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

[Chili Fries]

Here is what her friend said her route was. It starts at Ryan street, on the right side of the map and goes to Bonaire. It's only a rough estimate along the Cajun Dome area because she took the bikepath there instead of the road. She road on the sidewalk along Congress, it's basically like a bikepath there.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=200373679304996314350.0004c0a627809eb85f934&gl=us&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=6&ll=30.210347,-92.037706&spn=0.048806,0.090895&z=14

 

['Ailina]

I'll be the first to admit I've always been pretty complacent in Lafayette. Of course we have our fair share of crime but violent crime (non-domestic) is so rare. I've always felt safe in this city, and I've always, always gotten the impression folks here are just observant, social, and involved with each other by nature. Anywhere I go, people speak to me like I've lived here all my life.

It's tragic on so many levels.

 

[shefner]

Not sure what is going on at the school but I would think that if some evidence was found near there, it would have been located yesterday. Schools (although not many colleges) are still in session around most of the country. With hundreds of students on school grounds, I would think something might have been noticed after the weekend.

I have to take the local residents words that it is perfectly common to see people riding their bikes at 2am. In my town, not so much.

The thing that stands out to me is that Mickey said she was tired and hungry and this is the reason she told BW she wanted to leave the bar. Tired and hungry. So she and BW fixed the "hungry" part at Taco Bell. Then BW drives her to his home where she sets off on her bike for a 35-40 minute ride home at 2am. This does not fit the "tired" part. Even if it was considered perfectly normal and safe to cycle at 2am, if my friend said, "I'm really tired and my brother has his graduation tomorrow," then I would say, "Let me toss your bike in the back and drive you home. It's really late."

In addition, Mickey has such outstanding looks that I think she would be seen by someone. If, as locals have told us, it is very busy on a Saturday at 2am and Mickey was known by so many who lived there, then I would think she would be seen. Since cycling is so commonplace, she would most likely be seen and instantly recognized by other cyclists who were also biking home from clubs and shows. But no one spotted her at all and I find that odd.

My 3 most likely scenarios are:
1) She was hit by a car driver (drunk or not....I have said this from the beginning...
it is a very real possibility). Why would a person take the body and the bike?
Fear and the knowledge that LE would somehow be able to easily and quickly
identify the owner of the car through forensics off the bike.
2) She was abducted.
3) She never biked home.

 

['Ailina]

Her route takes her through numerous neighborhoods instead of along major thoroughfares for the larger part of her trip.

For this reason, camera footage may indeed be scarce. That would also increase the likelihood no one witnessed anything. Neighborhoods are normally settled that late. But there's always plenty of activity on the main roads and the lesser roads in the area where her trip began.

 

[ktgirl]

I agree that even though Lafayette is a generally safe city, there are bad areas such as the north side and the four corners area near the beginning of her route, if she ever left 100 Ryan street. I wish I believed that she was just hiding out somewhere or was accidentally killed by a driver but it doesn't seem plausible to me.

There are also people traveling through the city and many rural areas close by, not to mention the carnival which brings more people through the area.

Exactly. I tried to say this last night on the forum. I hope they are posting her flier and looking on the northside and 4 Corners area.

I also believe it's entirely plausible someone took her, left the bike, and then someone else came upon and took the bike later.

 

[kgeaux]

I agree. Also, from the interview about her bike route, she might have cut through from Congress to Guilbeau to cut through the neighborhoods there to get to Ambassador. I seem to remember some rumors of women getting attacked right there by Chargois Park and that apartment building (is it Bell Downs?) behind Meche's Donut King. The convenience store on the corner (on the left) I think is open all night and the Shop Rite on the right is also 24/7.

One of my sons lives there, cute little condo.

I am unaware of any crimes against women happening there, but several years ago a woman left her car running with her child strapped in the back seat while she ran into the little store at the gas station, and someone carjacked her car and rode off with the child. Quickly solved. About 30 years ago, there was a rape or attempted rape at Chargois Park, but I haven't heard of anything recent. Not saying nothing has happened, but I haven't heard.

Also I agree that her bike would probably get stolen if somebody took her and left her bike behind. If you leave an unattended or unlocked bike in the city, somebody will come along and snatch it.

This is a funny city.....when I lived in Holden Heights, three of my sons' bikes were stolen from under my carport, while my door was open! Just had the screen closed. We eventually got the bikes back.....Holden Heights is across College Drive from the Cajun Dome, and is a neighborhood full of dead end streets, a VERY SAFE area! At least at the time!

