GUILTY TX - Alanna Gallagher, 6, Saginaw, 1 July 2013 - #4

[JaimeInLA]

After a week of pondering, I am leaning towards an intentional dump. If I am some kind of child predator or serial killer, it is MUCH more alarming to a lovely little suburb if I abduct, murder and dump a kid right in the street. I don't know for sure, but I imagine they get off on that kind of attention. (Remember Austin Sigg. He didn't even TRY to hide Jessica Ridgeway - just dumped her street side. Same with the unsolved case from my childhood - Amy Mihaljevic.)

It seems like too many things would have to go right for it to be an accident (own a truck, have tailgate down or fail, accelerate just right, etc.).

 

[Ladylub]

Billboard makes me sad. Seems like they have nothing. Have billboards ever been put up this early before by the FBI?

 

[Charlie09]

I call ********! 99 percent of the adults around did NOT play and wander about solo. I know at least since the sixties there was the "buddy system" out here in California. Hence the term tagalongs? I doubt it took Texas 50 years to catch on to the fact that somebody, preferably a parent, is responsible for watching out for their children. It is not a neighbors responsibility to be entertaining a wayward toddler. If people don't enjoy spending copious amounts of time with an energetic kid then they should leave the breeding to others.

We did...in California, in the 70's, but what I did, or what my daughter does now, doesn't really matter in seeking justice for Alanna.

The frustration of this situation is wearing on posters...everyone gets to parent the way they choose. I personally think whatever the reason is that the parents weren't aware of where their daughter was, is more of an issue than their daughter apparently had freedom to roam.

 

[kkdj]

Have we heard anything stating any of her injuries?

Well, we heard the condition she was found. Bound, nearly naked, deceased.
I would think if it were apparent she had injuries unrelated to the murder as in falling out of a truck we would hear that.
But heck....we sure havent heard much as it is!

 

[blue22]

We did...in California, in the 70's, but what I did, or what my daughter does now, doesn't really matter in seeking justice for Alanna.

The frustration of this situation is wearing on posters...everyone gets to parent the way they choose. I personally think whatever the reason is that the parents weren't aware of where their daughter was, is more of an issue than their daughter apparently had freedom to roam.

This. I totally agree. AND, the fact that it's apparent (in my opinion from their words) that it was normal, for them to not know where she was and when.

 

[GingerzMomma]

After a week of pondering, I am leaning towards an intentional dump. If I am some kind of child predator or serial killer, it is MUCH more alarming to a lovely little suburb if I abduct, murder and dump a kid right in the street. I don't know for sure, but I imagine they get off on that kind of attention. (Remember Austin Sigg. He didn't even TRY to hide Jessica Ridgeway - just dumped her street side. Same with the unsolved case from my childhood - Amy Mihaljevic.)

It seems like too many things would have to go right for it to be an accident (own a truck, have tailgate down or fail, accelerate just right, etc.).

Unfortunately, this is what I've started to think the last couple of days too. Really wish I didn't.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

I'm always amazed at how each case is handled differently. I will attribute some of this, to the fact that they take the evidence and then do a profile of the killer and then plan a strategy.

I try to have faith in their methods, knowing that the best of the best is involved.

In this case they have they body and evidence. It's not like she is missing. Now, they just need to flush out the perp.

I hope it happens soon!

 

[elmomom]

After a week of pondering, I am leaning towards an intentional dump. If I am some kind of child predator or serial killer, it is MUCH more alarming to a lovely little suburb if I abduct, murder and dump a kid right in the street. I don't know for sure, but I imagine they get off on that kind of attention. (Remember Austin Sigg. He didn't even TRY to hide Jessica Ridgeway - just dumped her street side. Same with the unsolved case from my childhood - Amy Mihaljevic.)

It seems like too many things would have to go right for it to be an accident (own a truck, have tailgate down or fail, accelerate just right, etc.).

I have thought intentional since the get-go, and in fact, I think that is the main reason the FBI was on the scene so early on. (Even though they are close by, I do not think they just show up for every child as quick as this.). The response to me from the start was unusual, I thought because the brazenness of the killer leaving the body in the most obvious of places, in order to shock and get a big reaction.
I was also convinced from the way the body was dumped that this was not the work of a parent.
And I grew up IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE 70's quite independently. The risk to a child of being abducted is so insignificant. If I was a worrier of a parent, I would be lots more worried about driving my kids around in the mommy bus than I would about having a kid be abducted. Statistics do not lie.

 

[Ladylub]

Unfortunately, this is what I've started to think the last couple of days too. Really wish I didn't.

Same here but I refuse to let my mind go that far b/c for that to happen then we have a bold perp on our hands and I do not want to think that way.

 

[BunnyHop]

Biggest question for me is; when was she last seen? (with confirmation)

In the morning?
Lunch?
Afternoon?
Dinner?

 

[scapa]

I think we're seeing the body exactly as it was found. No one had moved her yet when that photo was taken.

The position implies someone stopped at the stop sign then accelerated away at speed...probably around the corner.

:twocents:

If that's exactly where she was found, prior to being moved by the kids, there's a few points to consider, I think.

