Working Theories Thread

[twzzlrgirl]

I'm no expert in child development, just have experience from attending many such events with my nephews.

The project looked very, very good, almost professional. Kyron would certainly not be the first kid whose project was essentially done by adults (usually parents).

He may well have found all the information in his exhibit and had an adult (parent) format it on the computer, print it out, cut it out, frame it and paste it up for him. In other words, Kyron did the research, the adult did the actual formatting, printing and pasting, possibly in consultation with Kyron as to the layout ("what do you think, should we put this chart over here?").

This would have been acceptable at my nephews' school in the lower grades. In the higher grades, the students are expected to do it all themselves... but they also have much higher skill levels than the average 7 year old.

I agree completely. I guess it just surprised me in comparison with the other projects around him. The others look like they were done by 7 year olds...which seemed more appropriate to me. This could be taken two ways: either the parents are so concerned with image that they "helped him;" or, that they are very involved and "helped him." Not sure which way it goes on this one.

 

[natsound]

I posted a bit of this in the stepmom thread in agreement to how easy I felt it would be for SM or somebody else very, very close to Kyron to tell him to go on out to the truck and wait for her or them ther, she would be right along. Part of it depends upon whether or not Kyron had already presented his project to the judges, which is how it worked at every science fair I ever entered or observed; at some point, each kid gives an oral presentation of his project, answers a few questions and is judged. Had that occurred yet with Kyron? If not, a possible scenario could go like this:

SM or other person has already decided to get rid of Kyron and picked today for the day. But for this to work, Kyron would have to arrive at the school, be seen, be convinced to leave willingly on a day that he has great reasons to be there and be participating, i.e., the science fair and later talent show, and get out of the school undetected and without being seen again in the presence of SM or other perpetrator. That's a tall list, but not unachievable given the general chaotic atmosphere with parents and children arriving and leaving all morning.

So what if she or whomever says to Kyron that morning, "You know, that's a good tree frog project. But what would make it a great project is a real tree frog. How about we get one tomorrow after the pet shop opens at nine? We'll get to school early to set up, then slip out for the frog and surprise everybody. Don't say anything - it'll be our secret, and then you'll win!"

Kyron would be on that plan like white on rice, excited about his tree frog and maybe winning a prize. And after the project had been set up, picture taken, people greeted and acknowledged, telling him, "Run on out and get into the truck while I find your teacher to tell her we'll be right back."

Of course, no teacher is sought out or told anything like that, but it gets the parties out separately but into the truck together. It's a big truck. One smaller than average 7-year-old boy could quickly be subdued and manhandled by a former women's bodybuilder.

It's really ugly. But it could have occurred. We know something did, or he'd have long since been found.

Do you think he could have kept that secret from his friends? I'm looking forward to hearing more about what people at the school saw that morning. Someone saw Kyron and/or Terri leave.

 

[DocBrainerd]

I had a sudden idea as to how it could have happened that I haven't seen anyone else post yet. I consider it low probability, though.

If Kaine and Terri Horman had identical cell phones, it would not be impossibly difficult for Kaine to re-program his cell to be identical with Terri's (same phone list, photos, etc). They would still have different phone numbers but he could be fairly certain that Terri wouldn't check the number on her own phone.

So. He switches phones with Terri. He gives her about an hour's lead, to tour the science fair and leave Kyron at school. He then enters the school, lures Kyron out, commits murder and disposes of the body on Sauvie Island, carrying her phone the whole time knowing that it will ping its location.

He gets home early, which was expected because they're going to drive Kyron to meet his mother halfway. At some point, he quietly switches the phones again and starts to re-program his phone lists, etc.

He figures that LE will pull the ping logs ASAP. His plan was to frame Terri with the cell phone logs.

From her point of view, she's frustrated and upset: she's telling the truth that she never went to Sauvie Island and yet the police keep telling her that her cell phone pings place her there.

As I said above, I believe this is a very low probability theory. It does have a certain elegance to it, though. The perpetrator hid in plain sight by making one simple move.

