Theories

[fran]

Most of the time it take LE a long time to declare homicide. I think NC was declared homicide as soon as they found the body. There MUST have been some pretty obvious evidence.

My guess is blunt force trauma. That would be the most obvious.

Strangulation MAY leave some markings, but more than likely they'd still need confirmation by the ME.

I'll go with the first one, blunt force trauma.



fran

 

[reddress58]

I agree, Fran. Back to my theory that it happened in the garage while she was trying to get in the car, I believe he grabbed an object close at hand. Shovel, rake, hoe, bicycle tire pump...something...could be any number of things. uch:

 

[fran]

I agree, Fran. Back to my theory that it happened in the garage while she was trying to get in the car, I believe he grabbed an object close at hand. Shovel, rake, hoe, bicycle tire pump...something...could be any number of things. uch:

Yes, your theory is very possible.

Good job,

fran

 

[Bob&Bob]

I agree, Fran. Back to my theory that it happened in the garage while she was trying to get in the car, I believe he grabbed an object close at hand. Shovel, rake, hoe, bicycle tire pump...something...could be any number of things. uch:

or a hammer

 

[panthera]

My guess is blunt force trauma. That would be the most obvious.

Strangulation MAY leave some markings, but more than likely they'd still need confirmation by the ME.

I'll go with the first one, blunt force trauma.



fran

Hi fran! I agree the COD must be something that was obvious on a decomposed body. I'm still trying to figure out how LE was so sure it wasn't random yet don't seem to have the evidence yet to arrest Brad. :waitasec:

 

[SleuthyGal]

I'm still trying to figure out how LE was so sure it wasn't random yet don't seem to have the evidence yet to arrest Brad. :waitasec:

LE works with the DA to determine when there's 'enough' evidence to arrest and charge a suspect. It's not up to LE only but the DA has to agree too. There is no use arresting someone if the DA doesn't think they can bring the case to court AND are able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The DA gets ONE chance and one chance only to try their case (unless there's a hung jury and they decide to try again). If a jury says 'not guilty' then that's it. He can walk free and then announce to the world he did it.

The DNA results are not back yet (it takes a couple months and sometimes longer). There's additional evidence they're waiting for, likely. And they're not going to charge someone just because they believe he did it...they have to have a high confidence that they can prove their case to a jury.

We, of course, don't know what they have amassed, but I think we can all agree that THEY don't believe they have enough to arrest and charge. And you can't just arrest someone and have them marinate in jail for months on end until you figure your case out and decide if you have enough evidence to charge them with something. The clock starts ticking when they get arrested.

 

[panthera]

LE work with the DA to determine when there's 'enough' evidence to arrest and charge a suspect. There is no use arresting someone if the DA doesn't think they can bring the case to court AND are able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. The DA gets ONE chance and one chance only to try their case (unless there's a hung jury and they decide to try again).

The DNA results are not back yet (it takes a couple months and sometimes longer). There's additional evidence they're waiting for, likely. And they're not going to charge someone just because they believe he did it...they have to have a high confidence that they can prove it to a jury.

I know that all too well from the Michelle Young murder, but what I'm thinking is they must believe it's most likely Brad committed the murder since from the beginning they said the murder wasn't random, yet like we both agree, the evidence or test results aren't there yet so he can be arrested.

 

[SleuthyGal]

what I'm thinking is they must believe it's most likely Brad committed the murder since from the beginning they said the murder wasn't random, yet like we both agree, the evidence or test results aren't there yet so he can be arrested.

Yes. It's clear (to me) that they believe BC is responsible for his wife's death but they don't have all the evidence in to determine if they can prove it or definitively tie him to the murder.

 

[chauncey7381]

+++, someone who just happened upon Nancy that Saturday morning and killed her.

Yep. She could happened onto a robbery in progress and kapow. Been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gang initiation?

I sit and wait for the ME report, which I believe should be released in a few weeks. Perhaps then there will be enough factual information available to form an opinion.

Right now BC is innocent in my eyes until there is some damning evidence presented against him. BC has made some statements in his affidavit stating his whereabouts before NC left to run. A friend, Clea Morwick stated she knew NC was going for a run, Jessica Adams claims she was supposed to paint. You can't believe anything in the affidavits, what is the real truth? I read them and I'm thinking....why did these two adults have kids to begin with?

