SC SC - Amber Berbiglia, 23, North Myrtle Beach, 3 May 2013

[hockeymom4]

Could SM have killed her too? He would've possibly known her from the TK. I'm comparing trips with dates right now of the M's and other murders.

Assuming TM posts to her Disboards from home, she was home and posting all afternoon on the date Amber was murdered.

The manager of TK said that SM didn't work at TK when AB did. She said it on the FHEFB page when people were discussing him and AB and HE. Of course, that doesn't mean he didn't know her. I didn't get the impression of AB that she would cheat on her fiancé. She seemed happy to be getting married. It is possible that a customer, student, or someone else. I was thinking LE or LE impersonator as well, because this is such a highly traveled area.

Chief Rhodes said awhile back HE's case isn't connected to any other case. Of course, I think many, including myself, think maybe. But based on what a successful job they are doing, I tend to believe them.

 

[Foxfire]

The manager of TK said that SM didn't work at TK when AB did. She said it on the FHEFB page when people were discussing him and AB and HE. Of course, that doesn't mean he didn't know her. I didn't get the impression of AB that she would cheat on her fiancé. She seemed happy to be getting married. It is possible that a customer, student, or someone else. I was thinking LE or LE impersonator as well, because this is such a highly traveled area.

Chief Rhodes said awhile back HE's case isn't connected to any other case. Of course, I think many, including myself, think maybe. But based on what a successful job they are doing, I tend to believe them.

Now that investigators likely have dna of SM & TM. CODIS should rule them in or out, in AB's or any of the other murdered persons cases in Horry Co, SC, & beyond.

 

[hockeymom4]

Now that investigators likely have dna of SM & TM. CODIS should rule them in or out, in AB's or any of the other murdered persons cases in Horry Co, SC, & beyond.

Good call. I didn't even think of that. I am assuming they have done that or will do it soon. I really don't think either of them had anything to do with AB, based on Chief Rhodes statement. But, they could be involved in a rape, sexual assault, or murder elsewhere. They did brag about traveling. It would make it easy for a crime to occur elsewhere and not be able to identify one of them.

I hope AB's case makes some developments soon, as well as BD. I can't imagine what their families are going through, having no ideas.

 

[stillwatersc]

http://www.wistv.com/story/25214667...xual-assault-from-police-impersonator-made-up

Springdale Police say a case involving a woman claiming to have been sexually assaulted by a man impersonating a police officer was made up.

 

[stillwatersc]

Vigil held for Amber Berbiglia one year after she was found dead in North Myrtle Beach

http://www.wbtw.com/story/25422537/...fter-she-was-found-dead-in-north-myrtle-beach

 

[spamelope]

They have to have DNA with the murder being so personal. I don't understand the silence on this one. So sad for her poor family. This beautiful girl deserves so much more.

 

[Kell1]

Few questions that I have:

1) It says they are investigating her death as a homicide, was it ever considered otherwise ?

2) Was DNA found ?

3) Was anything taken from the victim or her vehicle?

4) Was she sexually assaulted, or is there any information, anywhere that indicates, someone may have attempted to ?

5) Do we know which side of her head the wounds were inflicted ?

 

[LR1]

Few questions that I have:

1) It says they are investigating her death as a homicide, was it ever considered otherwise ?

2) Was DNA found ?

3) Was anything taken from the victim or her vehicle?

4) Was she sexually assaulted, or is there any information, anywhere that indicates, someone may have attempted to ?

5) Do we know which side of her head the wounds were inflicted ?

I'm not sure it was ever considered anything other than a homicide, we later learned she had bruising on her arms and no reports of a weapon/instrument found so unless they considered that she jumped off the bridge or was struck with something from above I'm not sure.

In a news video her mother say's she was struck twice in the head with two fractures in her skull. gesturing with her right hand fwiw.

 

[Kell1]

Thanks L

Is there an exit ramp off that overpass to the road her car was located on ?

 

[LR1]

It's about a half mile back from the overpass.

http://http://goo.gl/maps/0dTfb

 

[Wondergirl]

Few questions that I have:

1) It says they are investigating her death as a homicide, was it ever considered otherwise ?

2) Was DNA found ?

3) Was anything taken from the victim or her vehicle?

4) Was she sexually assaulted, or is there any information, anywhere that indicates, someone may have attempted to ?

5) Do we know which side of her head the wounds were inflicted ?

