IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #33

[threecrazykids]

Not sure if this was suggested or not and although unlikely, still a possibility imo, but any chance the girls were abducted, held for "ransom" for one purpose or another, but ended up dying by accident?
That was a hot and dry summer and many kids seemed to have died from heat exhaustion after being left in a hot car.
Could the girls have been hidden in a trunk, or underground spot ect. ect. and the perp/s possibly not being too swift or unable to return to them in a timely fashion, return and find L and L deceased?

I would be inclined to entertain that idea if either of these family's had any money to go after...but IMO they don't appear to.

Ransom notes go to the parents of kids who are rich and know their parents can produce big $ and fast.

Neither of these families would fall into this category from what I've seen. Misty worked at Casey's for (assuming) minimum wage or close to it, and Drew owned his own small business which given Heather's health issues wouldn't allow a ton leftover for a luxurious lifestyle. Neither Dan nor Heather work so what assets would either family have they would quickly liquidate?

 

[Grainne Dhu]

Thank you for your post, but if MJK did have access to an old white SUV (the most vague description of a vehicle as 3CK stated :floorlaugh: ) that should be known by now. Of course, he could have been borrowing that vehicle and that person is scared that he could be arrested as an accessory to the crime if DNA or other evidence as proof the girls were ever in that generic white vehicle and maybe that scenario is preventing that information to be known. You would think that $150,000 reward would be mighty tempting to some and even worth the risk of giving that information to LE.

Since he was living in a rural area, it is possible that he stole a vehicle to use to commit the crime. I'm thinking of someone who had an old beater that they kept parked out back for emergencies. If he used it and returned it within 24 hours or so, the owner might not have realised it was ever gone. I know a lot of people who keep their keys in their vehicles in this area.

For example, the people down the road from us had an old rusted out cattle trailer stolen from them last summer. All us neighbours were laughing about it because who on earth would bother stealing an old cattle trailer with the floor rusted out in places? The best the owners could come up with was a period of about 3 weeks between the last time they could remember for sure the old wreck was out back and when they noticed it was missing.

I think everyone was amazed that it could actually still be hitched to a vehicle without the hitch falling off.

 

[Foxfire]

Since he was living in a rural area, it is possible that he stole a vehicle to use to commit the crime. I'm thinking of someone who had an old beater that they kept parked out back for emergencies. If he used it and returned it within 24 hours or so, the owner might not have realised it was ever gone. I know a lot of people who keep their keys in their vehicles in this area.

For example, the people down the road from us had an old rusted out cattle trailer stolen from them last summer. All us neighbours were laughing about it because who on earth would bother stealing an old cattle trailer with the floor rusted out in places? The best the owners could come up with was a period of about 3 weeks between the last time they could remember for sure the old wreck was out back and when they noticed it was missing.

I think everyone was amazed that it could actually still be hitched to a vehicle without the hitch falling off.

Very possibly, Grainne Dhu.. Seems, that I remembered that MJK maintained multiple swine farms(6?)...He may have taken a farm vehicle that he had access too...

 

[carbuff]

I would be inclined to entertain that idea if either of these family's had any money to go after...but IMO they don't appear to.

Ransom notes go to the parents of kids who are rich and know their parents can produce big $ and fast.

Neither of these families would fall into this category from what I've seen. Misty worked at Casey's for (assuming) minimum wage or close to it, and Drew owned his own small business which given Heather's health issues wouldn't allow a ton leftover for a luxurious lifestyle. Neither Dan nor Heather work so what assets would either family have they would quickly liquidate?

Well, rich is relative. If you're down and out and don't have enough money to even buy a bottle of cheap liquor, even a few thousand dollars might seem worth it. There's also a popular belief that the FBI will front the money for ransom.

I don't think it's likely, myself, but as with so many other scenarios, it's possible and there's no evidence to contradict it.

 

[otto]

Thank you for your insight. Lots of things to think over. I do agree that this is more than likely not a first time offender. Whether this perp has been caught for other crimes (petty or otherwise) I don't think this is someone who is void of a past criminal history.

