MI MI - Jodi Parrack, 11, abducted & murdered, Constantine, 7 Nov 2007

[ljwf22]

From yesterday's Kalamazoo Gazette:

CONSTANTINE -- Almost three weeks after a little girl's body was found lying in a cemetery, Constantine's police chief says ``nobody has been eliminated yet as a suspect'' in the killing of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack, and that he remains confident police will make an arrest.

``We've gotten some tips lately that have been pretty intriguing ... and make me more optimistic,'' Chief Mark Honeysett said Tuesday. ``I think (the incident) involves someone locally here, so for that reason I'm confident we'll find out who and maybe why. I don't believe it was just someone passing through who picked her out.''

Link:http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1196265107156640.xml&coll=7

 

[gitana1]

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/11887861.html

 

[MeoW333]

They have to keep it quite. In some situations, a good take down requires stealth tactics. It's understandable, the police want to room for mistakes; then the media should respect that and people need to explain to the children, sometimes there is 'quiet before the storm'; a good metaphor to help children understand; and calm parents down. Many people feed off of media reportings, it creates a drama, a diversion from their own lives. Media of course making money off this, will go to extremes in greed for money. It is better to just keep mum for now as to not compromise the case.

 

[MeoW333]

*no room for mistakes <-(insert where i forgot that -to)

 

[Lola]

They have to keep it quite. In some situations, a good take down requires stealth tactics. It's understandable, the police want to room for mistakes; then the media should respect that and people need to explain to the children, sometimes there is 'quiet before the storm'; a good metaphor to help children understand; and calm parents down. Many people feed off of media reportings, it creates a drama, a diversion from their own lives. Media of course making money off this, will go to extremes in greed for money. It is better to just keep mum for now as to not compromise the case.

Thanks all for keeping us readers updated. Very interesting.

 

[ljwf22]

The FBI was brought in because the local police have zero experience with murder, let alone the murder of a child. I'm glad they knew they needed help and weren't afraid to ask. Also the state line is only about 5-6 miles away.

In the last week, there was another incident in a nearby town with a child waiting for the school bus in the morning. The kid pulled out a cell phone and the guy got back into his "light colored" van.

I believe the media does respect the investigation and the last thing it wants is to interfere with the investigation. Believe me, the media is not out to make money off this. It wants the case solved. That said, people are very nervous around here. I think the cases of a man (or men) approaching school kids is unrelated to Jodi's murder.

 

[Hopeful One]

I just read the whole thread on this. Hadn't seen it before. What a puzzling case. I hope they name a suspect soon!!!

 

[Jolynna]

Jodi's paternal grandmother left a comment to this article about Jodi's mother:

http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2007/11/jodis_mom_murder_a_nightmare.html

She said it would have taken Jodi 8 minutes to get home from her friend's house and that Jodi could have seen her home from where her body lay in the graveyard.

The grandmother thinks that Jodi was murdered by someone close or at least by someone that knows the family.

 

[believe09]

If a local police officer is a suspect, I can see that bringing in the FBI, which I know is standard sometimes, makes good sense. You have to figure that keeping it in the department might tip off the suspect. As soon as that hit the media, he knew the story was about him if you know what I mean.

 

[Reannan]

From "frogfreak69" who posted at 7:15 pm on 11/29/07 to the blog that Joylnna linked above:

4. On another blog some guy named Adam states that his friend (also THE FAMILY FRIEND-who just so happened to be that reserve police officer who , yes, I believe was the one who suggested the cemetary) had been called in to take a lie detector test not once, not twice, but four times.

Yep....this case is going to be solved. I predict at least 3-6 more weeks before the announcement of an arrest.

 

[tiredblondy]

I agree that FBI could have been called in because of lack of experience from local police or because one of their own is involved but possibly there could be internet suspects involved. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[Jolynna]

I agree that FBI could have been called in because of lack of experience from local police or because one of their own is involved but possibly there could be internet suspects involved. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Despite the early stories about a light colored van or a dark truck, the recent releases from LE have said LE does not believe there is a serial predator in the area. To me, an internet suspect is someone that would prey upon more than one child.

My impression is that Jodi's killer is somebody Jodi knew from real life.

I also think the crime will be solved soon.

MOO

 

[tiredblondy]

Despite the early stories about a light colored van or a dark truck, the recent releases from LE have said LE does not believe there is a serial predator in the area. To me, an internet suspect is someone that would prey upon more than one child.
My impression is that Jodi's killer is somebody Jodi knew from real life.
I also think the crime will be solved soon.
MOO

Jolynna I sure hope so.

 

[ljwf22]

From today's Kalamazoo Gazette:

CONSTANTINE -- Authorities declined Friday to say whether dogs seen combing areas near downtown Constantine with police were part of the investigation into the death of an 11-year-old girl.

