Major Industries and Commercial Activity
Natural resources have traditionally provided much of the economic activity for the Spokane area, a major center for the timber, agriculture, and mining industries in the region. A number of manufacturing companies have located in Spokane, drawn by the easy access to raw materials. Finished wood products, metal refinery and fabrication, and food processing are among the leaders in manufacturing. The outlying areas are part of an abundant agricultural system, providing a large amount of the nation's apples, peas, hops, pears, asparagus, lentils, soft wheat, and sweet cherries. A number of wineries and breweries also operate in the area. These industries continue to be important elements in the local economy, but in recent years the economy has diversified to encompass high-technology and service companies. Health-related industries employ more people than any other industry in Spokane. The city provides specialized care to many patients from the surrounding areas, as far north as the Canadian border. The city is also the wholesale and retail trade and service center of the 80,000-square-mile Inland Northwest region. In addition, the educational services industry employed the most workers in 2002 with more than 17,000 jobs.
All branches of the U.S. armed forces are represented in Spokane County. The largest military facility is Fairchild Air Force Base, which employs 3,359 military and 863 civilian personnel. The military units and their personnel combine to have an economic impact on the regional economy of $411 million annually. Tourism is the fourth largest industry in the state, and Spokane is a center for tourist activity. Health care accounts for approximately 13.5 percent of the local employment base. Spokane has also seen the recent development of economic activity in the lucrative high-tech and biotech sectors. The city is the site of a 100-block wireless network- the largest of its kind in the country-which is seen as symbolic of its dedication to the development of technological opportunities and resources.
In 2002 Kaiser Aluminum, a major employer with a 60-year presence in the region, filed for bankruptcy. Despite the loss of jobs and revenue, Spokane has rebounded by working to make the city attractive to retail and small businesses.
Items and goods produced: silver, lead, zinc, timber, poultry, dairy, vegetable, fruit, and meat products, aluminum, magnesium, clay and cement products, machinery and metal products, flour, feed, cereal, petroleum products, paper, electrical fixtures
It appears that Timber is a common link between the Warrenton, Oregon and Spokane, Washington area. This would give more credibility to the supposition that the offender may be employed in the timber industry, which would explain the knowledge of logging roads and the reason he disposes of the victims in recent clear cuts or off logging roads.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
The Brooke Wilberger case
By DEAN SCHABNER and SARAH NETTER
Sept. 21, 2009
Brooke Wilberger's mother today said she was grateful to Joel Courtney, the man who pleaded guilty to murdering the Brigham Young University student, for finally telling authorities where to find the young woman's remains.
Cammy Wilberger, visibly moved as she spoke at a news conference in Corvalis, Ore., said that after five years of not knowing where her daughter was, "We just want to strengthen our family and go on with our life."
Benton County authorities for the first time described what happened to Wilberger, who vanished from an Oregon apartment complex May 24, 2004.
Courtney said he abducted the blond 19-year-old college student at knife point, bound her in duct tape in his van, drove her into the woods, kept her overnight and then raped and bludgeoned her to death, Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said.
In his "romanticized account of what happened," Courtney hadn't decided to kill her until he saw how hard she fought against being raped, Haroldson said, and then he hid her body in such a way that it was unlikely it would ever have been found.
"Brooke Wilberger reacted so strongly, that he decided that he had to kill her," Haroldson said. "His comment was that he was surprised that she fought so hard."
Wilberger was at least the third woman Courtney targeted in Corvallis that day, Haroldson said. He had previously attempted to abduct two Oregon State University students, but both were able to get away, the district attorney said.
Courtney's agreement to tell officials where he'd left Wilberger's body after kidnapping, raping and murdering her was part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, he said.
Haroldson said the Wilberger family was involved in the process and agreed with the decision, and that Courtney would have a sentence of "true life."
Courtney, 42, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The district attorney would not disclose specifically where Wilberger's remains were found, because the recovery process was still going on, he said. The only details he would give were that the location was in the county and on private property.
Wilberger's Family 'Feel Gratitude'
He said it could take a week for the recovery to be complete.
Courtney's intent with where he left Wilberger's body was that she never be found, Haroldson said.
Before the district attorney spoke, describing how the kidnapping occurred and the final hours of Wilberger's life, the young woman's mother spoke briefly.