I know you are an advocate of LE and their handling of the case. I'm just not feeling as confident as you about their investigative skills. I feel that the first few hours of this case were critical and that a lack of true abduction protocol may not have been administered immediately. Obviously LE goes where the evidence takes them, but from the beginning I question the basics that didn't appear to be followed.

I'm definitely an advocate of leaving the job to the experts. Too many people seem to underestimate the skills and training required for investigative work. TV shows about various professions seem to give people the impression that they can do it better without any training, or job specific skills. Tips that lead to solving crimes come from many sources, even the public, but that doesn't mean that the public should take on the role of investigator, or that the public is equally qualified to investigate crimes.

I've posted the exact actions and timeline of investigators immediately following the discovery of the bikes here a few times, and I can't see that anything was omitted, or that errors in judgment were made. This was immediately treated as a stranger abduction and the FBI was all over this from the beginning. Investigators used an interesting tactic that has been successfully used to identify suspects in other murders: check stops in the area of the abduction at the same time of day. I was surprised about that, but when a suspect is arrested, it may be confirmed that the murderer was driving in the area to see what police were doing.

At this point, the public is still curious (and impatient) about who is responsible for the murders, but that doesn't mean that investigators made mistakes, or that investigators are obligated to enable the public to act as investigators by making all the evidence public. One day, the person responsible will make a mistake. Having faith in people that are trained to do the job will make their jobs easier ... which is what the public should want.

 

[alliemay]

Not sure if this was suggested or not and although unlikely, still a possibility imo, but any chance the girls were abducted, held for "ransom" for one purpose or another, but ended up dying by accident?
That was a hot and dry summer and many kids seemed to have died from heat exhaustion after being left in a hot car.
Could the girls have been hidden in a trunk, or underground spot ect. ect. and the perp/s possibly not being too swift or unable to return to them in a timely fashion, return and find L and L deceased?


Just to add that my use of the word "ransom' was not meant in the demand for money sense.

I could be wrong here, but if you are of the belief that drugs were involved, you might be implying that they were taken for the return of drugs. Just stating what I think you are trying to say, although that is not my belief because I do not think drugs had anything to do with it. JMO

 

[otto]

I agree that it is a good thing that Drew and Heather have become proactive in lobbying for stronger sentencing for sex offenders, child molesters, etc. However, where is the anger that someone took their precious child and niece from them????? I think Dan is angry. I look at him and I see a totally devastated man who feels he failed to protect his daughter. I realize Heather has other children and that she has to be strong for them, but
I would love to see some "Diena Thompson" anger in Heather. Somer's mother also had two other children and she was there for them after Somer's abduction and murder, but you know what she was in front of the media at every opportunity. She said she was angry and you could see it. She did sit back quietly and say she did not want to know the details. She wanted the killer caught and she wanted to know the truth about her daughter's death. That's my thoughts of how I would handle my child being murdered. Even if I had TEN children, to lose even one to a slug like Jarred Mitchell Harrell would have me searching for him until I died. I would continue to get up every morning for my other children, but I would search for the monster who took one away from me. I probably would not feel like having Valentine Day parties for adults only or Tupperware parties even though it is for the Angel Park. . . And even if I was friends with the Chief of Police and even if he told me the case was still active, I would be out every day making my presence known - I'd be knocking on doors and I'd be the worst nightmare of every registered sex offender, child molester and just creepy people in general in my town and surrounding area. I'm glad there is a park in memory of Lyric and Elizabeth and other victims of such violence, but I just wish there was more a sense of urgency to find who did this rather than atmosphere of complacency.

I can understand that. I too have wondered about the soft response from Heather. When put in context, it makes more sense for me. That is, there is a history of illegal drug use in the family. People with illegal drug use problems are probably comfortable taking a daily dose of pharmaceutical drugs as well. There are many legal drugs, like valium, that people take in stressful situations and which would flatten one's emotions. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that the parents of murdered children are on prescription drugs that flatten all of their emotional responses - especially if they were not in professions (medicine, law, etc.) that required a sharp, alert mind.

