Posted 26 February 2013 - 11:47 PM
Wow, I thought there'd be more 'craze' about this incident considering the strange surveillance video, body found in a water tank, and the fact that the Cecil Hotel is well-known for it's shady past. :/
In my opinion, the video is somewhat useless... because it seems edited in some parts and clearly (from my perspective) she's just confused/frightened that the door isn't closing. I think it was proven that she pressed the 'hold open' button and that's why the door wouldn't close.
I say somewhat because I'm not sure that this video can help solve a potential murder. It's my personal opinion that she was murdered because 1) Place of death is weird. 2) She stopped calling home, which is circumstantially strange/odd behavior. 3) Cecil is known for housing serial killers. I wouldn't be surprised if other bodies start to surface. 4) I recall that on some news channel that her body was 'nude,' which says potential sexual abuse. 5) She never checked out of hotel, even though her destination was Santa Cruz. However, going back to the video, it helps establish a time frame and where she was.
My speculations from the video...
1) This video shows that she was on the 14th floor as the first button she presses doesn't light up.
2) I think the video was edited because when the door closes, the frame jumps halfway.
3) But at :12 the door clearly starts to move towards closing (right after she presses the last button.) And clearly backs open.
4) She's only presses the middle row buttons which is really strange... but can be contributed to the fact that she's nearsighted and without glasses. But she knows that she's staying on the 4th floor( according to my findings that she was staying between 4-6 floors)
5) I think her actions are a bit weird, but she could be just freaking out that the door isn't moving. Why? Maybe because someone is holding the button outside? Thus she decks her head out and proceeds to peek from the corner. Afterwards, I think her strange hand movements could be from the fact that she had no idea what's going on. She raises her hands a lot from the stress. And that's it.
* Superstitions I've noticed/found.
1) This hotel has no supposed 13th floor.
2) Elisa was on the 14th floor which is bad luck in Chinese culture, which means 'will die.'
3) Elisa was supposedly staying on the 4th floor, and the number 4 pronounced in Chinese is a pun for 'death.' But also considered bad luck.
4) Cecil is a supposedly 'haunted' hotel because of past events.
What can be concluded from this video?
1) She's on the 14th floor. Which begs the question of what the heck was she doing on the 14th floor?
2) She leaves in a state of distress and doesn't stay long enough to see that elevator closes (possibly).
3) Her apparel was red jacket, white blouse(?), black shorts, and sandals(?)
My theory:
1) I think the poor girl was noticed since her first check-in by someone who lives or works at the Cecil hotel.
2) Perp definitely knows his way around the hotel. I speculate that he lives on the upper part of the building where the roof is more accessible and easier to get to by the fire escape. Or someone that has a non-questionable reason to be near/on the roof.
3) The perp could have easily approached her during her confused state, or saw her possibly taking the stairs.
Overall, this case needs to consider more thorough policing and needs to help bring closure to Elisa's family and friends because she didn't deserve to die in this manner. While International cases can be a bit tricky, I think law enforcement is doing an OK job so far. <.<
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