1. Is there any evidence of trauma assignable to having fallen vs lifted and set down on the road? I doubt the tarp would offer much protection for such a fall

2. Is there anything psychologically revealing in being places head first, sideways or feet first in the truck (if it was a truck) and then on the road. Having carried sleepy toddlers and small children around for a few years now I notice that I tend to transfer them head first from, say, car to bed. Not sure if this would bear on perps state of mind

3. I don't see a perp stopping a truck in the middle of the intersection to set the body down. To do so makes him highly visible and limits the directions the truck can travel in (one rather than three). Pushing or letting fall the body as he turns right or left is more plausible, and I think the angle suggests a left and not a right turn.

Just some thoughts,

S

 

[BeginnersLuck]

How could they determine what injuries she had associated with falling out of the truck though, as opposed to what happened after death prior to placement, or falling out of the vehicle?

 

[blue22]

How could they determine what injuries she had associated with falling out of the truck though, as opposed to what happened after death prior to placement, or falling out of the vehicle?

Because, they can determine WHEN injuries happen.
Antemortem - before death
Perimortem- at the time of death
Postmortem- after death

I am no scientist, so I don't know how. I think it as to do with bruising, blood, and what the injuries consist of and look like. All I know, is they are able to determine when injuries happen.

 

[BunnyHop]

Biggest question for me is; when was she last seen? (with confirmation)

In the morning?
Lunch?
Afternoon?
Dinner?

 

[carbuff]

I have thought intentional since the get-go, and in fact, I think that is the main reason the FBI was on the scene so early on. (Even though they are close by, I do not think they just show up for every child as quick as this.). The response to me from the start was unusual, I thought because the brazenness of the killer leaving the body in the most obvious of places, in order to shock and get a big reaction.
I was also convinced from the way the body was dumped that this was not the work of a parent.
And I grew up IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE 70's quite independently. The risk to a child of being abducted is so insignificant. If I was a worrier of a parent, I would be lots more worried about driving my kids around in the mommy bus than I would about having a kid be abducted. Statistics do not lie.

Yes, that's pretty much my line of thinking. The first news report I saw, very early on, was already labeling it an abduction.

I think there was something about her poor body, or the contents of the bag, that alerted them right away that this wasn't an ordinary murder. Yes, parents do murder their children, but this just doesn't seem like that kind of murder. Not with the tape, the bag, the dump.

 

[floridamomma]

Alanna was dead weight though, and had no ability to naturally use her body against the force of the movements like live subjects would.

yes, and i also have no idea on any other factors. but it gives me an idea.

 

[Kaliste]

They're resorting to Billboards yet they believe this is an isolated incident. Huh.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Because, they can determine WHEN injuries happen.
Antemortem - before death
Perimortem- at the time of death
Postmortem- after death

I am no scientist, so I don't know how. I think it as to do with bruising, blood, and what the injuries consist of and look like. All I know, is they are able to determine when injuries happen.

Yes, I understand this but those injuries after death could have happened anytime prior to her body being placed/dropped/fallen out in that location.

In other words they can't be certain any injuries were from falling out of a truck etc.

 

[human]

OK, here goes.

F250, no bed liner, tailgate up, as I am not TRYING to hurt them and HTH would I explain an injury to LE if it happened?! LOL!! I was on a sandy road. My lab rats were C, 2 1/2 and 40 lbs, and J, 13 yrs old, 5'8'' and 200 lbs. Sat them on a tarp, and then went and made them lay down on the tarp and tried a few turns/going straight.

They really didn't slide at all. I turned L, went back and turned R, and they leaned toward the side of the truck. (I had J tell me which way he was forced to lean as we tried each move.) Now, when I went straight, quickly, J said that C slid a bit towards the tailgate, so I went and did it again, and I suspect I'd have had to take off quickly enough to leave skid marks in order to lose either kid- C more likely, as he's lighter. (I did tear up the sand, but wasn't going to go out to the pavement to try this!)

I was totally on the fence as far as if Alanna was left there intentionally or not, but after doing this I really, really think it WAS intentional. They just didn't slide around like I thought they would. Granted, I have no idea what kind of truck (if it was a truck) she was in. It could have had a bedliner, which would be more slippery. Heck, there could have been oil spilled in the back and slid her out easily. But the boys just didn't slide like I thought they would. Even the little one, who is smaller, but closer to Alanna's weight. I have to say, if it was not intentional, she had to have been at the very end of the bed, and the driver sped off quickly to leave her there. But I am just not sure that's how it happened...

Thanks for that! As my hubby said, there is not a production vehicle made that is fast enough to accelerate to drop the body. And , he said stopping at the sign hard makes the body go forward, not back.

As far as a bump, he said a bump that would be so big as to drop the body would be a bump so big that it would damage the vehicle.

I am assuming that the area there is flat and not hilly at all?

So, leaving on purpose. Wow!

 

[Dr. Know?]

How could they determine what injuries she had associated with falling out of the truck though, as opposed to what happened after death prior to placement, or falling out of the vehicle?

This explains it. More at link too.

Recent research has focused on improved techniques for distinguishing between an antemortem and a postmortem injury by analyzing damaged tissue. Antemortem injuries show signs of inflammation, while postmortem injuries do not. Chinese scientists have found that tissue from antemortem injuries contains a chemical involved in inflammation leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Postmortem injuries were found to have no LTB4. This could help the pathologist classify injuries more accurately.

http://www.enotes.com/antemortem-injuries-reference/antemortem-injuries