Pontiac: The odor, sealing off & processing the car #2

[jon_burrows]

Why would it have been a scene sealing off the car? the 2 most vocal and the only ones that thought the car smelling like a dead body was a big deal were Cindy and George.LE actually gave Casey access to the car alone.
here is a better thread for this though:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92537&highlight=pontiac

Casey never said the car smelled like a dead body and she was the one who held all the answers. In fact, Casey blamed the smell on dead squirrels. I think it's simply a judgment call when LE enters a bizarre situation. They knew Casey had 31 days to hide a dead body and the chances of finding her without Casey fessing up were slim to none. 31 days gives the killer a long time to hide the body...hundreds of miles away never to be found. LE had to pretend they believed her (at least in the beginning)...like the old saying, you get more bees with honey so they played along with her wild goose chase in hopes of gaining her trust in order for her to confess and give up the location of the body.

The car had already been contaminated, the smell wasn't going anywhere, and Casey already had access to the car. Casey knew the police were on their way. LE had to make a choice, play along with Casey's game or secure the car immediately. I feel reasonably certain Casey would have asked why they were securing the car. If they told her because it smells like a dead body Casey could have realized LE isn't quite as easily duped as her parents and asked for a lawyer. LE has to walk a fine line keeping the perps talking before the lawyers come on board.

Bottom line is investigations aren't always black and white. Yes, in a perfect world the car would have been sealed and Casey would have kept yapping. But would she have if they started treating her car like a crime scene? After all, she knew Caylee's decomposing body was the source of the smell. I think is was a good move on LE's part not to make a big deal of the smell and concentrate on finding the body.



IMO

 

[JBean]

Casey never said the car smelled like a dead body and she was the one who held all the answers. In fact, Casey blamed the smell on dead squirrels. I think it's simply a judgment call when LE enters a bizarre situation. They knew Casey had 31 days to hide a dead body and the chances of finding her without Casey fessing up were slim to none. 31 days gives the killer a long time to hide the body...hundreds of miles away never to be found. LE had to pretend they believed her (at least in the beginning)...like the old saying, you get more bees with honey so they played along with her wild goose chase in hopes of gaining her trust in order for her to confess and give up the location of the body.

The car had already been contaminated, the smell wasn't going anywhere, and Casey already had access to the car. Casey knew the police were on their way. LE had to make a choice, play along with Casey's game or secure the car immediately. I feel reasonably certain Casey would have asked why they were securing the car. If they told her because it smells like a dead body Casey could have realized LE isn't quite as easily duped as her parents and asked for a lawyer. LE has to walk a fine line keeping the perps talking before the lawyers come on board.

Bottom line is investigations aren't always black and white. Yes, in a perfect world the car would have been sealed and Casey would have kept yapping. But would she have if they started treating her car like a crime scene? After all, she knew Caylee's decomposing body was the source of the smell. I think is was a good move on LE's part not to make a big deal of the smell and concentrate on finding the body.



IMO

I disagree with almost everything in your post! LOL. Okay not everything, but some of the highlights
But we have a thread for this topic that has lots of really good information in it.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sho...hlight=pontiac

 

[LambChop]

Casey never said the car smelled like a dead body and she was the one who held all the answers. In fact, Casey blamed the smell on dead squirrels. I think it's simply a judgment call when LE enters a bizarre situation. They knew Casey had 31 days to hide a dead body and the chances of finding her without Casey fessing up were slim to none. 31 days gives the killer a long time to hide the body...hundreds of miles away never to be found. LE had to pretend they believed her (at least in the beginning)...like the old saying, you get more bees with honey so they played along with her wild goose chase in hopes of gaining her trust in order for her to confess and give up the location of the body.

The car had already been contaminated, the smell wasn't going anywhere, and Casey already had access to the car. Casey knew the police were on their way. LE had to make a choice, play along with Casey's game or secure the car immediately. I feel reasonably certain Casey would have asked why they were securing the car. If they told her because it smells like a dead body Casey could have realized LE isn't quite as easily duped as her parents and asked for a lawyer. LE has to walk a fine line keeping the perps talking before the lawyers come on board.

Bottom line is investigations aren't always black and white. Yes, in a perfect world the car would have been sealed and Casey would have kept yapping. But would she have if they started treating her car like a crime scene? After all, she knew Caylee's decomposing body was the source of the smell. I think is was a good move on LE's part not to make a big deal of the smell and concentrate on finding the body.



IMO

Think about this too, initially they were called because of a missing child report. By the time they have interviewed everyone, taken their written statements, read those statements, checked their database for ZFG's with the description matching the car KC described, checked out KC's employment, Sawgrass, plus that ID that was in KC's wallet, you are talking a period of time. They obviously were getting the picture as each path lead them back to KC. Plus I think they put too much faith in GA as an ex-LE.

 

[LambChop]

Yes! Very well put. the way LE felt they HAD TO TREAT KC, was exactly the way CA and GA have treated her most of her life. I'm sure they took cues from the family on this, and as CA said, eventually KC tells her the truth. She probably passed that tidbit on to the police early on. They all knew she was the one with the answers, and they needed to walk on egg shells for awhile.
The only difference between KC and the other parents (mothers actually) that kill their children, is she never fessed up. I'm sure LE was surprised at this.