 

[dotr]

I could be wrong here, but if you are of the belief that drugs were involved, you might be implying that they were taken for the return of drugs. Just stating what I think you are trying to say, although that is not my belief because I do not think drugs had anything to do with it. JMO

The girls were taken for some reason, not necessarily drugs, or money or to be molested.
Maybe they just went somewhere for fun with someone and it accidentally ended in death for one reason or another.
Not that I think it went that way either, I am just speculating here but perhaps with less clarity than everyone else.

 

[threecrazykids]

I'm definitely an advocate of leaving the job to the experts. Too many people seem to underestimate the skills and training required for investigative work. TV shows about various professions seem to give people the impression that they can do it better without any training, or job specific skills. Tips that lead to solving crimes come from many sources, even the public, but that doesn't mean that the public should take on the role of investigator, or that the public is equally qualified to investigate crimes.

I've posted the exact actions and timeline of investigators immediately following the discovery of the bikes here a few times, and I can't see that anything was omitted, or that errors in judgment were made. This was immediately treated as a stranger abduction and the FBI was all over this from the beginning. Investigators used an interesting tactic that has been successfully used to identify suspects in other murders: check stops in the area of the abduction at the same time of day. I was surprised about that, but when a suspect is arrested, it may be confirmed that the murderer was driving in the area to see what police were doing.

At this point, the public is still curious (and impatient) about who is responsible for the murders, but that doesn't mean that investigators made mistakes, or that investigators are obligated to enable the public to act as investigators by making all the evidence public. One day, the person responsible will make a mistake. Having faith in people that are trained to do the job will make their jobs easier ... which is what the public should want.

This would be one area that I respectfully disagree. I am not even CLOSE to being any sort of expert in investigations, but I have an issue with something that I recall happening within the first days of the girls going missing. I would disagree that LE treated this as a stranger abduction based on their actions.

Here is something that has me questioning local LE's competence:

Girls are reported missing.

It has been reported that the family had been out searching for the girls for quite some time before they were reported missing, so all of the "obvious spots" had more than likely been checked, and double checked.

I am assuming a lot here, but my guess is the conversations between family and LE went vaguely like this:

Q: Who was the last person to see the girls?
A: Grandma (Wylma)

Q: When was the last time you saw the girls?
A: (This has been debated back and forth as to the time changing, but for arguments sake let's say Wylma says a bit after 12)

Q: Where did you last see them?
A: She references where the post office used to be and a parking lot.

Fair enough, right?

Again, I am not an investigator...but if Grandma states the last time she saw the girls in that vicinity why on earth didn't LE go to that location and discover FOR THEMSELVES the CCTV camera that was on the back of Leiderman's parking lot?!:banghead:

One can argue that "well, they found the bikes at the lake so that is where the focus was".

IMO finding the bikes without the girls would give me MORE reason to go back to where they were last seen and check the immediate area for anything or anyone who reported seeing the girls.

But no...the owner of the auction house TWO DAYS LATER calls LE and notifies them that he has video of the girls riding by on their bikes.

If they were treating this as a stranger abduction, Investigations 101 should have led them to start where the girls were last seen.

Even if there were reports of the girls being seen at the lake or the immediate area, the last area they were seen close to home SHOULD have been investigated to see if anyone was following them, etc. considering the entire family said they wouldn't ride that far.

Would it have made a difference if they found it two days earlier? Probably not...

However, it DOES make me question the competency of the investigators.

 

[carbuff]

I'm definitely an advocate of leaving the job to the experts. Too many people seem to underestimate the skills and training required for investigative work. TV shows about various professions seem to give people the impression that they can do it better without any training, or job specific skills. Tips that lead to solving crimes come from many sources, even the public, but that doesn't mean that the public should take on the role of investigator, or that the public is equally qualified to investigate crimes.