One problem with this theory is that any incoming calls to KH's phone would alert TH to the switch.

 

[AbbieNormal]

I keep going back to that Tree Frog science project. Who helped Kyron with it?
It was very well done, and if Terri helped him, then I wonder how and why a step mom could so lovingly help her kid with a science project and then do something bad to him? It doesn't make sense, to me. Did Kyron call Terri "Mom", I wonder? What did he call his bio mom, "Mom" also?
I was REALLY convinced that SM had done this, somehow, to him. I still think LE is suspicious it was her cos they are searching where her cell phone pings indicated she was, but she said she was somewhere else.
What if I was accused of doing something dastardly, and had to prove I
didn't do it, I sit at home all day sometimes, and talk to nobody, how could I prove anything if I was home alone and had no proof? SM is definately in a bad place to be, and there appear to be many people on this board and others who are convinced she is somehow involved.
Now, I'm on the fence kind of and am waiting to see what LE comes up with.
In the meantime, praying for Kyron.

 

[Wendy101]

Terri was thrilled when K. was born in December 2008. Tarver said she had always wanted a girl. Terri's enthusiasm spilled onto her Facebook page, which has dozens of photos of the cherub-faced carrot-topped girl with blue eyes. She also flooded Tarver and other acquaintances with photos and e-mail updates of the baby's progress.

He thought that was unusual because he wasn't close to her family.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/i..._family_f.html

Mr. Tarver and I agree 100% .. THAT is totally weird behaviour.

 

[CaringCitizen]

I think that scenario is quite plausible also.

And, as some have suggested, if the creepy opportunistic stranger did do it, and Terri still behaved the way she did on socmedia sites, pressers, quotes to friends to pass on to the media, etc, after Kyron went missing, then I think little Kryon would have been better off with his biological mother, Desiree, and his step-dad, Tony, all along.

Just go back and watch her in the gym parking lot, for example. If YOU WERE KYRON, is this how you would wish your step mother was acting when you are out there lost?

I think as simple as the answer to that question is, is as simple as the whodunnit answer in this case is. I really do.

 

[Wendy101]

I keep going back to that Tree Frog science project. Who helped Kyron with it?
It was very well done, and if Terri helped him, then I wonder how and why a step mom could so lovingly help her kid with a science project and then do something bad to him? It doesn't make sense, to me. Did Kyron call Terri "Mom", I wonder? What did he call his bio mom, "Mom" also?
I was REALLY convinced that SM had done this, somehow, to him. I still think LE is suspicious it was her cos they are searching where her cell phone pings indicated she was, but she said she was somewhere else.
What if I was accused of doing something dastardly, and had to prove I
didn't do it, I sit at home all day sometimes, and talk to nobody, how could I prove anything if I was home alone and had no proof? SM is definately in a bad place to be, and there appear to be many people on this board and others who are convinced she is somehow involved.
Now, I'm on the fence kind of and am waiting to see what LE comes up with.
In the meantime, praying for Kyron.

**MY OPINION**
BBM: It was all done for "looks" .. saying I am a good mom.. look how I help him.... ALOT of people believe the more you help and "do" for you child .. the better the mom you are...

I believe the opposite.. I let my child explore and create things HIMSELF.. I let him grow and learn .. I let him be wrong and I also let him expereince he will NOT ALWAYS be first... IMO, it is more healthy to the the child to just "be a child".

Imaging some moms say " not like that", "thats messy", "no, do it like this, it looks nicer".....
REALLY now, how happy can a kid be listening to constant critisism?? By the looks of this perhaps, Kyron was a bit stressed when it came to project times.
IMO.

 

[akashana]

Do you think he could have kept that secret from his friends? I'm looking forward to hearing more about what people at the school saw that morning. Someone saw Kyron and/or Terri leave.

