Deceased/Not Found VA - Melissa Brannen, 5, Lorton, 3 Dec 1989 *C. Hughes guilty*

[fallencookies]

""Also here it reads that this girl was indeed adopted http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...663&topic=8442""
Yes as far as I understand her friends father took her in I beleive not untill a few yrs ago though.

Christine2448 I understand you know of somewhere in Texas that does DNA testing or something?

""According to Alexis, the agents gave her a contact card and left, but she never called them..." If the FBI took the time to pay a visit to this person and if they felt there was a compelling reason to think she was Melissa, do you think they would have just walked away from it?""

I beleive at this time she did not know. I myself have a hard time understanding how she would not remember anything that happened to her years prior. I thought about this alot and what comes to my head is that when something so bad has happened in your life the light just turns off ,know what I mean?

""I have spoken with investigators in Melissa's disappearance and they are firm in their conclusions that Melissa is deceased. A MITOCHONDRIAL DNA TEST will provide the answer - that can be obtained for as little as $300.00.""
Dearmot would you be willing to come to the facebook group and saying this ,maybe you can enlighten everyone there with the information that you have.

Melissa's 1/2 sisters have been found and it is amazing how much they all look alike.

If there is no body of Melissa found how can ANYONE say she is deseased ?

Myself as a parent I would do ANYTHING to find my daughter even 50 yrs later . But I am sure Tammy has gone through this time and time again and I understand why she is not cooperating. I pray that she will soon ,or when Melissa's father or sisters get contacted that they will be willing to help.

 

[JaneInOz]

""Also here it reads that this girl was indeed adopted http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...663&topic=8442""
Yes as far as I understand her friends father took her in I beleive not untill a few yrs ago though.

Christine2448 I understand you know of somewhere in Texas that does DNA testing or something?

""According to Alexis, the agents gave her a contact card and left, but she never called them..." If the FBI took the time to pay a visit to this person and if they felt there was a compelling reason to think she was Melissa, do you think they would have just walked away from it?""

I beleive at this time she did not know. I myself have a hard time understanding how she would not remember anything that happened to her years prior. I thought about this alot and what comes to my head is that when something so bad has happened in your life the light just turns off ,know what I mean?

""I have spoken with investigators in Melissa's disappearance and they are firm in their conclusions that Melissa is deceased. A MITOCHONDRIAL DNA TEST will provide the answer - that can be obtained for as little as $300.00.""
Dearmot would you be willing to come to the facebook group and saying this ,maybe you can enlighten everyone there with the information that you have.

Melissa's 1/2 sisters have been found and it is amazing how much they all look alike.

If there is no body of Melissa found how can ANYONE say she is deseased ?

Myself as a parent I would do ANYTHING to find my daughter even 50 yrs later . But I am sure Tammy has gone through this time and time again and I understand why she is not cooperating. I pray that she will soon ,or when Melissa's father or sisters get contacted that they will be willing to help.

Bold is mine

Actually this is a common phenomenon of Adoptees - and I know that for a fact

Apparently its a common thing to announce people dead when there is no body! - And convict / charge people of murder with no body ! (like with Casey Anthony before Caylee was found she was charged with murder in the 1st degree)


Believe I respectfully say to you that I am in a position to understand identity issues and LOSS issues.

And whilst the Mother is entitled to do and feel the way she wants, no I do not understand it, because if there was a change that my daughter was alive and I didn't have to keep paying out and didn't have to deal with the possible scammers and it was all handled by LE then I wouldn't object.

Its not like its happening weekly or yearly even that someone is turning up.

Anyway that is just my opinion

 

[believe09]

If there is no body of Melissa found how can ANYONE say she is deseased ?

Myself as a parent I would do ANYTHING to find my daughter even 50 yrs later . But I am sure Tammy has gone through this time and time again and I understand why she is not cooperating. I pray that she will soon ,or when Melissa's father or sisters get contacted that they will be willing to help.

Hi, FC-at WS, we do not deal with families unless they contact us first. It is way too cruel to raise hopes that way. We deal LE to LE and then let them do their job if they think there is something compelling about a match.