I've posted the exact actions and timeline of investigators immediately following the discovery of the bikes here a few times, and I can't see that anything was omitted, or that errors in judgment were made. This was immediately treated as a stranger abduction and the FBI was all over this from the beginning. Investigators used an interesting tactic that has been successfully used to identify suspects in other murders: check stops in the area of the abduction at the same time of day. I was surprised about that, but when a suspect is arrested, it may be confirmed that the murderer was driving in the area to see what police were doing.

At this point, the public is still curious (and impatient) about who is responsible for the murders, but that doesn't mean that investigators made mistakes, or that investigators are obligated to enable the public to act as investigators by making all the evidence public. One day, the person responsible will make a mistake. Having faith in people that are trained to do the job will make their jobs easier ... which is what the public should want.

Very well put. Thank you!

 

[RNER]

http://www.bhcso.org/WhosInJail.aspx

It appears that someone affiliated with Dan's drug case was jailed again on 8/31/13 for several counts of probation violation and no bond!

Interesting IMO.

 

[SapphireSteel]

That's my understanding as well. Drew and Heather have become active in efforts to change legislation related to sex offenders. This seemed to coincide with the discovery of the bodies. Only Heather has said that she doesn't need to know the details of how the children were murdered.

Some parents that lose their children to drunk drivers advocate for stronger drunk driving laws. Some parents that lose their children to sex offenders advocate for stronger sex offender laws. Parents that lose their children to drunk drivers don't usually advocate for stronger sex offender laws.

If Heather and Drew were told about the children's clothing (and they probably were), that would be enough to know whether the children were fully clothed when the remains were found. That would also be sufficient for the parents to conclude that it was most likely a sexual assault. Additionally, there's not really any other reason for two young girls to be abducted, taken to a secluded area and murdered.

I'm sorry but that is just not true.

Children are murdered for all sorts of reasons.

Some are murdered because they "get in the way". Some for revenge. Some because they have a nasty, abusive parent who goes too far.

:twocents:

 

[otto]

This would be one area that I respectfully disagree. I am not even CLOSE to being any sort of expert in investigations, but I have an issue with something that I recall happening within the first days of the girls going missing. I would disagree that LE treated this as a stranger abduction based on their actions.

Here is something that has me questioning local LE's competence:

Girls are reported missing.

It has been reported that the family had been out searching for the girls for quite some time before they were reported missing, so all of the "obvious spots" had more than likely been checked, and double checked.

I am assuming a lot here, but my guess is the conversations between family and LE went vaguely like this:

Q: Who was the last person to see the girls?
A: Grandma (Wylma)

Q: When was the last time you saw the girls?
A: (This has been debated back and forth as to the time changing, but for arguments sake let's say Wylma says a bit after 12)

Q: Where did you last see them?
A: She references where the post office used to be and a parking lot.

Fair enough, right?

Again, I am not an investigator...but if Grandma states the last time she saw the girls in that vicinity why on earth didn't LE go to that location and discover FOR THEMSELVES the CCTV camera that was on the back of Leiderman's parking lot?!:banghead:

One can argue that "well, they found the bikes at the lake so that is where the focus was".

IMO finding the bikes without the girls would give me MORE reason to go back to where they were last seen and check the immediate area for anything or anyone who reported seeing the girls.

But no...the owner of the auction house TWO DAYS LATER calls LE and notifies them that he has video of the girls riding by on their bikes.

If they were treating this as a stranger abduction, Investigations 101 should have led them to start where the girls were last seen.

Even if there were reports of the girls being seen at the lake or the immediate area, the last area they were seen close to home SHOULD have been investigated to see if anyone was following them, etc. considering the entire family said they wouldn't ride that far.

Would it have made a difference if they found it two days earlier? Probably not...

However, it DOES make me question the competency of the investigators.

If there's criticism about whether investigators did the right thing at the right time, then we should have a look at the timeline and point out exactly where they did the wrong thing.