MY BOLD

Not for long. He's seven. Getting a tree frog would be a big deal. But I think he could keep it secret for a short time with limited unsupervised contact with friends if he was asked to by the person promising to buy the frog. By all published accounts, few people actually interacted with Kyron and/or his SM that morning. Remember it was a very busy day with lots of folks in and out and fussing over projects. One unsupervised child skipping out to the truck unaccompanied, day-dreaming about tree frogs, or science projects, or summer vacation would not necessarily stand out on such a day. Neither would one walking along with a parent, albeit one with stand-out red hair.

It's risky, sure. But murder's always risky.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Let me just take a moment to say that I pray Kyron is safe, and I hope that all our theories (as brilliant as we are) are all completely wrong.

I would like nothing more than to be wrong....

It makes me very sad.I pray we are wrong too and he really is ok.

 

[Tzedek]

And, as some have suggested, if the creepy opportunistic stranger did do it, and Terri still behaved the way she did on socmedia sites, pressers, quotes to friends to pass on to the media, etc, after Kyron went missing, then I think little Kryon would have been better off with his biological mother, Desiree, and his step-dad, Tony, all along.

Just go back and watch her in the gym parking lot, for example. If YOU WERE KYRON, is this how you would wish your step mother was acting when you are out there lost?

I think as simple as the answer to that question is, is as simple as the whodunnit answer in this case is. I really do.

Going to the gym bothered me, as did the behaviour in the parking lot. The reporter offered his sympathy and asked if there was anything that they could do to help.

Why didn't either one of them turn to the camera and issue a plea for Kyron's return? Why didn't they ask the public for help? This was still fairly early on, I can't believe they had given up hope.

Instead, the response seemed angry. But I may be reading too much into that, of course.

 

[cluciano63]

My brain, too, tells me the most obvious person is the last person with Kyron and I do not think LE would have made it clear that it was Terri if they were not fairly positive of that. What are the chances that she is the last person to see him except for a predator? I mean, if she left as she stated and Kyron was still inside the school, someone should have seen him, besides one sole lurking predator. I think the fact that LE has been unable to locate a single person, in two weeks time, who can say with certainty they saw Kyron after 9am is very telling. What it tells me is that all of those vague 9-ish allusions we heard in early days have now been dismissed as incorrect. I am sure the little boy who spoke out told his version of the truth but he was wrong about timing.

If Terri is completely innocent in all of this, it is very unfortunate for her that no one saw Kyron after she allegedly left the school alone. And I can't help thinking of the 150 -foot distance that was mentioned at one point as being the length of the hallway he had to walk to his classroom from where she said she left him-that is a long ways...50 yards, isn't it? Half of an NFL football field?

 

[carbuff]

And, as some have suggested, if the creepy opportunistic stranger did do it, and Terri still behaved the way she did on socmedia sites, pressers, quotes to friends to pass on to the media, etc, after Kyron went missing, then I think little Kryon would have been better off with his biological mother, Desiree, and his step-dad, Tony, all along.

Just go back and watch her in the gym parking lot, for example. If YOU WERE KYRON, is this how you would wish your step mother was acting when you are out there lost?

I think as simple as the answer to that question is, is as simple as the whodunnit answer in this case is. I really do.

She clearly has, well, let's just call them issues. That doesn't automatically make her a murderer.

 

[sofia76]

Okay, can someone explain why whether Kyron had help with his science project has any bearing on his disappearance? His project was not that complicated - it was basically a big wallpaper type sticker on the display board. With some printed out information and photos. The diorama he had help with from his dad.

 

[cluciano63]

Okay, can someone explain why whether Kyron had help with his science project has any bearing on his disappearance? His project was not that complicated - it was basically a big wallpaper type sticker on the display board. With some printed out information and photos. The diorama he had help with from his dad.

I agree. But I think a lot of people believe it can give a clue to the mood of the home, for example. I don't think it has bearing on any of this, but then again, a lot of things have been brought up that I don't think have bearing. Doesn't mean I am right. Also it seems many many posters have children of similar ages, so I think they are looking at things from a point of view as a parent.

