NC NC - Sara Graham, 18, Fairmont, 4 February 2015 - #1

[Yvettea]

Those forrested areas we've been talking about, turns out those are wetlands and swamps. They're too wet for cultivation (that means growing something) so they're just left natural. Walking through them might be kind of hard specially if they're swampy and you might run into a swamp animal like a gator or something else less fearsome.

Also discovered there's a lot of hog farming going on in the Fairmont area. Maybe between the fragrant aroma of hog farms and threat of gators Sarah DID decide to get out.

Might be the best case scenario when you think of the deadly consequences of encountering a hungry gator or hog.

 

[Dockins]

I have been looking into Robeson County crime rates. It's actually quite high when statistically speaking. I always want the outcome to be voluntary, but after looking at everything, I'm not sure. If it's criminal, and I hope not, I would still look at her inner circle, whomever they may be. She went missing in such a short period of time, and it was so early in the morning. I keep going back to the time frame. It doesn't make sense , but I guess criminal behavior never does.

 

[BeachBabe]

It's too cold for gators/snakes in swampy areas right now. Not sure what kind of wetlands they are, but I live in the Cafe Fear River region of NC and I've walked in some marshy areas right off the river in winter before- no problem. What was the weather like the day she went missing? I'm still (wishfully) thinking she left voluntarily (though I kinda figured she would have popped up somewhere by now), however, if she was taken, I believe it to be someone she knew or at the least a local who knew their way around.

 

[GigTu]

Great idea! Do you think they would do that? Actually they should; why not?

Anyone exiting the van next to the trees would probably have had a grassy area to walk on hiding any footprints. Farm equipment can't get that close to the trees.

I've been thinking about this a lot. The bolded part.

In the earliest morning hours when there's dew, part of the grass and especially dirt would have remained stamped down if you walked on it. It wouldn't be obvious maybe, but to a seasoned LEO with a trained eye, it would be a clue. Same with gravel on the side of the road. Maybe minor, but a heavy vehicle would leave some sort of impression. A seasoned LEO would know this too, in advance. Just sayin'.

So if they don't find any evidence of suspicious foot or car traffic, this leads me to believe it wasn't left at 6:30-7:00 am, but later when things started to dry out. Just a thought.

 

[GigTu]

from here (updated Feb 20, '15 2:37 pm):


"The car was found empty, parked in a wheat field on the edge of a forest along East McDonald Road between Chicken Road and Centerville Church Road, Sealey said."

BBM

I don't know why "in a wheat field" was not highlighted. They specifically said in a field several times. I don't think it was at the side of the road. I think it was pulled farther off the road than a normal person would put it if pulling over, thereby placing it in the field. A few feet could literally be 3, or 10, or even 20. We also don't know the actual location. It might not be right where the trees come to the road. It could have been farther from the corner, where the tree line creeps farther and farther from the road.

And basing a line of LE vehicles as the point of the abandoned van makes no sense. They would stage farther away so as not to destroy any evidence. I say, all the public knows is wherever we see LE vehicles is where the van was NOT. They have never specified or shown a picture of its actual location. Saying it's between two roads can be 100's of feet of play to place the van. We do not know, and cannot rule anything out.

 

[GigTu]

If you look at the map, if you get a chance, check street view. Go down McDonald Road a ways and see if it looks like you could've pulled into a field and hid the van. It's on the right side of the road.

Also it looks like a person could walk through the woods all the way to interstate 95 if they wanted to.

The van was not hid. It was in plain view, but in a field on the edge of a forest. LE specifically noted that there was no suspicious human or vehicle traffic in the one mile search they did. They searched those woods. No one walked through there. There would be footprints. No way around leaving that sort of evidence, especially when hurrying.

 

[EmmaRose]

IMO, there had to be at least one indicator by the van. If the vehicle was in a wheat field, whoever got out of the van had to tamp down the wheat as he/she/they walked through. Did that "path" lead to the road? Woods? Where?

Even if Sara left voluntarily, I just can't understand why she would leave the van there. I have no answer for that, except maybe she wanted to stage it to look like someone took her, but why would she do that??? This is very unlikely.

Initially, I thought maybe she was pulled over by someone she thought was law enforcement. It would explain why she would be compliant and why there were no signs of a struggle. But then I remind myself she came from a family of law enforcement and I don't know if she would fall for that ruse. Soooo, round and around I go.

It also doesn't sit well with me that an RSO lives on the same street her van was located.Perhaps the "abduction" occurred elsewhere, but the perp abandoned the van there because he could easily walk home from that particular location.

 

[Eileen730]

IMO, there had to be at least one indicator by the van. If the vehicle was in a wheat field, whoever got out of the van had to tamp down the wheat as he/she/they walked through. Did that "path" lead to the road? Woods? Where?

Even if Sara left voluntarily, I just can't understand why she would leave the van there. I have no answer for that, except maybe she wanted to stage it to look like someone took her, but why would she do that??? This is very unlikely.