I followed the Ramsey case for years, I never thought John or Patsy killed their daughter.

Michelle Young was beaten to a pulp, and Jenna Nielsen was stabbed to death, no charges yet. Now Nancy Cooper is found murdered in the same area.

 

[Bob&Bob]

+++, someone who just happened upon Nancy that Saturday morning and killed her.

Yep. She could happened onto a robbery in progress and kapow. Been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gang initiation?


Or a drug deal.

 

[jumpstreet]

+++, someone who just happened upon Nancy that Saturday morning and killed her.

Yep. She could happened onto a robbery in progress and kapow. Been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gang initiation?

Or a drug deal.

Both would fall under Theory (C - Random Crime).

Certainly not categorically eliminated by any stretch, though not the frontrunner in our informal poll results so far (based on current knowns).

 

[Onescout]

Hi guys,
I have always had a theory about this
NC just got back from vacation with her family, I think at that time they formulated a plan for her to boogie out of Cary with the kids...her plan was to say goodbye to her friends at the party the night before, then the next day,"go help her friend paint" but really be running away on the road to Canada.
It would explain the passports in the car and money (maybe given to her by others).
Maybe BC discovered this and was FURIOUS, and he killed her during a fit.
I also think her friends who know she was planning a get-away are keeping mum until they have to testify in court about it.
They would NOT have put it in the custody affadavit for several reasons.
As we have seen in quite a few of these cases, these guys come from households that are pretty much the opposite of their spouses.
NC came from a family willing to support her all the way and help her leave.

This doesn't feel like a premeditated action, it feels quick and violent.
Allegedly!

 

[Star12]

Hi guys,
I have always had a theory about this
NC just got back from vacation with her family, I think at that time they formulated a plan for her to boogie out of Cary with the kids...her plan was to say goodbye to her friends at the party the night before, then the next day,"go help her friend paint" but really be running away on the road to Canada.
It would explain the passports in the car and money (maybe given to her by others).
Maybe BC discovered this and was FURIOUS, and he killed her during a fit.
I also think her friends who know she was planning a get-away are keeping mum until they have to testify in court about it.
They would NOT have put it in the custody affadavit for several reasons.
As we have seen in quite a few of these cases, these guys come from households that are pretty much the opposite of their spouses.
NC came from a family willing to support her all the way and help her leave.

This doesn't feel like a premeditated action, it feels quick and violent.
Allegedly!

Scout, I've been thinking along this line, too. The Rentz's said they knew what was going on, Donna said she had been worried for NC, at least two people said they had long talks with NC on Friday, BC wasn't 'playing nice' and was back in 'hate mode'.

I don't think that NC was especially fearful of getting hurt by BC, or that the children were in imminent danger, but I'm sure she was sick of the whole situation, and wanted out and away from BC. And while I didn't know Nancy, I would bet that her personality did not cringe from BC, that she stood up to him time and time again. And, knowing she was leaving him gave her even more of that courage - she struck at the very core of his frustrated personality Friday night by attacking him on his parenting skills in front of friends and neighbors. She got home after midnight, and in privacy the argument escalated, she told him she was leaving and taking the children, and yes, it feels quick and violent. His frustration turned to anger and he became physical. The Ironman attacked.

That's what it feels like to me.

 

[EntreNous]

Hi guys,
I have always had a theory about this
NC just got back from vacation with her family, I think at that time they formulated a plan for her to boogie out of Cary with the kids...her plan was to say goodbye to her friends at the party the night before, then the next day,"go help her friend paint" but really be running away on the road to Canada.
It would explain the passports in the car and money (maybe given to her by others).
Maybe BC discovered this and was FURIOUS, and he killed her during a fit.
I also think her friends who know she was planning a get-away are keeping mum until they have to testify in court about it.
They would NOT have put it in the custody affadavit for several reasons.
As we have seen in quite a few of these cases, these guys come from households that are pretty much the opposite of their spouses.
NC came from a family willing to support her all the way and help her leave.

This doesn't feel like a premeditated action, it feels quick and violent.
Allegedly!