Now I live near River Ranch, off of a very, very busy road. (Kaliste Saloom)
Last year, someone locked their bike to a utility pole and left it there for about a month or two. No one touched it!

The LHS sighting can't be confirmed. I figured as much.

From the sister, CS on the facebook group:

So glad to have this confirmed as a rumor. I've been hearing that all day.

I, too, think that if she were abducted and her bike left behind someone may have picked it up/stole it; however, I would think that if someone found it and took it and then later found out it was hers and she was missing, I would LIKE to think they would come forward and inform LE. If it were me and I saw the bike and picked it up (which I would never do, BTW), I would much rather turn it over and clear my name as opposed to someone seeing or figuring out I have it in my possession.

Also, her sister did post on the FB page and said there have been no official sightings of her. I'm assuming that includes camera sightings, but she didn't specifically say.

I don't think a bike thief would come forward and contact police. More than likely, they'd ditch the bike far away from their home and never look back.

 

[kgeaux]

Exactly. I tried to say this last night on the forum. I hope they are posting her flier and looking on the northside and 4 Corners area.

I also believe it's entirely plausible someone took her, left the bike, and then someone else came upon and took the bike later.

I just drove through my neighborhood and we've got just a couple of flyers up. Then I drove down Tolson, none. Down Bonin, none. From Bonin to Pinhook to Broussard, NONE.

I know this is across town from where Mickey disappeared, but I thought the city was better blanketed with flyers than this!

(ktgirl: we aren't supposed to say Northside anymore! The area has changed its name to "Upper Lafayette" to avoid the stigma attached to the Northside label....:what: LOL!:what

 

[nursebeeme]

welcome to websleuths schrodingerskitty! :cheer: !!

we are glad you are here (and I hope I spelled your name right

 

[nursebeeme]

All it will take is one key piece of evidence to give investigators a clue as to what happened to cause Mickey Shunick to go missing. Although tips continue to pour in to the devoted hotline at the Lafayette Police Department, officials say the case is still lacking evidence.

“Right now we don’t have anything concrete to go on,” Cpl. Paul Mouton, Lafayette Police Department, said about the investigation. “We’re still following up leads that have come in from the tip line, and we’ve expanded our search to include different areas of the parish based on what we feel could have happened.”

http://www.ketknbc.com/news/continued-support-for-search-efforts-to-find-missing-cyclist

 

['Ailina]

(ktgirl: we aren't supposed to say Northside anymore! The area has changed its name to "Upper Lafayette" to avoid the stigma attached to the Northside label....:what: LOL!:what

Hahahaha! Now who's gonna change they way they've been saying it for decades?? And whose idea was that??? Yeah, good luck with that. (chuckle)

 

[nursebeeme]

The search for Mickey Shunick, a missing 21-year-old woman from Lafayette, La., is intensifying, with television personality and victims' rights advocate Nancy Grace putting a spotlight on the case.

Mickey Shunick was last seen early Saturday morning riding a black and gold bike from a friend's home in the Saint Streets area of Lafayette, La., about 60 miles southwest of Baton Rouge.

Ailina I think she heard your tweets! :rocker:

http://www.bayoubuzz.com/louisiana-...na-woman-nancy-grace-highlights-disappearance

 

[kgeaux]

Not sure what is going on at the school but I would think that if some evidence was found near there, it would have been located yesterday. Schools (although not many colleges) are still in session around most of the country. With hundreds of students on school grounds, I would think something might have been noticed after the weekend.

I have to take the local residents words that it is perfectly common to see people riding their bikes at 2am. In my town, not so much.

The thing that stands out to me is that Mickey said she was tired and hungry and this is the reason she told BW she wanted to leave the bar. Tired and hungry. So she and BW fixed the "hungry" part at Taco Bell. Then BW drives her to his home where she sets off on her bike for a 35-40 minute ride home at 2am. This does not fit the "tired" part. Even if it was considered perfectly normal and safe to cycle at 2am, if my friend said, "I'm really tired and my brother has his graduation tomorrow," then I would say, "Let me toss your bike in the back and drive you home. It's really late."

In addition, Mickey has such outstanding looks that I think she would be seen by someone. If, as locals have told us, it is very busy on a Saturday at 2am and Mickey was known by so many who lived there, then I would think she would be seen. Since cycling is so commonplace, she would most likely be seen and instantly recognized by other cyclists who were also biking home from clubs and shows. But no one spotted her at all and I find that odd.

