NC NC - Shannon Rippy VanNewkirk, 54, Wilmington, 5 April 2014 *GUILTY

[Just K]

This string of older females going missing or found in wooded areas worries the heck out of me. I have a close relative that is petite and fits right into that age group but she doesn't ever go to bars alone and only goes out with friends of friends but still...you never know.

 

[StormyNights]

Did we ever figure out why she has two last names? Was she married before? Just curious.....

 

[2Hope4]

She was married at one point. That's where the VanNewkirk comes in. Saw a post from someone that said Shannon was her stepmom many years ago.

This is so strange! I remembered thinking she had been found, so was going to follow up on her page today, and then saw it was moved back to missing. Almost fainted when I saw it was someone else that was found deceased! But the same guy is still charged with her murder? Scary!

 

[2Hope4]

"That's what the detective told me – there was a lady that came up missing in the old neighborhood he lived in before he moved here, and they couldn't find the body to her to tie him to that one, so it's almost like there were two missing ladies in the same area that he was involved with and they couldn't find the bodies so I guess that might be the lady they were talking about," elaborated Capps.

http://www.wect.com/story/25387900/police-human-remains-not-that-of-vannewkirk

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Good Morning! Lots of new information in the link you posted 2hope4. There was an interview with the neighbor this morning which hasn't been posted to WECT's site yet. The neighbor said Bradley began acting suspiciously after Shannon's disappearance...shaved his head, cut his facial hair and was putting things in his car like he was moving.

Sounds like he was planning to take off, IMO.

This is such a bizarre turn of events. Where is Shannon and Who is this UID?

ETA: here's the quote from WECT

"He shaved his head, all of his facial hair, and he had his suitcase packed so it's almost like he was changing his identity," Capps explained.

She suspects that Bradley was preparing to leave town. Soon after Capps noticed the strange behavior, she received word he had been caught. Prior to Bradley being taken into custody, Capps said that she had seen detectives at his unit a handful of times.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Today's starnews article mentions Elisha Tucker as being the only other person on CUE's website missing last year.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/artic...e-say-remains-found-in-field-not-Vannewkirk-s

I wonder if Bradley matches the description of 'Andy' who was with Elisha the last time Elisha's mother saw her? I also wonder where Bradley lived before he moved to Flint Drive. And also where Elisha lived. There aren't very many details about her.

wm

 

[sophiebelle]

This predator was turned loose on the residents. I don't get the fact that his crime was so bad, yet he got out of prison like an everyday Joe. Did he have anybody he had to report to for a certain period? Then this Mott found some cheap labor and decided it was ok to put him to work. The whole chain of events sickens me. I told my sister I had hired a lawn care company to do some yard work. Since I had a very bad experience with this a few years ago, and a guy was arrested, she said she hoped I had researched him. I said I had, and she said well you don't know about the ones he brings with him or the ones he sends there when he can't come. This case is an example of what she said.

 

[SStarr33]

Today's starnews article mentions Elisha Tucker as being the only other person on CUE's website missing last year.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/artic...e-say-remains-found-in-field-not-Vannewkirk-s

I wonder if Bradley matches the description of 'Andy' who was with Elisha the last time Elisha's mother saw her? I also wonder where Bradley lived before he moved to Flint Drive. And also where Elisha lived. There aren't very many details about her.

wm

Seems like Elisha would be way more decomposed than Shannon.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Seems like Elisha would be way more decomposed than Shannon.

I agree SStarr33. I thought the same. What made WPD so sure the remains were Shannon? Something is missing in this puzzle.

 

[SStarr33]

I agree SStarr33. I thought the same. What made WPD so sure the remains were Shannon? Something is missing in this puzzle.

That is what makes me think that Bradley told them where to find her. Maybe the jerk was just messing with LE?

But if the body was at about the decomposition level that Shannon should have been at, then I wonder if there is someone missing who has not been reported or if she is someone from out of town.

 

[StormyNights]

So are they still looking at Bradley for Shannon's disappearance? I hope they are pushing him to the edge to get him to talk if he knows something. This has to be the craziest case I have followed so far. Have NEVER seen a murder vic identified in the news and then have it taken back and say it was someone else. I might be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that Shannon's family OR Shannon's tattoo's are what identified her? There is just about 0% chance that another missing person has the same tats as Shannon, in the same places. I really don't think Shannon's family could of been mistaken in identity IF they did, indeed identify her. I am going to go back and see if I can find where I might have read that.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

That is what makes me think that Bradley told them where to find her. Maybe the jerk was just messing with LE?

But if the body was at about the decomposition level that Shannon should have been at, then I wonder if there is someone missing who has not been reported or if she is someone from out of town.

