LA - Mickey Shunick, 21, Lafayette, 19 May 2012 - #1

[CCK]

Pleased to meet you, CCK. I'm in Lafayette, too. I've been following this case since the news broke, but this is my first post on the thread for Mickey.

I'm just using your post as a jumping off post, and wondering if you or others might know the answer to a question or two, or three, I have.

#1. Do we KNOW which route Mickey took home? (I am presuming she did leave BW's and head home.) I have a son who is very active with the Lafayette cyclist group, and I've been wanting to ask him this too, but he's away at work and I haven't had a chance to speak with him.

IF IF IF she went from Ryan to Congress and headed toward Ambassador Caffery, she took a well populated, busy route, and it seems to me as though she would have been spotted on her ride home. It also would not have been easy to abduct Mickey without witnesses from this well traveled route.

HOWEVER, if I were on my bike, I think I'd head from Ryan to Souvenir Gate. I'd follow that all the way thru the frat house area, Cajun Dome area, and cross College at the light. Then I'd head to the Congress/College intersection and turn left, following Congress from there to Ambassador......Souvenir Gate is a picturesque area, and much less traveled than Congress. If she took this route, it would set the scene

Both routes would take her past the carnival area, and both would take her past Lafayette High.....and both would take her past the traffic camera at the corner of Congress and Ambassador. But the Souvenir Gate would give someone a chance to abduct Mickey without witnesses.

#2. Does anyone know if BW's house was searched by LE? I don't suspect this young man at all. Like almost everyone else in Laffy, I know somebody who knows this guy....in fact, I know somebody who knows Mickey, too. All I hear about either one of them is that they are both upbeat, gentle souls who would give the shirts off their backs to help someone.....so my question isn't meant to point fingers at Brettly. I am really hoping the investigation was conducted properly.

#3. SURELY the traffic cameras at Congress and Ambassador have been checked out! So can we assume that LE now knows if Mickey made it to that intersection? I hope they know and are just not releasing the info.....

Just to share my thoughts on this: I don't think Mickey is the kind of girl who would disappear on her own. I think something has happened to her. She was either abducted (but why would they take the time to pick up the bike?) OR she was hit by a driver who panicked and picked up Mickey and the bike to dispose of them somewhere else......which would mean, at least in my mind, that the driver would live somewhere in the St. Street, Souvenir Gate area.

Hi, K, its nice to meet you too. I too have been shaken up by this event, and hate that it happened in our city (I don't want Lafayette to be this unsafe city, but it seems like its happening more and more as the years go by...) and really hate that it happened to what seems like such a sweet, wonderful girl.

I don't think they have answers (or aren't talking about them) to those questions. I was out searching yesterday & went to 100 Ryan St and from the map there, they routed out what they THINK was her route. As I understood it they aren't sure exactly which way she went home.

I don't think BW's house was searched. They were doing searches (the family/friends/volunteers) for days before LE would even take the case as a missing person case. If they did search it, I don't know how valuable the search would be considering how many people have been in & out of the house at this point.

I also hope they (LE) have watched all the video they can find. I don't know WHY they would withhold if she was seen anywhere, so that the volunteers would have a better chance of finding something by making sure they are looking in a relevant area, but I don't work in LE so they may have a reason. I don't know which would be worse- that she was seen on camera and they know she has been taken for sure (as in maybe the abduction or her being hit may be on camera), or that she is NEVER seen on camera and THEN where do you go from there? I guess they'd possibly assume she either never left from 100 Ryan St or she didn't even make it far enough to be caught on camera and some abducted her and then it will probably be very hard to come across good leads.

I think you have a good point about the Souvenier Gate path you mentioned. Hopefully there have been people searching around there. People do tend to drive pretty crazy, and someone could've hit her there (and pick up her & the bike) with less chance of being seen than on a main road.

 

[OldSteve]

full coverage page for Mickey:
http://www.katc.com/full-coverage/seraching-for-mickey-shunick/

Nursebeeme - link is kaput, try this one:
http://www.katc.com/news/the-search-continues-for-micky-shunick/

 

[CCK]

I LOVE that home!

I know UL graduation has already taken place, and I am not sure if there would be people in the frat houses or not.