She was not sexually assaulted

 

[spamelope]

There's a huge backlog for DNA analysis, but according to this article, they can expedite it depending on the severity of the crime. Considering the bruises on Amber's arms, there had to be some touch DNA left on her since there was obvious hand to hand combat.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/c...arolina-collect-dna-after-every-felony-arrest
I was curious as to what DNA would tell investigators about the perp. This is what I learned. They can tell the sex, if they're a redhead, probable eye color, if they have ADHD, if they are early risers or night owls! (that shocked me, lol) longevity, if they're thrill seekers, and obesity. It can also identify the following diseases: diabetes, Huntington's, breast cancer, bowel cancer, and cystic fibrosis.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/apr/27/genetics.cancer
The article is from '08-I don't know if there's newer information out there or not.
In so many cases, we think they're clueless and then Bam! they make an arrest seemingly out of the blue. I hope that's what's going on in this case, because I'm really starting to lose faith in LE on this one.

 

[Kell1]

LR, 2 more questions sorry, which way would she have to travel to get to where she was found from where she was last seen ?

Which direction was her car facing on the road under the underpass ?

 

[LR1]

It was said up thread from someone who seemed to be in the know that from her home in little river the RE parkway is one route she could have taken but not the one she should have been on, that it was somewhat out of the way. But the thing is I'm not sure she was seen anywhere after the Time Warner sighting, so its unknown at least to me if she ever made it home.

I say that because my speculation is that she didn't stay at her house that Thursday night after going out with friends because of the 2 places she was seen. 1st at kings rd. and later at the TW building. that to me indicates she was maybe making her way home to get ready for work at 4pm. Kings rd. is west of the TW building and she lived east of the TW building, if she stayed in LR why would she travel well past the TW building to get to kings rd. only to back track in order to be seen at the TWB around 1pm.

LE would have a better handle on these questions depending on what she was wearing when found, The video at kings rd. showed her in a leopard print shirt, not something imo she would have worn to work.

Her last sighting that was reported was at the TW building at 1. If she went straight to the place she was found she would have simply traveled about a mile north on RE pkwy would be my guess.

Its also unknown to me exactly which way her car was facing or whether it was directly under the bridge on the road or pulled up in the small dirt area that's there.

No need to apologize for asking questions, questions are good, I just wish I could more precisely answer them.

 

[Kell1]

It was said up thread from someone who seemed to be in the know that from her home in little river the RE parkway is one route she could have taken but not the one she should have been on, that it was somewhat out of the way. But the thing is I'm not sure she was seen anywhere after the Time Warner sighting, so its unknown at least to me if she ever made it home.

I say that because my speculation is that she didn't stay at her house that Thursday night after going out with friends because of the 2 places she was seen. 1st at kings rd. and later at the TW building. that to me indicates she was maybe making her way home to get ready for work at 4pm. Kings rd. is west of the TW building and she lived east of the TW building, if she stayed in LR why would she travel well past the TW building to get to kings rd. only to back track in order to be seen at the TWB around 1pm.

LE would have a better handle on these questions depending on what she was wearing when found, The video at kings rd. showed her in a leopard print shirt, not something imo she would have worn to work.

Her last sighting that was reported was at the TW building at 1. If she went straight to the place she was found she would have simply traveled about a mile north on RE pkwy would be my guess.

Its also unknown to me exactly which way her car was facing or whether it was directly under the bridge on the road or pulled up in the small dirt area that's there.

No need to apologize for asking questions, questions are good, I just wish I could more precisely answer them.

Ok just so I have the lay of the geography , she would've been coming North from one side of the river to the other .. meaning she would have to have crossed the overpass, gone to the off ramp, made a left across the flow of traffic heading south and drove under the bridge .

Is that correct ?

 

[LR1]

Ok just so I have the lay of the geography , she would've been coming North from one side of the river to the other .. meaning she would have to have crossed the overpass, gone to the off ramp, made a left across the flow of traffic heading south and drove under the bridge .

Is that correct ?

Yes indeed if, and that's a big IF, she went directly from the TW building to the spot under the bridge, which I think is the least likely scenario because of the time gap between the 1pm sighting and the 4pm discovery. I feel someone would have noticed her sooner than they did if she was killed very shortly after the TW sighting at 1. It's possible but unlikely imo.

Having said that, with the close proximity of the 2 locations I could see it happening.

 

[Wondergirl]

Amber's case is one of a few cases that makes me crazy when I think of it.

How closely have the locals in the immediate vicinity of her recovery location been scrutinized?

