Skyla Whitaker, 11, & Taylor Placker 13 - Found Murdered - #8

[Busylady]

I will do some searching, but if I recall in one of the memorial sites or tributes to Skyla it listed the schools she had attended, the schools were in Baxter Springs, KS and also Graham School no mention of schools in Oklahoma City. Also a comment from a parent about her daughter and Skyla being friends in Baxter Springs and how much they missed her etc. I am not sure the Whitakers ever lived in Oklahoma City. I also could find no public index address for them in Oklahoma City. I will see if I can find the various links again.

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Petra and Arvie Placker were the parents of Peter Placker. But, Peter and Vickie Placker are referred to in the media articles as Taylor's grandparents/legal guardians.

I know Leila, strange!

In one video I posted it does have Peter listed as "Father" on the screen.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Yes, it is a contest. If our children are not safe ANYWHERE in the United States of America, the bad guys are winning. Every generation has a more limited level of freedom than the last. I did not have the same freedoms that my parents did, and my children have not had the same that I did. If children are not safe walking a country road or riding their bikes in their own neighborhoods, the bad guys are winning. Are you kidding me?

Good vs. evil. Evil has always been around, but now they are bolder, colder, and everywhere. LE doesn't have control of the situation anywhere in the US as near as I can tell by looking at the board here and the thousands of missing children we see every day.

There is, imo, a misconception that if people keep living their lives as always...then the bad guys won't "win". The truth is...the bad guys will do whatever they please until they are arrested, charged, and sent to prison. They have already won in the sense that they take full advantage of people who let them by putting themselves or their children in situations to allow it. Sorry, but it is my opinion only.

 

[Fairy1]

The neighbors knew what was going on...so why didn't the grandparents?! The neighbors have discussed it openly to the media about the drugs and the drunks laying in the middle of the road. Not placing blame, but I do think it is warning to parents who may otherwise think it is a good idea to turn their kids loose on a country road especially when there are known problems.

It seems to me that Taylor's grandparents/guardians were very protective of her. There does come a time when you have to loosen the apron strings a bit and I think they were trying to do that - against their better judgement. I do not want to fault them at all - at least until we know more. What else could these girls have done? They were living in the sticks and underage. Why shouldn't it be ok for them to go for a walk in the country not too far from home? Should we all just lock our kids up in our houses and give up? Who - in God's name - could have imagined what happened to these babies would happen?

 

[Busylady]

Taylor's family moved here to get her away from the violence in Oklahoma City, according to her uncle, Joe Mosher. Skyla's moved from Baxter Springs, Kan., outside of Joplin, Mo., for a taste of the simple life, Farrow said.

http://cbs5.com/national/oklahoma.girls.shot.2.745508.html

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Why not go with them? Keeping a watchful eye on your children is not taking away their freedom in the overall scheme of things. It is our job to keep our children safe.

 

[Tom'sGirl]

Who - in God's name - could have imagined what happened to these babies would happen?

That's what is always said under the best of circumstances, but that wasn't the case here.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Taylor's family moved here to get her away from the violence in Oklahoma City, according to her uncle, Joe Mosher. Skyla's moved from Baxter Springs, Kan., outside of Joplin, Mo., for a taste of the simple life, Farrow said.

http://cbs5.com/national/oklahoma.girls.shot.2.745508.html

Every time I hear that, I cringe. It is sad to realize it can happen anywhere and it just shocks you to the core. No one would expect it there or anywhere that two sweet girls were brutally murdered in broad daylight.

 

[FlowerChild]

Found it here at Find a Grave http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2320089&postcount=7

It says:
She was preceded in death by maternal grandparents Ruby and Carl Paschal, and by her paternal grandparents, Petra and Arvie Placker.

So, from that information I think what everyone is referring to as grandparents, are indeed her parents!

I am going to repeat one of my prior posts - it contains links that verify Taylor's situation as to her G-Parents/Parents. Peter and Vicky were Taylor's Bio G-Parents (we just don't know if on the paternal or maternal side). They called themselves her parents and Taylor called them Mom and Dad - Taylor would have considered the Elder Arvie and Petra Placker her Grandparents - even though in reality they were her Great-Grandparents. Even Vicky and Peters older (grown) children considered and referred to Taylor as their sister and Peter and Vicky were considered (and referred to) as her parents by everyone in the family. Obviously ONE of those grown children is Taylor's Bio PArent - we just do not know who.

