Skyla Whitaker, 11, & Taylor Placker 13 - Found Murdered - #6

[tamfish]

Where has it been released that the weapons used were HANDGUNS?

 

[FlowerChild]

Welcome and I agree! Lips will kept quite tight in regards to protecting their own. This case will go cold. The NA was probably just that, "a witness", and the only outsider on that road, on a lazy Sunday.

It still doesn't sit right with me that Peter (GrPA) went "looking" for the girls. Give me a break, why the urgency to "find" them unless, as you said someone tipped him off.

Thanks!

Skyla's Mother was driving over the pick up Skyla - perhaps she wanted to get home to go the Church or do something else family related. Was she just supposed the sit at the Placker's House until the girls felt like coming back home?

Taylor didn't answer her phone - perhaps Skyla ALSO didn't answer her phone - repeated calls were made to the girls and they didn't answer. If you phoned your 13 year old while she was away from home (without an adult) and she didn't answer or call you back, would you be concerned? Especially if they ALWAYS answered or called back immediately before?

Going to find the girls and hurry them along becuase Skyla's Mother was on her way to get Skyla doesn't seem at all odd to me - and it especially doesn't after knowing that the girls didn't answer the calls. I imagine GPa was a little concerned because the girls didn't answer or call him back but more likely he was a little upset - thinking they were poking along, maybe yacking on the phone to some friend and lost track of time and were "ignoring" his calls on purpose. Maybe he thought Skyla was "dragging her feet" becuase she wasn't ready to go home yet and by ignoring the phone calls thought she might eek out more time with Taylor?

In ANY of those situations, It's totally logical to me that GPa would have set out to "escort" the girls home and get Skyla ready for her Mom's arrival. What other recourse did GPa have other than sitting around (with Skyla's Mom) waiting for the girls to mosey in whenever they pleased.

And if GPa DID get a "warning" then why didn't he leave the house with a gun, baseball bat (some sort of weapon) and his CELL PHONE? And why walk if he thought the girls might be hurt on in danger? Why didn't he ask his wife to call for help?

I think GPa knew NOTHING and got blindsided with the bodies. And I am certain the 911 call bears that out - a 911 call that was made on one of the girl's phones he found at the scene.

My Opinion

 

[Kellee]

Welcome and I agree! Lips will kept quite tight in regards to protecting their own. This case will go cold. The NA was probably just that, "a witness", and the only outsider on that road, on a lazy Sunday.

It still doesn't sit right with me that Peter (GrPA) went "looking" for the girls. Give me a break, why the urgency to "find" them unless, as you said someone tipped him off.

Thanks!

IIRC, the grandfather went looking for the girls because Skyla's mother had called about picking her up. Grandpa tried to call Taylor on the phone to relay the information to her and Skyla but could not get an answer.

I don't think there was anything sinister behind him going to look for the girls.

 

[MsBashterd]

MsB, that is very sweet. It's funny how we can get therapy out of our gardens. I have a lily that one of our fellow websleuthers gave me, that is in honor of Danielle VanDam, who was murdered awhile back. This is the first year for it in my garden, and she hasn't bloomed yet, but everytime I see it I think of her. The other thing is ladybugs remind me of Laci Peterson. I believe I read it in a book about her, but someone else associated ladybugs with her. Now everytime I see one I call it a "lacibug". I would love to see a pic of your garden turtle if you know how to post it.

:blowkiss:


Absolutely I thought I would wait for the Daisy's to go into bloom (I helped with a little go go juice for them last weekend) the reason I went to the garden shop moved the planter and saw the statue of the turtle, I like to think it was fate. I will post a pic soon. I always try and put thing (especially prenials) that have a special meaning and from now on that little section forever belongs to those precious angels.

 

[KR2tonenow]

Skyla does have a brother listed in her obit. It says brother, Edward Gordon, Columbus, Kansas...


http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/...=secondarystory

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/lo...ml?start:int=15

Baxter Springs is 16 miles from Columbus.



Just thought it interesting especially since there has been so much discussions about family ties. I had never heard of this case and the victim, Richardson 's hometown was about 40 miles away from where I live.

OOPS let me try the links again.
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=edward+gordon,+baxter+springs,+kansas&meta=

http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/local_story_009195001.html?keyword=secondarystory

imoo

Are we sure this is Skyla's brother? If so, this is opening a whole OTHER
can of worms.

 

[Albert18]

It still doesn't sit right with me that Peter (GrPA) went "looking" for the girls.

This bothers me too. Had he heard something earlier and dismissed it and the unanswered phone gets him to thinking?

