GUILTY IL - Jacob Wheeler, 22, & Jessica Evans, 17, White County, 25 Aug 2012 - #1

[Jersey*Girl]

They could know simply because the guy doesn't look like Jake. Jake is 5'8", 140 pounds. Maybe that guy was six feet tall and 200 pounds. Maybe he was black. Maybe he had gray hair and a beard. They don't have to have spoken to him to know it wasn't Jake.

And I'm not sure the guy was actually COVERED in blood- I think they just said he "had blood on him." It is weird, and I probably would have called the police (of course, I don't answer the door for strangers. Ever). But it's possible that he hit a deer or something.

Totally agree.

 

[88keys]

Most Meth these days, from my understanding, is someone cooking it up for themselves and perhaps their friends. It's not a great money drug because any addict can make it themselves if they want to. Further, it seems extremely far fetched that these two kids "stumbled" into a major meth operation in that location, but the hundreds of police did not. And it's not like it was a drug exchange in the middle of nowhere, the drug lords would have simply driven a hudred yards further and done their thing. Assuming, of course, that they didn't just exchange their drugs in the McDonalds parking lot.

I don't think they found a major meth manufacturer, either. Those people like to stay hidden. And I don't think Jacob was making or selling meth, either- that is a real stretch for me.
But I think it's possible that they came across the wrong person, like you said, and that person (or persons) may have been strung out on meth. Like I said, it's happened here before.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Are there foreclosed homes/land in the area? Maybe they're empty & being used unbeknownst to authorities?

 

[Jersey*Girl]

This was posted today online...

http://m.14news.com/autojuice?targe...for-information-on-jacob-wheelers-whereabouts

Reward offered in search for White County "person of interest"
By Beth Sweeney


Deputies say a helicopter from the Illinois Department of Transportation arrived at the Carmi Airport at 3:30 Friday morning.

The helicopter, with a 'Fleer' heat sensing system, was used to search the area where Wheeler's truck was recovered.

No one was found.

Re: 'Fleer' heat sensing system - I wonder if this is a typo and it's supposed to be FLIR? Maybe?

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Answer to my own question, the media had a typo. Here's the correct spelling:

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Rotary/SAR/HE9.htm

Snipped:
By the 1980s, search and rescue aircraft began mounting sophisticated sensors such as night vision and thermal imaging equipment. Forward-Looking Infrared or FLIR (pronounced "fleer") systems enabled a pilot to see a warm human against a colder background, possibly even spotting a person in a forest. Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation systems were also mounted in the 1990s, enabling a helicopter to quickly find the location of a stricken vessel. Many military airmen were also equipped with GPS receivers so that they could provide their precise location to rescue aircraft. Civilian sailors and pilots often use a special satellite system that relays their distress signals to authorities.

 

[thepinkdragon]

Again, what rank did he reach? Does he have any special forces training?

From what I've gathered he was only in the service for 3 years. Stationed at Ft.Hood in 2009 and deployed with his unit to Iraq in 2010 (1 yr tour). It's been said he was then stationed at Ft. Campbell and got out from there in 2011. From the pictures and comments I have seen I believe he was EOD (worked with discharging explosives). The highest rank he could have achieved in 3 years was E-4 (SPC/CPL) unless he came in as an E-3 and somehow made it to E-5 (SGT), which I doubt.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Info on FLIR at their site for those interested:

http://www.flir.com/US/

 

[southsleuth]

From what I've gathered he was only in the service for 3 years. Stationed at Ft.Hood in 2009 and deployed with his unit to Iraq in 2010 (1 yr tour). It's been said he was then stationed at Ft. Campbell and got out from there in 2011. From the pictures and comments I have seen I believe he was EOD (worked with discharging explosives). The highest rank he could have achieved in 3 years was E-4 (SPC/CPL) unless he came in as an E-3 and somehow made it to E-5 (SGT), which I doubt.

From what I know about the military (I work for the NG), you are correct. E-4 is about as high as you can get, non comm, without more schooling.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Wondering what the fauna is like around Carmi... Could there be a plant or vine indigenous to the area that's able to hide human scent or disguise the smell of blood such as eucalyptus disguises certain scents? Just a thought...

 

[Jersey*Girl]

How far underground would a living person have to in in order to go undetected from FLIR?

Are there any old mine shafts/tunnels around?

What about caves inside of rock?

 

[Jersey*Girl]

Google search with terms "carmi il mine":

carmi il mine - Google Search

 

[Jersey*Girl]

WCSO Press Release:

http://www.whitecountysheriff.org/press.php

Snipped:
On Thursday night at 11:50 PM the White County Sheriff’s Office received a report of lights on an old abandoned house located in a remote area of White County. The house was secured until backup officers from the Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Carmi Police Department could arrive. The owner was contacted and advised there should be no light inside the residence, it has been vacant for several years.

The residence and surrounding buildings were searched. It appeared that someone had been in the residence at some point. The search did not locate anyone inside the residence at this time.

 

[88keys]

From the same press release that Jersey Girl posted from:

On Thursday morning a subject came to the White County Sheriff’s Office and advised a person came to Murphy’s Station in Carmi on Tuesday night at 7:27 PM and purchased cigarettes. He advised he thought the identification showed the subject as Jacob Wheeler. A review of the video by law enforcement showed a subject in a long sleeve camouflage hoodie and long pants. The subject had a hood pulled up over his head. The subject was obviously attempting to hide his face from cameras. He observed the subject enter a vehicle and leave.

This vehicle was located on Stewart St. in Carmi. The subject was located. The subject was not Jacob Wheeler.

 

[88keys]

Wondering what the fauna is like around Carmi... Could there be a plant or vine indigenous to the area that's able to hide human scent or disguise the smell of blood such as eucalyptus disguises certain scents? Just a thought...

Not that I'm aware of.

There is a coal mine in the Carmi area, but it's still in use. The only way to get to it would be to go to the main entrance, which is light up like the Fourth of July at night. There aren't old abandoned mine tunnels that are easily accessible, and there are no caves. The topography of the land just isn't like that. It's too flat. Southern IL doesn't get hilly and rocky until you get down to the very bottom. I doubt he could make it that far, unless he had a ride.

If he is hiding out somewhere, it's probably in an abandoned house or old barn. There are plenty of them around. It could also be a barn or a shed for housing machinery that is out in the fields, not right up next to a home. Some of the people in this area have pretty large farms, with lots of land. Like another poster said, one guy hid for a month in a barn. I think he had people bringing him food, though.

There are also lots of wooded areas and small streams (not safe to drink directly from). He could be hiding down there as well (though I would think the FLIR would pick him up).

 

[concernedmother]

I think if someone else did this they would have found him dead or injured by now with the FLIR, ground search and the river search. What killer would go to great lengths to hide and dispose of his body and just throw her in the back of a truck or shoot her and leave her there? More than likely as much as we dont want it to end that way Jacob Wheeler is hiding out and on the run.

 

[GateKeeper]

We need a scanner link.

 

[88keys]

I think if someone else did this they would have found him dead or injured by now with the FLIR, ground search and the river search. What killer would go to great lengths to hide and dispose of his body and just throw her in the back of a truck or shoot her and leave her there? More than likely as much as we dont want it to end that way Jacob Wheeler is hiding out and on the run.

That's what I'm starting to think, too.

 

[GateKeeper]

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=8590

 

[concernedmother]

I wish NG would pick up this story.

 

[GateKeeper]

Hmmm...wondering now if I have the right link.