GUILTY LA - Jaren Lockhart, 22, New Orleans, 5 June 2012 - #6

[MrsBungi]

Bump for jaren!!!!

 

[MrsBungi]

Man, LE please!!!!???! Whats the deal? Hasn't it been long enough? There hasn't been an update for a long time. This woman & her family deserve JUSTICE!!!!

 

[SwampMama]

C'mon LE! You ought to recruit and train us WSers on how to run some of these tests. I bet we wouldn't stop till we had what we needed.

Sounds odd but it was online gamers who worked together to solve a DNA issue that scientist hadn't been able to crack the code to.
"Thousands of gamers playing a crowd-sourced, citizen science project called Foldit have solved a puzzle that's stumped biochemists for more than a decade. Better yet, their discovery could open new doors to a cure for Aids."
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-09/19/gamers-beat-scientists

Oh how I wish there was something that we could do

 

[hurricaneangel]

IF we think Jaren died at the Kenner house, why do we think MAS & TS would have brought her body out to the Mississippi coast to put it out to sea? Seems to me there are plenty of places much closer to the Kenner house where one could put a body in water, such as Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou Piquant, Lake Maurepas, and any of the bayous and little lakes around where I-10 heads towards I-55 or near the spillway on Hwy 61.

I just find it weird that IF Jaren was killed at the Kenner house, that MAS & TS (who have no connections to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area that I know of) would drive to the area where Jaren's family lives around Bay St Louis and put her body out to sea there. Did Jaren mention her family was there and they thought dumping her there would make it look like she went to see them and met with foul play? Or did they think "you know, instead of dumping the body in the nearby lakes or any of the relatively close & secluded bayous by our house that are probably infested with alligators that will help destroy the remains, let's drive an 1 hour+ to place the remains in the Gulf, where they'll likely wash back up ashore. That sounds like a better idea." Now, I wouldn't put it past them to be that silly when picking where to dispose of the body, but I tend to think this may point to Jaren either not being killed at the Kenner home but somewhere else or MAS & TS knowing/learning Jaren had ties to Bay St. Louis & thinking they could cast suspicion there.

Jaren's family does not live around Bay Saint Louis. They are over an hour away in Louisiana ; Hammond area.

 

[ktgirl]

Jaren's family does not live around Bay Saint Louis. They are over an hour away in Louisiana ; Hammond area.

For some reason I thought that Jaren had grown up in the Hammond area, but moved her family moved to Mississippi Gulf Coast sometime after Katrina. I thought Jaren's mother was living in Bay St. Louis or Tylertown when Jaren disappeared and Jaren's daughter was living there with her. I seem to remember some pic of Jaren and her daughter on the beach by a pier in the Bay St. Louis area (so maybe that's where I'm getting it from?). I do remember Jaren & her boyfriend were living somewhere near Hammond and Jaren had been driving into NOLA for work, but their car broke so they moved into the hotel on Tulane Ave & Jaren took cabs to work.

Guess I'm getting confused.

 

[Ms. Shagwell]

Here's a link to an article on nola.com about the motel Jaren was staying at before her murder. I can't believe it's been over 14 months since we learned of her disappearance and the horrible discovery of her remains along the MS Coast.

Thank God not all murder investigations in NOLA progress at this pace. Our city would not be safe for any of us to live, work, or enjoy. Still praying for Justice for Jaren and her family:angel:

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2013/08/spending_a_night_at_the_capri.html#incart_maj-story-1

 

[reedus23]

I'm assuming no one has heard anything about results coming back. I've googled to no avail. It was bordering on ridiculous before. Beyond it now IMVHO.

It's very frustrating when dna test results can be known on bin laden in days. Not that I expect the same kind of fast track on a case like this, but well over a year? C'mon!!! I just hope this wasn't put on a back burner because of her occupation.

 

[bessie]

Just yesterday, Reedus, I was thinking about our last discussion when we talked about the Kenner house back in mid-June, and I realized over one hundred more days have passed without a word. It left me with a sinking feeling in my gut. I'm afraid Jaren's case has grown ice cold. :tsktsk:

 

[reedus23]

Just yesterday, Reedus, I was thinking about our last discussion when we talked about the Kenner house back in mid-June, and I realized over one hundred more days have passed without a word. It left me with a sinking feeling in my gut. I'm afraid Jaren's case has grown ice cold. :tsktsk:

I was actually thinking the same thing. I was thinking back to those discussions, not believing how much time had passed again. Didn't realize how long it had been. And after realizing how long it had been, realizing it has been that much longer without any word. I'm not as optimistic as I once was but I'm holding out hope until those test results come back. It just seems like they already have more to go on than many cases and just can't/refuse to believe they can't piece the rest of it together. But if those results come back and there is no action, I'd put the case in the ice cold category as well.

