GUILTY OH - Reann Murphy, 9, raped & murdered, Smithville, 14 Dec 2013

[AstroKitty]

Note the change in his voice when he had to give his last name..
This turns my stomach.
To know she's dead, in a dumpster - feet away .. and they are calling her name. I can't even begin to imagine the horror.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Since we don't know how she died, it could have been an accident. If she was wearing a scarf and he was "playing", swinging her around with it, that could cause strangulation. ( I remember having a tug of war with an older sibling one winter using a scarf and -stupidly- wrapping it around myself to try to get the upper hand. I ended up with a pretty bad rug burn on the back of my neck.) Having accidentally killed her, he would try to hide the body, hence dumpster.

Before I break out the fire and pitchforks, I'd like to know the actual circumstances of her death. JMO.

 

[tlcya]

no pitchforks here.

 

[Indy Anna]

I didn't hear any stress or panic in his voice. He seemed to be caught up in the excitement, imo

His breathlessness may have been an indication of stress, too, in trying to choose his words carefully. I noticed in the call that he had the presence of mind to speak of Reann in the present tense. It's not uncommon for perps to draw suspicion to themselves when they refer to their victim in the past tense.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Is there a MSM source that states that JM has mental issues or has a diagnosis of autism? I haven't seen that yet. TIA.

I have only seen (in wkyc.com article of 12-16-13) that Metsker's mother told others her son, Jerrod, was autistic...

I wonder, too, if there was ever an official diagnosis?

:waitasec:

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Listening to the 911 call and JM sounds in a panic but WHY did he call 911 and not her caretaker (stepfather, I think). Also , Jerrod gives his phone to someone who the article describes as HIS stepfather. Reann is said to have been missing for two hours. The coat and clothes Reann was wearing at the time are pretty detailed IMO.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/loc...roner-concludes-smithville-girl-was-strangled

From syracuse.com article of 12-16-13...

Reann's mom lived with Reann and a live-in boyfriend...

the live-in boyfriend was at home .... while Reann's mom was at work ... during the time Reann disappeared...

JMO

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

The article is saying that NL is the stepfather of Jerrod. Very confusing. In the 911 dispatch file, he says his stepkid was playing in the center. I'm not sure who NL is, but since he knows the details of Reann's coats she was wearing, then him being HER stepfather makes more sense to me.

O/T My nephew has moderate to severe autism and can barely speak or take care of himself at all so that's my direct experience with it, although I teach some very functional high school students with autism too.

BBM...

Regarding the identity of the other 9-1-1- caller (NL)... this article states:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/loc...roner-concludes-smithville-girl-was-strangled

"In the 9-1-1 call, a caller who identifies himself as Metsker said Murphy was last seen a few hours prior and that neighbors were searching for her. Another caller, who identifies himself as Nicholas Lupole, told dispatch his step-child was playing with Murphy."

I got the idea from this statement that NL's step-child was another child (in the group of children making a snowman) who had been playing with Reann that afternoon she disappeared... JMO...

The following statement (from the same Dailycaller article linked above) has me confused, as well...

"Metsker was living with his mother at the Akron Road mobile home park, just north of Smithville, where he reportedly knew Reann Murphy as a neighbor. Reann Murphy was staying with her mother, Kelly Jones, who Lutz said was not home and was instead tending to one of her other children."

I thought Reann's mom was at work...

And that Jerrod's mom was visiting another one of her children away from the mobile home park...

:waitasec:

BBM...

All.... JMO...

 

[watcher9]

I think the reporter for that article was all confused with both last names beginning with a "M".

 

[Bayou Mistress]

BBM...

Regarding the identity of the other 9-1-1- caller (NL)... this article states:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/loc...roner-concludes-smithville-girl-was-strangled

"In the 9-1-1 call, a caller who identifies himself as Metsker said Murphy was last seen a few hours prior and that neighbors were searching for her. Another caller, who identifies himself as Nicholas Lupole, told dispatch his step-child was playing with Murphy."

I got the idea from this statement that NL's step-child was another child (in the group of children making a snowman) who had been playing with Reann that afternoon she disappeared... JMO...

The following statement (from the same Dailycaller article linked above) has me confused, as well...

"Metsker was living with his mother at the Akron Road mobile home park, just north of Smithville, where he reportedly knew Reann Murphy as a neighbor. Reann Murphy was staying with her mother, Kelly Jones, who Lutz said was not home and was instead tending to one of her other children."

I thought Reann's mom was at work...

And that Jerrod's mom was visiting another one of her children away from the mobile home park...

:waitasec:

BBM...

All.... JMO...

The early articles indicate that JM's mother hadn't been at the mobile home park for a few days and was at the home of another of her children. Reann's mother has consistently been reported at work. I think the reporter or editor got confused on one article.

Refer to the raw video of Reann's father. (which I can not find at the moment)

 

[Public_Hysteria]

I agree it would strike suspicion in me, but maybe not so in others if he never behaved inappropriately in anyway and they all played in a group in the middle of the trailer court. The guy lived there for many years, so if he was outwardly inappropriate I would hope the neighbors would put a stop to it. There is a difference between playing outside and him going inside to play dolls or something with one of the kids. A known neighborhood adult, engaging with multiple children building a snowman in an open area is not unheard of. I am hypervigilant because I read here and because of life experience.