Yes, I believe this could possibly be true if you happen to live that long. So CA when do you think KC was going to tell you she did not have a job?

 

[marspiter]

Here's a quick question and perhaps some food for thought. Since I don't remember. Did investigators search the car on that first day at all or was it the next day? Also with the car wouldn't investigators need a search warrant to search the trunk and vehicle especially with it being in the A's garage? We're not exactly talking about officer safety on a road stop here or evidence in "plain site".

Just wondering if the delay in taking and investigating the car was do to LE needing and/or wanting a search warrant. Does anyone remember if a search warrant was issued to cover the vehicle?

 

[LambChop]

Here's a quick question and perhaps some food for thought. Since I don't remember. Did investigators search the car on that first day at all or was it the next day? Also with the car wouldn't investigators need a search warrant to search the trunk and vehicle especially with it being in the A's garage? We're not exactly talking about officer safety on a road stop here or evidence in "plain site".

Just wondering if the delay in taking and investigating the car was do to LE needing and/or wanting a search warrant. Does anyone remember if a search warrant was issued to cover the vehicle?

Just guessing here. But I would think because the A's were cooperating LE may not have felt the urge to look at the car right away because they were focusing on the missing child. If the officer who went into the car felt the car smelled like decomp that officer should have said something to the detectives who are more experienced at that sort of thing to look in the car. We don't know what the A's may have said if the officer mentioned the smell and they may have said there was garbage in the trunk. Afterall GA was former LE he could have expressed his fears to LE and did not. The car was not going anywhere and any attempts to destroy evidence would have already taken place. CA is the one who called 911. Why would you call 911 and then try to cover up? Don't think LE was looking for Mom to be the POI.

 

[JBean]

Here's a quick question and perhaps some food for thought. Since I don't remember. Did investigators search the car on that first day at all or was it the next day? Also with the car wouldn't investigators need a search warrant to search the trunk and vehicle especially with it being in the A's garage? We're not exactly talking about officer safety on a road stop here or evidence in "plain site".

Just wondering if the delay in taking and investigating the car was do to LE needing and/or wanting a search warrant. Does anyone remember if a search warrant was issued to cover the vehicle?

No, they did not need a search warrant as Yuri states in the bond hearing, because Cindy and george willingly turned the car overimmediately to LE when they asked for it.

IIRC, they did not search the car, despite the fact that the George told Yuri upon his arrival at the Anthony home,that the car smelled like a dead body and despite the fact that Cindy told dispatch the car smelled like dead body.
Mising child+no report by mother of said child+mother's car smells like human decomp=possible crime scene.
Yrui told KC that her stories were suspect almost immediately.

So,imo they had every possible indicator to seal up the car.

but we have a whole thread on this!
I am going to move these posts over. there is the answer to every possible question you could have on this topic in that thread.

 

[marspiter]

Thanks JBean I couldn't remember and didn't realize this sealed car thread existed. Not sure how I over looked it.

 

[Shear22]

Casey never said the car smelled like a dead body and she was the one who held all the answers. In fact, Casey blamed the smell on dead squirrels. I think it's simply a judgment call when LE enters a bizarre situation. They knew Casey had 31 days to hide a dead body and the chances of finding her without Casey fessing up were slim to none. 31 days gives the killer a long time to hide the body...hundreds of miles away never to be found. LE had to pretend they believed her (at least in the beginning)...like the old saying, you get more bees with honey so they played along with her wild goose chase in hopes of gaining her trust in order for her to confess and give up the location of the body.

The car had already been contaminated, the smell wasn't going anywhere, and Casey already had access to the car. Casey knew the police were on their way. LE had to make a choice, play along with Casey's game or secure the car immediately. I feel reasonably certain Casey would have asked why they were securing the car. If they told her because it smells like a dead body Casey could have realized LE isn't quite as easily duped as her parents and asked for a lawyer. LE has to walk a fine line keeping the perps talking before the lawyers come on board.

Bottom line is investigations aren't always black and white. Yes, in a perfect world the car would have been sealed and Casey would have kept yapping. But would she have if they started treating her car like a crime scene? After all, she knew Caylee's decomposing body was the source of the smell. I think is was a good move on LE's part not to make a big deal of the smell and concentrate on finding the body.



IMO

I completely agree with this, and I don't see what could have been accomplished by sealing the car and processing it any earlier.

 

[JBean]

I completely agree with this, and I don't see what could have been accomplished by sealing the car and processing it any earlier.

IN my wildest dreams,no matter how I imagine it, I cannot see LE thinking:
since she has already had access to the possible crime scene rich with potential evidence since it smells like a dead body, we might as well let her have continued access to it until we seal it off tomorrow.
I just cannot see that being a good plan or a conscious decision at all under any circumstances.

 

[Tulessa]

I think they smelled the smell and KNEW that there was NO way to muck up the potential crime scene that was possibly committed in this car.