Plus didn't Skyla's mom come from the north? She must have otherwise she would have gone to the house first. So she would be driving on the road where the girls were walking. This is leisure rural living right, that's why everybody is walking, so when Skyla's mom drives past the girls she picks them up and goes to Taylor's house and drops Taylor off and heads home.

I asked this before and nobody touched it with a 10 foot pole. Skyla's mom was going to be driving along the road the girls were walking, why did Grandpa have to go look for them?

 

[Albert18]

If you phoned your 13 year old while she was away from home (without an adult) and she didn't answer or call you back, would you be concerned?

But concern equals worry which equals urgency which does not equal walking.

 

[tamfish]

I asked this before and nobody touched it with a 10 foot pole. Skyla's mom was going to be driving along the road the girls were walking, why did Grandpa have to go look for them?

Perhaps Skyla's mom wanted her to have all of things packed up together, ready to leave immediately. So Grandpa headed out to find the girls, tell them to hurry up, Skyla's mom is on the way and she has to be ready to go when she gets there.

I know that many times when I go pick up my son I hate to be kept waiting while he wanders around looking for the shirt he lost, or the gameboy he put down somewhere, etc. etc.

I see nothing sinister at all about Grandpa going to find the girls when they wouldn't answer the cell phone.

 

[KR2tonenow]

This bothers me too. Had he heard something earlier and dismissed it and the unanswered phone gets him to thinking?

Plus didn't Skyla's mom come from the north? She must have otherwise she would have gone to the house first. So she would be driving on the road where the girls were walking. This is leisure rural living right, that's why everybody is walking, so when Skyla's mom drives past the girls she picks them up and goes to Taylor's house and drops Taylor off and heads home.

I asked this before and nobody touched it with a 10 foot pole. Skyla's mom was going to be driving along the road the girls were walking, why did Grandpa have to go look for them?

I remembered reading your last post on this, and I have it tucked away, with all the other theories out there. I agree. Unless there was cause for concern, that is more of a logical situation, that Skyla's mom would have driven by. But the way things are going now, both families seem to have a history with violence, so........

 

[Busylady]

This article gives alot of detail what happened regarding Edward Gordon, I do not know if this is Skyla's brother.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/local_story_009195001.html?start:int=0



COLUMBUS, Kan. — The jury in a Cherokee County murder trial will begin deliberating today.
The defense rested its case Wednesday in the trial of Samuel Becker, 22, of Pittsburg. He is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2007, shooting death of Jamey Richardson in Baxter Springs. Becker also is charged with several other felonies, including kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated assault, with several alleged victims.
Richardson was a former key player for the Pittsburg State University basketball team.
The prosecution rested its case earlier Wednesday. Neither side called co-defendant Edward Gordon to testify. Gordon has an agreement with the prosecution to plead no contest to a charge of second-degree murder. The prosecution would seek a 10-year prison sentence for Gordon. The agreement requires him to testify against his co-defendants

 

[DeltaDawn]

Welcome and I agree! Lips will kept quite tight in regards to protecting their own. This case will go cold. The NA was probably just that, "a witness", and the only outsider on that road, on a lazy Sunday.

It still doesn't sit right with me that Peter (GrPA) went "looking" for the girls. Give me a break, why the urgency to "find" them unless, as you said someone tipped him off.

Thanks!

I think it would be quite normal after the phone call from Sykla's Mom saying that she was on her way to pick up Skyla that he would go find the girls and have Skyla there at the house. They tried to reach them on the cell and did not get an answer..so he thought he'd go get them and bring them home.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

I *so* disagree with any post that returns to the grandfather Skyla's mother, or any family involvement.

There was no warning. There was no reason to drive to get these two angels. There was no rush for *anything* as far as that later afternoon was concerned.

Given the gravity of these murders, the **horrific** slaying of two young girls, the area, the media.....LE is *all* over this! If any family member, extended family member, friend, or hint of foe were part of this, there would have been a whirlwind of activity and we would know about it.

I'm sorry, but there is absolutely no immediate family involvement. IMVHO, of course.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Ocean, do you know where we could find more info on this?

There is quite a bit of information over on InSessions, Meo.

It is very interesting indeed since Skyla does have a brother from that area as it was mentioned in the obit.

imo

 

[FlowerChild]

I remembered reading your last post on this, and I have it tucked away, with all the other theories out there. I agree. Unless there was cause for concern, that is more of a logical situation, that Skyla's mom would have driven by. But the way things are going now, both families seem to have a history with violence, so........

