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

[GingerzMomma]

Email sent. I'll do one/day to each local station. Who else is "in"?

 

[ArianeEmory]

(If I don't quote someone's long post it's not out of disrespect, it usually means I'm on my iPad and I'm only responding to one sentence out of a long post, so trying to be neat/not clutter the thread.)

 

[SapphireSteel]

I don't know about overnight.....I'm familiar with PCR testing of DNA in clinical labs (where they are usually only testing for small fragments to identify particular pathogens, for example), and they can put results out in 24-48 hours.

According to this article, forensic DNA testing takes about 60 hours:
http://www.patc.com/weeklyarticles/dna-timeline.shtml

Even if they were only doing this in 8 hour shifts (I kind of doubt it w/ FBI and multiple LE involved, though).....it could have been done in 7-8 days - or a week ago. I think it is very likely that they do have results back. But, that's just my opinion......they seem to be waiting for toxicology results to sign out autopsy - which could take another month:
http://www.drugs.com/article/toxicology-tests.html

I know, I was startled too.

It was done in a very vicious rape/murder in New Zealand.

I will look for it and post the link :blush: but it was a few years ago before you would even think it possible.

If the DNA is complete, extraction and identification can be almost immediate, the delays we read about so much are often mainly bureaucratic (eg, there's a queue and not enough funding).

We're talking a few hours not a few days, ONLY if the DNA is complete. Partial DNA needs to be rebuilt which is what takes the time.

A semen sample would contain full DNA if fresh so extraction would be comparatively speedy.

:cow:

 

[ArianeEmory]

Worth noting that September 4 1993 was a Monday (like Alanna) and was Labor Day.

Alanna was killed during the week of another national holiday (4th of July). Does the killer work a normal M-F job?

ETA: Opal was a Friday, a bit over a week before Easter 1999.

Amber was a Saturday. For some schools and businesses, it would have been a three-day weekend due to MLK day on Monday, Jan 15.

Final edit: I hope someone will put a map together, but for those like me with no good visualization of Texas, is it safe to say that all four abductions occurred in suburbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth area?

Bringing this forward in case someone wants to add on with the new names.

More here:

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased TX - Alanna Gallagher, 6, Saginaw, 01 July 2013 - #6

 

[elmomom]

You couldn't pay me enough to talk to media if my child was murdered. I tend to have a bad opinion of the coverage I have seen of grieving parents, and feel that it is kind if disgusting that people rush to watch coverage of grieving people and then critique the way they are acting - it's voyeuristic if you ask me (but no one has so I will shut up now)

 

[willowfae]

I got Megan and Jenna out of order. Jenna was 89 and Megan 91. Killeen and Tyler aren't DFW suburbs but they are relatively close.

 

[gitana1]

if they were never found there case may be here: http://www.missingkids.com/missingk...=en_US&orgPrefix=NCMC&caseNum=812788&seqNum=1

I gave the wrong link. Here's the right one: http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=usMapSearch&missState=TX

But notice that neither Jenna or Megan are on there. Charley Project for TX may be a good place to search for similar cases. But I'm out of time!!! Here's a list specifically for TX: http://www.charleyproject.org/geo/southern.html#texas

 

[gitana1]

You couldn't pay me enough to talk to media if my child was murdered. I tend to have a bad opinion of the coverage I have seen of grieving parents, and feel that it is kind if disgusting that people rush to watch coverage of grieving people and then critique the way they are acting - it's voyeuristic if you ask me (but no one has so I will shut up now)

I guess I kind of agree. I do tend to scrutinize the parent's conduct though to see if I get a sense. But they really do get criticized either way.

Elizabeth Smart's dad was skewered. Absolutely skewered. Many people felt he was "off". same with Polly Klaas' father.

Emmett Trapp's mother seemed totally suspicious to many because she refused to ever appear publicly and only once talked to media who called her and asked that they not put her son's case on the news.

Breanna Rodriguez's parents, especially her father were suspected heavily.

I could go on an on.

Nevertheless, there is a reason LE watches parents closely in such cases. There are excpetions to the rules but there are also general patterns of behavior that at the least, may really indicate when someone is innocent, IMO. And if it was me, and I could talk, I would be begging for help and out there all the time. I wouldn't care if I was scrutinized or suspected. I would want my kid's name out there and publicity for her case. ETA: If I could walk and talk, that is.

I think many people feel that way and thus feel odd when parents don't react that way. But I haven't walked a mile and I hope I never do.

 

[Kaliste]

I might send an email to local media this afternoon.......

And, if I were an (innocent) parent I think (as much as anyone thinks they know how they would react to such a thing) that I would probably be in front of the media constantly. If nothing else letting perp know that I would never rest until they were caught, prosecuted, and that I would do all that I could to expedite sitting in the front row when the state puts the needle in their arm. (This IS Texas, after all).

That's not to say that not seeing this from the parents means they are or I think they are guilty.....what I have learned is that everyone reacts differently, and no one's reaction is going to be perceived the same by everyone. There would be some that would respond to how I think I would react with, "The lady doth protest too much". I might also have family or another advisor (attorney, etc) recommending that I take a cue from LE and keep my trap shut so as not to spook the target(s) of the investigation.

I don't know what to think anymore.......I'm just talking (ok, typing) now.........

Her parents don't NEED to bug the media though. They have direct contact with LE who I would hope update then appropriately or at least reassure them.

If I lived in Saginaw or a surrounding town you can bet your bottom if be calling the media, emailing and posting all over their FB page wanting to find out the latest. Does Saginaw PD have a FB or twitter page? May not hurt to ask what's up with the case or at the very least "So, is this still an isolated incident? If so what's up with the reward and billboards?"

