Missing Iowa Girls

[Chris Baker]

I've just looked at Meyers Lake on google maps, it's right next to an interstate junction.

Someone could have taken them a long distance very quickly.

[supervike]

Yes, it is the most secluded spot...it causes me to wonder if the girls were stalked...maybe expected to arrive in that location.

Just out of curiosity, do you know what that building is that's situated east of the lake, and north of the woods, off S. Evans Rd./Arbutus Ave.?

Yes, that is a house. It's kind of run down, but I do think someone lives there. The next property over from that is a house that actually never got built. You can see all the lumber in the google maps pic, but that's all been taken away. I think that is just a covered up basement now.

Also, if any of you are looking at the area on google maps, let me add a few comments. It looks like the highway is very close to the trail, but that doesn't really tell the whole story.

First off, the lane closest to the park (eastbound lane) is currently being used for two way traffic, as they are doing massive construction (as in a total rebuild) of the westbound lane. Traffic gets pretty heavy right through there (especially during the time frame of the disapperance), and it would be close to impossible for someone to pull over on the shoulder and walk down to the bike trail. There just isn't hardly any shoulder to do that.

But then there is a very steep ditch, which is covered in trees and weeds, a very tall (8feet I think) fence. Then on the otherside of the fence is the bike trail.

The spot where the bikes were found is not only secluded by the trees that surround it, but you are actually about 20 feet below the 'road' level. You'd have to look up to see traffic. But the other thing is that it is also really noisy there, as the sounds of the traffic are pretty heavy. That would certainly muffle any screaming.

But also because of the construction, you cannot exit at the River Forest exit (which is the cloverleaf). You can, however, get on the highway before the cloverleaf (only if heading eastbound)

Edited July 19, 2012 by supervike

[Regi]

Thanks for that info., Supervike!

Anyway I look at these circumstances, there's indication that the perp is right there in the area because 1) the perp appear to be familiar with the area to have been there at all, and 2) if the scene is staged, then the person is close to the victim.

When I first posted on this case, I assumed that the lake was one you could just drive up to, but clearly, it's rather private and closed in- even though there's the highway bordering the south side, there's no obvious access by vehicle...except at that maintenance gate.

Another thing, we've got a small window here, but I don't know how small. I've read early reports that the girls were seen at 12:15 behind Lederman's Big & Tall Clothing which is located at 3524 Lafayette Road.

The girls were expected back relatively soon, so that sighting at 12:15 doesn't make sense in that they'd leave and go further from home after already riding for 45 minutes.

I'm racking my brain here.

[Regi]

Okay, a current video from USNews shows that the maintenance gate opens to the lake from the trail, so one would have to already be driving on the trail to get to the gate, and the gate only leads to the lake. I didn't get that.

I thought one would come to the gate first. To me, the gate holds no significance, except that the girls had access to lake from the trail because the gate was open.

I don't see a perp driving on what should be a biking/walking trail in broad daylight at mid-day to ditch, or plant evidence.

Also, we have an issue of time; that small window I was talking about. Ditching/planting evidence would have taken place later, not before and so seems unlikely that that's what happened.

I'm confused that the scent dogs led to the lake.

[supervike]

I've walked/ridden my bike countless times on this trail, and I think I've only saw that maintenence gate unlocked one time. However, according to reports the gate was left open. That gate opens to the overflow valve for the lake. If the lake gets too high, they can let water out (it goes under the highway, and dumps to the cedar river to the south) Of course, that was a theory early on, that maybe somehow the girls fell into this. But, it has a huge grate, so nothing big could go through.

The trail is plenty wide enough to drive a car onto, and you can see by that east side where it would be easiest to enter from (arbutus st.). That entrance would be shielded from the main part of the lake and the trial. In fact, that is the way I've seen the maintenence workers enter the trail. They mow the grass, etc.

The location they were spotted last (behind Lederman's) is actually right where the grandma lives.

There were also reports than an older man saw the girls as he was watering his lawn. He lives down on Lake St. I think the name was Robert Carpenter. He doesn't know what time, but he says he's seen the girls ride by before. That would at least put the girls closer to the lake. I only saw that report once though, so not sure of it's veracity.