The odor is still there.

 

[JBean]

I think they smelled the smell and KNEW that there was NO way to muck up the potential crime scene that was possibly committed in this car.

The odor is still there.

If I told you my car smelled like a dead body and that my family member was missing,wouldn't you at least look to see if there was a dead body in it?
I think someone said it in this thread, that the scene was perhaps chaotic and a lot going on. I agree with that and perhaps LE just didn't put it together. Honest mistake, imo, that may or may not have any impact whatsoever on anything at all.

 

[LambChop]

You know, JBean, when we watch the news and wonder why haven't they arrested a person when it's clear they are guilty you have to scratch your head and say what is LE's problem? Same with this situation. Why didn't they look at the car? Hopefully some day we may find out the real reason. Look at the Susan Powell case. Makes you wonder if LE has to check with the attorneys before they do something to make sure what they find will not get thrown out of court. I just don't know.

 

[Searchfortruth]

I get the impression that the information about the smell in the car (911 call) may not have been relayed to responding LE. They were probably told this was a missing child and car theft call and that is what they responded to. I doubt the Anthony's mentioned the horrible death smell once LE arrived. I can find no mention of it in any of their written police statements. I agree that there was a lot of chaos in that house on the 15th, and their first priority had to be checking out Casey's stories about the babysitter (excuse me, "nanny").

 

[JBean]

I get the impression that the information about the smell in the car (911 call) may not have been relayed to responding LE. They were probably told this was a missing child and car theft call and that is what they responded to. I doubt the Anthony's mentioned the horrible death smell once LE arrived. I can find no mention of it in any of their written police statements. I agree that there was a lot of chaos in that house on the 15th, and their first priority had to be checking out Casey's stories about the babysitter (excuse me, "nanny").

George told Yuri that the car smelled like a dead body when Yuri arrived at the house. See GA's 7/24/08 interview with Yuri where YM and George discuss this.

 

[Tulessa]

George told Yuri that the car smelled like a dead body when Yuri arrived at the house. See GA's 7/24/08 interview with Yuri where YM and George discuss this.

Who were the first responding officers?

 

[JBean]

Who were the first responding officers?

Hi Tulessa that and more is all documented in this thread with supporting links.

 

[BondJamesBond]

IMHO, anyone interested in this, "Pontiac sealing...", thread will want to read the 4-page thread here that provides detailed info regarding the events following the final 911 call, how first responding LEO's. Eberlin, Acevedo & Fletcher likely never heard anything about, "smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car!", how Casey almost certainly did all of her myspace, photobucket, & facebook deletions while LE was @ the house, and the most probable time Casey had to be alone with the Pontiac the next morning before the Pontiac was sealed. [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93000"]Events Post 911 Calls Up to 7-16 Arrest - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[Bee Charmer]

Casey never said the car smelled like a dead body and she was the one who held all the answers. In fact, Casey blamed the smell on dead squirrels. I think it's simply a judgment call when LE enters a bizarre situation. They knew Casey had 31 days to hide a dead body and the chances of finding her without Casey fessing up were slim to none. 31 days gives the killer a long time to hide the body...hundreds of miles away never to be found. LE had to pretend they believed her (at least in the beginning)...like the old saying, you get more bees with honey so they played along with her wild goose chase in hopes of gaining her trust in order for her to confess and give up the location of the body.

The car had already been contaminated, the smell wasn't going anywhere, and Casey already had access to the car. Casey knew the police were on their way. LE had to make a choice, play along with Casey's game or secure the car immediately. I feel reasonably certain Casey would have asked why they were securing the car. If they told her because it smells like a dead body Casey could have realized LE isn't quite as easily duped as her parents and asked for a lawyer. LE has to walk a fine line keeping the perps talking before the lawyers come on board.

Bottom line is investigations aren't always black and white. Yes, in a perfect world the car would have been sealed and Casey would have kept yapping. But would she have if they started treating her car like a crime scene? After all, she knew Caylee's decomposing body was the source of the smell. I think is was a good move on LE's part not to make a big deal of the smell and concentrate on finding the body.



IMO

I absolutely agree with you also, tempest in a teapot over when the car was sealed. Why? Because the car had already been compromised the second it was retrieved from Amscott and taken to the tow yard.

In fact, I believe the fact that LE did not instantaneously seal the car is in their favor, they did not rush to judgement, they INVESTIGATED and gave casey anthony every oportunity to tell them the truth and cooperate.

lyon and company whining about the car is dead in the water, imo.

 

[Tulessa]

IMHO, anyone interested in this, "Pontiac sealing...", thread will want to read the 4-page thread here that provides detailed info regarding the events following the final 911 call, how first responding LEO's. Eberlin, Acevedo & Fletcher likely never heard anything about, "smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car!", how Casey almost certainly did all of her myspace, photobucket, & facebook deletions while LE was @ the house, and the most probable time Casey had to be alone with the Pontiac the next morning before the Pontiac was sealed. Events Post 911 Calls Up to 7-16 Arrest - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Off to read. THANK YOU!!!