 

[elmomom]

Fast action is necessary since, 1) there is typically over a two hour delay in making the initial missing child report (60%), and 2) the vast majority (74%) of the abducted children who are murdered are dead within three hours of the abduction. Because of these critical time features, it is important to respond quickly with a neighborhood canvass and search of the area.
Over half (57%) of these child abduction murders are committed by a killer who is a stranger to the victim. Family involvement in this type of case is infrequent (9%).

http://www.pollyklaas.org/media/pdf/Abduction-Homicide-Study.pdf

So, of the small percent of abductions that end in child murder, the majority are not done by parents.

 

[SapphireSteel]

You couldn't pay me enough to talk to media if my child was murdered. I tend to have a bad opinion of the coverage I have seen of grieving parents, and feel that it is kind if disgusting that people rush to watch coverage of grieving people and then critique the way they are acting - it's voyeuristic if you ask me (but no one has so I will shut up now)

I would walk through fire, chop off my own arm AND speak on camera with Satan himself, if I thought it would get my child home safe.

 

[cluciano63]

I guess it is also possible that the parents are getting more info from LE than the public. But really, the public needs some reassurance, if possible, if there is in fact a solid suspect and an arrest is in the works.

 

[elmomom]

I would walk through fire, chop off my own arm AND speak on camera with Satan himself, if I thought it would get my child home safe.

In my post, which you quoted, I specified "if my child was murdered". I did not say "if my child was missing"!

 

[cluciano63]

http://www.pollyklaas.org/media/pdf/Abduction-Homicide-Study.pdf

So, of the small percent of abductions that end in child murder, the majority are not done by parents.

Well, actual abductions maybe. But we have too many kids reported as abducted that are doubtful.

 

[bessie]

You couldn't pay me enough to talk to media if my child was murdered. I tend to have a bad opinion of the coverage I have seen of grieving parents, and feel that it is kind if disgusting that people rush to watch coverage of grieving people and then critique the way they are acting - it's voyeuristic if you ask me (but no one has so I will shut up now)

So, Elmomom, do you think it's voyeuristic to watch grieving parents on the news for the purpose of critiquing their body language, mannerisms, and speech?

 

[CBTampa]

Does anyone think that the reason there is no news, that maybe they are doing it on purpose?

Think about how he/she disposed of Alanna. How outrageous is that? That person wanted this poor child found quickly. Maybe they are using it to flush out the perpetrator. I don't think that where she was left was an accident. IMO

 

[gitana1]

http://www.pollyklaas.org/media/pdf/Abduction-Homicide-Study.pdf

So, of the small percent of abductions that end in child murder, the majority are not done by parents.

Well that's true. But that's not what I was talking about. From your link:

Many of them are taken by estranged parents or other family
members. A small group is victimized by more
predatory abductors, who want to make money by
ransoming the child, to sexually molest the victim,
and/or to kill the child. The list of children who are
abducted and killed each year by someone who is not
a family member is relatively small, compared to the
number of missing children or to other types of child
murder.

 

[cluciano63]

Does anyone think that the reason there is no news, that maybe they are doing it on purpose?

Think about how he/she disposed of Alanna. How outrageous is that? That person wanted this poor child found quickly. Maybe they are using it to flush out the perpetrator. I don't think that where she was left was an accident. IMO

Would like to think so. But not feeling it.

 

[human]

I'm not familiar with the Somer Thomspon case. I hit Wikipedia, it mentions public outrage at the suspect being released, but makes it sound like the case was solved by DNA.

If it was my child who was dead, I can honestly say I would be too busy being devastated to care what strangers on the Internet thought or whether they "forgot" her. Now, if the argument is that public/media pressure is the only thing motivating LE to do their job, I can see the argument of getting some NG time.

Finally, I assume the "99.99% of child murders are perpetrated by family" statistic must be at least somewhat specious, or else people wouldn't be quite so enthusiastic about blaming parents (in general) for letting their kids play outdoors. Can't have that one both ways. (I know it's very high but I also know it's not 99.99%, and I suspect that other factors come into play, such as single parent/broken home/custodial dispute/drug abuse/history of abuse, etc.)

Somer Thompson was solved because the former roommates got a hold of LE and told them to look at the puke. That is why.

He was not in the system, so his DNA did nothing until he was arrested.

He was not released for her death. There were issues with him and child . I forget now, but LE had dropped the ball on that earlier.

He was on the route home for Somer. Dogs did not hit on his home, even though he killed her there.

It was the roommates,and the roommates parents that did it. Found the perp even though ICE and FBI were majorly involved.

Unabomber was found because of the brother.

I think it would be a cold day in hell before I would let my child be out of media focus unless I had info the perp was heading toward wearing stripes and a suicide watch suit

 

[trigger]

I know, I was startled too.

It was done in a very vicious rape/murder in New Zealand.

I will look for it and post the link :blush: but it was a few years ago before you would even think it possible.

If the DNA is complete, extraction and identification can be almost immediate, the delays we read about so much are often mainly bureaucratic (eg, there's a queue and not enough funding).

We're talking a few hours not a few days, ONLY if the DNA is complete. Partial DNA needs to be rebuilt which is what takes the time.

A semen sample would contain full DNA if fresh so extraction would be comparatively speedy.

:cow:

I remember that story. Also I just saw a show on Bio Channel where they got touch DNA off of zip ties that was used to bound a mans feet and hands. It took 3 years because Hurricane Katrina happen and they were very busy in the lab.