Christine will permit me to say that the DNA contacts at the University of Texas are for law enforcement, not the general public. The Department of Justice has an initiative to obtain DNA profiles of missing persons to warehouse in databases so that the profiles can be compared to unidentified persons. I know that a kit could be obtained to swab Melissa's relatives if needed. I am sure that the FBI has a DNA profile for Melissa since they ruled out evidence from Caleb's car as belonging to her....but if they needed to obtain DNA again to place into CODIS or the other databases, the kit could easily be obtained and processed.

Am I crazy here or am I the only one who thinks that the candidate has a birth certificate from the state of ME showing her bio mother, and that her bio mother was the person she lived with? As reported on the facebook, the birth certificate had a birth mother listed, correct?

 

[believe09]

Bold is mine

Actually this is a common phenomenon of Adoptees - and I know that for a fact

Apparently its a common thing to announce people dead when there is no body! - And convict / charge people of murder with no body ! (like with Casey Anthony before Caylee was found she was charged with murder in the 1st degree)


Believe I respectfully say to you that I am in a position to understand identity issues and LOSS issues.

And whilst the Mother is entitled to do and feel the way she wants, no I do not understand it, because if there was a change that my daughter was alive and I didn't have to keep paying out and didn't have to deal with the possible scammers and it was all handled by LE then I wouldn't object.

Its not like its happening weekly or yearly even that someone is turning up.

Anyway that is just my opinion

You are entitled my friend, as am I :blowkiss:. But I do not believe that there is proof that no DNA profile exists for Melissa to begin with, and I do not think that she should jump through hoops for a candidate that does not even meet whatever yardstick the FBI is using. I mean it clearly states that LE after LE do not believe that this woman is Melissa.

I will head back into lurkdom on this case and wish everyone luck in their search!!

 

[fallencookies]

I myself can't answer these questions. These are perfect questions to ask in the facebook group itself .Tiffany IS a member of the group but is new to the computer but she does talk to Melissa's cousins so they may be able to get these questions answered for you.

 

[dearmont]

Am I crazy here or am I the only one who thinks that the candidate has a birth certificate from the state of ME showing her bio mother, and that her bio mother was the person she lived with? As reported on the facebook, the birth certificate had a birth mother listed, correct?

"Tiffany Merrill born 3/25/86 to a Bonnie Merrill "

This would make Tiffany about 3 yrs younger than Melissa when she went missing.

 

[JaneInOz]

You are entitled my friend, as am I :blowkiss:. But I do not believe that there is proof that no DNA profile exists for Melissa to begin with, and I do not think that she should jump through hoops for a candidate that does not even meet whatever yardstick the FBI is using. I mean it clearly states that LE after LE do not believe that this woman is Melissa.

I will head back into lurkdom on this case and wish everyone luck in their search!!

:blush: Bold is mine OH I missed that bit !!!

 

[JaneInOz]

I myself can't answer these questions. These are perfect questions to ask in the facebook group itself .Tiffany IS a member of the group but is new to the computer but she does talk to Melissa's cousins so they may be able to get these questions answered for you.

How do I get to see larger pictures Of Tiffany

 

[JaneInOz]

Ok well Ive had a VERY good look and done my own side by sides

for me the following is so close

The Eyes they droop on Melissa and Alexis
The Eybrows are practically identical
The chind is the same
The nose is almost the same, but you'd need a face straight on like Melissas

And you all saw that there was a PHOTO with the Man that is in prison for abducting Melissa found in the Mothers (adoptive mothers) of Alexis's house ?

So what if this man knew Alexis mother and abducted a little girl for her ? because this woman wanted a child ?



PS now i am confused ! I had tiffany to start with then re read and thought hmm its alexis

So the girl that thinks she may be melissa is her name tiffany or Alexis ?


PPS never mind I found out Alexis was a pseudonym !

 

[fallencookies]

I look at the nose to BUT you have to remember that the pic of Melissa was a young pic.
I look at my younger days pictures and my nose is differant too,changed as I grew.

 

[dearmont]

And you all saw that there was a PHOTO with the Man that is in prison for abducting Melissa found in the Mothers (adoptive mothers) of Alexis's house ?

