TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #2

[Shelby1]

Do we know if MP's mom and dad were at the "press conference"?

Are Gail's folks there?

 

[redfish]

There are so many scenarios I can come up with in regard to this type of situation. These divorce cases all have pretty common characteristics and vary according to the individual personalities involved. It is the little things about this one that bother me the most. Gail leaving her id and credit cards behind. Walking away from her children. She is a very well educated woman who has to have more sense than that. Cruel thing to think about but in a divorce the children make a big difference in how the material elements are divided in a divorce case. No matter what else kind of person she is I don't think this woman would walk away from everything unless she is in fear for her life. Maybe someone else can come up with a logical explaination.

 

[hollyblue]

AMW takes on missing persons cases all the time, though.

Doesn't the local investigating LE have to give the OK tho?

 

[mominboots]

I also wonder if the police don't want to investigate because of MP's status in his job --even though he is on administrative leave now? Could they be fearful of him because of his position? Just a thought.

ah, no! I can assure you that is not the case.

 

[Columbo]

Doesn't the local investigating LE have to give the OK tho?

I don't know! You are probably right.

 

[KathyJ]

Do you think perhaps that MP has told so many stories of an unhappy marriage that these keystone cops are believing him? They think she may have just took off? Seriously! Someone is missing and the circumstances should not matter. What are others in Gail's family saying about this whole situation??

 

[redfish]

I know a few women who do not carry purses. They stick their id and credit cards in their pocket and just can't be bothered with a purse. Is Gail one of those? I hope her sister will answer. Then I can put the worrisome little tidbit away! I carry entirely too much junk around with me... my wallet is full of things I can't function without. Extra glasses and meds. If I am ever without them something is definitely wrong!

 

[suzyq211]

I know a few women who do not carry purses. They stick their id and credit cards in their pocket and just can't be bothered with a purse. Is Gail one of those? I hope her sister will answer. Then I can put the worrisome little tidbit away! I carry entirely too much junk around with me... my wallet is full of things I can't function without. Extra glasses and meds. If I am ever without them something is definitely wrong!

I wondered about that, too. Did she leave her purse behind, containing DL and credit cards? Or was her wallet OUT of her purse? Did she even carry a purse?

 

[jrb0124]

Here's a transcript of the press conference for those who can't hear it or pull it up at work:


Janice Atkinson (JA)
Public Information Officer
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office

JA: we are passing out info sheet to press would ask that any further requests for info come directly to my office

Diane: my name is Diane Nichols I am Gail Palmgren's sister...she's been missing since April 30th (voice breaking - emotional) and we have not seen or heard from her since then. My family asks for your help in finding her - we're asking for the public's help, I'm only one person and this is quite a large area, to cover..please...if anyone has seen her or the vehicle please call police immediately. Call 911 if you can't remember the number. That number, for the Signal Mt Police is 423-886-2123 or call 911 immediately. Her vehicle is a 2010 Jeep Rubicon 4 door with a black soft top. It has license plate that's "Eazy St". please, if anyone has any information on this behicle call police immediately. If you've seen my sister she 44 yrs old she's 5' 8" tall weighs approx 135 pounds has blonde hair and brown eyes - please! she's got 2 little kids at home that miss their mommy, I'm begging you please help us find my sister. Gail, if you're out there somewhere and you can hear this. please call me, call the police, we love you - there are people concerned about you that love you and miss you. Please contact somebody we love you we miss you please come home. Thank you (leaves podium)

MP: Thank you. As you can tell its been a rough 2 weeks for the family. I'd like to start off by saying thank you to chief dale(?), detective Tissio, uh all my neigbors have been out Diane coming down all my family that's helped us look, uh, for Gail. And as you can see (referring to the info sheet I assume?) the jeep has been spotted a few times out there so we're asking for anybody who's seen that to immediately contact their local police and let us know to get more clues to where Gail could be. So...for myself, we've done everything in our power to finding Gail. We've hired a private investigator, we continue to look, we're turning over everything we can. So, as Diane says its like "yell if you hear us", please come forward, [#### and #### love you?], and please, please show yourself soon. I hope everyone keeps us in their thoughts and prayers. Thank You. (leaves podium)


JA: okay, this will conclude the press conference.

R: Janice do we ask questions of you or do we do that on an individual basis?

JA: There will not be any responses on the investigation today. As I said, when infomation can be released - it will be released immediately.

R: does that mean it will be released from your office? are you guys taking the lead on the investigation?