There were reports of the girls being seen on Lake Avenue after the sighting half a block from home, and the bikes were close to Lake Avenue, so that does seem like a good place to begin looking for the girls ... in the lake right next to their bikes.

 

[otto]

This took some effort, but here's the timeline. If the theory is that police did something wrong, based on the timeline below, what did they do wrong?

Friday, July 13, 2012

2:48 p.m., Cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins are reported missing.
2:50 p.m., Evansdale police search the home and the area using three squad cars.
3:15 p.m., Black Hawk sheriff’s office sends four cars to help. Fire department requested to help and uses a Gator to check bike trails.
4 p.m., Firefighters find the girls’ bike at Meyers Lake.
4:30 p.m., Girls' names are entered into the National Crime Information Center, a nationwide FBI database that includes missing persons.
4:30 p.m., Fire department begins dragging Meyers Lake.
4:40 p.m., County Emergency Management Agency notified and begins Everbridge automated messages to phones in the area to alert residents.
5 p.m., Canvas of lake neighborhood beings.
5:30 p.m., Officer meets with Collins to obtain photos of the girls.
5:30 p.m., Media notified of the disappearance.
5:30 p.m., Divers with Cedar Valley Underwater Search and Rescue, a local team of volunteers, is called to help search the lake.
6:30 p.m., Law enforcement and civilians conduct search of wooded areas. This continues until about 3:30 a.m. the following day.
7 p.m., Iowa State Patrol airplane with forward-looking infrared joins the search. Authorities begin interviewing local people listed on the state Sex Offender Registry.
8 p.m., Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified. FBI brought in. STAR-1, an Iowa search and rescue group, is contacted.
8:30 p.m., NCMEC begins emailing and faxing photos and descriptions of the girls to truck stops, stores and public places within a 100 mile radius of Evansdale.

Saturday, July 14

7 a.m., DCI and FBI arrive and begin interviews. Civilian searches of the area resume until 7:30 p.m. NCMEC sends out an advisory and prepares posters.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continues canvassing the neighborhood. Parents' cell phones and computers are taken for examination. FBI’s Child Abduction Response Team is deployed and remains until July 20.
8 a.m., STAR-1 sends cadaver dogs to the lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement begins locating and interviewing registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., Press briefings begin and continue on a daily basis.
10:30 a.m., Divers called back to search new areas of Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., Afternoon press briefing.
5 p.m., Iowa State Patrol plane with LFIR returns.
8 p.m., Law enforcement begins searching area Dumpsters, continues until 5 a.m.
10 p.m., Garbage hauling companies notified of dump locations in the landfill.

Sunday, July 15

Law Enforcement Command Post moves into Poyner School, remains there until Aug. 10. FBI brings in data management team, remains until Sept. 10.
7 a.m., DCI and FBI resume interviews.
7 a.m., Civilian search resumes and continues until 7:30 p.m. STAR-1 searches continue.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs conducted.
8 a.m., DCI, FBI and local police continue neighborhood canvas.
8 a.m., Computers and cell phones taken for examination.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continue with sex offender interviews.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
9 p.m., Searches of area Dumpters resume, continue until 5 a.m.

Monday, July 16

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
6:30 a.m., Landfill is asked to set aside special area for Evansdale trash for two weeks.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team brought in to locate and interview registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
11 a.m., Draining started at Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., FBI bloodhounds requested.

Tuesday, July 17

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
9 a.m. Sewer lines examined with TV cameras.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
8 p.m., FBI bloodhounds search the area.

Wednesday, July 18

5 a.m., Commercial trash collection continues.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
4 p.m., FBI dive team with sonar confirmed to search Meyers Lake.

Thursday, July 19

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefing.
5 p.m., Lake draining ceases.

