SC - Heather Elvis, 20, Myrtle Beach, 18 Dec 2013 - #11

[margarita25]

Yes it was/is an absolutely heartbreaking case, margarita25. A statement made by retired FBI BSU/BAU pioneer; Roger L. Depue, always comes to mind in abduction cases with such a tragic ending as Kathylnn Shepard's; My work has given me a profound respect for what humans suffer at the hands of evil, and a particular sensitivity for what its victims endure. During every investigation that I participate in, there is always an invisible observer at my shoulder, whose presence I never forget. Regardless of the circumstances of a case, I am always giving voice to its silent victim.

What must this young girl’s final minutes have been like? Did she cry out while he was repeatedly stabbing her, or keep silent, breathing like a wounded animal, watching for the next glint of a blade? Did her thoughts turn to her parents in those final seconds, when she was overwhelmed by the deepest loneliness she had ever known? Did she experience a dissociative response, the sense of drifting upward and watching her own death as if from above? Or did she sink mercifully into unconsciousness, and feel nothing as her life ebbed away?
<respectfully snipped for clarity>

BBM
Foxfire, in Jessica Ridgeway's case, I think about how it later came out (like so many awful things did) that one of her last questions to ARS was is if she would ever see her mother again.

 

[Vinny]

I found this from a document after doing some searching.

From https://www.ncjrs.gov/


This is an interesting bit:

"Research into murder cases has indicated that where there is an established relationship between the victim – missing person there is more concealed deposition of the body. In simple terms why would a stranger need to spend time with the disposal of a victim’s body if in the normal course of a police investigation that person could not be connected to the victim by enquiry? A number of stranger killers have concealed the bodies of their victims in order to prevent them from being forensically linked to the crime. It has been noted that since the introduction of the National DNA Database that instances of concealed deposition of a victim’s body have increased.

Few acts of the murderer show such dedication and ingenuity as the disposal of the victim’s body and few tasks are so awesome. The human body is surprisingly durable, and its destruction without trace is extremely difficult to achieve. Disposing of human remains poses two important problems of which the murderer often takes too little account. Firstly, dead bodies decompose and give rise to a very detectable smell, and secondly, the sheer bulk of the human frame makes disposal a difficult task."


It also mentions that water is a widely used method of disposal.

 

[hockeymom4]

So, she talked to OM last. Roommate said she "seemed upset" when they talked bc he was leaving his wife. When asked by LE about HE he said he last saw her in Oct then admitted to talking to her last night (during interview on 12/19 due to saying last night). Can't conclude a lie because we really don't know what was asked or answered. What are the other FACTS that make people think this first foul play and second OM?

I am in a state of confusion. Would like to understand the facts of why people got to the foul play opinion. Thanks.

 

[PeterThomasFan]

I noticed that when I go to the media threads page, several of the links to early stories have since been updated several times making some of the old info we verified not verifiable anymore. What do we do in that situation?


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I save a copy of my own. Then, when/if it gets updated and I need to check what info has changed, I'll run it through diffchecker.com.


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[jillycat]

I think if the perp is close to the victim, they will take the body further away, with more thought put into it. A random predator, IMO, is more likely to just leave the body where he kills the victim and flee, knowing there is nothing to connect him to the victim. JMO

Also, the perp known/close to victim usually does not want body found, so they can use the "she ran off" story (except when murdered for insurance money.)

But 'close to home' could be three states away. If, as someone mentioned, there is a childhood home somewhere, or, if there is some other familiar place where the perpetrator has control or influence... I really think that's the issue. Not necessarily distance, near or far.

 

[cluciano63]

So, she talked to OM last. Roommate said she "seemed upset" when they talked bc he was leaving his wife. When asked by LE about HE he said he last saw her in Oct then admitted to talking to her last night (during interview on 12/19 due to saying last night). Can't conclude a lie because we really don't know what was asked or answered. What are the other FACTS that make people think this first foul play and second OM?

I am in a state of confusion. Would like to understand the facts of why people got to the foul play opinion. Thanks.

I believe this is foul play mostly due to the amount of time passed and the fact that I do not believe that Heather had the resources, financial or otherwise, to pull off a disappearing act. And if she was suicidal, I think she would have been found and with her penchant for posting, probably would have posted a clear suicide note. Also, love triangles, especially those involving marriages and children, can lead to disaster. JMO

 

[hockeymom4]

I believe this is foul play mostly due to the amount of time passed and the fact that I do not believe that Heather had the resources, financial or otherwise, to pull off a disappearing act. And if she was suicidal, I think she would have been found and with her penchant for posting, probably would have posted a clear suicide note. Also, love triangles, especially those involving marriages and children, can lead to disaster. JMO

So, just opinion. If you think OM. What facts are you basing this off of? I am trying to see if I have missed any of the facts. Clearly we all have different opinions.

 

[SharetheLight]

In one of the media pieces I believe that "other" Heather was explained as a long distant relative. Since we don't have any provided info would it be stretching the imagination to deduce she might not have been involved in an altercation w/OUR Heather.

I hope this is OK to discuss. Maybe there WAS some kind of connection since LE only seems to have "cleared" 2 people :moo:

Who are the two?
I've only seen statements from LE about the date being cleared.

 

[PeterThomasFan]

One thing we know is the perp had some time to hide Heather. I have read that criminals often hide bodies in areas in which they are very familiar. If she is not in the local area, I would hope to find out if any person of interest traveled back to the town where they grew up, for instance.

Or have a friend or relative (most likely an experienced criminal) in a neighboring state that would offer their assistance.