She thanked all the law enforcement personnel who she said never relented in their commitment to find their daughter, and also thanked the people of Corvallis, who she said supported her family throughout their tragedy.
"We just really feel gratitude, even for Mr. Courtney, that he could see fit to tell us where we could find Brooke," Cammy Wilberger said.
Haroldson said the Wilbergers "modeled what is best in all of us. They have been consistently strong in the face of tragedy."
Brooke Wilberger's disappearance made national headlines. On May 24, 2004, Wilberger, home from school for the summer holiday, had volunteered to help out her sister and brother-in-law who managed the apartment complex in Corvallis.
Page 2 of 2
Sept. 21, 2009
The 19-year-old devout Mormon was last seen cleaning lampposts in the complex parking lot. That's where her flip-flops were found after she failed to show up for lunch. With her keys and purse still in the apartment and her car still in the complex lot, her family knew something had happened to her.
Potential suspects were questioned and released, but police soon focused on Courtney, a registered sex offender, after New Mexico authorities circulated details about an abduction and rape he had been arrested for there.
The victim, like Wilberger, was a blue-eyed blonde, and the details of the crime were similar, so Corvallis police began looking into Courtney's background and his whereabouts around the time of Wilberger's disappearance.
Haroldson said today they learned that Courtney had been in Corvallis in May 2004 and owned a van that matched the description of a vehicle seen by witnesses near the scene of Wilberger's disappearance.
When they searched the van, Haroldson said, they found Wilberger's and Courtney's DNA, and he was indicted in August 2004 on 19 counts relating to Wilberger's disappearance, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, sodomy, rape and sexual abuse, even though her body had not been found.
Brooke Wilberger's Killer Tells Police Where to Find Body
Courtney was extradited to face charges related to the Wilberger case in April 2008, after he was convicted of raping a woman in New Mexico, and was already serving an 18-year sentence in prison.
At one point Courtney had been eyed as a serial killer. During his time in New Mexico, authorities there said he was suspected of being involved in other homicides involving college students.
**********************************************************************************************
Joel Courtney is responsible for more murders than Wilberger's, however he would not confess to more. I found it interesting that he took Wilberger to the coast to hide her off a logging road, on private property. Courtney was also suppose to be in court that day in Newport for a drunk driving charge. The main highway coming out of Newport goes to Corvallis. Our other Oregon Coast victims are from the Newport area and their remains were found off logging roads. The Newport area victims were abducted late at night, which may be consistent with an offender who had left a bar and saw the victims walking on the roadway, so it is interesting that Courtney has a record of drunk driving.
Sept. 21, 2009
Brooke Wilberger's mother today said she was grateful to Joel Courtney, the man who pleaded guilty to murdering the Brigham Young University student, for finally telling authorities where to find the young woman's remains.
Cammy Wilberger, visibly moved as she spoke at a news conference in Corvalis, Ore., said that after five years of not knowing where her daughter was, "We just want to strengthen our family and go on with our life."
Benton County authorities for the first time described what happened to Wilberger, who vanished from an Oregon apartment complex May 24, 2004.
Courtney said he abducted the blond 19-year-old college student at knife point, bound her in duct tape in his van, drove her into the woods, kept her overnight and then raped and bludgeoned her to death, Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said.
In his "romanticized account of what happened," Courtney hadn't decided to kill her until he saw how hard she fought against being raped, Haroldson said, and then he hid her body in such a way that it was unlikely it would ever have been found.
"Brooke Wilberger reacted so strongly, that he decided that he had to kill her," Haroldson said. "His comment was that he was surprised that she fought so hard."
Wilberger was at least the third woman Courtney targeted in Corvallis that day, Haroldson said. He had previously attempted to abduct two Oregon State University students, but both were able to get away, the district attorney said.
Courtney's agreement to tell officials where he'd left Wilberger's body after kidnapping, raping and murdering her was part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, he said.
Haroldson said the Wilberger family was involved in the process and agreed with the decision, and that Courtney would have a sentence of "true life."
Courtney, 42, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The district attorney would not disclose specifically where Wilberger's remains were found, because the recovery process was still going on, he said. The only details he would give were that the location was in the county and on private property.
Wilberger's Family 'Feel Gratitude'
He said it could take a week for the recovery to be complete.