Do we know for sure that Skyla's Mother didn't come from the direction of the Placker house (not passing the murder scene 1st) ? And even if she might have passed the girls we have NO IDEA if GPa would have known that when he went to get the girls. She could have been driving in from EITHER direction depending on where she was coming from (ie:grocery store, errands, other child's activity etc) or what route she preferred to take. I doubt GPa thought "oh well, why bother to get Skyla here to get packed and ready - Her Mom will drive by them on their walk, pick them up and then drive here". How rude to expect Skyla's Mom to pick up her daughter on the road and then wait for her to gather up her belongings because you were too lazy to get her ready to leave. Just sitting around in front of the TV and HOPING Skyla's Mom would drive by the girls so you don't have to be bothered to be a good host or offering even the most basic consideration for the Mom's time is both extremly irresponsible and uncharateristically inconsiderate since the two girls seemed to spend a LOT of time together at each other's houses.

My Opinion

 

[oceanblueeyes]

This article gives alot of detail what happened regarding Edward Gordon, I do not know if this is Skyla's brother.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/local_story_009195001.html?start:int=0



COLUMBUS, Kan. — The jury in a Cherokee County murder trial will begin deliberating today.
The defense rested its case Wednesday in the trial of Samuel Becker, 22, of Pittsburg. He is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2007, shooting death of Jamey Richardson in Baxter Springs. Becker also is charged with several other felonies, including kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated assault, with several alleged victims.
Richardson was a former key player for the Pittsburg State University basketball team.
The prosecution rested its case earlier Wednesday. Neither side called co-defendant Edward Gordon to testify. Gordon has an agreement with the prosecution to plead no contest to a charge of second-degree murder. The prosecution would seek a 10-year prison sentence for Gordon. The agreement requires him to testify against his co-defendants

What leaped out at me is Gordon is to testify against his co-defendents and Graham's trial is to start in July, just one month after the girls were killed almost execution style. The first main co-defendant received life plus 68 years and the second co-defendent, Graham was up for his case next.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Are we sure this is Skyla's brother? If so, this is opening a whole OTHER
can of worms.

This guy is 20 I think.

Is there birth records or DOBs available concerning Skyla's siblings including the brother, Ed Gordon?

Has anyone done a family tree on the Gordon/Whitaker family.

imoo

 

[philamena]

Good Morning all and to our new posters.
I will be working on the tree throughout the day adding more info.
SNIP

MissHolmes,
Thanks for all the time and work you're put into the family tree.:clap: It's excellent.

 

[MCDRAW]

I think it would be quite normal after the phone call from Sykla's Mom saying that she was on her way to pick up Skyla that he would go find the girls and have Skyla there at the house. They tried to reach them on the cell and did not get an answer..so he thought he'd go get them and bring them home.

This is what I would have done if someone's Mother called me to tell me she was on her way.

 

[FlowerChild]

It appears that Skyla had two half-siblings - Edward and Rosita Gordon and two full siblings (Jayme and Christina). No other Gordons are listed in the Obit, so I am assuming Skyla's Mother was divorced and remarried Skyla's Father. Skyla's Mother's name is Rose (maiden name Farrow) and Rose's parents (Jim and Claudia Farrow) live nearby (Graham). Skyla was born in Joplin Mo and most of the other family listed reside in KS or MO. Skyla just turned 11 in April

The Whitakers lived in Salem (Rural Henryetta) and Skyla attended the Graham School - a district which BTW, emcompasses 48 Square MILES - of sparsly populated rural area and still has only about 100 attending students (rest are online computer students). Taylor was the ONLY girl in the 6th grade at the school last year.

 

[SuziQ]

This article gives alot of detail what happened regarding Edward Gordon, I do not know if this is Skyla's brother.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/local_story_009195001.html?start:int=0



COLUMBUS, Kan. — The jury in a Cherokee County murder trial will begin deliberating today.
The defense rested its case Wednesday in the trial of Samuel Becker, 22, of Pittsburg. He is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2007, shooting death of Jamey Richardson in Baxter Springs. Becker also is charged with several other felonies, including kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated assault, with several alleged victims.
Richardson was a former key player for the Pittsburg State University basketball team.
The prosecution rested its case earlier Wednesday. Neither side called co-defendant Edward Gordon to testify. Gordon has an agreement with the prosecution to plead no contest to a charge of second-degree murder. The prosecution would seek a 10-year prison sentence for Gordon. The agreement requires him to testify against his co-defendants

If I'm understanding correctly, not only did Gordon plead down and sold out his associates, the safe and contents were under his watch when it went missing causing this mess to begin with. This was one nasty crime. A crime by the way which was a brutal retaliation....see the similarities yet? Obviously this group has no problem with paying people back.