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[Snowyowl]

At this point, I don't know how the car got there, but I think there is more than one possibility. When it got there is perhaps of more importance now. But I don't think fear of leaving evidence is necessarily the reason someone else wouldn't have driven it.

Somebody moved from one vehicle to another and no matter who it was or what car, the crossing of paths is evident somewhere. There was a transfer/transport at some point in the chronology of things that staying out of Heather's car wouldn't resolve.

I doubt that what happened to her happened at PTL. Unless LE found evidence there they're not talking about, and that's possible, PTL ultimately becomes somewhat of a sidebar, and at the most, a point of connection that was needed for another trip.

So if she did drive there or was driven, I can't imagine she was there for long.

another thot-what if that car never played into anything? what if by some crazy coincidence another party was involved?? for instance,there was that accident where 2 people escaped and were being searched for in the area.
Maybe they reached Heathers condo spot and wanted to take a car to get them further away from an intensive search?
Maybe Heather suddenly noticed he car was missing & called somebody for help? Or she was jumped returning home from date or when she was at home on a computer?Maybe they decided to wait out a search INSIDE until the heat was off? Then later in the day the perp would jump in her car & tell buddies to meet them at a quiet spot. Maybe they put Heather in a vacant garage or condo??Who'd know if their condo was broken into over the winter holidays? (I hope LE checked all around)
I know it's crazy,but so is a missing person. The only ones who'd know the REAL story prolly aren't talking . Soooo frustrating :moo:

 

[hockeymom4]

Who are the two?
I've only seen statements from LE about the date being cleared.

I posted an article on another page stating the other HE was a distant relative. I have only heard the date was cleared.

 

[cluciano63]

So, just opinion. If you think OM. What facts are you basing this off of? I am trying to see if I have missed any of the facts. Clearly we all have different opinions.

I think OM needs to be cleared, since he is last known contact.

 

[SharetheLight]

I believe this is foul play mostly due to the amount of time passed and the fact that I do not believe that Heather had the resources, financial or otherwise, to pull off a disappearing act. And if she was suicidal, I think she would have been found and with her penchant for posting, probably would have posted a clear suicide note. Also, love triangles, especially those involving marriages and children, can lead to disaster. JMO

Agree completely.

 

[hockeymom4]

It just pains me at how little detail, there is given. No weight, height, possible last clothing, tattoos, piercings, car, specific locations for witnesses, etc. I was thinking of Leanne Bearden and these two cases COULD be two woman who both walked away on their own or one could be or none could be. Details like that are always important. Little details like that bother me.

 

[SharetheLight]

I posted an article on another page stating the other HE was a distant relative. I have only heard the date was cleared.

Snowyowl said LE only seems to have cleared 2 people.
I was just asking who those two are since I had only heard about the date being cleared.

 

[Vinny]

Chances of this being a runaway of any sort seems highly unlikely. People are very rarely able to do this and leave no traces or signs at all. I can't think of any logical reason at all that HE would do this with what she had going for her in life.

 

[Snowyowl]

I have always thought that she might have been there. It should not have been released that she was and think that's why they changed the story.

In march Heather tweeted about visiting a bunch of hospitals including Conway. https://mobile.twitter.com/HeatherElvis. Then it's released that she visits one the day before she goes missing. Then it is said it wasn't her, but a distant cousin with the same exact name. See article. http://www.carolinalive.com. I personally felt she went to the hospital because she needed help and they provided her with a plan and she set in motion and left later that night.

what if Heather had a bunch of different names to use so nobody else would know? If a distant cousing maybe she'd know the birthdate,etc and get away with it. Maybe she even had ID in different names?
I'd read that she had her roomies license (who was 22) and it was returned to roomie? Does that mean roomie took a trip tho Florida without ID,or did she have a duplicate?? Just curious :moo:

 

[hockeymom4]

Snowyowl said LE only seems to have cleared 2 people.
I was just asking who those two are since I had only heard about the date being cleared.

I know. I was agreeing with you. We said the same thing. The reason for my post was to put that an article is linked in reference to the distance cousin, so no one gets the post removed.

 

[jillycat]

another thot-what if that car never played into anything? what if by some crazy coincidence another party was involved?? for instance,there was that accident where 2 people escaped and were being searched for in the area.
Maybe they reached Heathers condo spot and wanted to take a car to get them further away from an intensive search?

I don't think they would have locked it and how did they get the keys? They didn't break in because TE has said there was no damage to the car. And no alarm went off, or someone would have heard it.

Maybe Heather suddenly noticed he car was missing & called somebody for help?

I think the somebody would have been LE, or her father, or both, and that would have resulted in a stolen car report for which there would be a record and a statement by now.

Or she was jumped returning home from date or when she was at home on a computer?Maybe they decided to wait out a search INSIDE until the heat was off? Then later in the day the perp would jump in her car & tell buddies to meet them at a quiet spot. Maybe they put Heather in a vacant garage or condo??Who'd know if their condo was broken into over the winter holidays? (I hope LE checked all around)
I know it's crazy,but so is a missing person. The only ones who'd know the REAL story prolly aren't talking . Soooo frustrating :moo:

I can see what you're saying about considering other scenarios, but I don't think this one is plausible. Heather would have been screaming if/while still alive, and her body would have drawn attention long ago if placed in one of the environments you suggest.

I'm confident this is a very sad case of a person or persons known to her deciding for vindictive reasons to lure her and end her life.

 

[hockeymom4]

I think OM needs to be cleared, since he is last known contact.

We don't know if he is cleared because they don't tell us anything. Maybe he is, maybe he is not. I just want to understand the facts.