Found Deceased WA - Cheryl DeBoer, 54, Mountlake Terrace, 8 February 2016 #6

[ANZAC]

This article explains the depth and breadth of information that police departments collect and access in real time.

"For years, dozens of departments used devices that can hoover up all cellphone data in an area without search warrants."​

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...2bccac-8e15-11e5-baf4-bdf37355da0c_story.html

Two years ago, this technology was used. We can assume it has been greatly improved in the last two years:

"The Stingray is a popular cell phone surveillance device manufactured by Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Fla. Cell phones seek the strongest cell tower signal, and a Stingray pretends to be a cell tower with a strong signal.​

The phones are tricked into passing data through government equipment before going to a legitimate cell phone tower - and the cell phone’s owner has no idea what happened."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...police-use-cell-surveillance-device/?page=all

While Stingray is really interesting (used more in drug cases I believe) it was not in use here, I'll tell you that much. There's been quite a flap about it in California. Actually I'm not aware of it in use anywhere in WA. The FBI flights however, that's real. (and also unrelated to this case). http://fusion.net/story/143739/how-you-can-track-the-fbis-spy-planes/

Most of these devices rely on being in place before something happens rather than forensically analyzing things after they happened.

 

[Stripehaven]

Which way does water flow in the culvert?

East to west under Cedar Way, then south under 244th (I believe it bends right about where the orange cone is in the pic above).

 

[DanceCard]

Anzac, I've found your posts extremely helpful, interesting and compassionate towards both families and the deceased. Thanks for taking the time to contribute here.

 

[otto]

While Stingray is really interesting (used more in drug cases I believe) it was not in use here, I'll tell you that much. There's been quite a flap about it in California. Actually I'm not aware of it in use anywhere in WA. The FBI flights however, that's real. (and also unrelated to this case). http://fusion.net/story/143739/how-you-can-track-the-fbis-spy-planes/

Most of these devices rely on being in place before something happens rather than forensically analyzing things after they happened.

Different police forces used different technologies to sweep cell phone information. That much we know. It doesn't really matter which product is used, with the point being that police have access to the data.

 

[ANZAC]

The water flows South.

So, unless I've got this backwards, it seems to discount the theory that the water moved the body any, if she was found on the east/north side of the culvert flow?

 

[Treelights]

Anzac, I've found your posts extremely helpful, interesting and compassionate towards both families and the deceased. Thanks for taking the time to contribute here.

I 100 percent agree!!!

Thank you ANZAC for your posts!

 

[otto]

So, unless I've got this backwards, it seems to discount the theory that the water moved the body any, if she was found on the east/north side of the culvert flow?

Her body was found on the North West side of the T intersection. If she went into the water on the East side, the current would have moved her body through the culvert where it was found 6 days later on the West side.

The location of the body is marked on this map

 

[Sutton]

It has nothing to do with smartphones. I can't share any further details of how the process works, it is confidential.



In a missing persons search, there can be two efforts. One is the exigent search without a warrant, only to be used in situations where there is no indication a crime might have been committed. I'm not going to post the info again, it is posted in this thread. If it looks like there may be a crime committed, the search may be delayed until there is a warrant. And different agencies will be involved in the forensics once the data is made available. Things have changed a lot in the last 3-4 years.



If there was information used in a warrant for the phone records, it therefore must have been obtained through an exigent forensic search without a warrant. As I've said, we clearly know when a phone has been shut down by a person vs lost signal or the battery removed.

Also, to be clear, I'm not the one doing this stuff, I'm an observer and customer of the process, and have handled the output of the process. And yes I am being deliberately oblique.

What details in the post you quoted there do you believe not to be true?

1. He or she is privy to top secret information detailing cell phone tracking or usage that cannot be revealed.

2. The information has previously been posted in the thread.

3. He or she can clearly tell when a cell phone has been turned off vs. battery removed vs. lost signal.

4. That one can be clear while being deliberately oblique.

 

[U2forever]

I'm glad u are here u2forever! Thanks for your contributions here....we need u!

