TX TX - Rachel Cooke, 20, Georgetown, 10 Jan 2002

[Cubby]

Someone on Reddit said it came from a tip.

Thanks, here is msm that confirms that statement about the cars location coming from a tip.

http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/car-found-possibly-in-connection-to-rachel-cooke-cold-case

 

[vlpate]

Amazing that this car was found! Makes one wonder if LE had ever done a search through licensing records since Rachel disappeared? Of course, I imagine there are few cars of this model and year still on the road.

I can’t imagine that any evidence will be found after all these years. Just think how many times the proud owner(s) of this car has washed and cleaned this car?

Bet there is at least one person shaking in his boots since the announcement of finding this car!!

I pray that in some crevice there will be evidence to solve this mystery.

I think where the stripes are on the car, if custom, might be a big clue.

 

[RatAttack1538]

What happened to this lady?

 

[JnRyan]

It is very good to see this case get some traction. Who knows, someone else may have seen something that day but didn't think anything of it at the time and this causes them to call in another tip. OR one of the POI said something to someone and this news gives that person more confidence to call in a tip. With multiple POI's, it increases the chance that one of them spoke to someone else.

 

[guruagain]

Thanks, here is msm that confirms that statement about the cars location coming from a tip.

http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/car-found-possibly-in-connection-to-rachel-cooke-cold-case

From what you can see of the car in the photo / youtube linked above it looks like it is stripped down to a shell only.

 

[crhedBngr]

Wow! Glad to see movement on this case.

 

[margarita25]

What happened to this lady?

Welcome RatAttack1538

:welcome2:

 

[margarita25]

Cooke's mother Janet hosted memorial runs and ceremonies at Cooke’s old high-school to encourage others to keep hope. "I want to do a happy dance you know but I don't want to mess things up I'm scared of it,” Cooke said. “You know I've been on a roller coaster and I've had to kind of learn how to keep things in perspective."

"Sheriff Chody said if the car’s evidence doesn’t pan out the department in investigating a number of other leads.* “Those responsible for the disappearance of Rachel Cooke need to take note we will continue to work hard on this case and our goal is to bring Rachel home,” said Sheriff Chody."

http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/car-found-possibly-in-connection-to-rachel-cooke-cold-case

 

[Meraxes]

This is one of my pet cases - Rachel's disappearance has always stuck with me, so I am glad to see a break! Hoping for closure for the family.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

So very glad to see there has been a break in Rachel’s case. When I joined WS several years ago I had not heard of her disappearance. A fellow Websleuther had Rachel’s photo featured on her signature line and I had to read up on her case. Her beautiful face haunted me - and reading of her parent’s continual effort to find their daughter touched my heart. Hopefully her mom will now get long awaited answers and be able to bury her beloved daughter.

 

[Ibiz]

We I do hope this car provides some kind of leads as to what happened to this young woman. To many of these cases just drag on for to many years without any kind of resolution or resolve.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Do we know who this car was associated with? I do wonder where the tip came from

 

[Kip]

Rachel's birthday is in a couple of weeks. What a great present it would be to finally have a solid lead.

 

[crhedBngr]

Rachel's birthday is in a couple of weeks. What a great present it would be to finally have a solid lead.

Thinking of you, Rachel.

 

[marsyao]

could any forensic evidence remain in the car for 16 long years ?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

could any forensic evidence remain in the car for 16 long years ?

There is always that possibility. In several cases even older than Rachel's the police did find forensic evidence later on that helped them solve the case.

If forensic evidence was left in the car then I believe it would still be viable where DNA or trace evidence could be obtained. I know in other cases years later they found traces of blood spatter on something or fibers/hairs and they were able to obtain a DNA profile from that evidence or other evidence that helped them.

Also if the car had not been completely cleaned of all fingerprints inside and out they will still be able to lift fingerprints on the vehicle or other things that may be in the car. It is very hard to completely 100% remove all evidence even if the car was cleaned at some point.

I am hopeful this is the break LE and Rachel's family needs. Even if it does not yield the evidence showing who exactly murdered her, I do think it will give them enough to point them in the right direction.

JMO

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Has it been said if they had cameras around where the car was found? Cameras have been put up in areas like this for many years now. TIA

Hopefully whoever put it there came back several times over the years to check on it.

Whoever put it there knew it couldn't be seen out on the street again so they did the next best thing by totally hiding it then taking it apart piece by piece. IMO

 

[Cubby]

Was hoping to find some more news on the most recent tip but am not seeing anything out there.

Thinking about it, it was kind of stupid for the possible perp/s to keep the car. Especially if it links them to the crime this many years later. Clearly someone lived that car enough to risk it giving up evidence years and years later.

 

[Philigumbo]

One of the articles stated it was just the body shell but LE were hoping forensics in the trunk would still be viable as it is the hardest area to fully clean and is more protected from the elements. Link is above but I don’t have time to find it right now.

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Bumping. Any developments here?