JA: we're not taking the lead...we're assisting: they have asked us to help with the media

R: so the investigators are not involved just the public information office at this point?

JA: we have 2 investigators that are 'assisting' SMPD

R: Have you guys worked at all with Alabama authorities? there's mention of a lake house, is it possible that agencies there will get involved?

JA: well as I said, no investigative information will be released right now

R2: Janice can you tell us what kind of efforts are being made to find her by the police dept if you can't comment on the details yet?

JA: every effort, every avenue to locate her is being done by SMPD and HCSO.

R2: can you tell us if there have been any searches that have been done? officers going out and looking in certain areas where she might be?

JA: not from the sheriff's office standpoint. There is a plan for something later on this week.

R2: Is there anything about the 'spotting' you say her jeep has been spotted can you elaborate on that?

JA: the only thing I can say about that is every lead that has been passed back to LE has been investigated or is in the process of being investigated

R: are there any suspects in the case at this point or are there anyone that has been able to provide lead information that you've been able to gain anything from?

JA: at this point its a missing persons re- .. investigation, so .. suspects - none.

R2: Janice is there any reason for the investigation to believe there may be foul play? I know as you stress in the press release here its a missing persons case but is there anything that leads to to believe something may have happened to her?

JA: That's always a possibility and will be loked into by LE

R: Janice, how does this compare to other missing cases that we've done in out area - what are the similarities? what are the differences? does this one stand out to you?

JA: I don't think there are a lot of differences, each case is unique within itself. From a LE standpoint we treat every missing persons report the same. We make every effort to locate that

R: A lot has been said about "on air" especially 'Gail if you hear this call us'... is there the possibility that she still might be somewhere listening to what's broadcasted - and that might be a way oroption of getting her home?

JA: There is only hope that she is still there...listening...and she will respond...especially to her family members

R3: [question inaudible]

JA: she has been placed in the national missing person registry

JA: okay, that's all I have, thank you.

 

[whimdriven]

Fox apparently announced today that America's Most Wanted is being canceled Mr. Walsh is, however, seeking other networks for his show.

 

[suzyq211]

Here's a transcript of the press conference for those who can't hear it or pull it up at work:

And as you can see (referring to the info sheet I assume?) the jeep has been spotted a few times out there

<snipped>

Well, thats something new, right? I havent seen that reported anywhere, or am I mistaken??

 

[Shelby1]

Fox apparently announced today that America's Most Wanted is being canceled Mr. Walsh is, however, seeking other networks for his show.

You're kidding! :sick:

Well, In Sessions for sure should pick that up in a heartbeat.

 

[RWB]

Have been following story know that several things husband has said are false would love to go into the detail but would assume that his defense team is now monitoring this site. While watching him in the video IMO he is hiding something. i believe she knew she was being watched and if you look at her neighborhood there is only one way in and one way out and they live on a dead end street you just can not drive by but have to circle around their house to exit.

 

[hollyblue]

Good Lord, I was just checking for TN missing person sites and got a sex ad!

 

[SignalMountain Guy]

this really shows the community in a bad light don't ya think? I sure as heck would not want to live there...god help anyone's safety around that place.

I've lived on Signal Mountain for the last three years. Its an affluent bedroom community - mostly families with children. There is very little crime here - I doubt most people even lock their doors at night. There has never been a murder as far as I know. My guess is that it is precisely because its so safe here normally that the local police are out of their league on this one. Catching speeders, dealing with problem teenagers, and the occasional domestic disturbance probably don't give these guys much experience in dealing with this kind of investigation.

For those interested, here are the crime statistics and a whole range of other data on Signal Mountain:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Signal-Mountain-Tennessee.html

 

[kikidee]

I sure wish we knew what Gail said to her kids when she left. Where did she tell them she was going??

 

[hollyblue]

The family needs to get in touch with NG, JVM or GMA asking to get the word out about GP nationally. People need to know there are many people looking and concerned for her. Show the poster and give her FB missing website. imo

 

[tiredblondy]

:Welcome1: Welcome RBW.

 

[tiredblondy]

:Welcome1: Welcome Signal Mtn Guy

 

[ThoughtFox]

I've lived on Signal Mountain for the last three years. Its an affluent bedroom community - mostly families with children. There is very little crime here - I doubt most people even lock their doors at night. There has never been a murder as far as I know.

Welcome to Websleuths! :welcome5:

I don't think you've lived there long enough, but I'm sure the Chamber of Commerce and all the real estate agents don't tell newcomers about the murder history of Signal Mt.