Are the dogs out yet?

I have driven down SG so many times (I lived in Holden Heights and my sister lived in St. Street area) at all times of the day and night......I totally believe you when you say there is speeding, but my own experience while driving thru at night is that I was the only car on the road, and believe me, I putt-putted around those curves!

I think people mentioned going to talk to the frat/sorority people & handing out fliers and such and I think they searched the fields around that area with the dog park and those old buildings...I believe I read that & heard that from more than one source...so I think its possible the people live there when school is out? I don't know for sure though.

I haven't seen dogs, or heard about them, but they might be using them. With the rain yesterday that may cause an issue.

 

[unsinkable]

I've never been anywhere in LA (I'd love to visit tho'!) so I am not familiar w/the area you're talking about.

Is it possible she was riding through the frat area and someone abducted her and then hid the bike in "plain sight?" Maybe placed the bike with a bunch of other bikes on a rack or on a porch?

?

 

[kgeaux]

Hi, K, its nice to meet you too. I too have been shaken up by this event, and hate that it happened in our city (I don't want Lafayette to be this unsafe city, but it seems like its happening more and more as the years go by...) and really hate that it happened to what seems like such a sweet, wonderful girl.

I don't think they have answers (or aren't talking about them) to those questions. I was out searching yesterday & went to 100 Ryan St and from the map there, they routed out what they THINK was her route. As I understood it they aren't sure exactly which way she went home.

I don't think BW's house was searched. They were doing searches (the family/friends/volunteers) for days before LE would even take the case as a missing person case. If they did search it, I don't know how valuable the search would be considering how many people have been in & out of the house at this point.

I also hope they (LE) have watched all the video they can find. I don't know WHY they would withhold if she was seen anywhere, so that the volunteers would have a better chance of finding something by making sure they are looking in a relevant area, but I don't work in LE so they may have a reason. I don't know which would be worse- that she was seen on camera and they know she has been taken for sure (as in maybe the abduction or her being hit may be on camera), or that she is NEVER seen on camera and THEN where do you go from there? I guess they'd possibly assume she either never left from 100 Ryan St or she didn't even make it far enough to be caught on camera and some abducted her and then it will probably be very hard to come across good leads.

I think you have a good point about the Souvenier Gate path you mentioned. Hopefully there have been people searching around there. People do tend to drive pretty crazy, and someone could've hit her there (and pick up her & the bike) with less chance of being seen than on a main road.

I am really feeling that she will not be found on the traffic camera footage, or any other camera. My gut feeling is that what happened, happened very near to the Ryan Street location. (Again, Not pointing at BW)

I've never been anywhere in LA (I'd love to visit tho'!) so I am not familiar w/the area you're talking about.

Is it possible she was riding through the frat area and someone abducted her and then hid the bike in "plain sight?" Maybe placed the bike with a bunch of other bikes on a rack or on a porch?

?

Very good point. I hope LE thought of that, too!

 

[OldSteve]

I've never been anywhere in LA (I'd love to visit tho'!) so I am not familiar w/the area you're talking about.

Is it possible she was riding through the frat area and someone abducted her and then hid the bike in "plain sight?" Maybe placed the bike with a bunch of other bikes on a rack or on a porch?

?

Interesting thought, would think her bike would be damaged and standout.
Seems whomever took her had a vehicle they could get her bike into quickly... like a van...

 

[tarabull]

For all you trying to figure out her route - I noticed someone posted yesterday at BikeLafayette fb page that they saw MICKEY on Friday night around 9pm riding toward downtown on Johnston and that then she was at Artmosphere, and that maybe he route she took to get home was (again) Johnston....????

https://www.facebook.com/BikeLafayette

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but it seems BW's bike was stolen not long ago, it was returned to him on (or around) May 9th - not sure of the entire story but admit I'm wondering about the person who stole his bike?? Surely LE are exploring that avenue.