So far through MSM, he is just looking like the once again, harmless neighbor.

What was going on in his mind is not something anyone can predict and because it appears, he was a well known neighbor, he would have a established trust with others in the neighborhood, including the kids.

Sadly, it would not be hard for him to figure out a way to harm a neighbor child no matter how watchful a parents eye is.

Just using your post to jump off from...

I think for me it would depend entirely on the circumstances. I don't think we know enough to cast judgment on whether or not he should have been allowed to play with the kids, as none of us truly know the situation. Obviously enough parents felt comfortable enough with it, as I think I've seen mentioned in several articles it was not uncommon for him to be playing with the children in the community. And as you said, it's one thing for him to be out with the kids in the common area where others could see them, but quite another to be playing 'in private' with a child.

Back when I was younger I used to be involved with a church that had a lovely girl there who had Downs syndrome. She was in her mid-20s, but often played with the young kids (around the age of 10), as that was her mental age. She got along a lot better with the younger ones as their interests were much the same, and I know no one really thought anything of it. In saying that, there was never any 'private' play, it was just her joining in with the group of young kids who were all running around and playing together.

I'll wait for more information to make up my mind on this one, but to me it doesn't seem like there was anything untoward going on that would have raised any suspicions. I think everyone saw him as the harmless young neighbor, and didn't have any problems with him running around with the children outside. That's what makes this tragedy even more heatbreaking - I really don't think there was any warning that Reann's life (or any child in the complex) would ever be in danger.

:twocents: :moo:

ETA: None of us really know the extent of his mental capacity either, it may very well be that he is just mildly autistic (as some articles in MSM have stated), or he may have had more severe issues that meant he had a lower mental age than his 24 years would suggest.

In saying all of this, I'm in no way excusing the actions of this monster, just trying to give a little insight as to why the parents of these children may not have had any issues with him being around their children.

 

[tlcya]

I would be uncomfortable with a grown neighbor man, mentally challenged playing "clubhouse" or "fort" in a shed or a playhouse made of sheets with my kids out of view. I have seen reference to both a shed he played with neighbor children in and a playhouse made of sheets attached to his home.

People who live in the trailer park said Metsker would play outside with the neighborhood children and built a playhouse out of blankets alongside his home, where he'd spend time with youngsters less than half his age.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/17/reann-murphy-jerrod-metsker-murder_n_4458660.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...en-Reann-Murphy-strangled-hid-body-trash.html

Having trouble finding a link to the shed reference but I think its because it was on one of the video reports I watched.

ETA that is not to say that I think Reann was sexually assaulted or that the clubhouse shed thing factors into the reason for her death. Just that in this day and age, I would feel hinky and not comfortable with that scenerio of my kids playing with grown neighbor out of my sight.

 

[Dee10]

In the back of my mind, I believe there is a statistic that from the crime scene to the dumping spot is something like 200 to 300 ft. If this is statistically accurate, it would likely mean the dumpster was nearby. I wish stats were 100% accurate though lol.

 

[2Hope4]

Someone posted her missing flier on my fb page today. People are still spreading the word, not knowing she's deceased. I don't think I'll ever comprehend the need or want to kill someone. It's so sad. So tragic, and so senseless.

 

[MsFacetious]

Smithville neighbors struggling with life after Reann Murphy's death

------------------

"Believe me, everybody is watching everyone now," said James Wright.

"People have been talking about how they want to move now," Rose said. "But we can't move ... and this could happen anywhere."

But not only is Rose's son taking Reann's loss hard, she said he's taking it hard because he used to play with Metsker, too.

She described Metsker as "kind" and added they never had any problems with him before.
She described Metsker as having a 7-year-old mentality.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/loc...hbors-struggling-with-life-after-girl-s-death

 

[nightwatch]

I see in the Huffington post article up thread states JM's prelim hearing is set for Mon 23rd. Prosecutors will clarify what they think the motive was. Two days before christmas, what a horrifying experience for reann's family. Do they do mental evaluations before prelim hearings? Jmt

Ciao

 

[Ghostwheel]

Wasn't it dark by 5:30? I have to wonder why Reann wouldn't have been inside at that point. The high for that day was 36 degrees. At 5:30 it was about 33 degrees with a windchill making it 26 degrees at nearby Wooster, about 6 miles away. (If I read this right http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KBJJ/2013/12/14/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA)

You would think at 5:30, instead of looking out and just seeing Reann playing, NL would have called her in.

 

[tlcya]

shoulda coulda woulda

 

[Wynnella]

Okay, I've read the whole thread now, and there's one thing that's bothering me. They say she was last seen with Metzker at 5:30 but wasn't reported missing until 8:30. Who goes 3hours without checking on the whereabouts of a child that young? Why wasn't she reported missing earlier?

 

[Cherry]

The thing about him "playing with" children in the neighborhood and having blankets on the ground outside that freaked me out totally. What parent would even begin to think thats ok or normal? All in hind sight now; it's way too late.

 

[mck16]

In the back of my mind, I believe there is a statistic that from the crime scene to the dumping spot is something like 200 to 300 ft. If this is statistically accurate, it would likely mean the dumpster was nearby. I wish stats were 100% accurate though lol.

I don't know if it is accurate. I did not know that the crime scene had been identified or reported to the public. jmo