 

[CharlestonGal]

MY BOLD

Not for long. He's seven. Getting a tree frog would be a big deal. But I think he could keep it secret for a short time with limited unsupervised contact with friends if he was asked to by the person promising to buy the frog. By all published accounts, few people actually interacted with Kyron and/or his SM that morning. Remember it was a very busy day with lots of folks in and out and fussing over projects. One unsupervised child skipping out to the truck unaccompanied, day-dreaming about tree frogs, or science projects, or summer vacation would not necessarily stand out on such a day. Neither would one walking along with a parent, albeit one with stand-out red hair.

It's risky, sure. But murder's always risky.

I agree. And I would have minimized the risk he would tell the secret by only telling him a few minutes beforehand. I would have carried it off like a spontaneous idea - and not a secret so much as a surprise for everyone. 7 year olds fall for things like that and will play along as long as there is a cool payoff at the end. I wouldn't expect him to keep it to himself for an hour, but a few minutes? Sure.

 

[just]

I think she disliked him but accidentally killed him and doesn't want to be locked up for it. Plain and simple. I don't think it was planned. If it was planned, it was a really lousy plan in a Susan Smith way which will show she deserves no pity whatsoever. If it was an accident (in that she lost her temper and killed him), I hope she is genuinely remorseful and owns up and let's the family grieve. The post about the cell phones being switched is very interesting but then we need a motive for what appears to be a doting loving dad to do something like this...unless he accidentally killed him and convinced her to cover for him.

 

[Adrienne37]

Maybe dad spent way too much with Kyron on the project and this infuriated the SM and she was tired of Kyron taking up so much of his father's time so she decided to take care of the problem.

 

[x_files]

I think she disliked him but accidentally killed him and doesn't want to be locked up for it. Plain and simple. I don't think it was planned. If it was planned, it was a really lousy plan in a Susan Smith way which will show she deserves no pity whatsoever. If it was an accident (in that she lost her temper and killed him), I hope she is genuinely remorseful and owns up and let's the family grieve. The post about the cell phones being switched is very interesting but then we need a motive for what appears to be a doting loving dad to do something like this...unless he accidentally killed him and convinced her to cover for him.

Could post-partum play into any of this? Exhausted mom, not getting enough sleep Kyron is active and a handful, teenager having typical teenager problems. A recipe for disaster?
or exhasuted dad- overworked and snapped?

 

[mtnone]

BBM -- That's not necessarily true. Some people are criers and some aren't. Some people bottle things up and some people express them. I can cry buckets over a horserace or a pretty seascape, but if I were in a situation like this, I would be numb, locking everything away to be processed later. I would probably be making inappropriate jokes -- God knows why, that's just what I do sometimes.

So I don't think any theories about anybody's involvement can be built on just their demeanor and whether we think they're expressing emotion appropriately.

While I agree that some people are criers and others aren't, if you are not crying, why dab your eyes as if you are?

At the second PC, she kept wiping her nose as is she was, but wasn't.

I never really saw or felt the bio mom pulling away from the over done actions of step mom, but more of a lack of response. That could be just because if you do give into it, you completely fall apart, as she looked to be close to doing.
The step mom looking up at bio mom and at her husband, as if to see what they were doing, I found to be very, very weird. I felt like her actions were child like, don't be upset, it will be alright, kind of thing. As if she was confused and surprised at the grief, checking them to see what she should do.

I also felt, watching the first PC that the sets of parents had not been together the whole week, at least not much. I have nothing to back that up.

I also agree the pre-written speeches were so odd and controlled that I really thought they were scripted to be dealing with a kidnap situation. I know longer think that, but am left with the questions of what the heck was going on in the first PC?

What did the step dad mean by the 'we believe in you' part? We believe in your ability to do what? We believe in you to find your way home? Escape? What?

I too am very thrown by the utter lack of emotion in the dads face and voice.

 

[anamarieus]

My theory is that I think the grandfather that writes childrens books has him - SM passed him off to him after the science fair.