 

[wfgodot]

News hit UK's Daily Mail a few hours back (excuse if this has been posted already), a handy look at the case for people just discovering it (like me):

Search intensifies for college student, 22, who disappeared while cycling home

 

[CCK]

For all you trying to figure out her route - I noticed someone posted yesterday at BikeLafayette fb page that they saw Charlotte on Friday night around 9pm riding toward downtown on Johnston and that then she was at Artmosphere, and that maybe he route she took to get home was (again) Johnston....????

https://www.facebook.com/BikeLafayette

Also not sure if this has been mentioned but it seems BW's bike was stolen not long ago, it was returned to him on (or around) May 9th - not sure of the entire story but admit I'm wondering about the person who stole his bike?? Surely LE are exploring that avenue.

The story being put out there is that she went to Artmosphere (on Johnston) with BW, and maybe other people?? (I'm not sure about this). Then around 1 am she mentioned she was tired & wanted to go home. He took her to a fast food place to grab some food (I'm wondering if LE have confirmed this with a tape from the fast food place?) and then took her back to his home (Ryan St) where she left from his back door on her bike. She could've taken Johnston home, technically, but considering where she was going, that would've been a longer bike ride than the route they believe she took, so its probably unlikely that she went home on Johnston. Johnston would have lots of cameras, though, so if she did take that road home, she should be seen on camera.

 

[queenofcorona]

Johnston has bike lanes while Congress just has sidewalks, but Johnston is an even bigger rode. I agree CCK, I don't think she would have taken a longer way on a more risky road. I hope they are checking every where though. I'm beginning to think something might have happened while she was within the Saint Streets. While the neighborhood is safe in terms of crime, it's not in regards to the way people speed through. MOO, I'm beginning to think someone maybe hit her and her bike.

 

[kgeaux]

The story being put out there is that she went to Artmosphere (on Johnston) with BW, and maybe other people?? (I'm not sure about this). Then around 1 am she mentioned she was tired & wanted to go home. He took her to a fast food place to grab some food (I'm wondering if LE have confirmed this with a tape from the fast food place?) and then took her back to his home (Ryan St) where she left from his back door on her bike. She could've taken Johnston home, technically, but considering where she was going, that would've been a longer bike ride than the route they believe she took, so its probably unlikely that she went home on Johnston. Johnston would have lots of cameras, though, so if she did take that road home, she should be seen on camera.

Johnston has bike lanes while Congress just has sidewalks, but Johnston is an even bigger rode. I agree CCK, I don't think she would have taken a longer way on a more risky road. I hope they are checking every where though. I'm beginning to think something might have happened while she was within the Saint Streets. While the neighborhood is safe in terms of crime, it's not in regards to the way people speed through. MOO, I'm beginning to think someone maybe hit her and her bike.

Johnston does have bike lanes.....or what passes for bike lanes. They are so narrow as to be laughable. Lafayette is trying to be cycle friendly, but we've got a long way to go!

I agree that taking Johnston would have taken her longer, been a much more hectic ride (cars passing by so closely you risk being hit by a side mirror!), and would intersect Ambassador far away from her home.

For those of you who don't know the area:

Ryan St. is close to Congress and Souvenir Gate. Mickey's home on Gov. Miro is close to the Ambassador/Congress intersection.

TARA: When you say Charlotte, are you refering to Charlie? or did you mean to say Mickey?

 

[ktgirl]

Originally Posted by kgeaux
Pleased to meet you, CCK. I'm in Lafayette, too. I've been following this case since the news broke, but this is my first post on the thread for Mickey.

I'm just using your post as a jumping off post, and wondering if you or others might know the answer to a question or two, or three, I have.

#1. Do we KNOW which route Mickey took home? (I am presuming she did leave BW's and head home.) I have a son who is very active with the Lafayette cyclist group, and I've been wanting to ask him this too, but he's away at work and I haven't had a chance to speak with him.

IF IF IF she went from Ryan to Congress and headed toward Ambassador Caffery, she took a well populated, busy route, and it seems to me as though she would have been spotted on her ride home. It also would not have been easy to abduct Mickey without witnesses from this well traveled route.

HOWEVER, if I were on my bike, I think I'd head from Ryan to Souvenir Gate. I'd follow that all the way thru the frat house area, Cajun Dome area, and cross College at the light. Then I'd head to the Congress/College intersection and turn left, following Congress from there to Ambassador......Souvenir Gate is a picturesque area, and much less traveled than Congress. If she took this route, it would set the scene

Both routes would take her past the carnival area, and both would take her past Lafayette High.....and both would take her past the traffic camera at the corner of Congress and Ambassador. But the Souvenir Gate would give someone a chance to abduct Mickey without witnesses.