Joe Mosher is Vicky's Brother-in Law he was Taylor's Great-Uncle, but I am sure Taylor called him "Uncle" - in line with the G-Parents as her parents situation.
_____________

Shortly after the pair left, Taylor's grandfather and her guardian called Paschal-Placker's cell phone, trying to get them to come back. When the call went unanswered, he went looking for them. About a half mile north of the house, he found both girls on the side of the road.
http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=56421

The bodies of two young girls shot to death near the small town of Weleetka in Okfuskee County were discovered by the grandfather of one of the girl's, along a dirt road the two best friends used dozens of times to play on and walk to sleepovers, according to grieving family members

To know Taylor was to love her, her grandfather said. She was the big-hearted girl who rescued helpless turtles crawling in the middle of the road and wanted to become a forensic scientist, like on the TV shows, said Peter Placker, who said he raised Taylor like she was his daughter even though he was her biological grandparent.

She was home-schooled until the family moved to Weleetka, located about 70 miles south of Tulsa.
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/oklahom....2.744672.html

Skyla had been spending the night at Taylor's house, and the two had decided to take a walk along the dirt road to the bridge over Bad Creek. It was something both girls had done many times before, and the bridge was only about a quarter of a mile from Taylor's house, where she lived with her grandfather and legal guardian, Peter Placker. When the girls failed to return home in a timely manner, Placker called Taylor's cell phone but got no answer. Mildly concerned by the lack of response, Placker set out on foot to locate the two girls. "He got 200 to 300 yards north of the home and found the girls on the side of the road," OSBI special agent Ben Rosser told Adaeveningnews.com. "Both girls had been shot multiple times. Both girls were dead at the scene. At that time, he (Placker) took a cell phone from one of the girls and made a 9-1-1 telephone call to notify the authorities."
http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_...ma-invest.html


Taylor's grandfather found their bodies after his wife got no answer when she called Taylor's cellular phone. The girls were sleeping over at Taylor's house and had decided to take a walk down the desolate road Sunday afternoon.
http://www.legacy.com/Can/Obituaries...onId=111379597


Wednesday, Joe Mosher, Taylor's great uncle, said the family is distraught and not interested in talking to the media.
http://newsok.com/for-slain-weleetka...?tm=1213280045

 

[FlowerChild]

I will do some searching, but if I recall in one of the memorial sites or tributes to Skyla it listed the schools she had attended, the schools were in Baxter Springs, KS and also Graham School no mention of schools in Oklahoma City. Also a comment from a parent about her daughter and Skyla being friends in Baxter Springs and how much they missed her etc. I am not sure the Whitakers ever lived in Oklahoma City. I also could find no public index address for them in Oklahoma City. I will see if I can find the various links again.

Here is the information and source - it's a post from someone who works at the McDonalds with Vicky Paschal-Placker and Rose Whitaker and the information came from the two "Moms" themselves.

Maybe Rose lived in Kansas, met William, and they moved to OKC - where Skyla was homeschooled along with Taylor for a while? Maybe William or Rose already knew the Plackers and lived with them for a while and THEN they all moved to Weleetka - where Rose already had family (her parents). Maybe the Whitakers moved 1st to the area to be near Rose's parents and told their friends, The Plackers about it. Maybe the Whitakers left Skyla with her Bio Dad when they moved to OKC and Skyla was not back with her Mother until the Whitakers and Plackers had already moved to Weleetka It seems to indicate the families did know each other in Oklahoma City...somehow. Otherwise why would they tell their co-workers they moved from OKC so their girls could grow up together?

Both the girls mothers work at our Henryetta McDonalds and had moved to the area from Oklahoma City for a quieter, safer place for their girls to grow up together. All of us are helping to raise money for the funerals and help these ladies with their unimaginable losses….
www.myspace.com/tonigirl3

My Opinion

 

[Busylady]

I had read that earlier but knew I had read a news article earlier stating they came from Baxter Springs, and all the research except for a myspace entry (which I do not put much stock in) matches that they came from Baxter Springs. I do not think the Plackers and Whitakers knew each other until they both moved to Weleetka.

http://cbs5.com/national/oklahoma.gi....2.745508.html
Taylor's family moved here to get her away from the violence in Oklahoma City, according to her uncle, Joe Mosher. Skyla's moved from Baxter Springs, Kan., outside of Joplin, Mo., for a taste of the simple life, Farrow said.