Friday, July 20

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
7 a.m., FBI dive team examines Meyers Lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement searches specific areas within 15 mile radius.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
Noon, Vehicle checkpoints.
5 p.m., Focus turns fully to abduction as other causes were eliminated.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/evansdal...tml_c8ef29ca-d077-11e1-8635-001a4bcf887a.html

 

[otto]

I'm sorry but that is just not true.

Children are murdered for all sorts of reasons.

Some are murdered because they "get in the way". Some for revenge. Some because they have a nasty, abusive parent who goes too far.

:twocents:

Two young girls were abducted on a summer afternoon and their bodies were found 20 miles away. They vanished while cycling in a small town ... they did not vanish from their home. We're talking about Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook, not some random children.

Nasty, abusive parents? I don't think so.
They got in the way? No.
Revenge? Someone wanted revenge against Drew and Heather? For what reason?

 

[threecrazykids]

This took some effort, but here's the timeline. If the theory is that police did something wrong, based on the timeline below, what did they do wrong?

Friday, July 13, 2012

2:48 p.m., Cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins are reported missing.
2:50 p.m., Evansdale police search the home and the area using three squad cars.
3:15 p.m., Black Hawk sheriff’s office sends four cars to help. Fire department requested to help and uses a Gator to check bike trails.
4 p.m., Firefighters find the girls’ bike at Meyers Lake.
4:30 p.m., Girls' names are entered into the National Crime Information Center, a nationwide FBI database that includes missing persons.
4:30 p.m., Fire department begins dragging Meyers Lake.
4:40 p.m., County Emergency Management Agency notified and begins Everbridge automated messages to phones in the area to alert residents.
5 p.m., Canvas of lake neighborhood beings.
5:30 p.m., Officer meets with Collins to obtain photos of the girls.
5:30 p.m., Media notified of the disappearance.
5:30 p.m., Divers with Cedar Valley Underwater Search and Rescue, a local team of volunteers, is called to help search the lake.
6:30 p.m., Law enforcement and civilians conduct search of wooded areas. This continues until about 3:30 a.m. the following day.
7 p.m., Iowa State Patrol airplane with forward-looking infrared joins the search. Authorities begin interviewing local people listed on the state Sex Offender Registry.
8 p.m., Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified. FBI brought in. STAR-1, an Iowa search and rescue group, is contacted.
8:30 p.m., NCMEC begins emailing and faxing photos and descriptions of the girls to truck stops, stores and public places within a 100 mile radius of Evansdale.

Saturday, July 14

7 a.m., DCI and FBI arrive and begin interviews. Civilian searches of the area resume until 7:30 p.m. NCMEC sends out an advisory and prepares posters.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continues canvassing the neighborhood. Parents' cell phones and computers are taken for examination. FBI’s Child Abduction Response Team is deployed and remains until July 20.
8 a.m., STAR-1 sends cadaver dogs to the lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement begins locating and interviewing registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., Press briefings begin and continue on a daily basis.
10:30 a.m., Divers called back to search new areas of Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., Afternoon press briefing.
5 p.m., Iowa State Patrol plane with LFIR returns.
8 p.m., Law enforcement begins searching area Dumpsters, continues until 5 a.m.
10 p.m., Garbage hauling companies notified of dump locations in the landfill.

Sunday, July 15

Law Enforcement Command Post moves into Poyner School, remains there until Aug. 10. FBI brings in data management team, remains until Sept. 10.
7 a.m., DCI and FBI resume interviews.
7 a.m., Civilian search resumes and continues until 7:30 p.m. STAR-1 searches continue.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs conducted.
8 a.m., DCI, FBI and local police continue neighborhood canvas.
8 a.m., Computers and cell phones taken for examination.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continue with sex offender interviews.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
9 p.m., Searches of area Dumpters resume, continue until 5 a.m.

Monday, July 16

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
6:30 a.m., Landfill is asked to set aside special area for Evansdale trash for two weeks.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team brought in to locate and interview registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
11 a.m., Draining started at Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., FBI bloodhounds requested.

Tuesday, July 17

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
9 a.m. Sewer lines examined with TV cameras.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
8 p.m., FBI bloodhounds search the area.