Initially, I thought maybe she was pulled over by someone she thought was law enforcement. It would explain why she would be compliant and why there were no signs of a struggle. But then I remind myself she came from a family of law enforcement and I don't know if she would fall for that ruse. Soooo, round and around I go.

It also doesn't sit well with me that an RSO lives on the same street her van was located.Perhaps the "abduction" occurred elsewhere, but the perp abandoned the van there because he could easily walk home from that particular location.

Imo she left the van because it belongs to her father.
.

 

[strawb93]

IMO, there had to be at least one indicator by the van. If the vehicle was in a wheat field, whoever got out of the van had to tamp down the wheat as he/she/they walked through. Did that "path" lead to the road? Woods? Where?

Good question.

 

[helpful]

IMO, there had to be at least one indicator by the van. If the vehicle was in a wheat field, whoever got out of the van had to tamp down the wheat as he/she/they walked through. Did that "path" lead to the road? Woods? Where?

The wheat may not be tall enough right now to show a clearly tamped-down walking path.
(http://swat.tamu.edu/media/90113/crops-typicalplanting-harvestingdates-by-states.pdf)

 

[Aeronomy]

I wonder if Zackary Locklear has been seen since February 4th.

He is the 18-year-old who's now been identified as the suspect who killed two people (Tanishia Graham and Izaak Bridges) near Hope Mills, NC on January 11th. One of the reasons I've brought this up is that he is believed to be in Robeson County. There are several articles out there describing the shooting and etc, but here's the latest one in The Robesonian http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151983856/County-teen-named-suspect-in-murder-of-2
"According to Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler’s Facebook page, Locklear is considered “armed and dangerous and should not be approached.”"

 

[Yvettea]

It's too cold for gators/snakes in swampy areas right now. Not sure what kind of wetlands they are, but I live in the Cafe Fear River region of NC and I've walked in some marshy areas right off the river in winter before- no problem. What was the weather like the day she went missing? I'm still (wishfully) thinking she left voluntarily (though I kinda figured she would have popped up somewhere by now), however, if she was taken, I believe it to be someone she knew or at the least a local who knew their way around.

If she were going to stay in NC I wonder where she would go? What is Charlotte like? What about the Red Hill area? Any information would be appreciated, locals or otherwise.

 

[carbuff]

I wonder if Zackary Locklear has been seen since February 4th.

He is the 18-year-old who's now been identified as the suspect who killed two people (Tanishia Graham and Izaak Bridges) near Hope Mills, NC on January 11th. One of the reasons I've brought this up is that he is believed to be in Robeson County. There are several articles out there describing the shooting and etc, but here's the latest one in The Robesonian http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151983856/County-teen-named-suspect-in-murder-of-2
"According to Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler’s Facebook page, Locklear is considered “armed and dangerous and should not be approached.”"

Ugh. That is not a comforting thought.

If it's him, it could be perfectly random. He might have been driving along, seen a woman alone in front of him, and decided to strike.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Is it possible that the perp was in her car when she got in it in the dark in the a.m.?

 

[Yvettea]

Is it possible that the perp was in her car when she got in it in the dark in the a.m.?

Seems to me to be possible. Even if they kept the doors locked it was an older model car. Could possibly be broken into.

 

[carbuff]

Hm, good thought. If he was in the back seat, he could have held a knife at her throat to force her to drive wherever he wanted.

 

[GigTu]

Seems to me to be possible. Even if they kept the doors locked it was an older model car. Could possibly be broken into.

What year was the van?

 

[margarita25]

Still catching up, not sure if this has been posted yet, article from Feb 12, has some photos from the search (I don''t recall seeing these). Note to self to post images tomorrow if someone hasn't already / Sorry if already posted!

http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151804762/Search-yields-little

 

[south fishy]

I wonder if Zackary Locklear has been seen since February 4th.

He is the 18-year-old who's now been identified as the suspect who killed two people (Tanishia Graham and Izaak Bridges) near Hope Mills, NC on January 11th. One of the reasons I've brought this up is that he is believed to be in Robeson County. There are several articles out there describing the shooting and etc, but here's the latest one in The Robesonian http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151983856/County-teen-named-suspect-in-murder-of-2
"According to Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler’s Facebook page, Locklear is considered “armed and dangerous and should not be approached.”"

There are A LOT of people in the Lumbee community with that last name, many of whom are known to Sara according to her social media. Interesting.

 

[GigTu]

Still catching up, not sure if this has been posted yet, article from Feb 12, has some photos from the search (I don''t recall seeing these). Note to self to post images tomorrow if someone hasn't already / Sorry if already posted!

http://www.robesonian.com/news/news/151804762/Search-yields-little

I am feeling so hopeful, after reading:

The Robesonian Members of one of 10 search teams looking for clues in the disappearance of Sara Graham inspect a muddy footprint found in a swamp off of N.C. 41 near Centerville Church Road on Wednesday.

Of course, size will be important. Depth. Others? Can't wait to hear how that plays out.