Also, even though I live almost 1.5 miles away, my garage, shed and cars were searched. They were doing house to house searches, so in fact all my neighbors got searched as well. However, I've heard of folks living right by the lake that have never been asked permission to take a look. I'm not sure why of the inconsistancies.

Lastly, I don't want to come off like I think I'm any sort of expert on this. There are tons of news sources, but I guess since I'm local to the story, I felt I could chip in a little perspective on a few things. I really just want those girls to be found, safe, and reunited with their families. It's such a sick feeling. As a father of two daughters, It would seriously be the worst nightmare to have to live through.

Edited July 19, 2012 by supervike

[JonathanVonErich]

Thanks for sharing, Supervike. The fact they even searched your place is a good thing, at least it's proof that they are looking everywhere and that they are really trying to find evidence of what happened to the girls. I hope you'll post more info, your informations are priceless.

I don't have a good feeling about this case, sadly. Something is just not right. I wish I could be there to investigate/ask questions. Sometimes I hate living in Canada......

Edited July 19, 2012 by JonathanVonErich

[Q-C]

Maybe it is a person with a key to the gate who may have seen the girls before, maybe a few times, spoken to them, had their trust.

[Q-C]

Dad suspected

http://abcnews.go.co...59#.UAh0ELTZDng

The article is more informative than the video

Edited July 19, 2012 by QuiteContrary

[Archangel Oger]

If they haven't done it already, Something is telling me they need to check the cell phone to see who the last person they called was....

[supervike]

The cell phone that was found in little Elizabeths' purse was not activated. Apparently she just used it for playing games.

They just announced that they have called the families down to the lake. Not sure what to make of that.

[Regi]

I've walked/ridden my bike countless times on this trail, and I think I've only saw that maintenence gate unlocked one time. However, according to reports the gate was left open. That gate opens to the overflow valve for the lake. If the lake gets too high, they can let water out (it goes under the highway, and dumps to the cedar river to the south) Of course, that was a theory early on, that maybe somehow the girls fell into this. But, it has a huge grate, so nothing big could go through.

The trail is plenty wide enough to drive a car onto, and you can see by that east side where it would be easiest to enter from (arbutus st.). That entrance would be shielded from the main part of the lake and the trial. In fact, that is the way I've seen the maintenence workers enter the trail. They mow the grass, etc.

Yes, the trail is certainly wide enough for a vehicle, but if the gate is closed/locked, then there's no way to turn around in a vehicle, correct?

If so, my point is that unless the perp had prior knowledge that the gate was open, or unlocked, then he'd have to be willing to continue to drive the trail around the lake where he'd risk being seen (surely, that would be a memorable sight for witnesses... to see a private vehicle on a bike trail!) or, the perp would have to be willing to back out and still at a risk of being seen.

At this point, I don't think a vehicle was used in that area.

I heard a report about a hole in the fence? Do you know anything about that?

[Regi]

They just announced that they have called the families down to the lake. Not sure what to make of that.

What?!

[supervike]

Yes, the trail is certainly wide enough for a vehicle, but if the gate is closed/locked, then there's no way to turn around in a vehicle, correct?

If so, my point is that unless the perp had prior knowledge that the gate was open, or unlocked, then he'd have to be willing to continue to drive the trail around the lake where he'd risk being seen (surely, that would be a memorable sight for witnesses... to see a private vehicle on a bike trail!) or, the perp would have to be willing to back out and still at a risk of being seen.

At this point, I don't think a vehicle was used in that area.

I heard a report about a hole in the fence? Do you know anything about that?

In the narrow part of the fence in area, it would be hard to turn a vehicle around (unless it was some sort of bizarre Austin Powers moves!) but just a little further down the fence on the lake side ends. It opens up to a grassy area, with plenty of room to turn around. However, we are in a bit of a drought, so any tire tracks on that grass would have been noticed immediately. I'm with you on this, I don't think a vehicle was down there either.