Wednesday, July 18

5 a.m., Commercial trash collection continues.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
4 p.m., FBI dive team with sonar confirmed to search Meyers Lake.

Thursday, July 19

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefing.
5 p.m., Lake draining ceases.

Friday, July 20

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
7 a.m., FBI dive team examines Meyers Lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement searches specific areas within 15 mile radius.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
Noon, Vehicle checkpoints.
5 p.m., Focus turns fully to abduction as other causes were eliminated.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/evansdal...tml_c8ef29ca-d077-11e1-8635-001a4bcf887a.html

Thank you, awesome consolidation of information.

However, with ALL of those things they did in the first 3 days no one thought to go back to the area where they were last seen by the family?

I don't disagree with them searching the area the bikes were found...but when the girls weren't anywhere in plain sight why wouldn't they have gone back and checked the parking lot where Grandma saw them last?

That just seems very strange to me that within 3 days they didn't find that camera themselves.

 

[Confusion]

This took some effort, but here's the timeline. If the theory is that police did something wrong, based on the timeline below, what did they do wrong?

Friday, July 13, 2012

2:48 p.m., Cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins are reported missing.
2:50 p.m., Evansdale police search the home and the area using three squad cars.
3:15 p.m., Black Hawk sheriff’s office sends four cars to help. Fire department requested to help and uses a Gator to check bike trails.
4 p.m., Firefighters find the girls’ bike at Meyers Lake.
4:30 p.m., Girls' names are entered into the National Crime Information Center, a nationwide FBI database that includes missing persons.
4:30 p.m., Fire department begins dragging Meyers Lake.
4:40 p.m., County Emergency Management Agency notified and begins Everbridge automated messages to phones in the area to alert residents.
5 p.m., Canvas of lake neighborhood beings.
5:30 p.m., Officer meets with Collins to obtain photos of the girls.
5:30 p.m., Media notified of the disappearance.
5:30 p.m., Divers with Cedar Valley Underwater Search and Rescue, a local team of volunteers, is called to help search the lake.
6:30 p.m., Law enforcement and civilians conduct search of wooded areas. This continues until about 3:30 a.m. the following day.
7 p.m., Iowa State Patrol airplane with forward-looking infrared joins the search. Authorities begin interviewing local people listed on the state Sex Offender Registry.
8 p.m., Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified. FBI brought in. STAR-1, an Iowa search and rescue group, is contacted.
8:30 p.m., NCMEC begins emailing and faxing photos and descriptions of the girls to truck stops, stores and public places within a 100 mile radius of Evansdale.

Saturday, July 14

7 a.m., DCI and FBI arrive and begin interviews. Civilian searches of the area resume until 7:30 p.m. NCMEC sends out an advisory and prepares posters.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continues canvassing the neighborhood. Parents' cell phones and computers are taken for examination. FBI’s Child Abduction Response Team is deployed and remains until July 20.
8 a.m., STAR-1 sends cadaver dogs to the lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement begins locating and interviewing registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., Press briefings begin and continue on a daily basis.
10:30 a.m., Divers called back to search new areas of Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., Afternoon press briefing.
5 p.m., Iowa State Patrol plane with LFIR returns.
8 p.m., Law enforcement begins searching area Dumpsters, continues until 5 a.m.
10 p.m., Garbage hauling companies notified of dump locations in the landfill.

Sunday, July 15

Law Enforcement Command Post moves into Poyner School, remains there until Aug. 10. FBI brings in data management team, remains until Sept. 10.
7 a.m., DCI and FBI resume interviews.
7 a.m., Civilian search resumes and continues until 7:30 p.m. STAR-1 searches continue.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs conducted.
8 a.m., DCI, FBI and local police continue neighborhood canvas.
8 a.m., Computers and cell phones taken for examination.
8 a.m., Law enforcement continue with sex offender interviews.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
9 p.m., Searches of area Dumpters resume, continue until 5 a.m.