I've wondered the same. The only way this could be Elisha IMO is if he kept her captive for awhile and killed her when he became 'obsessed' with Shannon. Ugh! I hate thinking about that but considering how long Castro got away with it nothing surprises me anymore.

I'll check CUE for missing persons in nearby counties when I have time.

wm

 

[StormyNights]

She was married at one point. That's where the VanNewkirk comes in. Saw a post from someone that said Shannon was her stepmom many years ago.

This is so strange! I remembered thinking she had been found, so was going to follow up on her page today, and then saw it was moved back to missing. Almost fainted when I saw it was someone else that was found deceased! But the same guy is still charged with her murder? Scary!

Ah, got it! Thank you much!!

 

[Just K]

Seems like Elisha would be way more decomposed than Shannon.

When I first heard that "Human Remains" were found, I thought why would they describe the discovery as "Remains." Shannon had only been missing three weeks...wouldn't they say, "body."

"Remains," sounds like there was significant decomposition and the reason for the need for more than just a positive ID.

Elisha Tucker is, at 5'7', six inches taller than Shannon. That is a fairly big difference.

 

[Just K]

Questions:

Who owned the Ford Focus that Bradley was driving when he was arrested?

Was Bradley seen on tape either with or following Shannon?

Where did he live before the Flint Ave address?

Where was the Segway found?

Why haven't the police/detectives spoken to everyone who had contact with Shannon from the afternoon of Saturday, April 5th through the last phone call? (Maybe she gave info on her evening plans and maybe her demeanor holds clues.) It's crazy that she spoke to OP's friend at 3:00 PM and they haven't interviewed him or that he may not have volunteered info.

Did the dogs find anything yesterday?

When was the next scheduled day for Shannon to be at work?
When and how did Mott find out she was missing?
When she didn't come to work did he already know she was missing?
If not, did he try to call her to find out where she was?

 

[ClaireNC]

I get the feeling that the police know a lot more than they are saying. In the interview with Bradley's neighbor, it sounded like LE might have an idea of the identity of the body found. (Note this is a quote from a neighbor, so it is not a fact reported by LE.)

"That's what the detective told me – there was a lady that came up missing in the old neighborhood he lived in before he moved here, and they couldn't find the body to her to tie him to that one, so it's almost like there were two missing ladies in the same area that he was involved with and they couldn't find the bodies, so I guess that might be the lady they were talking about," elaborated Capps.

http://www.wect.com/story/25387900/police-human-remains-not-that-of-vannewkirk

However, in another article is says that LE have opened an investigation to identify the remains.

The Wilmington Police Department and Pender County Sheriff’s Office have opened a joint homicide investigation in an effort to identify the remains.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20140501/ARTICLES/140509977/1177?p=2&tc=pg

Do you think we should open up a thread in Unidentified for the remains found? Don't want to take the focus off of Shannon in this thread.

 

[waltzingmatilda]

Questions:

Who owned the Ford Focus that Bradley was driving when he was arrested?

Was Bradley seen on tape either with or following Shannon?

Where did he live before the Flint Ave address?

Where was the Segway found?

Why haven't the police/detectives spoken to everyone who had contact with Shannon from the afternoon of Saturday, April 5th through the last phone call? (Maybe she gave info on her evening plans and maybe her demeanor holds clues.) It's crazy that she spoke to OP's friend at 3:00 PM and they haven't interviewed him or that he may not have volunteered info.

Did the dogs find anything yesterday?

When was the next scheduled day for Shannon to be at work?
When and how did Mott find out she was missing?
When she didn't come to work did he already know she was missing?
If not, did he try to call her to find out where she was?

All great questions Just K. I wish you would send these questions to our local news reporters. LOL! I would like to know the answers.

In the beginning, word on the street was that the segway was found somewhere it would be expected to be found. I initially thought it was most likely found at Husk but after viewing google maps IMO it could have been found at Mott Landscaping at 5 Queen St. It's a straight shot from Shannon's home at 210 S 5th AVE. 6 blocks south so I wonder if Bradley lured her there after she returned home from the bar.

 

[SStarr33]

I can't find an official Find Shannon FB page, but it looks like this is where people are commenting:

https://www.facebook.com/events/619207968154616/630704457004967/?notif_t=event_mall_reply

Not sure if all of what is said there is true.

 

[sophiebelle]

I read a comment a while back on that FB page that said it was done as an event page on somebody FB page, and would eventually fall off the grid. It was suggested a page be set up for Shannon and someone said everything would have to be moved over and so they were leaving it. At least there's a page.
This case is so disturbing to me.

 

[SStarr33]

Just found that someone has been spelling his name incorrectly. You will find more info if you google James Opleton Bradley.