TX - Jonathan Foster, 12, Houston, 24 Dec 2010 - #10

[debirlfan]

something I'd like thoughts on....
MN has been described as a cold heartless person with the eyes of a serial killer etc.
Where does the missing stuffed animal fit into all this? Would a cold heartless murderer allow their victim the comfort of their favorite stuffed animal? Why comfort the victim if your plan is to put them thru the most vile thing you can think of?
I honestly am only asking because the missing stuffed animal just seems so strange. It makes me think Jonathan was alive when he left that house.

A lot of serial killers keep "tokens" of their crimes. Don't know if that's the case here, but if it is, I wonder if police found other tokens?

 

[rotterdam]

What if she blamed Jonathan (or his parents) as to why she was let go in the first place, and that was motive? Maybe there had been some sort of row/bad repair/complaint between her and the family, she was fired, and then she came back to exact revenge.

And perhaps MN was upset with the owners of the building, and as a way to ruin them (e.g. post murder, the tenants leave, can't re-rent the building because of the repuation), and decided that Jonathan was just a means to an end, rather than JF having anything directly to do with it.

Since motive does not have to be proved, I guess I'm just left wondering about why Jonathan, and not someone else.

This whole thing sickens me.

Best-
Herding Cats

I think, it could have been easily some other victim. Jonathan provided the opportunity, like LE stated. This is a predator and we are lucky ,"it" was caught.

 

[tehcloser]

A lot of serial killers keep "tokens" of their crimes. Don't know if that's the case here, but if it is, I wonder if police found other tokens?

That was my first thought. I'm sure LE has something besides the "look in her eyes" that leads them to believe that she has killed before.

 

[Patty G]

I agree with you, and this makes me so sad. People who live in neighborhoods like JF's are afraid of the police, as are people who've had drug problems. There are a lot of historical and understandable reasons for this. Yet these people and their children are more vulnerable to crime in general.

I am so glad you mentioned about the neighborhood and people being afraid of the police. The standard "at times" is no one tells the police anything, and when the police suspects someone and brings them in for questioning, they either deny it, or when there is proof of them committing the crime, they stop and ask for an attorney.

Although Mona apparently denied it at first, she then confessed to her part of the crime and implicated someone else. I wonder why Mona didn't just ask for an attorney after LE "perhaps" showing her the video?

 

[jjenny]

I am so glad you mentioned about the neighborhood and people being afraid of the police. The standard "at times" is no one tells the police anything, and when the police suspects someone and brings them in for questioning, they either deny it, or when there is proof of them committing the crime, they stop and ask for an attorney.

Although Mona apparently denied it at first, she then confessed to her part of the crime and implicated someone else. I wonder why Mona didn't just ask for an attorney after LE "perhaps" showing her the video?

Since Mona went on to talk to a reporter and an activist it sure doesn't sound like she wants to stop talking. Maybe she thinks if she tells a good story she will get off.

 

[lynnb]

There is never a 100 % certainly of anything when it comes to jury trials. But the investigation isn't wrapped up, I am sure all the forensic tests are being done. No doubt they will test her apartment, her car, etc.

I guess one of the things bothering me is LE gives the impression that they've wrapped this up, she's a serial killer cuz she has cold eyes, and we need to look for other victims. All before the evidence of this crime has even been processed.

 

[debirlfan]

I agree with you 100% that MN is guilty of disposing the body. No arguing with video. But I think what they are saying is that until the other evidence is analyzed, we can't be 100% sure that MN is the one who burned the body. Yes, she was a welder and she had welding equipment in her apartment. But what happens if testing shows that wasn't the welding equipment used?

Having worked around welding and cutting equipment (and even done a tiny bit of it myself), I suspect that it will be fairly obvious that it (rather than, for example, gasoline) was used.

 

[Patty G]

It was difficult for me to hear the questions from the reporters and I am wondering if any one heard any questions regarding the phone records?

The Detective answered a question that appeared to me to be in response to phone records "we are still working on getting them or something to that like that" (paraphrasing).

Bumping me up! Thank you!

 

[Kimmer]

Since my post started this, let me weigh in here. To start with, I simply responded that there were 2 statements that I thought were odd. The one Mona made about him having no shirt on and the one the SD made about a pedophile snatching him. Now JMO, but I can't think of any other case where a family was so quick to say that, sure it would be in their mind, but to voice it would tear them apart. Now having said that......that does not mean at all that I am accusing anyone, only that I thought it odd. Maybe everyone needs to stop and realize that a comment can be made about something without it being an attack on the family and chill out. And if there are posts that peeps don't want to discuss, they can skip over them.

ETA: Actually my original thought was I wondered if SD had picked up on something from (vibe) from Mona and was already suspecting her when he said that.

Well let me throw another comment that I thing was very odd that was made very early I think during the same interview about the pedophile....When the SD was sitting next to Mom and he said something about this is going to be "BAD" how when your step-son has just went missing are you going to assume something like that? I understand that when any child goes missing it is bad, but it was the way he said it like he already knew something really "BAD" has happened.....I don't know it just didn't set well with me.