#2. Does anyone know if BW's house was searched by LE? I don't suspect this young man at all. Like almost everyone else in Laffy, I know somebody who knows this guy....in fact, I know somebody who knows Mickey, too. All I hear about either one of them is that they are both upbeat, gentle souls who would give the shirts off their backs to help someone.....so my question isn't meant to point fingers at Brettly. I am really hoping the investigation was conducted properly.

#3. SURELY the traffic cameras at Congress and Ambassador have been checked out! So can we assume that LE now knows if Mickey made it to that intersection? I hope they know and are just not releasing the info.....

Just to share my thoughts on this: I don't think Mickey is the kind of girl who would disappear on her own. I think something has happened to her. She was either abducted (but why would they take the time to pick up the bike?) OR she was hit by a driver who panicked and picked up Mickey and the bike to dispose of them somewhere else......which would mean, at least in my mind, that the driver would live somewhere in the St. Street, Souvenir Gate area.
----------------------------------------------
Good points---
I am worried what happened to Mickey was that someone took advantage of her willingness to help people. Someone stopped her under the guise of needing assistance and took her and her bike. Somehow got her to a second location (maybe not that far away) and took her bike with them (or she peddled/walked it there thinking she was going to help someone) and then hid her bike later.
All of the carnival workers around...she could easily have been lured into helping someone who was/is there for the carnival....

And I am wondering about those traffic cameras as well.

I wish we knew if she has been spotted on cameras. That would help with the search.

 

[tarabull]

Johnston does have bike lanes.....or what passes for bike lanes. They are so narrow as to be laughable. Lafayette is trying to be cycle friendly, but we've got a long way to go!

I agree that taking Johnston would have taken her longer, been a much more hectic ride (cars passing by so closely you risk being hit by a side mirror!), and would intersect Ambassador far away from her home.

For those of you who don't know the area:

Ryan St. is close to Congress and Souvenir Gate. Mickey's home on Gov. Miro is close to the Ambassador/Congress intersection.

TARA: When you say Charlotte, are you refering to Charlie? or did you mean to say Mickey?

OMG i've been following Charlotte Schilling case -- so sorry -- I meant MICKEY - as you can see i am better sticking with one missing person story at a time....

i will try to edit but it's likely too late. (ETA: it wasn't too late...)

thanks for straightening me out.

:blushing:

 

[CCK]

Johnston has bike lanes while Congress just has sidewalks, but Johnston is an even bigger rode. I agree CCK, I don't think she would have taken a longer way on a more risky road. I hope they are checking every where though. I'm beginning to think something might have happened while she was within the Saint Streets. While the neighborhood is safe in terms of crime, it's not in regards to the way people speed through. MOO, I'm beginning to think someone maybe hit her and her bike.

I thought the "getting hit on her bike" thing early on. Now I am not so sure. First off, I would hope someone who hit someone on a bike would call the cops...I would LIKE to think that is what MOST people would do. Sure, drunk people panic, but how hard would it be to load up a person AND a bike all drunk??? I guess it could be someone sober & no one was around & they snatched up her & the bike...but now that its been a couple of days, I am starting to think abduction of some sort, like predatory abduction. Whoever would do that would still have to contend with the bike, but would more likely be sober (and able to deal with someone possibly trying to fight them), maybe would've been watching her and had it planned out and would've done it somewhere that they would've noticed they would be unlikely to be seen, so they could risk the time of abducting her AND taking the bike. I think the longer she stays missing the more likely its going to be that it was an abduction.

 

[kgeaux]

Messed up the quote!

In answer to ktgirl:
----------------------------------------------

Another possibility is that someone she knew crossed her path and offered to take her home. It would be easy to throw the bike into the back of a pickup truck, or onto a bike rack, and once she was in the vehicle, things went awry. That would explain the lack of any evidence of a collision.

I hope Mickey is found today. I have such a bad feeling about this.

