A slip-up in the ransom note?

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T-Rex

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"You will withdraw $118,000.00 from your account. $100,000 will be in $100 bills and the remaining $18,000 in $20 bills. Make sure that you bring an adequate size attache to the bank. When you get home you will put the money in a brown paper bag. I will call you between 8 and 10 am tomorrow to instruct you on delivery. The delivery will be exhausting so I advise you to be rested. If we monitor you getting the money early, we might call you early to arrange an earlier delivery of the money and hence a (sic) earlier pick-up of your daughter."

Banks usually open at 9AM. But then the kidnapper says he will call between 8 and 10AM with instructions on delivery. That's exactly when John would be at the bank. "If we monitor you getting the money early, we might call you early..." How would John possibly get the money earlier than 8AM?
Do you think the writer actually meant the following day, when s/he said "tomorrow"? Meaning the note was written after midnight? Or did s/he just slip up, since it was all nonsense anyway?
 
Not to get off ur find, but the word """bring""" to the bank, sounds like the person is at the bank, i would think the word "take" would have been used.
 
Beyond Belief said:
Not to get off ur find, but the word """bring""" to the bank, sounds like the person is at the bank, i would think the word "take" would have been used.
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..or at their own home,when it was written?
 
What if the word "money" doesn't refer to actual cash, but is a code word for something else?


-Tea
 
I have always thought that there was some kind of "message" in the ransom note,and we're just missing it. We're probably missing it,because it's possibly a covert message that makes sense only to the author ... for now.

As silly as this might sound ... but I compare the ransom note to the "Riddler" from Batman,when he use to leave riddles for Batman,and even Batman had to wrack his brain trying to figure out what it is...until at one point something clicks and Batman "gets it",and all of a sudden things come together and the riddle is answered.

I may just have an overactive imagination ... but hey anything is possible,right?
 
I've seen text analysis of the note which says, among other things, the use of "bring" where most people would say "take" is a southern speech habit.

Some people think "tommorow" means the 27th. One reason it might be the 27th is the Rs were giving themselves almost two whole days to dump the body. But they didn't follow through, if that every was their plan.

The calling "earlier" part still makes little sense, imo. If the note meant the call would come the 27th, then the only earlier time JR could get the money would be on the 26th.

The simplest explanation is that the note doens't really make a lot of sense because the author couldn't quite put herself fully in the frame of mind of the hypothetical killer/kidnapper.
 
T-Rex, what you said sounds right: "tomorrow" has to mean December 27 -- the ransom note writer knew it was now (early morning) Dec. 26.

Plus, the note implies that John would need to use that next night (26th into 27th) to get "rested up" for the ordeal. How do you "rest up" in the morning while awaiting a phone call from a kidnapper?

Also, "getting the money earlier" implies that if they got the money on the 26th they might be contacted earlier than 8-10 a.m. on the 27th.

But, like you've all said, trying to parse this garbled note is useless, because it's almost certainly bogus. We've all seen the handwriting samples...
 
Good thinking, T-Rex! I'm a firm believer in the ransom note as a phony document and have studied it but never thought of the time thingy that you did.

I go with your "a slip-up as the whole thing was nonsense anyway."

On the other hand, since JR was an extremely wealthy man, it's conceivable that he would employ people to go to the bank for him etc. Gophers.

But, since "the whole thing is nonsense anyway," whether JR had a Gopher or not doesn't matter.

"Ransom Note" = Staging
 
capps said:
I have always thought that there was some kind of "message" in the ransom note,and we're just missing it. We're probably missing it,because it's possibly a covert message that makes sense only to the author ... for now.. ... but hey anything is possible,right?
Click to expand...