Courtney's intent with where he left Wilberger's body was that she never be found, Haroldson said.
Before the district attorney spoke, describing how the kidnapping occurred and the final hours of Wilberger's life, the young woman's mother spoke briefly.
She thanked all the law enforcement personnel who she said never relented in their commitment to find their daughter, and also thanked the people of Corvallis, who she said supported her family throughout their tragedy.
"We just really feel gratitude, even for Mr. Courtney, that he could see fit to tell us where we could find Brooke," Cammy Wilberger said.
Haroldson said the Wilbergers "modeled what is best in all of us. They have been consistently strong in the face of tragedy."
Brooke Wilberger's disappearance made national headlines. On May 24, 2004, Wilberger, home from school for the summer holiday, had volunteered to help out her sister and brother-in-law who managed the apartment complex in Corvallis.
Page 2 of 2
Sept. 21, 2009
The 19-year-old devout Mormon was last seen cleaning lampposts in the complex parking lot. That's where her flip-flops were found after she failed to show up for lunch. With her keys and purse still in the apartment and her car still in the complex lot, her family knew something had happened to her.
Potential suspects were questioned and released, but police soon focused on Courtney, a registered sex offender, after New Mexico authorities circulated details about an abduction and rape he had been arrested for there.
The victim, like Wilberger, was a blue-eyed blonde, and the details of the crime were similar, so Corvallis police began looking into Courtney's background and his whereabouts around the time of Wilberger's disappearance.
Haroldson said today they learned that Courtney had been in Corvallis in May 2004 and owned a van that matched the description of a vehicle seen by witnesses near the scene of Wilberger's disappearance.
When they searched the van, Haroldson said, they found Wilberger's and Courtney's DNA, and he was indicted in August 2004 on 19 counts relating to Wilberger's disappearance, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, sodomy, rape and sexual abuse, even though her body had not been found.
Brooke Wilberger's Killer Tells Police Where to Find Body
Courtney was extradited to face charges related to the Wilberger case in April 2008, after he was convicted of raping a woman in New Mexico, and was already serving an 18-year sentence in prison.
At one point Courtney had been eyed as a serial killer. During his time in New Mexico, authorities there said he was suspected of being involved in other homicides involving college students.
**********************************************************************************************
Joel Courtney is responsible for more murders than Wilberger's, however he would not confess to more. I found it interesting that he took Wilberger to the coast to hide her off a logging road, on private property. Courtney was also suppose to be in court that day in Newport for a drunk driving charge. The main highway coming out of Newport goes to Corvallis. Our other Oregon Coast victims are from the Newport area and their remains were found off logging roads. The Newport area victims were abducted late at night, which may be consistent with an offender who had left a bar and saw the victims walking on the roadway, so it is interesting that Courtney has a record of drunk driving.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Laurie Partridge.....a related case?????
I found a missing person case from 1974, in Spokane Washington. Laurie Partridge like Joan Hall was 17 years old and had just left school when she vanished. Ms. Partridge appears to look like Ms. Hall also.
Could it have been the same offender that abducted both girls? If we look at the psychology of an abduction, we know that an abduction involves a sighting, an attack and then the abduction. We also know that the offender was living, working or attending a social function in the area of the abduction.
Could Laurie's abductor have lived/worked in Spokane Washington in 1974 and then in Warrenton Oregon in 1983?
We know that offenders tend to look for victims in a certain age range or with similar looks, so the similarity between Partridge and Hall seems to fit that characteristic.
I know Warrenton is a logging and fishing town, but I am not sure what the main industries in Spokane are. We also have the other females abducted near Newport Oregon and their bodies or remains later found off logging roads or in recent timber clear cuts. That information would suggest that our offender is possibly employed in the timber industry and would have been familiar with logging roads and clear cuts in the area.
Possibly if we look at clear cuts that were being done in September of 1983, we may have a starting point to search for Ms. Hall's remains. A search on the internet revealed that all public and private logging roads were open to the public until 1991, when a civil lawsuit forced private roads to be gated and closed. This information would tend to suggest that since Ms. Hall's remains have never been found, it is a good possibility that she may be on private forest land if she was hidden off a logging road as the Newport victims were.