 

[SurfieTX]

***Off topic*** Laura Ackerson's trial is starting this a.m. It looks like Grant is going to try to blame Amanda and vice-versa. They are being tried separately.

(Laura was also dismembered by a couple and disposed of in water)

Link here: NC -*ARREST MADE* - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kiniston-Raleigh, 13 July 2011 - #2 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[Ms. Shagwell]

I was actually thinking the same thing. I was thinking back to those discussions, not believing how much time had passed again. Didn't realize how long it had been. And after realizing how long it had been, realizing it has been that much longer without any word. I'm not as optimistic as I once was but I'm holding out hope until those test results come back. It just seems like they already have more to go on than many cases and just can't/refuse to believe they can't piece the rest of it together. But if those results come back and there is no action, I'd put the case in the ice cold category as well.

Could the problem with this case be that Jaren was with someone, or some others, when she died or was killed, and was handed back over to TS and MS to do whatever they thought necessary with her body and there just isn't enough evidence to indict these two?

There have been countless reports of meth busts along the MS coast and the I-10 corridor (i.e. most recently in Diamondhead). My thinking is they were headed to a "party" to purchase drugs, and Jaren had an opportunity to make some money and/or partake in the purchase. At some point, something went wrong, and Jaren was killed in an argument, in self-defense, or she overdosed. TS and MS had to do something with her body other than leave her there (where is the big question?) or take her back with them to NOLA. I think that's when MS and TS, probably drunk and high, did what Zack did. As MS asked in her big TV appearance- What else was there to do?

It just seems like these two made too many mistakes before their arrests to be able to pull off Jaren's murder and dismembering on their own without leaving behind more evidence. They were caught on video, had propositioned another dancer to join them, dyed their hair hideous colors at a friend's house, left computers behind, and were arrested while visiting MS's family at the same time the video was hitting MSM. They don't appear to be the smartest of villains and definitely not savvy enough to have pulled off a murder without leaving more evidence behind. Or maybe I'm not giving them enough credit?

It just seems that if they did cold-heartedly murder Jaren on their own, there should be enough evidence at the house, in MS's car, on Jaren's body to have closed this case- JMHO. I would love to know where they say they went after leaving Temptations with Jaren on the last night she was alive.:banghead:

 

[reedus23]

Could the problem with this case be that Jaren was with someone, or some others, when she died or was killed, and was handed back over to TS and MS to do whatever they thought necessary with her body and there just isn't enough evidence to indict these two?

There have been countless reports of meth busts along the MS coast and the I-10 corridor (i.e. most recently in Diamondhead). My thinking is they were headed to a "party" to purchase drugs, and Jaren had an opportunity to make some money and/or partake in the purchase. At some point, something went wrong, and Jaren was killed in an argument, in self-defense, or she overdosed. TS and MS had to do something with her body other than leave her there (where is the big question?) or take her back with them to NOLA. I think that's when MS and TS, probably drunk and high, did what Zack did. As MS asked in her big TV appearance- What else was there to do?

It just seems like these two made too many mistakes before their arrests to be able to pull off Jaren's murder and dismembering on their own without leaving behind more evidence. They were caught on video, had propositioned another dancer to join them, dyed their hair hideous colors at a friend's house, left computers behind, and were arrested while visiting MS's family at the same time the video was hitting MSM. They don't appear to be the smartest of villains and definitely not savvy enough to have pulled off a murder without leaving more evidence behind. Or maybe I'm not giving them enough credit?

It just seems that if they did cold-heartedly murder Jaren on their own, there should be enough evidence at the house, in MS's car, on Jaren's body to have closed this case- JMHO. I would love to know where they say they went after leaving Temptations with Jaren on the last night she was alive.:banghead:

Even if others were involved, TS and MS are still guilty of murder in those instances. They can still be charged. If they simply dropped Jaren off somewhere and left and weren't involved in the murder, they would have surely told LE that and we wouldn't be talking about them anymore. Instead, we have:

Them propositioning other dancers beforehand.
Them seen leaving and I believe even walking with Jaren.
Them being the last ones known to be with her.
Them not calling LE and saying, hey, we know her, we were with her and here's where we left her after her face was plastered on TV as missing(and I believe they even talked about having known the missing girl).
Them not calling LE after their video was released and saying the same things as above.
Them changing their appearance(unless LA is different, it's admissible).
Them using aliases to avoid detection(again should be admissible).
Them fleeing to avoid apprehension(again should be admissible).
Relatively speaking, a narrow window for a timeline of events.
Him with a criminal record including being a RSO and violating the terms of his release as a SO.
Her with her discussions of how she would dispose of the body first.