The hole in the fence has been there for a couple of years. I think it was caused by a car accident, but never properly fixed. It's pretty overgrown with weeds, and from what I can remember, would be very hard to get through.

[Regi]

The hole in the fence has been there for a couple of years. I think it was caused by a car accident, but never properly fixed. It's pretty overgrown with weeds, and from what I can remember, would be very hard to get through.

Thanks. So, if one is walking east on the trail, the hole is on the south side?

You know, unless the girls were walked out of there, then the only other means left to consider is by boat. By the way, and quite frankly, homes surrounding the lake should have been among the first searched.

Apparently, the scent dogs weren't able to track the girls beyond that area, and I don't know how that could be, or what that could mean.

I'd like to know precisely where the purse was located because it could indicate direction. It sounds like it was located on the highway side of the fence because the report was that it was located on "the other side of the fence from the bikes", and that's how I'd take that.

[Chris Baker]

I wouldn't read too much into the parents previous records...

I watched a documentary last weekend (just got sky tv) about two 12 yr old girls, Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis, that went missing in Oregon, 10 years ago.

The first victims estranged father had a suspect police record, and the complex that both girls lived had many sex offenders. But it turned out that the man who did it, Ward Weaver, had a 12 yr old daughter who knew them both, so they would have known him and trusted him. They found the bodies hidden at his house.

[Regi]

Apparently, reports have been misleading re: where the tracking dogs lost the girls' scents. The aunt,Tammy Brousseau, stated that she was present and witnessed two tracking dogs- each tracked one girl, one at a time- and that each dog led east from the area where the bikes were located, and into that wooded area where each dog stopped.

Brousseau said she went over to that wooded area where she said there's a sewer bldg. (I think it actually could be a pump station) and an old garage, which might have been the bldg. I was curious about.

She believes that someone might have seen the girls out on that rocky area (where the bikes were found...she said about 12' from the water); or, that the girls could have been seen otherwise, but that whomever took them could have known that they could park over at that wooded area, and take the girls by vehicle from there, and she believes that's what happened.

I think she's right on. I think that's definitely the most probable scenario.

Brousseau mentioned that witness again; the one who claimed to have seen the girls at at Meyers Lake a mere 15 minutes before (2:30). Apparently, Brousseau and/or the family haven't been informed of whether the witness is a POI, or if it's believed that he was simply mistaken.

One thing seems sure to me, and that's that what he said doesn't make sense. I don't believe that the girls would have been at that location at that time, and if it wasn't these girls he saw, then who was it?

Edited July 20, 2012 by regi

[supervike]

Apparently, reports have been misleading re: where the tracking dogs lost the girls' scents. The aunt,Tammy Brousseau, stated that she was present and witnessed two tracking dogs- each tracked one girl, one at a time- and that each dog led east from the area where the bikes were located, and into that wooded area where each dog stopped.

Brousseau said she went over to that wooded area where she said there's a sewer bldg. (I think it actually could be a pump station) and an old garage, which might have been the bldg. I was curious about.

She believes that someone might have seen the girls out on that rocky area (where the bikes were found...she said about 12' from the water); or, that the girls could have been seen otherwise, but that whomever took them could have known that they could park over at that wooded area, and take the girls by vehicle from there, and she believes that's what happened.

I think she's right on. I think that's definitely the most probable scenario.

Brousseau mentioned that witness again; the one who claimed to have seen the girls at at Meyers Lake a mere 15 minutes before (2:30). Apparently, Brousseau and/or the family haven't been informed of whether the witness is a POI, or if it's believed that he was simply mistaken.

One thing seems sure to me, and that's that what he said doesn't make sense. I don't believe that the girls would have been at that location at that time, and if it wasn't these girls he saw, then who was it?

Yeah, that building you were curious about earlier could be this garage. When I use the trail, I'm always behind that property, so I guess I assumed there was a house there as well. Maybe it is just a garage. I had thought they found the purse over the fence of the 'lake side' but I am unclear on that as well.

Last night, they mentioned they were calling the family together (CNN reported this) but it looks like that amounted to nothing.

They did show video of an investigator shaking Lyric's mothers hand. That seemed very strained, but that's just my perception. I'm sure that woman is as close to a breaking point as can be. The stress of all this has to be unbearable.