 

[Kell1]

This is one of those cases, that drives you to drink, there's so many holes her death could be one of over a dozen possibilities .

Id be interested in knowing
-Which way her vehicle was facing,
-How far off the road her body was
-What side of her body were her injuries, were they on the same side or bilateral
-How her body was positioned
-Was there any damage to her car
-Was anything taken from her or the vehicle
-Any other injuries she suffered

In addition to that a Victimology profile has to be done

I. Victimology: Why did this person become the victim of a violent
crime?
A. About the victim
Lifestyle
Employment
Personality
Friends (type, number)
Income (amount, source)
Family
Alcohol/drug use or abuse
Normal dress
Handicaps
Transportation used
Reputation, habits, fears
Marital status
Dating habits
Leisure activities
Criminal history
Assertiveness
Likes and dislikes
Significant events prior to the crime
Activities prior to the crime

II. Crime Scene
How many?
Environment, time, place
How many offenders?
Organized, disorganized
Physical evidence
Weapon
Body disposition
Items left/missing
Other (for example, witnesses, escape plan, wounded victims)

III. Staging
Natural death
Accidental
Suicide
Criminal activity (i.e., robbery, rape/homicide)
IV. Forensic Findings
A. Forensic analysis
Hair/fibers
Blood
Semen
Saliva
Other
B. Autopsy results
Cause of death
Trauma (type, extent, location on body)
Overkill
Torture
Facial battery (depersonalization)
Bite marks
Mutilation
Sexual assault (when, sequence, to where, insertion,
insertional necrophilia)
Toxiological results

B. Locating and interviewing witnesses

-Last known location, and last contacts
-Physical traits
-Education
-Has she ever been in trouble with the law ?
-Anyone in her family immediate or otherwise ever been in trouble with the law?
-Any medical history (psychological or physical)
-Did she have ay problems?
-Was she on any meds?
-For What ?
-How often administered?
-Did she do this regularly?
-How was her financial situation?
-Did she have any problems at work?
-Why was she looking to change jobs?
-Did anything recently happen or change in her life ?
-How was her mood in the days prior to her murder?
-Was there anything in her lifestyle that would make her a target ?
-Was she or is there any indication she was involved, with anyone either professionally, or romantically?
-Any indication of third party romantic involvement.?
-Did they have any problems if she was?
-Did she keep a diary, or any writings?
-Any drug or alcohol use , if so has it increased, recently?
-Was she afraid of anything or anyone? (had she ever mentioned being stalked?)
-List of friends especially anyone who visited recently
-Any unusual occurrences prior to the disappearance?
-Past employment history
-Internet history review
-Would anyone be willing to help with the investigation? Names ?

Further considerations:
Would she pick up a hitchhiker ?
Would she stop to help a stranded motorist?
How familiar with the area was she? is there a chance she was lost, and wound up where she was found by chance? , or perhaps tried to double back?

Id want to know specifically who the last people she talked to were
Does she know anyone who lives near where she was found
Were there ANY witnesses who saw a car possibly following hers
Has there been any reports of any Car jacking's in the area
Id like to know who found her, and why they were on that road .
Id also like to see pictures of her wounds (ill explain later)

She left the Time Warner store (TW) at 1 she was found around 4, id like to know a time of death though I have a feeling she may've been killed soon after she left TW

Its important to state that with little to no info on this case, the best I can do is speculate as to what happened, and put forth a few possibilities.

Risk for offender :High (time of day, populated location)

Victim Lifestyle Risk : Moderate (Social butterfly, knew a lot of people)

-She didn't appears to have any plans as she was due at work, though it cant be ruled out she might've had plans to meet someone, now this could be any 1 of a hundred possibilities (and I know some wont like these but these are only SUGGETIONS)

-In the original Police report it states, under Circumstances, "argument" then its later refuted by the police saying it was a typo
http://www.wbtw.com/story/22168513/...eath-still-a-mystery-police-seek-publics-help

Its also possible it WASNT, a typo and that was something they are trying to keep close to the vest at this point in time

The possibility of an argument seems plausible, (What in this case, doesn't?)

I believe LE said she was killed where she was found, and not in her car, which was found running , I believe I saw that the door was ajar as well .

Whats odd is that her cellphone is found just a few inches, shy of her hand , as if she had it in her hand when she exited the car, why would she take her phone WITH her when she got out of the car ?