And that's just the stuff the public knows. I think they lost their opportunity when MS was first arrested, but I still think those things above are enough to indict and to even possibly get a conviction and I truly believe MS will crack once faced with actual prosecution for murder. She had no reason to crack before because there was never anything brought against her to make her crack. In other words, why admit to murder if you're not even charged with murder yet. JMHO

 

[bessie]

Could the problem with this case be that Jaren was with someone, or some others, when she died or was killed, and was handed back over to TS and MS to do whatever they thought necessary with her body and there just isn't enough evidence to indict these two?

There have been countless reports of meth busts along the MS coast and the I-10 corridor (i.e. most recently in Diamondhead). My thinking is they were headed to a "party" to purchase drugs, and Jaren had an opportunity to make some money and/or partake in the purchase. At some point, something went wrong, and Jaren was killed in an argument, in self-defense, or she overdosed. TS and MS had to do something with her body other than leave her there (where is the big question?) or take her back with them to NOLA. I think that's when MS and TS, probably drunk and high, did what Zack did. As MS asked in her big TV appearance- What else was there to do?

It just seems like these two made too many mistakes before their arrests to be able to pull off Jaren's murder and dismembering on their own without leaving behind more evidence. They were caught on video, had propositioned another dancer to join them, dyed their hair hideous colors at a friend's house, left computers behind, and were arrested while visiting MS's family at the same time the video was hitting MSM. They don't appear to be the smartest of villains and definitely not savvy enough to have pulled off a murder without leaving more evidence behind. Or maybe I'm not giving them enough credit?

It just seems that if they did cold-heartedly murder Jaren on their own, there should be enough evidence at the house, in MS's car, on Jaren's body to have closed this case- JMHO. I would love to know where they say they went after leaving Temptations with Jaren on the last night she was alive.:banghead:

I think they did find evidence at the house. Why? Because the Hancock County Sheriff's Office proposed charging them with desecration of a corpse. To even consider that option, they must have some evidence to show the pair were involved in the dismemberment and/or disposal.

COD was a wound to the chest made with a weapon similar to a large hunting knife. If no such weapon was found, and no eyewitnesses, and no knowledge of where the murder occurred, it would be difficult to prove [ETA: TS/MS are guilty of the] homicide. But, if, for instance, a hacksaw was found at the Kenner house containing traces of Jaren's blood, then they have something to tie them to the dismemberment (desecration?) of Jaren's corpse. The problem they ran into there was making it fit the circumstances, which apparently it did not. The law doesn't define "desecration", but it's implied meaning, IMO, pertains to tampering with a corpose post-interment, or "graverobbing". JMO

Don Bass is the chief deputy of the Hancock County Sheriff's Department in south Mississippi.

He says Tuesday that authorities had hoped to charge the suspects with desecrating a corpse, but the statute is vague and doesn't apply.

http://www.wafb.com/story/22248870/investigators-talking-to-fbi-in-jaren-lockhart-case

SEC. 97-29-25. Desecration of cemetery; desecration of human corpse.

(1) (a) Every person who shall knowingly and willfully dig up, except as otherwise provided by law, obliterate, or in any way desecrate any cemetery where human dead are interred, or cause through word, deed or action the same to happen, shall upon conviction be imprisoned for not more than one (1) year in the county jail or fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or both, in the discretion of the court. In addition to any penalties that the court is otherwise authorized to impose the court may, in its discretion, order such restitution as it deems appropriate.

(b) In construing this subsection (1), a cemetery shall mean any plot of ground (i) on which are grave markers of stone, wood, metal or any other material recognizable as marking graves, or (ii) the boundaries of which are defined by a recorded plat, a fence line or corner markers, or trees, or are defined in any other discernible manner.

(2) (a) Every person who shall knowingly and willfully dig up, except as otherwise provided by law, or in any way desecrate any corpse or remains of any human being, or cause through word, deed or action the same to happen, shall upon conviction be guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned for not more than three (3) years or fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or both, in the discretion of the court.

(b) The prohibitions of this subsection (2) shall not apply to the good faith harvesting of any organ for transplant or to any good faith use of a cadaver or body part for medical or scientific education or research.