Could it have been the same offender that abducted both girls? If we look at the psychology of an abduction, we know that an abduction involves a sighting, an attack and then the abduction. We also know that the offender was living, working or attending a social function in the area of the abduction.
Could Laurie's abductor have lived/worked in Spokane Washington in 1974 and then in Warrenton Oregon in 1983?
We know that offenders tend to look for victims in a certain age range or with similar looks, so the similarity between Partridge and Hall seems to fit that characteristic.
I know Warrenton is a logging and fishing town, but I am not sure what the main industries in Spokane are. We also have the other females abducted near Newport Oregon and their bodies or remains later found off logging roads or in recent timber clear cuts. That information would suggest that our offender is possibly employed in the timber industry and would have been familiar with logging roads and clear cuts in the area.
Possibly if we look at clear cuts that were being done in September of 1983, we may have a starting point to search for Ms. Hall's remains. A search on the internet revealed that all public and private logging roads were open to the public until 1991, when a civil lawsuit forced private roads to be gated and closed. This information would tend to suggest that since Ms. Hall's remains have never been found, it is a good possibility that she may be on private forest land if she was hidden off a logging road as the Newport victims were.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Other missing/murdered juveniles on the Oregon Coast
Did A Serial Killer Murder Teen Girls in Oregon?
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By SCOTT MICHELS
March 18, 2009
Jennifer Esson and Kara Leas left a friend's house around 1 a.m. in late January 1995, after a night of hanging out and watching movies. They were going to have Esson's older brother drive them home, said Esson's father, Floyd Esson. But the girls, both 16, decided to walk.
They were never seen alive again. Their bodies, covered with brush, were found a few weeks later by loggers in the woods. They had been strangled.
"It was like a kick in the gut," said Floyd Esson. "I fell to pieces. I lost it."
Their killer has never been caught. Earlier this year, investigators in Newport, Ore., reopened the unsolved murders, along with three other cases of teenage girls who were killed near the town in the last 25 years.
Police believe the killings, which took place during an 11 year period between 1984 and 1995, may be connected. It was unclear why the murders stopped after 1995.
"I just want to know what happened. And see the guy who did it get punished," Esson said.
Lincoln County District Attorney Rob Bovett said that investigators have no hard evidence that all five girls were victims of the same killer, and do not have a suspect in mind. But he pointed to some obvious similarities in the cases.
"I don't know that we can say that we even think it's the work of a serial killer," he said. "We don't have any direct evidence of a connection yet. The only thing that connects them is the basic facts -- we've got teenage girls disappearing in the middle of the night."
Oregon officials may have a serial killer on the coast
Courtesy Lincoln County District Attorney's office
Oregon officials may have a serial killer on the coast
All the victims were teenage girls who disappeared late at night or early in the morning. Esson, Leas and two other girls, Sheila Swanson and Melissa Sanders, were all last seen near Highway 101 north of Newport.
Their bodies were later found in wooded areas. In a fifth case, another girl disappeared after she was last seen walking alone at night east of the city.
Bovett said his team is focusing on the Esson and Leas cases, the most recent murders, which have the best physical evidence.
Cause of Death for Three Girls Undetermined
The cause of death of the other girls -- Kelly Disney, 17; Swanson, 19; and Sanders, 17 -- has never been determined.
Swanson's and Sanders' bodies were found about five months after they disappeared. Their remains were too decomposed to determine how they died.
Disney's skull was found in 1994, 10 years after she disappeared, in an abandoned car near Big Creek Reservoir, just outside the city.
Bovett said investigators planned to retest DNA evidence, hoping that advances in DNA technology will lead to a break in the cases. He also said he hoped someone would come forward to give police information about the cases.
"DNA testing has changed, people have grown older and relationships have changed. Someone might decide to talk," he said.
Father: Teen Daughter 'Terribly Naive'
Kelly Disney was the first to disappear. She was last seen on U.S. 20, east of Newport, at about 1 a.m. March 9, 1984.
Swanson and Sanders, two friends, had gone on a weeklong camping trip with Sanders' family. They disappeared after one night. The two girls had their own tent and were last seen near Beverly Beach State Park May 3, 1992, talking on a pay phone, said Bovett.
Their bodies were found in a wooded area.
Esson said his daughter was outgoing and "extremely bright," helping her mother with her homework for college courses. Jennifer liked to play guitar and sing, he said.
