OkieGranny
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WI - Luann Beckman, 47, found murdered, Phelps, 15 May 2016
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JSolt1210
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Just saw it too. What a heartbreaking story! And also kudos to Zach for being so composed and articulate when speaking about such a horrible tragedy. I can't even begin to imagine what he must be feeling.
John brought up a good point on his show. If her top was off, but there was no evidence of a sexual assault, could the top have been used to smother her, in addition to the manual strangulation? Was the top ever found?
Zach clarified one point, namely that he doesn't believe his mother's papers are directly related to the case. At the time, Luann was applying to different jobs, so the papers may have been related to that (e.g., resumes, cover letters, references, etc.) or even bills.
However, I think some of the people Zach mentioned are definitely causes for suspicion.
One man, now deceased, had apparently followed Luann at some point to Florida where she lived for several years. He was back in Phelps, WI living with, and possibly in a relationship with, Luann's mother (Zach's grandmother). Luann was also living with her mother at the time, and disappeared about 1/3 of a mile away from that house.
Another man (also deceased?) had allegedly threatened to kill Luann if he ever saw her in town again.
The show also played a recording of Luann's last call to her son at 8:42 p.m. on the very night she was murdered. I can't tell for sure, but to me it sounds like she may have been drinking by that point. Alcohol bottles were found nearby at the crime scene.
I wonder if Luann's killer was interested in her, but she rejected him. There doesn't need to be sexual assault for a crime to be sexually motivated. The murder itself could be the "punishment" for the rejection (i.e. "if he can't have her, no one can"). Her top could've been used in the murder, or could've been taken off just to humiliate her.
John brought up a good point on his show. If her top was off, but there was no evidence of a sexual assault, could the top have been used to smother her, in addition to the manual strangulation? Was the top ever found?
Zach clarified one point, namely that he doesn't believe his mother's papers are directly related to the case. At the time, Luann was applying to different jobs, so the papers may have been related to that (e.g., resumes, cover letters, references, etc.) or even bills.
However, I think some of the people Zach mentioned are definitely causes for suspicion.
One man, now deceased, had apparently followed Luann at some point to Florida where she lived for several years. He was back in Phelps, WI living with, and possibly in a relationship with, Luann's mother (Zach's grandmother). Luann was also living with her mother at the time, and disappeared about 1/3 of a mile away from that house.
Another man (also deceased?) had allegedly threatened to kill Luann if he ever saw her in town again.
The show also played a recording of Luann's last call to her son at 8:42 p.m. on the very night she was murdered. I can't tell for sure, but to me it sounds like she may have been drinking by that point. Alcohol bottles were found nearby at the crime scene.
I wonder if Luann's killer was interested in her, but she rejected him. There doesn't need to be sexual assault for a crime to be sexually motivated. The murder itself could be the "punishment" for the rejection (i.e. "if he can't have her, no one can"). Her top could've been used in the murder, or could've been taken off just to humiliate her.
A few notes from the 2022 interview Luann’s adult son, Zach, did with John Lordan on YouTube:
- Previously, Luann lived in Neenah, WI and worked at Kimberly Clark in a science-related position until she moved following her divorce in 2006
- She lived in Phelps both before and after her years living in Florida, so she wasn’t entirely new to the area when she moved back
- CCAP shows she began using a Phelps, WI address in 2009 (possibly moved in with her mother following the divorce?)
- While living in Florida she was in a relationship experiencing domestic violence in 2012 and 2013, and at some point became homeless for a year or two and had a government-provided cell phone
- Luann’s family convinced her to move from Florida back up to Wisconsin in 2016 and live with her mother in Phelps while she found a job and got back on her feet
- There was a “friend” of Luann’s mother’s that was also living with them, but Luann’s mother has denied being in a romantic relationship with him. It’s unclear whether he was living with them both before and after Luann’s time in Florida.
- Zach says that particular “friend” moved down to Florida with Luann, but it’s not clear whether they lived together there or what their relationship was
- She did not have a drivers license at the time and biking was her primary transportation when she returned to Phelps
- He bike was found with her on the trail along with her backpack, papers her name on them (perhaps job applications? Resumes? Bills?) and bottles of alcohol
- Luann’s contact with her son Zach was intermittent, they talked over the phone every few months and hadn’t seen each other in person in years
- Luann also has two other children, it’s not mentioned how regularly she communicated with them
- Luann returned a phone call to Zach and left a voicemail at at 8:42 pm the evening she was murdered, Sunday May 15 2016. She did not say anything alarming and was responding to a voicemail Zach had left her. At times it is difficult to understand what she’s saying in the message.
- Luann tried to call 911 at around 1:00 am, but LE did not come to her location to investigate. Zach didn’t know if she actually spoke to anyone on the 911 call or if she hung up.
- LE believes the the murder likely occurred at around 2:00 am Monday, May 16th
- Previously, Luann lived in Neenah, WI and worked at Kimberly Clark in a science-related position until she moved following her divorce in 2006
- She lived in Phelps both before and after her years living in Florida, so she wasn’t entirely new to the area when she moved back
- CCAP shows she began using a Phelps, WI address in 2009 (possibly moved in with her mother following the divorce?)
- While living in Florida she was in a relationship experiencing domestic violence in 2012 and 2013, and at some point became homeless for a year or two and had a government-provided cell phone
- Luann’s family convinced her to move from Florida back up to Wisconsin in 2016 and live with her mother in Phelps while she found a job and got back on her feet
- There was a “friend” of Luann’s mother’s that was also living with them, but Luann’s mother has denied being in a romantic relationship with him. It’s unclear whether he was living with them both before and after Luann’s time in Florida.
- Zach says that particular “friend” moved down to Florida with Luann, but it’s not clear whether they lived together there or what their relationship was
- She did not have a drivers license at the time and biking was her primary transportation when she returned to Phelps
- He bike was found with her on the trail along with her backpack, papers her name on them (perhaps job applications? Resumes? Bills?) and bottles of alcohol
- Luann’s contact with her son Zach was intermittent, they talked over the phone every few months and hadn’t seen each other in person in years
- Luann also has two other children, it’s not mentioned how regularly she communicated with them
- Luann returned a phone call to Zach and left a voicemail at at 8:42 pm the evening she was murdered, Sunday May 15 2016. She did not say anything alarming and was responding to a voicemail Zach had left her. At times it is difficult to understand what she’s saying in the message.
- Luann tried to call 911 at around 1:00 am, but LE did not come to her location to investigate. Zach didn’t know if she actually spoke to anyone on the 911 call or if she hung up.
- LE believes the the murder likely occurred at around 2:00 am Monday, May 16th
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