I can only presume this is the statute that desecration charges would be brought under, particularly under section 2. I'm not sure what is vague and ambiguous about that statute. Perhaps the fact that the statute doesn't define what consititutes "desecration"? But surely, if what happened to Jaren doesn't constitute "desecration" nothing does. Just my two cents.

 

[reedus23]

I think they did find evidence at the house. Why? Because the Hancock County Sheriff's Office proposed charging them with desecration of a corpse. To even consider that option, they must have some evidence to show the pair were involved in the dismemberment and/or disposal.

COD was a wound to the chest made with a weapon similar to a large hunting knife. If no such weapon was found, and no eyewitnesses, and no knowledge of where the murder occurred, it would be difficult to prove homicide. But, if, for instance, a hacksaw was found at the Kenner house containing traces of Jaren's blood, then they have something to tie them to the dismemberment (desecration?) of Jaren's corpse. The problem they ran into there was making it fit the circumstances, which apparently it did not. The law doesn't define "desecration", but it's implied meaning, IMO, pertains to tampering with a corpose post-interment, or "graverobbing". JMO

I hope I'm not being too nitpicky, but I do believe they can prove homicide by the fact that Jaren was dismembered. It's not like a drowning where you have to establish it wasn't an accidental drowning. We also know Jaren didn't kill herself with a knife because of the dismemberment. I know I'm stating the obvious but I don't do so to sound snarky. I do it because the fact that we can rule out the other options as possibilities tells me they certainly can prove homicide or that Jaren was murdered. Now, establishing who committed it becomes difficult because of the lack a weapon, eyewitnesses or even location of the crime. However, I still feel and will always feel there is enough already to bring charges, get an indictment and even obtain a guilty verdict. Just a very humble opinion from someone who certainly isn't aware of all the facts.

 

[reedus23]

The law doesn't define "desecration", but it's implied meaning, IMO, pertains to tampering with a corpose post-interment, or "graverobbing". JMO

Also, a note on this thought. The statute doesn't define "desecration" and maybe that is what is vague about the statute. Like I said before though, I would have to imagine that what happened to Jaren constitutes desecration no matter what definition is used.

My personal reading of the statute is that subsection 1 addresses the "graverobbing" scenario you talk about. Subsection 2 specifically leaves out the language about graveyards etc..., and only refers to the acts that are done to the corpse, with no restrictions on where it happens. That tells me, subsection 2 has to mean other situations besides "graverobbing".

My personal take on it is that LE feels/thinks they have enough for charges(probably for murder as well as desecration). The DA, for whatever reason(whether for lack of evidence or lack of cajones), disagrees. However, once the cat was out of the bag about the desecration charges, they weren't going to publicly admit there is a difference in opinion nor were they going to publicly admit they have zero evidence tying them to the crime, so they used this "vagueness" as an excuse not to bring the charges. Oh, and the other excuse of they simply could never find a time when both LE and the DA were available to meet.

 

[bessie]

I hope I'm not being too nitpicky, but I do believe they can prove homicide by the fact that Jaren was dismembered. It's not like a drowning where you have to establish it wasn't an accidental drowning. We also know Jaren didn't kill herself with a knife because of the dismemberment. I know I'm stating the obvious but I don't do so to sound snarky. I do it because the fact that we can rule out the other options as possibilities tells me they certainly can prove homicide or that Jaren was murdered. Now, establishing who committed it becomes difficult because of the lack a weapon, eyewitnesses or even location of the crime. However, I still feel and will always feel there is enough already to bring charges, get an indictment and even obtain a guilty verdict. Just a very humble opinion from someone who certainly isn't aware of all the facts.

You got me on that one, reedus. My wording was poor. I meant to say that without an eyewitness or physical evidence, i.e., the weapon, LE would be unable to prove TS and MS were responsible for the homicide.

 

[bessie]

Also, a note on this thought. The statute doesn't define "desecration" and maybe that is what is vague about the statute. Like I said before though, I would have to imagine that what happened to Jaren constitutes desecration no matter what definition is used.

My personal reading of the statute is that subsection 1 addresses the "graverobbing" scenario you talk about. Subsection 2 specifically leaves out the language about graveyards etc..., and only refers to the acts that are done to the corpse, with no restrictions on where it happens. That tells me, subsection 2 has to mean other situations besides "graverobbing".

My personal take on it is that LE feels/thinks they have enough for charges(probably for murder as well as desecration). The DA, for whatever reason(whether for lack of evidence or lack of cajones), disagrees. However, once the cat was out of the bag about the desecration charges, they weren't going to publicly admit there is a difference in opinion nor were they going to publicly admit they have zero evidence tying them to the crime, so they used this "vagueness" as an excuse not to bring the charges. Oh, and the other excuse of they simply could never find a time when both LE and the DA were available to meet.

