew she was sleeping deep enough for his phone calls to go unanswered. With that phone call they may also have discovered that Ronald was asked to work the extra hours at PDM. This was an added bonus as seen by them because it gave them more time to carry out their plan.
Access was made into the home, I have suspicion that it might have even been through the front door to the trailer since we never heard if the front door was even locked at all. Regardless, entry was made at they began looking for the gun. Somehow during that time I believe Haleigh woke up and discovered the two men in the trailer. She would not have had immediate cause for concern because both men were known to her. No screaming, no struggle. Now the two men had a very serious problem, they had been seen and it called for quick action to avoid Ronalds wrath. Perhaps at this point Haleigh was asking questions of the men, JR began to rouse, Haleigh was scooped up by one of the men and it was discovered that she was wet. Through the kitchen and to the back door where there was possibly a clean shirt for Haleigh. I believe it was here that one of the men, and I am leaning towards Cousin Joe because it was said that he had “bricked open” doors before in robberies, stayed behind and staged the door with the cinder block and perhaps led Haleigh down the path in the woods, leaving a footprint in the dirt. While the other man perhaps raced back to grab the keys to the family van and use it to conceal and make it away form 202 Gr Lane without being noticed by neighbors and also cover any noise that Haleigh would be making, because now she knows that something is very wrong.
WRAPPING UP: There are indeed pictures of this blue van with deep scratches down the side. Misty’s sister in law confirms that the van was taken by Law Enforcement and processed for evidence. Perhaps Haleigh’s fingerprints and DNA were found inside the van and that would not have been out of the norm since it was a vehicle shared by various members of the Croslin family. In a recent interview with Chelsea Croslin here :
http://www.artharris.com/2009/10/05/exclusive-inside-the-haleigh-cummings-family-feud/#more-3180 this was said.. SNIP~With her car totalled, Chelsea started driving the blue family van, which she initially reported appeared to be parked in a different spot than she usually left it the day Haleigh was reported missing. Cousin Joe Overstreet had spent the night, and Chelsea later told police she’d left the keys on the kitchen counter, where she usually does, within easy reach. Reflecting now, she says, “What I told police was that I can’t totally, 100 per cent account for Joe that night…
“I don’t see Joe doing something like this, but I just gave police my observations — that the van just seemed to be in a different spot. I have a long driveway, and the back steps are to the left. I usually turn the wheel so the car is behind the stairs. This time, I noticed it seemed to be parked more on the side of the house. I don’t know if Joe took it to the store, or maybe he didn’t take it at all.” ~ END SNIP
As you can tell I have left out the ugly part in my theory. To sum up and tie it together THIS THEORY I will say that Haleigh was taken from the MH that night with perhaps the intention of only an attempt to buy Cousin Joe and Hankjr the time to develop a story that would explain to Haleigh why they were in her fathers home, At this point Haleigh is scared and completely aware that something bad is happening to her, she was scared and perhaps even screaming now. It became necessary to silence Haleigh and that is what they did. Whether they placed a hand over her mouth or what method they used, with Haleigh’s Turner Syndrome I believe her breathing was labored, possibly more than a child without asthma or a breathing disorder, and Haleigh was killed. I go back and forth on the exact circumstances of disposal with this theory. The events of the evening could have been changed up and Haleigh might have been smothered off the trail in the woods possibly even in the small outbuilding that was searched and then placed in the dumpster or near the dumpster until one of the men could retrieve the Croslin van. However it happened, for the purpose of this theory I will end with Haleigh being disposed of in the river, or possibly a canal. There was a track that cadaver dogs followed down to the docks and we know all about the dumpster hits right. I believe this was all carried out between the hours of 10:30 and possibly 2:30. Hank jr has admittedly placed himself at 202 Gr Lane in this time frame, Cousin Joe hightailed it back to Tennessee the next day the 10th and was urged by family and friends to travel back to Satsuma to be interviewed and clear his name. Personally his name will never be cleared until he comes clean and the vehicle that he traveled back to Tennessee in is searched and he accounts for his evening in the same manner that all other people who had contact with Haleigh have done.
Cyberborg: In response to the post of yours involving things that would have to happen in order for this scenario to be carried out. I think I addressed all of your questions. These two men would have been privy to information that only family members would know. Couple that with the information that a call from Ronald was received and they possibly gained the knowledge that He was working late and therefore they knew they had the extra time to carry out the plan. Fingerprints and DNA absolutely could have been found inside the home but because both men had access to trailer in the past they have their excuse.....Any other points I forgot please feel free to ask. This is indeed just a theory. I have 2 others but quite honestly i am a little tired out from working up this one!:blushing:....
As a side note, I have been trying to track down the information that would tell me how Cousin Joe returned to Tennessee on the 10th. I have family members in Knoxville that have tried researching this for me and they have found out nothing. You might remember that A RAV 4 was seen at a Carrabba's as well as a little girl with a man that was covering her face. Could Joe have brought Haleigh to Tennessee with him? Too many questions