Here is the information and source - it's a post from someone who works at the McDonalds with Vicky Paschal-Placker and Rose Whitaker and the information came from the two "Moms" themselves.

Maybe Rose lived in Kansas, met William, and they moved to OKC - where Skyla was homeschooled along with Taylor for a while? Maybe William or Rose already knew the Plackers and lived with them for a while and THEN they all moved to Weleetka - where Rose already had family (her parents). Maybe the Whitakers moved 1st to the area to be near Rose's parents and told their friends, The Plackers about it. Maybe the Whitakers left Skyla with her Bio Dad when they moved to OKC and Skyla was not back with her Mother until the Whitakers and Plackers had already moved to Weleetka It seems to indicate the families did know each other in Oklahoma City...somehow. Otherwise why would they tell their co-workers they moved from OKC so their girls could grow up together?

Both the girls mothers work at our Henryetta McDonalds and had moved to the area from Oklahoma City for a quieter, safer place for their girls to grow up together. All of us are helping to raise money for the funerals and help these ladies with their unimaginable losses….
www.myspace.com/tonigirl3

My Opinion

 

[FlowerChild]

I had read that earlier but knew I had read a news article earlier stating they came from Baxter Springs, and all the research except for a myspace entry (which I do not put much stock in) matches that they came from Baxter Springs. I do not think the Plackers and Whitakers knew each other until they both moved to Weleetka.

http://cbs5.com/national/oklahoma.gi....2.745508.html
Taylor's family moved here to get her away from the violence in Oklahoma City, according to her uncle, Joe Mosher. Skyla's moved from Baxter Springs, Kan., outside of Joplin, Mo., for a taste of the simple life, Farrow said.

Unless the families don't want the general public to know they knew each other in OKC (or from somewhere else?). Baxter Springs is NOT a big city - July 2006 Population was 4221 - heck, Joplin isn't even a big city - Population July 2006 was 47994. Henryetta, OK (the closer town to where the Whitakers lived) has a BIGGER population (July 2006 Population 6100) than Baxter Springs - where the Whitaker's supposedly moved from (seeking a simpler life?). Weleetka is tiny, but I would think life would be pretty simple in a town of less than 5000 people like Baxter Springs.

My Opinion

 

[Busylady]

I do not think it is important in the big picture, but in my opinion they did not know each other before the move. I would say the Whitakers moved from Baxter Springs, maybe to start over type thing to and to be closer to Rose parents. Can see no reason for the families to want to hide that they knew each other before hand.

Unless the families don't want the general public to know they knew each other in OKC (or from somewhere else?). Baxter Springs is NOT a big city - July 2006 Population was 4221 - heck, Joplin isn't even a big city - Population July 2006 was 47994. Henryetta, OK (the closer town to where the Whitakers lived) has a BIGGER population (July 2006 Population 6100) than Baxter Springs - where the Whitaker's supposedly moved from (seeking a simpler life?). Weleetka is tiny, but I would think life would be pretty simple in a town of less than 5000 people like Baxter Springs.

My Opinion

 

[FlowerChild]

I do not think it is important in the big picture, but in my opinion they did not know each other before the move. I would say the Whitakers moved from Baxter Springs, maybe to start over type thing to and to be closer to Rose parents. Can see no reason for the families to want to hide that they knew each other before hand.

It might have something to do with the criminal history of the extended Placker Family (not Vicky and Peter) and the criminal history of Rose's son Edward (in Prison for 2nd degree manslaughter-testified against others indicted). We have heard not a word from the Whitaker Family and 3/4 or what Mrs Farrow - Rose's Mother - has said is inaccurate information (based on the Press Conferences held by OSBI and other LE). I think the Whitakers may have moved to escape any fallout, problems or issues for Skyla and her little sister associated with Rose's son's testimony, plea bargain and conviction (in a crime which incluided murder, drugs, theft and guns). And I think they did know the Placker Family before they all moved to Weleetka - don't know HOW they knew each other, but I believe they did somehow. Maybe they met becuase the Whitakers home schooled Skyla for a while (in OKC) and they met thru a home-schooler's activity for the kids? The two familes kinda sorta seem to have the same criminal family members issues and the girls were inseparable according to everyone who knew them.