Well, it does include the term "dig up", but then adds "or in any other way", which could include dismembering a corpse pre-interment, I suppose. But it is vague. In addition, charging the pair with desecration would have forced the DA's office to play its hand, risking potential harm to a future homicide case.

SEC. 97-29-25. Desecration of cemetery; desecration of human corpse.

(1) (a) Every person who shall knowingly and willfully dig up, except as otherwise provided by law, obliterate, or in any way desecrate any cemetery where human dead are interred, or cause through word, deed or action the same to happen, shall upon conviction be imprisoned for not more than one (1) year in the county jail or fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or both, in the discretion of the court. In addition to any penalties that the court is otherwise authorized to impose the court may, in its discretion, order such restitution as it deems appropriate.

(b) In construing this subsection (1), a cemetery shall mean any plot of ground (i) on which are grave markers of stone, wood, metal or any other material recognizable as marking graves, or (ii) the boundaries of which are defined by a recorded plat, a fence line or corner markers, or trees, or are defined in any other discernible manner.

(2) (a) Every person who shall knowingly and willfully dig up, except as otherwise provided by law, or in any way desecrate any corpse or remains of any human being, or cause through word, deed or action the same to happen, shall upon conviction be guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned for not more than three (3) years or fined not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or both, in the discretion of the court.

(b) The prohibitions of this subsection (2) shall not apply to the good faith harvesting of any organ for transplant or to any good faith use of a cadaver or body part for medical or scientific education or research.

As an aside, but somewhat relevant to Jaren's case, there is a case in the UID forum I've been following for awhile now, and would love to see resolved. A Louisiana woman, Nelda Hardwick, bears a strong resemblance to the decedent who was killed along the I-10 in Hancock County, MS, near Bay St Louis. (Morgue photos are online.) The Jane Doe is buried in Mississippi, and the coroner has requested permission to exhume her body. The court has delayed a decision until October.

Mississippi judge delays Jane Doe exhumation
DNA sought to test against 2 missing La. woman
Aug. 16, 2013

A Mississippi judge delayed until October a request from a coroner to exhume a body for DNA testing, despite the pleas of a South Louisiana family who are convinced the unidentified woman is their missing loved one.

Hancock County, Miss., Coroner Jim Faulk said there was “not a dry eye” in the courtroom Friday when the adult children of Nelda Louise Hardwick, of Lake Charles, testified in favor of the exhumation.

Still, the judge questioned the authenticity of some of the evidence Faulk presented, including autopsy photographs of Jane Doe. Another hearing is set Oct. 18.

MS MS - Hancock County, WhtFem 178UFMS, 38-42, No teeth-"black lung", May'98 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[reedus23]

You got me on that one, reedus. My wording was poor. I meant to say that without an eyewitness or physical evidence, i.e., the weapon, LE would be unable to prove TS and MS were responsible for the homicide.

Sorry if I sounded nitpicky. It's just so frustrating because with so many cases that seem to have ZERO leads, it seems like they have solid evidence in Jaren's case and it wouldn't take much more to get charges filed.

 

[reedus23]

Well, it does include the term "dig up", but then adds "or in any other way", which could include dismembering a corpse pre-interment, I suppose. But it is vague. In addition, charging the pair with desecration would have forced the DA's office to play its hand, risking potential harm to a future homicide case.

As an aside, but somewhat relevant to Jaren's case, there is a case in the UID forum I've been following for awhile now, and would love to see resolved. A Louisiana woman, Nelda Hardwick, bears a strong resemblance to the decedent who was killed along the I-10 in Hancock County, MS, near Bay St Louis. (Morgue photos are online.) The Jane Doe is buried in Mississippi, and the coroner has requested permission to exhume her body. The court has delayed a decision until October.
MS MS - Hancock County, WhtFem 178UFMS, 38-42, No teeth-"black lung", May'98 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

I agree, it would force their hand. I also bet that MS would not take such a charge serious after the way the last charges played out. She won't sweat it until there are actual murder charges. I also wonder if there was some concern that murder charges would HAVE to be brought at the same time as the desecration charges since they arise out of the same events. Maybe there was some sort of double jeopardy concern.

Early and I haven't had my coffee yet. What kind of tie do you see between the 2 cases? Location? The fact that the Judge apparently being tough on a Petition to Exhume would look equally skeptical at the evidence in Jaren's case? Just curious.

 

[ktgirl]

Waiting for justice for Jaren.