Thank you Blondie in Spokane.
It's nice to feel needed. [emoji41]✌️

 

[Treelights]

" It could take investigators up to two or three months to compile all evidence, such as from cellphone records, to determine precisely what happened before DeBoer died, Wilson said.

“It’s difficult for all family and friends. They’re certainly struggling,” he said. “We’re not going to make any decisions, or close out this case, until we thoroughly and methodically do everything we can.” "

"Originally published March 25, 2016 at 7:04 pm Updated March 25, 2016 at 9:35 pm"

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...heryl-deboer-death-a-homicide/?utm_source=RSS

 

[ANZAC]

1. He or she is privy to top secret information detailing cell phone tracking or usage that cannot be revealed.

At my lowly volunteer level, it is considered "LE confidential", not top secret. LE confidential means that you shouldn't disclose it, but unless it interferes with an investigation, there's no legal recrimination. You'll be ostracized/credentials stripped etc.

2. The information has previously been posted in the thread.

It was. Or perhaps in the prior thread.

3. He or she can clearly tell when a cell phone has been turned off vs. battery removed vs. lost signal.

I can't personally tell, but we deal with this ALL the time. I know a couple of the people involved in the forensics in this case, so I trust what MLT PD is saying. (disclaimer: I've not asked them about this case!) If they tell us "the phone was turned off" I usually say "you sure it didn't just lose signal?" and vice versa, and they are always VERY certain about it. These people work on hundreds of these cases a year, across the country. Sometimes I handle maps and diagrams from them, but the information always stays in the LE domain.

The comment I made about smartphones -- they do make a BIG difference in E911 and being able to get Phase II locations (GPS assisted). Since CD didn't call 911, E911 is not in play here.

4. That one can be clear while being deliberately oblique.

I'm trying to be clear about the things I can say, while not saying the things I can't. Please don't press this line of questions on the cell phone stuff - I can't say anything about how it all works beyond the very highest level of the process of what LE asks for and what they get, and that there is a difference between "exigent" and "warrant" in who is allowed to handle what.

 

[ANZAC]

Her body was found on the North West side of the T intersection. If she went into the water on the East side, the current would have moved her body through the culvert where it was found 6 days later on the West side.

The location of the body is marked on this map

I wonder why they think she entered on the east side? Maybe she entered on the west side and moved through the culvert under the road to the east side, then died, and then the body moved back west?

Anyway, helpful info, thank you.

 

[anonymess]

After entering the cemetery, is there a path along Lyon Creek on the cemetery side of the road? If so, that would be a good option for walking to the culvert unseen. It would also give someone time to think things through.

I looked for trails in the area but was unable to find any trail maps along the creek.

Like many of us (unfortunately), I've experienced horrible depression episodes and I can see how walking through the cemetery would be appealing and even calming when there is a suicidal voice in your head. Anything death related feels like you are taking action against your suffering... Cemeteries are calm, peaceful, and represent the end of pain.

Warm hugs to anyone who has felt these thoughts; please take good care while reading this thread...

 

[Jen Darme]

There is a limited amount I can say about the latest cell phone forensic processes. Some of this stuff is very new - eg there was some LE training in late 2014, as a lot of jurisdictions in WA didn't know the newer processes. I know professional posters are supposed to avoid saying "trust me" but I've tried to share as much as I can. (edit) I should point out I know less about the "warrant" side of the process, my experience is with the "exigent" side.

There's nothing secret about the data. Forensics can't detect something that isn't there and by industry estimates it'll be 2021 before 95% of the cell phones in North America are capable of putting it there. The 3PGG, who define the standards, has the specs available on their website. Programmers discuss implementation (and buggy phones) on the net in plain sight.