My 3 most likely scenarios are:
1) She was hit by a car driver (drunk or not....I have said this from the beginning...
it is a very real possibility). Why would a person take the body and the bike?
Fear and the knowledge that LE would somehow be able to easily and quickly
identify the owner of the car through forensics off the bike.
2) She was abducted.
3) She never biked home.

Like you, I first heard that BW and MS rode home from the club, picked up fast food and rode to the house so MS could get her bike.

I've since learned that they were both on bikes at Artsmosphere, and took the bikes to Taco Bell, went to BW's home to eat, and then MS left.

No car involved. (I think semantics were to blame. We rode together became understood as rode in a car.)

She is a strikingly beautiful girl, and it does seem strange that no one spotted her. Her bike route, as stated by BW and her sister, does go through residential areas, and unfortunately some really DARK areas.

Lafayette does have a large bike riding population. Maybe because we are a college town? UL doesn't have a lot of parking near the campus, so students park cars at the Cajun Dome and ride busses or bikes to campus. Also, there is a large biking club, and there are rides scheduled periodically that attract hundreds of bikes. I know Lafayette is actively trying to become more bike friendly.

 

[kgeaux]

Hahahaha! Now who's gonna change they way they've been saying it for decades?? And whose idea was that??? Yeah, good luck with that. (chuckle)

I know! I chuckle everytime I hear it.....listen to the news, and commercials, they all say "Upper Lafayette" now!

 

[nursebeeme]

just a random question if anyone knows: would she have been wearing a bike helmet as well? (re: people being able to spot her really light colored hair and also another item that *could* be considered missing with her if she wore one)

 

['Ailina]

Ailina I think she heard your tweets! :rocker:

http://www.bayoubuzz.com/louisiana-...na-woman-nancy-grace-highlights-disappearance

Woo hoo!! I'm so happy. I checked back later to see so many people coming forward to tweet her for her help, too. I'd never, ever want to be on the receiving end of her inquisition, but she's a warrior you want on your side in times like these.

 

[FrayedKnot]

The eyes were kinda creepy to me too. But on the news video (when he was crying) he seemed so broken up. I really dont want to think someone would hurt a good friend like that. I know it happens but I just really dont want to think that happened in this situation.

His right pupil (camera left) is much larger than his left.

Could that be from the camera light or would that only happen from something like a head injury?

Just something that made me wonder.......

 

[kgeaux]

just a random question if anyone knows: would she have been wearing a bike helmet as well? (re: people being able to spot her really light colored hair and also another item that *could* be considered missing with her if she wore one)

Bike helmets aren't required here, and nine-tenths of the people I see on bikes are not wearing them. I don't know about Mickey specifically, but I don't believe she was wearing one, because BW did not include that in his description of what she was wearing and had on her that night.

 

['Ailina]

Also, the photo on the missing poster shows her on her bike, no helmet.

 

[ncbuckeyecb]

His right pupil (camera left) is much larger than his left.

Could that be from the camera light or would that only happen from something like a head injury?

Just something that made me wonder.......

I'm not so sure about the pupils (although I have always been told mine are abnormally dilated and I have no history of injury or eye problems other than poor vision lol) but as to the whole blinking thing that was brought up in many previous posts...

http://a471.g.akamai.net/7/471/9997...amai.com/9997/media/Clark_101203_webintro.mov

At that link is a video of General Clark, a former Democratic presidential candidate. He was often noticed for rarely blinking.

“It’s pretty amazing because for a person giving a speech, a low blink rate is unusual,” Givens said. “It just shows that Clark’s autonomic nervous system is operating on a lower level. It’s not abnormal, per se, just not on the bell curve.”

Just putting it out there that maybe BW just doesn't blink often because that's how he's made. I'm pretty cynical but it seems odd that some kid who's biked across America to raise money for building homes for people would suddenly become violent or be lying about his close friend to cover up his own mistake...so I'm trying to offer explanation for the "creepiness" of his no blinking video.

 

[pjcitizen]

One of my sons lives there, cute little condo.

I am unaware of any crimes against women happening there, but several years ago a woman left her car running with her child strapped in the back seat while she ran into the little store at the gas station, and someone carjacked her car and rode off with the child. Quickly solved. About 30 years ago, there was a rape or attempted rape at Chargois Park, but I haven't heard of anything recent. Not saying nothing has happened, but I haven't heard.

Thanks for that info. I heard this several months ago from a friend whose husband is emergency personnel. It was a matter of why are none of these incidents being reported? But it was just word of mouth or rumor so I can't say for sure. I definitely think Chargois Park is not a place I'd go at night and one of the routes took her right by it.