I too have been thinking basically the same scenario. Why else would JA seemed sooooo distraught in the 911 call? The tone of her voice during the call was, for lack of a better word, wrecked. As if she knew perhaps that the plan had been discovered by Brad. And that he'd perhaps done something terrible.
BC's discovery of said secret plan against him could have sent him over the edge. Speaking to his deepest insecurities about control. Trashing his quite large and delicate ego. In his mind making him feel wronged in the worst way. That really would/could put someone into an absolute rage. Can you imagine how you would feel if you'd discovered your spouse had conspired against you in such a way, and with other people, no less? A normal person would be shocked and infuriated. An insecure person would maybe even commit murder.

 

[chauncey7381]

Anybody seen this post, has it been hashed here?

http://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/378187-missing-jogger-cary-41.html

I agree that even though they say it was not a random killing, the fact that no one has been arrested is a little unnerving.

A friend of mine that lives in the Lochmere area reported information to a detective the day Nancy went missing. While my friend was on her jog that day, she saw a woman by Nancy's description around 8am. She described an item of clothing this woman was wearing that was of interest to the detective. Whether this is a coincidence or not, an item of clothing as my friend described was found in the woods. It was not an item of clothing that was known to the public. I have no idea why the police would not release that information, but maybe it was a false lead. Either way, it's just enough information to make my friend stop running alone even if the police say they don't believe the murder was random.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If the item of clothing is indeed Nancy Coopers, and there is a witness who claims to have seen a woman of her description around
8 a.m. then this means her TOD was after 7 a.m. the last time Brad Cooper saw her alive.

Would like to know more about the "woods" area. I think Hemlock Bluffs is close to Lochmere.

 

[Zoe]

Anybody seen this post, has it been hashed here?

http://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/378187-missing-jogger-cary-41.html

I agree that even though they say it was not a random killing, the fact that no one has been arrested is a little unnerving.

A friend of mine that lives in the Lochmere area reported information to a detective the day Nancy went missing. While my friend was on her jog that day, she saw a woman by Nancy's description around 8am. She described an item of clothing this woman was wearing that was of interest to the detective. Whether this is a coincidence or not, an item of clothing as my friend described was found in the woods. It was not an item of clothing that was known to the public. I have no idea why the police would not release that information, but maybe it was a false lead. Either way, it's just enough information to make my friend stop running alone even if the police say they don't believe the murder was random.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If the item of clothing is indeed Nancy Coopers, and there is a witness who claims to have seen a woman of her description around
8 a.m. then this means her TOD was after 7 a.m. the last time Brad Cooper saw her alive.

Would like to know more about the "woods" area. I think Hemlock Bluffs is close to Lochmere.

I had not heard this but, then again, I discovered Websleuths by accident during a google search for updated info on NC, and have been rather addicted to this site since then. If this information is true, I'm very interested in what additional info LE has that allows them to reassure the community that the murder was not a random crime. Of course, we're ALL interested in what LE knows and can prove. Wow. Can you tell us what the item was she described to LE? :waitasec: Probably not, in lieu of this being an active investigation, but I have to ask.

 

[EntreNous]

Wow, I hadn't seen it. Makes you wonder, but weren't there plenty of Laci Peterson sightings also?

Man, I wish something would break in this case.

 

[Zoe]

Wow, I hadn't seen it. Makes you wonder, but weren't there plenty of Laci Peterson sightings also?

Man, I wish something would break in this case.

Ditto --

 

[jumpstreet]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/raleigh-durham-chapel-hill-cary/378187-missing-jogger-cary-41.html

[...]

A friend of mine that lives in the Lochmere area reported information to a detective the day Nancy went missing. While my friend was on her jog that day, she saw a woman by Nancy's description around 8am.

Thanks for relaying! Wow, if the above is true, that would seem to greatly reduce the likelihood that BC himself is the culprit. If would support a random crime (Theory C), OR, someone (besides BC) as the killer (Theory B)

This statement, along with the statement posted on the search blog that the oldest daughter reportedly claims to have seen mommy go out running the morning of the incident, are (potentially) significant.

 

[momto3kids]

I did bring this info over to the thread when I saw this on City-Data and some reminded me the LE has said they found a few items. I got the impression from other members on here it was not anything to be alarmed about. IDK

If I can find my post about it I will bring it over where we discussed it.