Esson said he didn't think his daughter was killed by a serial killer.
"She was terribly naïve," he said. "The thought that somebody would want to hurt her wouldn't even cross her mind."
"I think she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Police have asked anyone who knows anything about the crimes to call 800-452-7888.
Reviewing the original police reports
Case: Hall, Joan Leigh
DOB: 022466
Reported Date: 093083
Reported Time: 1830
Warrenton PD Case: 83-0621
Report taken by W.L Humphrey, Warrenton PD, report dated: 100783
Clatsop County SO Case: 83-0932
Reported Date: 093083
Reported Time: 1930
Report taken by Deputy Gary Basch, CCSO, report dated: 100683
Narrative:
On September 30, 1983, at approximately 2015 hours, Chief William Humphrey is contacted at the football game by Chuck Hall (Joan's brother) and an unknown person. Chuck Hall tells Humphrey that Ms. Hall did not return home after school and was supposed to be at the football that night. Chief Humphrey begins the search of the football game for Ms. Hall. Chief Humphrey contacts the last person known to see Hall (Mike Moore) and Moore tells Humphrey that he dropped her off at the mini-mart after giving her a ride there and has not seen or heard from her since.
Ms. Hall is also reported missing by her mother (Mary Jane Hall), to the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, on September 30, 1983, at approximately 2300 hours.
Timeline of disappearance:
1) Hall leaves Warrenton High school and is picked up by Mike Moore, at approximately 2:10pm.
2) Moore drives Hall to the mini-mart and arrives there at approximately 2:14pm.
3) Hall buys a coke, leaves the store and walks westbound alone (witnessed by clerk), at approximately 2:15pm.
4) Hall has to be at the grade school by 2:30pm and has 15 minutes or less to arrive by foot.
Key Locations:
1) Warrenton High School
1700 S. Main Ave
2) Warrenton Mini Mart
58 E. Harbor St.
3) Warrenton Grade School
820 SW. Cedar Ave.
Travel Time to each location:
1) Warrenton High School to the Mini Mart:
1.3 miles and approximately 4 min travel by car.
2) Mini Mart to Warrenton Grade School:
The long way, west on first to Cedar Ave would have taken 18 min by foot'
Going down main and through the park would have taken half that time and is most likely the route she took, given the fact she only had approximately 15 minutes or less to get to the grade school from the mini mart.
Canvass Area:
Warrenton High School to the Mini Mart (58 W Harbor St.), west on First to Cedar. South on Cedar to Warrenton Grade School.
Actual Canvass Area:
Deputy Basch:
October 6, 1983, Basch knocked on doors on SW Anchor St. Negative results.
Basch was present when Chief Humphrey interviewed Karl Hurd/owner of the pizzaria.
Deputy Clark:
On October 4, 1983, Clark checked Main St., from East Harbor to 9th St. and then West on 9th St. to the Grade School.
Clark states, he was unable to find anyone who saw or heard from Joan Hall, on September 30, 1983.
Initial Statements:
Chuck Hall (brother of the victim):
On September 30, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that Joan Hall was missing and had not returned home after school, as she was suppose to. Further stated that she was suppose to be at the football game and requested assistance locating her. He also stated that there was a subject by the name of Mike (Moore) that usually gives her a ride to the grade school, where she assists in tutoring.
Mike Moore (drove Hall from the High School to the Mini Mart):
On September 30, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that he had picked her up and gave her a ride to the Mini Mart and was not sure where she went from there.
Kathy Russell (manager of the Mini Mart):
On October 4, 1983, she told Chief Humphrey and Chief Fastabend that she was the manager of the Mini Mart and she was not the one that waited on Joan Hall, but thought Ms. Hall had only bought a coke and left the store westbound. She thought Pat Bailey was the one that waited on Ms. Hall the day she disappeared.
Mike Davis (was present at the Mini Mart the same time as Joan Hall):
On October 4, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that he had gone to the Mini Mart the day Ms. Hall disappeared and while he was there, he saw Ms. Hall enter the Mini Mart as she got out of Mike Moore's vehicle. He further stated that he did not see Ms. Hall in the store or leaving the store as he had bought something and left himself. He stated that he did talk to Mike Moore outside the store and prior to entering, but did not see him after he left the store. He said he did not know where Mike Moore went or what he did.