 

[WideOpen]

Yesterday on ‘Mornings With Ken & Bernie‘ we spoke with Brettly Wilson a close friend of Shunick who may have been the last person to see her.

http://kpel965.com/mickey-shunick-the-search-continues-in-lafayette/

This is a long radio interview with BW. Gives information about Mickey and that evening as well as info about the area and volunteering. Worth a listen IMO
ETA
BW says they went to Taco Bell
Talks about her piercings and she has a tattoo
gives detailed info about her bike
Lots of info I have not seen reported

JMO

 

[Questioning]

I have been lurking for a few days but this is my first post. BW first struck me as a concerned friend but that video he posted really bothers me. Aside from seeming a bit self-gratifying and giving no helpful info about the case, he doesn't blink ONCE in the entire minute long message. Not assuming he did anything but he really gives me the creeps.

Also, someone mentioned that his bike had been stolen and found a few weeks ago. I wonder if that has been looked into as someone may have been watching his house and was aware of how to discreetly commit a crime in that area.

 

[bonbonbelle]

I'm a recent UL grad and this story is bothering and upsetting me in so many ways. My heart is breaking for Mickey's family (especially parents) and friends, and I keep going over the details in my mind because something is just out of place. I hear stories about abductions often but there are almost always suspicious circumstances and clues. It's so odd that there's nothing here, even with all those people scouring Lafayette. And the bike is bothering me too. Why would a kidnapper take the bike or go to the trouble of finding a really good hiding place for it?

I don't want to think BW had anything to do with it, but like Questioning said, the video sort of creeps me out. His eyes are open too wide, too "staring." And it doesn't seem like what he has to say is coming from the heart. Of course, he might just be nervous, tired, etc. But it seems like an appeal for your friend's life would be more, I don't know, animated?

 

[EBR]

I believe if someone abducted her there are only two scenarios:
1) A carnie at the fair far enough away from the other carnies.
2) Multiple abductors. It doesn't seem possible that one person could keep her under control while having to manhandle a bike into a vehicle while going unnoticed on a busy street or a quiet neighborhood.

BW acts very strang to me. His Instagram feed is rife with adoring pics of her. Unrequited love? BW doing something with her is the most obvious solution at this point after all the searching. I know people that know him are saying its not plausible, but how many times is the guilty caught and every neighbor and acquaintance says they never would have dreamed it possible?

From the outside looking in, that dude looks and acts squirrelly and him having something to do with it is the most plausible explanation. Who would let some girl ride 4 miles on a bike at 2am in the morning?

 

[CCK]

Yesterday on ‘Mornings With Ken & Bernie‘ we spoke with Brettly Wilson a close friend of Shunick who may have been the last person to see her.

http://kpel965.com/mickey-shunick-the-search-continues-in-lafayette/

This is a long radio interview with BW. Gives information about Mickey and that evening as well as info about the area and volunteering. Worth a listen IMO
ETA
BW says they went to Taco Bell
Talks about her piercings and she has a tattoo
gives detailed info about her bike
Lots of info I have not seen reported

JMO

I'm guessing if he said Taco Bell its the one on Johnston by St. Mary. That is pretty close to the place (Artmosphere) they were at that night. I wonder if LE checked to see if they were actually seen there.

I just don't like the way things sit. BW gives the path she likely would've taken, and with the clubs and bars that would've been just closing, lots of people should've been out- the areas she would've been around in would've had: people walking home on foot (people visiting bars in the downtown area who could walk home to Saint St homes), possibly others riding bikes home, people going home in their cars...the area by the carnival would've taken her down past fast food places that would've been open (Cane's, for example) for people wanting food after leaving from going out, people would've been in line and waiting & probably would notice someone on a bike...

But so far its like NO ONE has seen her. I would think that in addition to being captured on camera, at least a COUPLE of people would've seen her.

I would consider part of the area she probably would've ridden on to be less than ideal for bike riding- I would not go past the abandoned Lourdes building on bike/foot (it could be really easy to ambush someone there and take them in a car, especially at night), and the bike path by Blackham that goes up to where the carnival/Cajundome is would probably not be somewhere I'd ever go on a bike or on foot. There would not be many, if any, people there at night to see anything.