Monday, July 16

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
6:30 a.m., Landfill is asked to set aside special area for Evansdale trash for two weeks.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team brought in to locate and interview registered sex offenders.
10 a.m., and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
11 a.m., Draining started at Meyers Lake.
4 p.m., FBI bloodhounds requested.

Tuesday, July 17

5 a.m., Law enforcement accompanies trash haulers picking up commercial trash.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
9 a.m. Sewer lines examined with TV cameras.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
8 p.m., FBI bloodhounds search the area.

Wednesday, July 18

5 a.m., Commercial trash collection continues.
7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., Law enforcement teams search specific areas. DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
4 p.m., FBI dive team with sonar confirmed to search Meyers Lake.

Thursday, July 19

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefing.
5 p.m., Lake draining ceases.

Friday, July 20

7 a.m., Interviews and polygraphs continue.
7 a.m., FBI dive team examines Meyers Lake.
8 a.m., Law enforcement searches specific areas within 15 mile radius.
8 a.m., DCI team continues with sex offenders.
10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Press briefings.
Noon, Vehicle checkpoints.
5 p.m., Focus turns fully to abduction as other causes were eliminated.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/evansdal...tml_c8ef29ca-d077-11e1-8635-001a4bcf887a.html

Thanks Otto. That looks like it took a lot of work to put together. I think it shows that they did a lot more than many people think they did, and I tend to think that it wouldn't have made a lot of difference what they did. I could be wrong, but I believe they were out of the area very quickly once they were taken.

 

[otto]

Thank you, awesome consolidation of information.

However, with ALL of those things they did in the first 3 days no one thought to go back to the area where they were last seen by the family?

I don't disagree with them searching the area the bikes were found...but when the girls weren't anywhere in plain sight why wouldn't they have gone back and checked the parking lot where Grandma saw them last?

That just seems very strange to me that within 3 days they didn't find that camera themselves.

It's right there in the timeline:

Friday, July 13, 2012

2:48 p.m., Cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins are reported missing.
2:50 p.m., Evansdale police search the home and the area using three squad cars.

Regarding the camera, the video would have been in police hands eventually. Did it make a difference that the owner responded to police requests for information and contacted police regarding the footage? That certainly doesn't seem to me to be grounds for criticizing the investigation.

 

[otto]

Thanks Otto. That looks like it took a lot of work to put together. I think it shows that they did a lot more than many people think they did, and I tend to think that it wouldn't have made a lot of difference what they did. I could be wrong, but I believe they were out of the area very quickly once they were taken.

I can't take credit for this timeline ... but it certainly covers everything that was done from the beginning. I can't see that anything was done wrong, or that something wasn't done that should have been done.

 

[threecrazykids]

It's right there in the timeline:

Friday, July 13, 2012

2:48 p.m., Cousins Lyric Cook Morrissey and Elizabeth Collins are reported missing.
2:50 p.m., Evansdale police search the home and the area using three squad cars.

Regarding the camera, the video would have been in police hands eventually. Did it make a difference that the owner responded to police requests for information and contacted police regarding the footage? That certainly doesn't seem to me to be grounds for criticizing the investigation.

In regards to searching the home and area I think they were looking for the girls on their bikes. That was almost an hour before the bikes were found. They could cover the entire Evansdale city limits with 3 squad cars in probably less than 30 minutes.

In hindsight of course we can easily say it wouldn't have mattered because of what was actually on the video. But at the time they didn't know that, and didn't even look.

What IF that video contained a video of the girls riding and a vehicle following slowly behind? Or the girls following a vehicle?

The family has stated that LE told them the girls were likely murdered within hours/a day of them being abducted.

Could it have made a difference? Absolutely. They would have a vehicle and possibly several people come forward as to who that person was in the vehicle.

Sadly, none of it matters now...I would have hoped they had absolutely no need to check out any videos because evidence led them elsewhere. But if that were the case, they wouldn't have any reason to release the video.