 

[tehcloser]

I am so glad you mentioned about the neighborhood and people being afraid of the police. The standard "at times" is no one tells the police anything, and when the police suspects someone and brings them in for questioning, they either deny it, or when there is proof of them committing the crime, they stop and ask for an attorney.

Although Mona apparently denied it at first, she then confessed to her part of the crime and implicated someone else. I wonder why Mona didn't just ask for an attorney after LE "perhaps" showing her the video?

ITA Patty, it's like she just said OK...I'm done. She didn't ask for an attorney, actually do we know if she has one yet? She left all kinds of incriminating evidence in her apartment. She just let them do what they wanted to....I don't understand that. Most killers at least TRY to get away with it. She could have even took off, but nothing. Strangeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Now this makes me wonder if she would have spoken to the 'Q' activist if she already had an attorney. Why is she not asking for an attorney?

 

[georgiajean]

I agree with you 100% that MN is guilty of disposing the body. No arguing with video. But I think what they are saying is that until the other evidence is analyzed, we can't be 100% sure that MN is the one who burned the body. Yes, she was a welder and she had welding equipment in her apartment. But what happens if testing shows that wasn't the welding equipment used?

I agree. If the DNA in the carpet in her home matches JF, that will indicate he was burned there. Defense lawyers would say we still don't know who actually did the burning, or who actually killed the boy, to raise reasonable doubt. Augh. I sure hope LE has lots of evidence and connections that we know nothing about, that a jury would hear.

 

[jjenny]

Now this makes me wonder if she would have spoken to the 'Q' activist if she already had an attorney. Why is she not asking for an attorney?

She ain't the first one (and I am sure not the last) to be talking to reporters while suspected of a serious crime.

 

[lynnb]

She ain't the first one (and I am sure not the last) to be talking to reporters while suspected of a serious crime.

I wonder why the reporter didn't have the interview on camera? or even tape recorded?

 

[jjenny]

I wonder why the reporter didn't have the interview on camera? or even tape recorded?

Maybe the jail wouldn't allow taping?

 

[georgiajean]

Well let me throw another comment that I thing was very odd that was made very early I think during the same interview about the pedophile....When the SD was sitting next to Mom and he said something about this is going to be "BAD" how when your step-son has just went missing are you going to assume something like that? I understand that when any child goes missing it is bad, but it was the way he said it like he already knew something really "BAD" has happened.....I don't know it just didn't set well with me.

Having spent time in working with kids in neighborhoods like this one, and observing people with similar backgrounds as SD (I swear I know him, but I live in California. I just know people like him), I can understand why he said that it was going to be bad. Jumping to worst case scenarios, jumping to conclusions, maximizing/minimizing events....these are characteristics of certain people. I don't want to say more, because we aren't sleuthing the family, or bringing up their pasts. But I recognize it, and it just helped me understand what SD's background might be.

 

[MBLover]

Maybe this has been brought up before...sorry if I've missed it...these threads have gone soooo fast.

Maybe MN had "fresh" burn marks on her fingers/hands/arms or legs? And that's another link to the evidence?

 

[georgiajean]

Scott Peterson is on death row. I think there was a hair found in the pliers and that's about it when it comes to the physical evidence. Listening to some of you I can't help but wonder how is that anyone gets convicted of anything?

Thanks! I couldn't help but laugh, despite the horror of this all.
I remember being amazed that SP was convicted. Okay, I'll wait and see.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Well let me throw another comment that I thing was very odd that was made very early I think during the same interview about the pedophile....When the SD was sitting next to Mom and he said something about this is going to be "BAD" how when your step-son has just went missing are you going to assume something like that? I understand that when any child goes missing it is bad, but it was the way he said it like he already knew something really "BAD" has happened.....I don't know it just didn't set well with me.

If my 12-year old has been missing for 3 days I would definetly be thinking something very bad has happened.

But, the SD's demeanor and statements have rubbed a lot of people here the wrong way.

He reminds me very much of my BIL, very excitable, boisterous, says whatever crosses his mind whenever it comes to him, easily agitated, highstrung. He can be provoked easily into arguments and fights, but he's not heartless or soulless, which someone who uses a welding torch on another person would have to be. And of course I don't know what DD is really like, but I'm just going by his interviews. So, MOO!

 

[Kimmer]

ITA Patty, it's like she just said OK...I'm done. She didn't ask for an attorney, actually do we know if she has one yet? She left all kinds of incriminating evidence in her apartment. She just let them do what they wanted to....I don't understand that. Most killers at least TRY to get away with it. She could have even took off, but nothing. Strangeeeeeeeeeeeee

I have also stated from the beginning of this that I feel she was the person who called in the tip of the body in the ditch, I think she told the dispatcher she was a passerby but I think she was sitting in the very room that she had killed Johnathan in..I think she wanted her handiwork found and the fact that the search teams on Monday had not found him and that no one else had in 3 days probably baffled her...As far as an Attorney, I can only hope that the Defence Attorneys in Houston are as mortified with this crime as we on this board are...I know she deserves a Defence but let her get a good old Court Appointed Attorney and let that poor person who will obviously been the one who drew the short straw try and put a defence against all of the overwhelming evidence that obviously LE has.