The Injuries (told you id get back to them)
The autopsy report states, she was "struck twice" and suffered 2 skull fractures, I also saw one post that said the injuries were SO severe they required reconstructive surgery prior to her funeral . Yet they don't list any object the injuries are consistent as being struck with, nor do they list the location on the victims, head where she suffered them

Id be interested in knowing if they were on the same side of her head, as if she was struck 2 times with the object, or she was struck once and the secondary fracture was possibly from contact with the asphalt or an object not wielded by the offender.

In the interview, with her mother, she said she "had to provide he funeral home with a long sleeve, outfit to cover up the cuts and bruises on her arms.

Which is interesting because dead bodies don't bruise, (if that was what she meant) there's no blood flow to cause a bruise, and depending on how long before she was killed she sustained any bruises, I don't know if any would even develop in the time she was unaccounted for.

IE if there were indeed "Bruises" are they visible in the video of her before she was killed?... did anyone else notice any marks on her arms prior ?

If the nature of the head wounds was as severe so as to require facial reconstruction, and she was struck twice, the weapon would most likely have to be swung hard, OR be heavy enough to cause so much damage, with only 2 strikes, though if on the same side its easier to further fracture an already fractured bone .

If this was an interpersonal attack Id expect to see further beating beyond 2 strikes to the victim, however its possible the damage took him by surprise and he fled.

Theres another possiblility ill get into in a few

Thre was NO sexual assault , she wasn't robbed , nothing taken from the car, she was struck and left, her cellphone was most likely in her hand , and I didn't see any evidence, that the phone was used to defend herself with.

Shes found near her car , with the car running, meaning she expected to get back into the car, but why would she get out ?

One possibility was she was being followed, and got out to confront whomever it was, if that's the case, we then need to re-address the victimology assessment to see if she was being stalked, and any police reports of drivers being accosted by anyone in the area surrounding .

Another possibility is road rage, where whomever shes ina confrontation with (argument) hits her with something , OR hits and kicks (or stomps on her head ) while shes on the ground , id expect to see shoeprints on at least one of the wounds if that was the case.

One possibility that immediately struck me was that it wasn't being immediately investigated, as a homicide, that caught me a little, then I thought it was perhaps BECAUSE LE wasn't sure it was .

Depending on the nature of the wounds, her body location, her location near a major highway, I started to wonder if her wounds were consistent with being hit by a large object going fast and that perhaps it wasn't a "homicide" , but possibly a hit and run.

What I cant come up with is WHY she was there

If it was someone with her, and she was killed where she was found, then he would most likely to have to have fled on foot , or had someone meet up with him (or her) did anyone pick up anyone in the area?

Any prints lifted from the vehicle? or were they wiped ?

No weapon was found which means the offender, not only brought it but took it with him

Its important to note that ANY information released in this case would completely change, what I listed. We can only go with what we have.

I don't feel this was someone she knew, she was killed and basically left out in the open with no attempt (apparently) to hide her body , the coroners report says she was only struck twice, yet the were savage enough to crush her face .

If more info were to come to light id definitely take a look at it , but this is what I have

Sorry folks

 

[LR1]

Thanks Rich, that's an excellent assessment given the limited details we've been given, thanks for taking the time to look it over. I must say much of what you said had crossed my mind at one time or another, I just lack the articulation skills to lay it all out.


It would be good to know where she stayed the night before, they should know this.

If she stayed somewhere other than her place were they able to determine through witnesses video or cell pings whether she made it home after the TW sighting? I would like to believe they know this.

Was she wearing the same clothes when found that she had on in the video earlier in the day? I know they would know this.

The retracted argument detail and the strange "possible homicide" quote certainly doesn't help in our efforts to make sense of it all. Add to that their early speculation that it was a gunshot wound, I don't know whether to chalk that up as LE's lack of understanding or just bad reporting.

 

[Wondergirl]

Rich - Very good point about the bruising. Bruising on her arms must have happened prior to death.

Question - Was bruising on both arms like someone grabbed her and shook her or was the bruising on one arm like someone grabbed her to hold her?

To bring the weapon and leave with the weapon, all the while non-chalantly leaving Amber as is, beside the car, in broad daylight, murdered with no apparant motive, is conflicting.

That stretch of road cannot be random.

If Amber had an inkling she was about to be harmed, she would have dialed 911.

She met someone she knew on that stretch and something personal happened.

Of course, jealousy over an upcoming wedding is high in the list.

Broad daylight? Unplanned and personal.