At least one dog was in the Constantine Township Cemetery where Jodi Christine Parrack's body was found last month. A bloodhound tracked along a downtown street near local homes, and a bloodhound was near a local restaurant.

Link: http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1197091205183570.xml&coll=7

 

[Reannan]

Here is an article from Jodi's paternal Grandmother's grief. It sounds like Jodi's life was a bit chaotic.

http://tinyurl.com/ysyaqb

"Valerie Jo remarried and Jodi now had a stepfather, Kevin Carver.

It wouldn’t be the last time the family moved. During Jodi’s lifetime, she lived in Colon, Mendon and Three Rivers. Last month, less than two weeks after her death, the family moved again to a different location in Constantine.


Jodi often spent time alone and on the streets in the village."

I am anxious for this case to be solved.

 

[believe09]

Here is an article from Jodi's paternal Grandmother's grief. It sounds like Jodi's life was a bit chaotic.

http://tinyurl.com/ysyaqb

"Valerie Jo remarried and Jodi now had a stepfather, Kevin Carver.

It wouldn’t be the last time the family moved. During Jodi’s lifetime, she lived in Colon, Mendon and Three Rivers. Last month, less than two weeks after her death, the family moved again to a different location in Constantine.



Jodi often spent time alone and on the streets in the village."

I am anxious for this case to be solved.

This is exactly what made this child the perfect target for whatever went down, not unlike Rowan Ford IMO.

 

[Jolynna]

I think the bicycle is a HUGE clue. I also think that Jodi was so close to home is another big clue. I think the graveyard was chosen because it was isolated. (And in my opinion...close.)

Possibly someone thought it would "look" like Jodi had been ritually murdered if she were left in a graveyard. Or maybe there was meaning behind the location. I don't think so, but maybe.

And about the bicycle...

One person alone couldn't have gotten Jodi AND the bicycle into a vehicle. Unless it was somebody she knew and she got in willingly.

A pedophile passing through would have grabbed Jodi and driven further away. (IMO) Unless he had an accomplice, how would he be ABLE to grab and handle Jodi PLUS the bicycle. Nor would an out-of-towner probably have stayed in Constantine.

A predator who was from somewhere else but that knew about the cemetery would have also have fled as quickly as possible after killing Jodi.. Taking time to get Jodi's bicycle out of his vehicle would have kept him at the scene of his crime longer. Why leave it with her body if you were from someplace outside of Constantine and could dump it elsewhere.

Why would someone from Constantine mess with a bicycle and linger.

Michigan has lots of rural roads without traffic and homes.

Lingering around with Jodi's incriminating body only makes sense IF the person from Constantine LIVED close and was expected home soon. And if someone was around that might see the bike.

I also don't know why Jodi would have accepted a ride with someone since she lived SO CLOSE to the house she was riding home from.

If she had agreed to meet someone at the graveyard, wouldn't she have stopped by her home (which was between the friend's house and the cemetery) to tell her mother she was no longer at her friend's house and was headed in another direction?

My kids had to tell me whose home they were going to go to and of changes in plans.

Anyway. Just throwing out thoughts. This case has me wondering.

IMO

 

[Jolynna]

This is exactly what made this child the perfect target for whatever went down, not unlike Rowan Ford IMO.

I agree.

 

[MeoW333]

This is exactly what made this child the perfect target for whatever went down, not unlike Rowan Ford IMO.

This is so true. I can't help but be reminded of the Hadden Clark case in which he killed his niece's playmate. I really hope they are checking out the families of Jodi's friends.
A friend's family member would know that Jodi wasn't supervised much. She would be more trusting to a friend's relative that a local acquaintance. Maybe they used an excuse such as going to surprise the friend or helping them with something to get her to go with them; rather than giving her a ride home. She still have time left until her curfew. I would be looking at relatives of her friends' very closely in this case.. LE needs to look at Jodi's friends' relatives (i can't stress it enough, my gut is telling me) and nevermind if they have alibi's that doesn't mean anything. In the Hadden Clark case where he killed his niece's playmate, the father gave the wrong time as to when his daughter was missing as he was watching nascar, which allowed Hadden to have a solid alibi since he was at work by then.

 

[MeoW333]

If her curfew was at 5:30pm and she left her friend's around 4:30pm (i think someone last saw her around 4:45?) then if someone she knew asked her to go with them, giving her some excuse; then she might as she still would have time to make it for her 5:30 curfew. Are LE looking into the girl whose house she was over? Maybe she has relatives that live there are frequent there that know Jodi and would know of her curfew. I think whoever got her in their car, she knew and he was a relative of a friend, and they made up some excuse regarding one of her friends; more likely than offering her a ride home. It seemed she loved riding her bike, and would just ride home otherwise. With the time gap between when she left and her curfew, she would figure she had time to do whatever and then get home. As we don't know exactly what was found in the autopsy, we don't really have a motive. (i'm sure LE are withholding info, with good reason) yet the motive may be something completely illogical..