DOB: 022466
Reported Date: 093083
Reported Time: 1830
Warrenton PD Case: 83-0621
Report taken by W.L Humphrey, Warrenton PD, report dated: 100783
Clatsop County SO Case: 83-0932
Reported Date: 093083
Reported Time: 1930
Report taken by Deputy Gary Basch, CCSO, report dated: 100683
Narrative:
On September 30, 1983, at approximately 2015 hours, Chief William Humphrey is contacted at the football game by Chuck Hall (Joan's brother) and an unknown person. Chuck Hall tells Humphrey that Ms. Hall did not return home after school and was supposed to be at the football that night. Chief Humphrey begins the search of the football game for Ms. Hall. Chief Humphrey contacts the last person known to see Hall (Mike Moore) and Moore tells Humphrey that he dropped her off at the mini-mart after giving her a ride there and has not seen or heard from her since.
Ms. Hall is also reported missing by her mother (Mary Jane Hall), to the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, on September 30, 1983, at approximately 2300 hours.
Timeline of disappearance:
1) Hall leaves Warrenton High school and is picked up by Mike Moore, at approximately 2:10pm.
2) Moore drives Hall to the mini-mart and arrives there at approximately 2:14pm.
3) Hall buys a coke, leaves the store and walks westbound alone (witnessed by clerk), at approximately 2:15pm.
4) Hall has to be at the grade school by 2:30pm and has 15 minutes or less to arrive by foot.
Key Locations:
1) Warrenton High School
1700 S. Main Ave
2) Warrenton Mini Mart
58 E. Harbor St.
3) Warrenton Grade School
820 SW. Cedar Ave.
Travel Time to each location:
1) Warrenton High School to the Mini Mart:
1.3 miles and approximately 4 min travel by car.
2) Mini Mart to Warrenton Grade School:
The long way, west on first to Cedar Ave would have taken 18 min by foot'
Going down main and through the park would have taken half that time and is most likely the route she took, given the fact she only had approximately 15 minutes or less to get to the grade school from the mini mart.
Canvass Area:
Warrenton High School to the Mini Mart (58 W Harbor St.), west on First to Cedar. South on Cedar to Warrenton Grade School.
Actual Canvass Area:
Deputy Basch:
October 6, 1983, Basch knocked on doors on SW Anchor St. Negative results.
Basch was present when Chief Humphrey interviewed Karl Hurd/owner of the pizzaria.
Deputy Clark:
On October 4, 1983, Clark checked Main St., from East Harbor to 9th St. and then West on 9th St. to the Grade School.
Clark states, he was unable to find anyone who saw or heard from Joan Hall, on September 30, 1983.
Initial Statements:
Chuck Hall (brother of the victim):
On September 30, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that Joan Hall was missing and had not returned home after school, as she was suppose to. Further stated that she was suppose to be at the football game and requested assistance locating her. He also stated that there was a subject by the name of Mike (Moore) that usually gives her a ride to the grade school, where she assists in tutoring.
Mike Moore (drove Hall from the High School to the Mini Mart):
On September 30, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that he had picked her up and gave her a ride to the Mini Mart and was not sure where she went from there.
Kathy Russell (manager of the Mini Mart):
On October 4, 1983, she told Chief Humphrey and Chief Fastabend that she was the manager of the Mini Mart and she was not the one that waited on Joan Hall, but thought Ms. Hall had only bought a coke and left the store westbound. She thought Pat Bailey was the one that waited on Ms. Hall the day she disappeared.
Mike Davis (was present at the Mini Mart the same time as Joan Hall):
On October 4, 1983, he told Chief Humphrey that he had gone to the Mini Mart the day Ms. Hall disappeared and while he was there, he saw Ms. Hall enter the Mini Mart as she got out of Mike Moore's vehicle. He further stated that he did not see Ms. Hall in the store or leaving the store as he had bought something and left himself. He stated that he did talk to Mike Moore outside the store and prior to entering, but did not see him after he left the store. He said he did not know where Mike Moore went or what he did.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Gone without a trace
This is my first attempt at a blog. I will give everyone a little background history before I start. I have always been interested in Law Enforcement and mysteries. I have been a Law Enforcement Officer for the last 15 years and in January of 2010, a drunk driver ran into the back of my parked patrol car at approximately 50mph. Since that time, I have been recovering from a concussion and post concussive syndrome. During my career, I have always been fascinated by the mystery of a crime and trying to find the puzzle pieces, either through witness statements or physical evidence left at the scene that will enable you to bring closure to a case. Although you may never find out the complete story of what happened, you can usually come pretty close. I have also learned that criminals will minimize whatever they did, so this always plays into whether or not you ever get the complete story of what really happened.
