GUILTY PA - Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, Germantown, 2 November 2014 - #1

[pittie_mcclure]

I think she did not recognize him at first then she realizes who he is.

I agree with you 100%. Another reason he was trying to disguise himself.. Not so we (the public) couldn't recognize him but so she couldn't.

 

[Confusion]

<SNIP>

I'm interested on your take from the new video just released. It makes me think she doesn't know him, and he asks for something (money? I dunno) and as soon as she reached out she realizes she needs to get out ASAP.. Having audio would be so helpful!

I know most people probably think she reached out to shake his hand, but I can't see her doing that under the circumstances. The only thing I could come up with that made sense to me was him holding something out to her and saying she had dropped it - especially if he had bumped into her before she crossed the street and knows how to pick pockets. I could see a creep saying something like, "I didn't mean to startle you, but you dropped this back there." and holding something of hers out to her. I think most (or at least many) people would just reach out to take it and say thank you. Other than that or holding out her phone to take a picture of him, which would probably not be a good idea at that point, I can't see any reason someone would offer a hand to someone who is acting so suspiciously. MOO

 

[epiphany]

NEW VIDEO. I found the camera on the building where this happened. If you go around the corner to the other side of the building there is another camera. There is now video from that camera showing their interaction at the corner.

http://6abc.com/news/woman-tried-to-escape-kidnapper-in-germantown/378388/

I would say she did not know him. Her gut/survival instincts kick in immediately. She knows she might be in for some trouble with this predator. She rapidly does everything she can think of to ward him off, to avoid a huge problem, incl perhaps attempting to appease him in case he's a somewhat harmless "mentally ill" male (extends her hand) before he begins dragging her down the block away from the corner, more vehicles and lights.

I've done that myself when felt very threatened and in danger, being forced to extend my hand, when I've found myself in similar situation in order to bide time, negotiate (so-to-speak).

 

[maureen718]

Why would she reach out to him in that way if not to shake his hand?

maybe to say stay away from me! or no, I don't have a lighter or something of that nature. jmo

 

[Kaliste]

I just watched the initial video of the abduction, which was very confronting. A few things I noticed, which may or may not have been discussed earlier - Sorry don't have the chance at the moment to read the whole thread.

To me: It looks like this wasn't a random attack - Parking around the corner is awfully confident as opposed to pulling up beside her and dragging her into the car.
She knew or knew off him - I personally believe he had targeted her, and he believed that she would "walk" with him to his car.

I believe he didn't expect her to fight him the whole way, and if this was a random abduction surely he would have kept looking for someone who was more accessible than someone who he had to park around the corner and down the street. I think he was probably taken by surprise at the fight in her which concerns me as to what would have happened once they drove off.

I am not convinced this was someone close to her, more like an Alexis Murphy/Randy Taylor situation - An earlier interaction has taken place between them JMO

Great points, I think you're spot on. I've been wondering why he parked so far down the street. Your thoughts on the possible reason makes sense.

I feel it's a very casual acquaintance. Maybe a someone she's encountered at work or on the bus before. Someone knows this guy and needs to give him up.

 

[elmomom]

I don't think she knows him, not after watching the newly released video. I think he was trying to talk to her, quite possibly telling her, hey you dropped something here- reaches out, when someone holds out their hand to hand you something it is instinctual to reach back. That is why the people handing out flyers in NYC are so successful. no one wants them, but most end up taking them before their brain kicks in. I think she reached out instinctively and then realized , no this is a freak, and tried to pull back and avoid contact, but he wasn't giving her space to get away. It is heart wrenching to watch these videos. I have such a bad feeling, and have had almost no hope from the first. So so sad. Oh, and a friend in mD says yes it has been on her news quite a bit. I live in PA, work in DE and drive through part of MD everyday (i have a 3 state commute that takes 20 minutes ) everyone, everyone everyone I have have come in contact with is aware of this and talking about it.

 

[Kaliste]

Why would she reach out to him in that way if not to shake his hand?

"Ma'am, you dropped a dollar(or whatever)" possibly??

 

[Victory]

maybe to say stay away from me! or no, I don't have a lighter or something of that nature. jmo

Did you watch the second video? Their hands clasp then go up and down. I feel this is important because its telling as to whether she knows him or not.

 

[steelman]

None of us know how far he followed and tracked her before he did his snatch-and-grab. My guess would be that he followed her all the way from the party.

She knows him. He knows where she lives.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

I've gone through this entire video taking screen shots and lightening it up, frame by frame from the moment they cross the street. A few of things struck me.

First, he looks light skinned. I know LE said he's a black man but he doesn't look like it from the lightened up video, unless he's a very light skinned black man (which is entirely possible).

View attachment 62770

Second, whatever it is she's holding in her hand here in this screen shot, it looks like she's trying to keep it away from him? If you watch this section at 2:01 to 2:04 in the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsuY6zze1Zs you'll notice she holds it out and away from her (and him, I'll assume) several times. It could also be just something she was holding and the way her arms would have been flailing.