 

[DatelineFan]

I am no expert but as they have the cuts that did not exist before that morning (to the family's knowledge), the razor with which the cuts were made, probable matching prints and perhaps trace evidence of Cheryl's blood on the blade/in the pocket. ME's will be able to match the orientation of the prints to how it was used. Eg: when I clean glass with a blade I hold it with two thumbs underneath and 4 fingers on top, but if I was cutting something, and if I didn't have a casing for the blade, then my fingers would be in a very different position. I guess it's even possible that microscopic variations in the blade can be detected in the cuts. I really don't think they would have announced "self-inflicted" with all the weight that carries if they were not sure.

I don't know that the evidence would be on the blade after nearly a week in the water.

 

[kammiemc]

I wonder why they think she entered on the east side? Maybe she entered on the west side and moved through the culvert under the road to the east side, then died, and then the body moved back west?

Anyway, helpful info, thank you.

So she WAS found on the NW side? There has been conflicting info about this all along. The crime scene tape was up on the EAST side. But flowers were placed on the NW side. The NW side would not at all be a private secluded place to end one's like or to hide a body. The EAST side makes way more sense to me.

I don't think a body could have been on the NW side for long without being spotted by someone driving down the road

 

[eucalyptuz]

I wonder why they think she entered on the east side? Maybe she entered on the west side and moved through the culvert under the road to the east side, then died, and then the body moved back west?

There is conflicting information on the culvert entry point:

From Stryker57 (verified insider) Thread #4, post #708

Her body was found on the west side of the culvert. It is presumed the entry point was on the east end up current (near the MLT sign). There was a lot of rain the week we were searching for her so the current was pretty swift.

From Police:

The culvert she was found in is large, Wilson said. Investigators who are 6 feet tall or taller were able to walk and stand inside. A creek runs through the culvert. It is about 2 to 3 feet deep. From the east, the culvert is blocked by blackberry bushes and other shrubs that were not disturbed, but from the west, where most of the traffic would be in that area, the opening is clear.

“There is no physical evidence that she was forced into the culvert. You would expect to find disheveled clothing or scrapes, but there was nothing like that,” Wilson said.

Source: http://mltnews.com/mlt-police-chief-shares-some-details-of-cheryl-deboer-investigation/

If this is ruled as a suicide and Cheryl entered the culvert by herself she either walked into the western end and perhaps continued to the eastern end on foot (Maybe a possession/evidence of presence was found at this point?)
OR
she climbed through shrubs and brambles on the eastern side (as yet there is no evidence to suggest this as there are no tears or scratches reported although someone upthread suggested an easy climb-over could be made possible with cardboard).

 

[eucalyptuz]

I don't know that the evidence would be on the blade after nearly a week in the water.

There are studies on the internet looking at how long fingerprints survive on metal surfaces such as guns...it seems many weeks are possible and in this case if the blade was in a pocket it may be better preserved than if it was in the current.

...I will return with a link...
ETA:
http://www.evidencemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=658

a sebaceous latent print may be recoverable from a submerged firearm up to 70 days after its deposition.

 

[bradfordsleuth]

JMO but the only way I can accept the suicide theory is if forensics found something on her computer(s) that directly pointed to her researching 'how to' die in the manner in which they found her.

I think that LE is holding back big-time if this is their final determination. IMO

 

[Sun009]

Forgive me if this has been discussed already (first time posting, but I have been reading)

Have they been able to determine a general time of death?

And I don't know if someone is able to answer this, but if she had walked, jogged, or ran for 1.5 miles to the culvert, she would have given herself a form of exercise, naturally increasing her own heartrate. So my question is, would that make suffocating yourself that much MORE difficult to fight your own adrenaline, or easier NOT to fight your own adrenaline? Or would she have to wait in there or around there, until she was calm?

If she had a plan or no plan until that morning, she would have needed to believe in her confidence that she was going to be able to NOT fight herself from removing the bag & without taking any medications. It doesn't seem like a foolproof method. If she ran there, the bag could have easily blown away in the wind, before she noticed, then what?

The only obvious thing about this tradegy is there was a plan, and its not as immediately obvious as to whose it was and why? Its heartbreaking.