I agree Brosseau has mentioned this person a couple of times and said that the police 'have his name'.

Regarding your earlier comments...Yes the whole in the fence would be on the south side, towards the highway.

[Regi]

supervike, I think the family must have been down at the lake for interviewing purposes.

I'll tell you, this case has me on the very edge. Of course, it's impossible to imagine what the families are living through.

I believe in remaining hopeful, and I would never want to discourage hope, but this is not good, and it hasn't been good from the get-go.

Something awful has happened- there can be no question about that. How awful, we don't yet know, but I hope we soon have answers.

[JonathanVonErich]

Update: Case is now an abduction case,police say

The case of the two missing Iowa girls is now being called an abduction after the search of a lake near where the cousins were last seen turned up nothing. "Those girls are not in that lake," Black Hawk County Sheriff's Deputy Rick Abben told reporters Friday. "Obviously, within a week if they were lost they would have been found by now. Since we can't find them, they're not in the lake, we're calling it an abduction," Abben said.

Full article: http://news.blogs.cn...-say/?hpt=ju_c2

I really don't have a good feeling about this.

Edited July 21, 2012 by JonathanVonErich

[Regi]

Authorities say they believe the girls are alive.

It sounds like they might suspect someone known to the girls and/or family.

http://www.khou.com/news/national/163290146.html

[JonathanVonErich]

Thanks for the info Regi.

I wonder what kind of evidence they have ( or believe they have ) to reach this conclusion. Hopefully they are right.

FBI spokewoman Sandy Breault said that not all family members are and close friends are fully cooperating. That's strange.

[supervike]

Not sure what to make of the recent reports. Dan Morrisey, Lyrics father, apparently stormed out of a interview with police. That could mean anything, really.

But another very under reported fact is that the father was scheduled to plead guilty to some drug charges on July 12, the day before the girls went missing. Apparently, he was not ready to enter a plea, so they got some sort of extension. He obviously wasn't ready to serve time for his crime.

Our Deputy Sheriff has said repeatedly that the parents are not suspects.

There seems to be several mixed messages coming from law enforcement. However, I still trust they are doing the right thing, and I still hope for the best possible outcome.

A very sad part of this is how, after the lake was finally removed as a possiblity, that the media (and even our community) has sort of turned the page on this. I know there is very little to go on, and now with the horrific Colorado shootings, this story has disappeared from front page. That just leaves a feeling of hopelessness.

[Chris Baker]

I hope the police are doing an honest job of this investigation. Unlike the Jonbenet Ramsey case, where they just tried to screw the parents.

[Regi]

Thanks for the info Regi.

I wonder what kind of evidence they have ( or believe they have ) to reach this conclusion. Hopefully they are right.

FBI spokewoman Sandy Breault said that not all family members are and close friends are fully cooperating. That's strange.

Great question, Jon.

I really don't know what evidence could lead to such a statement.

At the same time, they say they're expanding efforts to out of state, so it sounds like that move could have been prompted by the same evidence.

Yeah, it's a problem if any one person in the family isn't cooperating. I don't know what to make of it because drugs are involved, and of course, users don't think clearly, but also, they associate with shady characters.

I know the one father said he was out-right accused, so authorities might very well have alienated him, but as far as him being a suspect, according to the aunt, he was no where near where the events could have occurred, and had no means of getting there.

Regardless, the family's cooperation is necessary because everyone the family is known to associate with, or has been known to associate with, must be looked at.

It sounds like that's what they've done, and that's what could have led to the info. we now have.

Info also could have come from the computers/phones that were confiscated.

[Regi]

Not sure what to make of the recent reports. Dan Morrisey, Lyrics father, apparently stormed out of a interview with police. That could mean anything, really.

Our Deputy Sheriff has said repeatedly that the parents are not suspects.

There seems to be several mixed messages coming from law enforcement.

Do you know when that occurred...that the father stormed out?

It appears that authorities were at a loss until sometime Friday when the new evidence came about, which just happened to coincide with the completion of the lake search.