I have a photo of Caleb Hughes too - but for a very different reason!

 

[MissieMt]

I am so confused after reading everything today. Why not test bio mom and supposed bio daughter? 1st step...if she is NOT bio daughter...what if she is??? Has that first step been taken? If this child is bio child, case closed. This, IMO, needs to be determined first. If she is not 'moms' child, then we have something to sleuth. JMO, FWIW.

(My bold) This seems like the most logical step, imo.
I would love to hear more about this but I find a few things peculiar. Especially the NCMEC's lack of response. From my personal experience: I have never had them say they would call me back and then never do it. Also, the clover tattoo type thing that disappeared when Tiffany hit puberty. I wonder if there is anyone here with enough knowledge to say what could cause this.
I could go on, but I don't want to put anyone on the defensive. I'm just really confused by all of it. It seems there are people who are 100% convinced she is dead, and others who are 100% convinced that she isn't, and hughes had nothing to do with her disappearance.

 

[fallencookies]

I do have to say something about the clover birth mark.
My daughter HAD a birthmark on her and when she hit 13 yrs old it was gone ,no sign of it.
I have no idea what causes you to lose it but some birth malrs just disapate.

Capillary hemangioma - Also known as Strawberry Hemangiomas since they have a red strawberry-like look. They are benign and composed of capillaries, and appear early in life (usually the first few weeks). They enlarge during the first year of life (thus causing worry) but stop enlarging by the end of the first year and start involuting. Each year they involute more and more such that by the age of 9 years 90% of them have disappeared.

 

[JaneInOz]

As I said One scenario could easly be that Hughes abducted her for this woman who then adopted her
BUT
Then why didn't Hughes who is IN JAIL for years upon years pipe up and say
Go and test the kid - I abducted her for that woman

she is alive

Etc etc

 

[christine2448]

Christine2448 I understand you know of somewhere in Texas that does DNA testing or something?

As I mentioned yesterday...IMO, there is STEP ONE that needs to be taken. Mom and Dad alive and available for Alexis, IIRC, why bother Melissa's family before NUMBER ONE determining if you are or are not kindapped. DNA should be done FIRST for the 3 of them. I am sure this can be arranged by their local LE, and, yes, it can be done for free through a program at Univ of TX.

If Alexis is NOT biochild then you can get an open case to be worked on her behalf. Until that can be established I think it is unfair to ask the family to do/submit to anything. JMO, FWIW.

It breaks my heart that Alexis is hurting and believes she may not be with her real family...it also breaks my heart her life story. Why not start a thread to help her...if the road leads back here.....again, JMHO.

 

[christine2448]

As I said One scenario could easly be that Hughes abducted her for this woman who then adopted her
BUT
Then why didn't Hughes who is IN JAIL for years upon years pipe up and say
Go and test the kid - I abducted her for that woman

she is alive

Etc etc

OT
I wonder what Hughes would say. Interesting case recently, Monica from Cue got a guy to map out remains of someone they had been searching for...
Death row inmate aids in the search for his victim's remains

 

[believe09]

OT
I wonder what Hughes would say. Interesting case recently, Monica from Cue got a guy to map out remains of someone they had been searching for...
Death row inmate aids in the search for his victim's remains

Somethin tells me Mr. Hughes won't do that for the Brannen family-there is no statute limitation for murder, so if he pointed out her remains, he would be much further away from his eligible parole date....

 

[believe09]

http://media.www.ramcigar.com/media...vidence.Crucial.To.Investigations-68343.shtml

There was at least one hair found. Included in the article is the agent's comments around the type of DNA that can be obtained from hair. It seems even more likely to me that there is DNA on file for Melissa...MtDna at least.

JMO.

 

[sagequinn]

Hello, I'm new on here, but I'm an "officer" on the Facebook group. Tiffany's foster father just posted this on our site.

http://s669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/sparbour/?action=view&current=ANI-set1.gif

 

[CHICANA]

Hello, I'm new on here, but I'm an "officer" on the Facebook group. Tiffany's foster father just posted this on our site.

http://s669.photobucket.com/albums/vv57/sparbour/?action=view&current=ANI-set1.gif

Wow, that's amazing.