View attachment 62771

Third, he does hit her before he puts her in the car At 2:13 while they're struggling at the back of the car you can see him raise his arm over his head and bring it down real fast. It looks blurry here (and it doesn't look much better in the video but you can see it if you go frame by frame) He quickly gets her in the car and they move out of view of the camera immediately after that.

View attachment 62772

I tried hard to get shots of the front of the car but the street light reflection on the car made it nearly impossible. Best I could do:

View attachment 62773

Nothing really new here: front plate, windshield sticker & shape of the front headlights. I tried running a few different filters on it but this is as good as it gets with my limited skills.

He has switched vehicles. Compare post 402 headlights at bank with this post's (403) headlight shapes.

 

[Victory]

"Ma'am, you dropped a dollar(or whatever)" possibly??

Well, maybe. I see them shaking hands with the hands going up and down. Maybe its because Im sleepy since no one else sees the shake and maybe its not important.

 

[Cuoco7]

ATM photos.....

It looks like the abductor is wearing a motorcycle racing jacket of some sort. I've searched the last 30 minutes, but can't find a similar match. The jacket looks like it has an extra layer of ribbed padding on the front. Anyone recognize such a jacket?

 

[elmomom]

Did you watch the second video? Their hands clasp then go up and down. I feel this is important because its telling as to whether she knows him or not.

I saw it, but I think she reached out and he took her hand (he pulled down a little) and then she tried to pull it up and away - it may not be a handshake at all really, he may have grabbed onto her hand after a ruse of some sort.
Alternatively, he got her to shake hands while she was off guard, or trying to appease him... But if they knew each other or not, who in this day and age have a formal handshake on a dark street in Germantown? This is sketchy area, and this is not normal behavior whether she knows him or not! (Not directed at you Victory, just thinking aloud)

 

[Kaliste]

None of us know how far he followed and tracked her before he did his snatch-and-grab. My guess would be that he followed her all the way from the party.

She knows him. He knows where she lives.

Curious, what do you think about the distance from where he parked to where he grabbed her? Do you think that was for a specific reason or he's just brazen and doesn't care. It's a fairly long distance to force a person where you want them, you know? It increases the chance she could get away or a stranger could intervene.

 

[epiphany]

He moved very very close to her, nearly on top of her. When he extends his hand, she in essence has no choice at that point, and as he grasps her hand he literally begins immediately moving her down the block.

He's another dangerous predator who, unfortunately, seized the opportunity to abduct a young vibrant female. Bank card was a perk imo.

 

[maureen718]

It was very windy here Sunday night, winds from 25-40 mph, it also felt colder than the temp. some up and down movement could be the camera slightly shaking. If you look at the trees in the 1st video you can get an idea of the wind. I agree he extends his arm and I see her arm come out in front of her. It's just my opinion that there is no offer of a handshake.
The police and FBI have audio that goes along with these videos which is amazing to me!! I hope they are able to understand most if not all of what is being said between the two! I'm wondering if they haven't released it because they are working to clear up background noise because I think if they got the sound of his voice out to the public it might give a bigger chance someone will recognize him.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- Police have released surveillance images from an ATM where an abduction victim's ATM card was used.

The images were taken at an ATM at a PNC Bank in Aberdeen, Maryland, just off Interstate 95.

The card used belong to Carlesha Freeland-Gaither. She was abducted in Germantown on Sunday night.

http://6abc.com/news/pictures-released-from-maryland-atm-in-abduction-case/378388/

I don't know who the guy is that is holding her mama in the news pic, but he kind of looks like the ATM guy.

 

[Kaliste]

NEW VIDEO. I found the camera on the building where this happened. If you go around the corner to the other side of the building there is another camera. There is now video from that camera showing their interaction at the corner.

http://6abc.com/news/woman-tried-to-escape-kidnapper-in-germantown/378388/

Bumping up the second video.

It seems she's uncomfortable and backs away initially (just before the "handshake") then extends her hand. She definitely is acting concerned or unsure about this dude.

 

[cuffem]

Did you watch the second video? Their hands clasp then go up and down. I feel this is important because its telling as to whether she knows him or not.

Could it be she did not know him but he knew of her? He seemed to know when she got home and what bus and the fact he drove to Maryland where she was from.Could he have stalked her online from facebook or some other social media?

 

[Confusion]

I had another thought about the reaching out thing after thinking about it a bit more and re-watching the video. She seems to know a lot about self-defense and what to do if someone tries to abduct you, but some people have wondered why she didn't have pepper spray or a weapon on her. I wonder if LE has shown the knife found there to her bf or family members to see if it looks familiar. Isn't it possible that the knife was hers and she held it out telling him to stay away? If he were able to take it from her, he'd already have her arm and it wouldn't take a lot more to get her more or less under control. Probably a pretty off-the-wall idea, but they're what I seem to do best. :thinking: