Mexico - Elisabeth Mandala, 18, beaten to death, Nuevo Leon, 27 April 2010

[tk71texas]

Can someone that isn't squeamish look at the pics and tell us what kind of truck (make, model) in which the bodies were found?

Is the radio, etc. missing too? (That isn't significant, I just couldn't tell).

I'll have to go back but I thought it was reported that she rented a white truck? That one is black.

i didn't watch the video, it's blocked here at work....but just saw the one picture.....its a red dodge dakota isn't it?

 

[Kat]

I looks black when there is a closeup in the video later on tk. The plates read as this:

TX Truck AC4-8720 it's identfied in the article with video as a dakota. (had to translate that one )

 

[laura08]

Kat, I agree this was staged. The link I posted earlier shows Elisabeth in the seat and appears to be a bruise on her lower back, reports stated earlier they were beat, I'm thinking it was just not fist fighting but an object used. I also remember when my sister hit a deer and had to wait for her car to be fixed, she had a rental and it had a yellow tag clip on the keychain, maybe this black truck is what Elisabeth rented. It does have a yellow tag on the keychain in the ignition. But I could be wrong.

 

[Kat]

Kat, I agree this was staged. The link I posted earlier shows Elisabeth in the seat and appears to be a bruise on her lower back, reports stated earlier they were beat, I'm thinking it was just not fist fighting but an object used. I also remember when my sister hit a deer and had to wait for her car to be fixed, she had a rental and it had a yellow tag clip on the keychain, maybe this black truck is what Elisabeth rented. It does have a yellow tag on the keychain in the ignition. But I could be wrong.

Good eyesight laura! Thanks!

I saw what appeared to be bruising also. I don't know if it's bruising or liver mortis from her resting after death on her back or side before she was placed into the car, or part of her beating. JMHO.

ETA: did you notice the bodies also appear to have not been in rigor mortis? (given they are laying as they landed, joints bent...etc)

 

[Kat]

48 Hours is confirming Mom's statement about working as a stripper.

Pictures of Elizabeth Mandala:

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504083_162-10003349.html?tag=page

Small article:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20004414-504083.html

Another by the same source:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20004242-504083.html

She was Buried Thursday (yesterday):

http://www.familybadge.org/(X(1)S(o...ry=News+1-2&newsletterid=19799&menugroup=Home

Rest in Peace Elizabeth. So young!

 

[porkchop]

This is a case of a young person trying to get fast easy money getting in over her head. I have no doubt that she went to Mexico to either get drugs to smuggle back to the US or maybee even to see somebody about being a coyote. It is a fact that the cartels have been recruiting American teens from border towns to do everything from smuggling drugs to being hitmen. Here is an article about two KIDS that were recruited by the cartel and trained in Mexico to be hitmen.

http://www.themonitor.com/articles/drug-32872-laredo-driver.html

I think her mother knew what she was into but turned a blind eye because of money that was coming in. And as far as the school not checking to see why she wasn't in school she was 18 so they probably didn't care because she is an adult.

 

[jjenny]

48 Hours is confirming Mom's statement about working as a stripper.

Pictures of Elizabeth Mandala:

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504083_162-10003349.html?tag=page

Small article:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20004414-504083.html

Another by the same source:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20004242-504083.html

She was Buried Thursday (yesterday):

http://www.familybadge.org/(X(1)S(o...ry=News+1-2&newsletterid=19799&menugroup=Home

Rest in Peace Elizabeth. So young!

Apparently she was a very popular exotic dancer.
"Mandala also moonlighted as an exotic dancer at the Moments Cabaret in Pasadena, where a manager said Thursday that she had been particularly popular — so well-liked that her photo was featured under her stage name “Lovely” in a guide to Houston nightlife."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6991536.html

 

[jjenny]

...

I think her mother knew what she was into but turned a blind eye because of money that was coming in. And as far as the school not checking to see why she wasn't in school she was 18 so they probably didn't care because she is an adult.

She is 18, legally an adult so there is really not that much her mother could have done even if she didn't approve of her choices.

 

[Kat]

Apparently she was a very popular exotic dancer.
"Mandala also moonlighted as an exotic dancer at the Moments Cabaret in Pasadena, where a manager said Thursday that she had been particularly popular — so well-liked that her photo was featured under her stage name “Lovely” in a guide to Houston nightlife."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6991536.html

Very stupid question here! Is there a difference between what the public calls a stripper and an exotic dancer? Thanks to anyone that takes the time to explain!

 

[SkewedView]

Very stupid question here! Is there a difference between what the public calls a stripper and an exotic dancer? Thanks to anyone that takes the time to explain!

My sister in law was an exotic dancer, so I guess I'll chime in on this.