There have actually been some unusual murders and violent crime there, one that was on Unsolved Mysteries known as . . . The Signal Mountain Murders of 1988.

The Signal Mountain Murders

Sunday morning, July 10, 1988 a search party was organized to find the victims. Officer Larry Sneed of the Hamilton County Sheriff&#8217;s Department responded to a call and found three ATVs dumped in an illegal dumpsite. Two of those ATVs were covered in blood. Bone chips were recovered from one of the ATVs. These were later found to be pieces of a skull that had been hit by a bullet. Police began referring to this area as &#8220;Crime Scene I.&#8221; After finding out that the ATVs had been found, Lee Griffith, one of the victims&#8217; brother, was driving home to tell his mother about the news when his vehicle began having trouble. He stopped a jeep, coincidentally driven by Casteel, and asked for a ride. Casteel gave Mr. Griffith a ride, and Mr. Griffith noticed that the jeep was wet in the back. Mr. Griffith thought that the water in the jeep was unusual because it had not rained recently.

On Monday, July 11, 1988, the search party began searching the &#8220;Helican Road,&#8221; which was more of a trail that crossed the Casteel&#8217;s property and led to the blue hole. As the party began to search the Helican Road, they arrived at the &#8220;gate,&#8221;in actuality an area where a gate used to be. They noticed that the area around the gate had been manicured, or cleaned so much that it looked unusual. There, the search party found spots of blood and what would later be identified as brain tissue. A more thorough search uncovered a pocketknife belonging to one of the victims and, outside the manicured area, large pools of blood. A police dog later found more blood in the area. Police eventually called this area &#8220;Crime Scene II.&#8221;

You can read the rest of the story there or find lots of articles about the trial(s) of the killer Frank Casteel, who eventually had a mistress who flipped on him.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIvgRHMR3Yw[/ame]​

More recently:

2009: Chiropractor Shot By Wife

That wasn't really a death, though. Just another family squabble. :innocent:

And the one I remember the most because I knew a friend of this family (who also became rather paranoid at the time, believe me): the brutal murder of Robert Mosher. I was in college at the time and it was startling that this would happen on Signal Mountain.

1982 ~ The Death Of Robert Mosher

In 1982, Bobby Randell Wilcoxson was paroled from Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas, into the Chattanooga, Tennessee area. Before the year's end, Wilcoxson would murder again.

Robert Mosher of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, a swank country club suburb of Chattanooga, was a chemical engineer with the Dupont company. According to court records, his second wife, Evelyn Faye Mosher, developed a very expensive drug addiction that nearly bankrupted the Mosher family. Already connected by drug dealers to the seedy underbelly of the Chattanooga criminal network, Evelyn Mosher put the word out - she would pay anyone who would murder her husband and make it look like an accident. Robert Mosher's life insurance paid double for accidents.

One of Wilcoxson's fellow ex-cons from Leavenworth mentioned Evelyn Mosher's need to Wilcoxson.

"If she hires me," Wilcoxson told the con, "she's getting the meanest son-of-a-***** she's ever seen in her life."

In December, 1982, Evelyn Mosher gave Wilcoxson a key to the Mosher family house. Wilcoxson and an accomplice went to the Mosher's Signal Mountain home before Robert Mosher was due from work. They ransacked the place to give the illusion of a burglary, then they waited for Robert Mosher to arrive.

The intruders captured Mosher in his garage, duct tapped his hands behind his back and took him into the kitchen. There, Wilcoxson and his accomplice stood Mosher on a step ladder and pushed him off, hoping the fall to the floor would break his neck. They repeated this several times - resulting in a good beating of Mosher but no broken neck.

Frustrated, Wilcoxson took a piece of plastic tarp and rammed it down Mosher's throat using ten inches of a mop handle.

The local police could not solve the crime and Evelyn Mosher would not talk to them. She collected $209,000 of insurance benefits but never paid Wilcoxson. In 1985, she came under the surveillance of the local police for her drug activity.

My guess is that it is precisely because its so safe here normally that the local police are out of their league on this one. Catching speeders, dealing with problem teenagers, and the occasional domestic disturbance probably don't give these guys much experience in dealing with this kind of investigation.

Believe me, the police know it's no more safe there than in the valley. That's not to say it is crime-ridden, but anyone who grew up here knows that as much drug dealing, drug taking, gambling, and everything else goes on up there as anywhere else.

As I say, it is mainly the Chamber of Commerce that is in denial, not the cops. If they are lucky, traffic stops are the only thing that happens up there. As others have written, there is a pattern of keeping things hush-hush as long as possible.