I don't for a minute buy the "simpler life" scenario when in reality the Whitakers moved to a BIGGER town that the one they already lived in - although I can believe they ALL moved to escape crime (some of it within their own families). Even Peter Placker said they moved for Taylor, that Taylor wanted to move (to of all places, Weleetka??) - perhaps to be close to her BFF Skyla?

I am not saying any of this had to do with the girls' murders - just that there are huge holes in the fabric of our information on the family/extended families of the victims - and this is just one obvious missing piece. It's a pretty big hole, though - one of many big holes in our knowledge about the FACTS in this case.

My Opinion

 

[Littledeer]

 

[Littledeer]

Posted by cloudajo:

I don't know much about trucks, but I've been trying to get an idea of what pickup could have looked like (some links below). Of course it depends on the make and year. Is chrome stripping typically on the side if anyone knows? I hope they put out a more specific pic of the kind of truck.

OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said agents want to talk to a man described as an American-Indian, possibly part white, who is about 35 years old and stands 6 feet tall. Brown said the man has a pony tail and drives a white Ford or Chevrolet single-cab pickup truck with chrome stripping and an Oklahoma license tag
http://www.koco.com/news/16589907/detail.html

Ford F-150
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ford-F-150.jpg

Ford White Pick Up
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:%2797-%2798_Ford_F-250_XL_Regular_Cab.JPG

Chevrolet S-10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_S-10

Chevrolet Silverado
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Silverado

Oklahoma License Tag/Plate (is this current standard plate?)
http://www.netstate.com/states/links/images/ok_license_plate.jpg

Oklahoma only requires one license plate to displayed on the rear of all registered passenger vehicles (as already confirmed by FP and SS)
http://www.javasigns.com/info/category/162/article/570

 

[Littledeer]

Posted by SeriouslySearching:

This could be similar to what they are looking for, but I don't know what year this Ford truck is:

http://www.sportruck.com/events/gsf06/i28.html

It has a chrome strip down the side which the newer models don't seem to have which would stick out in someone's mind.

 

[Littledeer]

Posted by envoydriver:

It appears the Ford F-150, F-250, and F-350 trucks come in a King Ranch version which has the chrome plating on the side.

 

[Littledeer]

HOW TO HELP
•The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is offering a $30,000 reward — collected partly from donations from around the world — for information that leads to a suspect in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the OSBI hot line at (800) 522-8017.

If anyone knows how to get this in pic, let me know. Since I can't seem to do it, I am posting this information here.

 

[cloudajo]

Talented guy, interesting work. I wonder what the body language was of the POI.


OSBI Forensic Artist Harvey Pratt
Considered one of the leading forensic artists in the United States, Harvey has spent over 40 years in law enforcement, completing thousands of witness description drawings and hundreds of soft tissue reconstructions. His work has assisted in thousands of arrests and hundreds of identification of unidentified human remains throughout America. Currently employed as the police forensic artist by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), Harvey is the only full-time police forensic artist in Oklahoma.
http://www.harveypratt.com/index.php

Witness Description Composite Drawing (scroll down at link for examples of composite drawings next to real pictures of the subject for comparison)

Witness description drawings were basically the same technique but were drawn free handed based on an interview of a witness or victim to determine what someone might look like. The drawing is an investigative aid that will expedite the investigation, saving time and money, by narrowing the suspect list and involving the public in the investigation. It may also reflect that the investigating agency is utilizing all resources to solve the crime. Witness description drawing can be used not only to identify suspects but also identify tattoos, vehicles and other special items. A good police artist should develop additional information for the investigator helping to assist not only in a similar drawing of facial features but body characteristic, mannerisms, speech patterns and other sources of information gleamed from the witness. This information will help investigator narrow down the field of suspects.

http://www.harveypratt.com/composite_imagery.php