Two years ago, I was involved with a 5 year old runaway case. A 14 year old girl had run away from home in 2004 and her family never heard from her again. After 5 years of chasing leads across the United States, we formed an investigative team and decided to go over the case and recontact the family, friends and acquaintances of the missing girl. We met with her mother at the beginning and you could see the pain in her face of not knowing where her daughter was and the fact that she had been enduring this pain for the last 5 years with no answers. We conducted a whole new interview with her mother and at the conclusion, she was crying, hugging me and begging me to please find her daughter.
After a few months of interviews, the runaway girl began calling her relatives and she eventually made contact with her mother. I have to say that my hope for finding her alive after 5 years was very slim. We were able to reunite her with her family and it's really hard to properly explain the happiness on her mothers face. I think ever since that moment, I have been hooked on investigating missing persons cases. That was extremely rewarding to see the happiness on her mothers face.
So after sitting around injured for awhile, I decided to start looking at other long standing missing persons cases. I found the case of Joan Hall in Warrenton, Oregon. Ms. Hall left school one afternoon, in September of 1983 and has never been seen or heard from since.
Her parents and one of her sisters have since passed away without knowing the whereabouts of Ms. Hall.
The case has some interesting aspects. Ms. Hall was part of a Law Enforcement explorer program and was elected president of that group the night before, the crime scene is not that large (meaning the area she had to cover before she disappeared was not expansive) and some copies of the original police reports are available on the internet.
Another interesting piece to this case are the disappearances of some other teenage females in adjoining coastal towns following Ms. Hall's disappearance.
An article was written by a local investigative reporter suggesting that all the disappearances are related. A Facebook group has been formed to find Ms. Hall.
I did manage to obtain the copies of the original police reports. From the initial statements, I was also able to develop the crime scene based on Ms. Hall's destination (Warrenton Grade School) after she left the high school and witness accounts of where she was last seen.
Two years ago, I was involved with a 5 year old runaway case. A 14 year old girl had run away from home in 2004 and her family never heard from her again. After 5 years of chasing leads across the United States, we formed an investigative team and decided to go over the case and recontact the family, friends and acquaintances of the missing girl. We met with her mother at the beginning and you could see the pain in her face of not knowing where her daughter was and the fact that she had been enduring this pain for the last 5 years with no answers. We conducted a whole new interview with her mother and at the conclusion, she was crying, hugging me and begging me to please find her daughter.
After a few months of interviews, the runaway girl began calling her relatives and she eventually made contact with her mother. I have to say that my hope for finding her alive after 5 years was very slim. We were able to reunite her with her family and it's really hard to properly explain the happiness on her mothers face. I think ever since that moment, I have been hooked on investigating missing persons cases. That was extremely rewarding to see the happiness on her mothers face.
So after sitting around injured for awhile, I decided to start looking at other long standing missing persons cases. I found the case of Joan Hall in Warrenton, Oregon. Ms. Hall left school one afternoon, in September of 1983 and has never been seen or heard from since.
Her parents and one of her sisters have since passed away without knowing the whereabouts of Ms. Hall.
The case has some interesting aspects. Ms. Hall was part of a Law Enforcement explorer program and was elected president of that group the night before, the crime scene is not that large (meaning the area she had to cover before she disappeared was not expansive) and some copies of the original police reports are available on the internet.
Another interesting piece to this case are the disappearances of some other teenage females in adjoining coastal towns following Ms. Hall's disappearance.
An article was written by a local investigative reporter suggesting that all the disappearances are related. A Facebook group has been formed to find Ms. Hall.
I did manage to obtain the copies of the original police reports. From the initial statements, I was also able to develop the crime scene based on Ms. Hall's destination (Warrenton Grade School) after she left the high school and witness accounts of where she was last seen.
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