Yes, there is a big difference, not that the sensationalist media would ever say so - a stripper does just that - strips, while an exotic dancer stays clothed, although usually her attire is pretty racy by street clothing standards. Exotic dancing establishments are usually much more respectable than strip joints, and also tend to have much more strict rules with regards to contact with costumers etc. It is not at all uncommon for respectable girls to work these jobs to get themselves through college, so IMO the only thing sleazy or whatever about her working that job is the media coverage about it.

All JMO as usual.


Regarding this case - I'm not holding my breath that this will ever be resolved, given the track record in mexico for solving murders in the border states.

 

[jjenny]

My sister in law was an exotic dancer, so I guess I'll chime in on this.

Yes, there is a big difference, not that the sensationalist media would ever say so - a stripper does just that - strips, while an exotic dancer stays clothed, although usually her attire is pretty racy by street clothing standards. Exotic dancing establishments are usually much more respectable than strip joints, and also tend to have much more strict rules with regards to contact with costumers etc. It is not at all uncommon for respectable girls to work these jobs to get themselves through college, so IMO the only thing sleazy or whatever about her working that job is the media coverage about it.

All JMO as usual.


Regarding this case - I'm not holding my breath that this will ever be resolved, given the track record in mexico for solving murders in the border states.

I looked up on-line the place this girl is said to have worked at, it's supposed to be a topless club which also provides lap dances. In this case, some articles say this girl worked as a stripper while others say she worked as an exotic dancer, so it appears that in this case press is using different terms for the same thing.

 

[Kat]

My sister in law was an exotic dancer, so I guess I'll chime in on this.

Yes, there is a big difference, not that the sensationalist media would ever say so - a stripper does just that - strips, while an exotic dancer stays clothed, although usually her attire is pretty racy by street clothing standards. Exotic dancing establishments are usually much more respectable than strip joints, and also tend to have much more strict rules with regards to contact with costumers etc. It is not at all uncommon for respectable girls to work these jobs to get themselves through college, so IMO the only thing sleazy or whatever about her working that job is the media coverage about it.

All JMO as usual.

Regarding this case - I'm not holding my breath that this will ever be resolved, given the track record in mexico for solving murders in the border states.

Thank you so much for explaining that SV! That's exactly what I thought might be the difference. Exotic dancer makes me think of Dita Von Teese. A performance artist. I've never seen her perform but I would go to see it her if I were give the opportunity. I understand the difference now!

I agree with you 100% about it not being solved, and even go so far to say we won't get the full correct story.

 

[SkewedView]

I looked up on-line the place this girl is said to have worked at, it's supposed to be a topless club which also provides lap dances. In this case, some articles say this girl worked as a stripper while others say she worked as an exotic dancer, so it appears that in this case press is using different terms for the same thing.

Ah, well, if it is a topless, lap dancing joint then she was a stripper, not an exotic dancer (ask anyone that works as an e.d. and they will most vehemently tell you the two are not the same) - as usual the media can't seem to be bothered to make sure that they are referring to things correctly before rushing their articles out. Thanks for the info.

That said, a girl being a full fledged stripper should not be any indicator of what type of person she was, as I'm sure most here would agree.

 

[Sheromom]

I can't find any updates on this. Anyone?

 

[trigger]

A popular high school senior was murdered, and now this International case needs your leads to help find her killer. Elisabeth Mandala was only 18 when she was found beaten to death in Mexico. I spoke with Paula Mandala, Elisabeth’s mom, and she says her daughter went missing on April 26, 2010 and she reported her missing on April 27, 2010. Her body was found on May 1, 2010, and that is when her body was identified. Elisabeth was found inside a Dodge truck that was in a staged accident. Investigators say inside the truck was not only Elisabeth’s body, but the bodies of two other men; Luis Angel Estrella Mondragon, 44, and Dante Ruiz Siller, 38, from Cuauhtitlan, near Mexico City. Investigators say they found multiple forms of fake ID’s on the men.
here are reports that Elisabeth was working at night as a stripper, and she could have been trying to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States to receive more cash. These claims are not verified by investigators, but authorities are looking into that possibility at this time. I spoke with Elisabeth’s father Robert earlier today, and he told me he wasn’t aware of his daughter’s possible moonlighting at the strip club. He told me, “She may have made a little mistake that cost her life,” and he spoke about how many teens make mistakes growing up. Robert also said the few days before his daughter was murdered, he spoke to her over text messages and she told him, “I’m in Mexico, will be back Thursday.” He warned his daughter that traveling across the border was dangerous, she needed to be in school, and to get her butt back home. Robert also told me that his daughter may have been stripping to earn money from a prospect in England. He said that his daughter was contacted by someone to earn money, but she had to invest a large amount of cash. He warned her of scams, and investment fraud, but he fears that his daughter wasn’t listening to him. Robert says Elisabeth would get out of school everyday around 12:30 p.m. and she worked in his office three to four afternoons a week. Elisabeth was one of six children between Robert and his ex-wife Paula.
http://www.michellesigona.com/2010/05/murder-mystery-across-the-border/

More at above link. Also it was on JVM today but I missed it.