I too keep wondering if there isn't some UNINTENTIONAL slipup in that note. It's too long not to have one, but I just haven't been able to find it. There's bound to be something that's a clue. They're certainly bragging and/or bluffing about being able to "monitor" the family,like international spy wannabe's engaged in this kind of crime. Sort of like a child playing. I keep twisting and turning it in my mind. JR's the one who's been stationed in a foreign country, who may have been approached by someone claiming to be a real spy, a crazy. I don't think PR would have thought about people monitoring people. Any of us can be wrong, of course.
 
capps said:
I have always thought that there was some kind of "message" in the ransom note,and we're just missing it. We're probably missing it,because it's possibly a covert message that makes sense only to the author ... for now.

As silly as this might sound ... but I compare the ransom note to the "Riddler" from Batman,when he use to leave riddles for Batman,and even Batman had to wrack his brain trying to figure out what it is...until at one point something clicks and Batman "gets it",and all of a sudden things come together and the riddle is answered.

I may just have an overactive imagination ... but hey anything is possible,right?
Click to expand...

After reading the excellent book by Andrew Hodges,MD in which he word by word psycholinguisically analyzes the note, I got the 'message' loud and clear. His thoughts and work on this case deserve to at least be read and considered. He makes a lot of sense. It is called, A Mother Gone Bad, I am sure you can find it on amazon. In your scenerio, Dr Hodges is indeed Batman to the Ramsey's Riddler.
 
Eagle1 said:
I too keep wondering if there isn't some UNINTENTIONAL slipup in that note. It's too long not to have one, but I just haven't been able to find it. There's bound to be something that's a clue. They're certainly bragging and/or bluffing about being able to "monitor" the family,like international spy wannabe's engaged in this kind of crime. Sort of like a child playing. I keep twisting and turning it in my mind. JR's the one who's been stationed in a foreign country, who may have been approached by someone claiming to be a real spy, a crazy. I don't think PR would have thought about people monitoring people. Any of us can be wrong, of course.
Click to expand...
I don't know about all of it,but Jeff Merrick felt the '2 gentlemen' comment was about him and a friend.Listen to the interview Trisha listed,(I don't recall which thread the link is on),but that sounds like the most logical explanation,since JR pointed the finger at him right after the murder.
Other parts seem to be written to throw LHP under the bus,as PR did that immediately.I think JR dictated part of the note to PR,and they both put in a few things that could throw suspicion on more than one person.
 
JMO8778 said:
I don't know about all of it,but Jeff Merrick felt the '2 gentlemen' comment was about him and a friend.Listen to the interview Trisha listed,(I don't recall which thread the link is on),but that sounds like the most logical explanation,since JR pointed the finger at him right after the murder.
Other parts seem to be written to throw LHP under the bus,as PR did that immediately.I think JR dictated part of the note to PR,and they both put in a few things that could throw suspicion on more than one person.
Click to expand...
JMO, Your last sentence really makes sense.
 
JMO8778 said:
I don't know about all of it,but Jeff Merrick felt the '2 gentlemen' comment was about him and a friend.Listen to the interview Trisha listed,(I don't recall which thread the link is on),but that sounds like the most logical explanation,since JR pointed the finger at him right after the murder.
Other parts seem to be written to throw LHP under the bus,as PR did that immediately.I think JR dictated part of the note to PR,and they both put in a few things that could throw suspicion on more than one person.
Click to expand...
In my opinion they threw mud in any direction they could fling it in. Hoping any would stick on anybody or nobody in particular at least long enough to get the tires from their bus bumping over the lucky suspect of the weeks backside. To put it succinctly they baffled with brilliance and buffaloed with bull.... you know
 
coloradokares said:
In my opinion they threw mud in any direction they could fling it in. Hoping any would stick on anybody or nobody in particular at least long enough to get the tires from their bus bumping over the lucky suspect of the weeks backside. To put it succinctly they baffled with brilliance and buffaloed with bull.... you know
Click to expand...
Another thing is they just don't look like they would do it. Hit her so hard her head splits, strangle her, stage a molesting scene with the paintbrush, carry her downstairs, write the note, everything. It is so bizarre the lengths they went to that people just can't believe they would do that.
 
Solace said:
Another thing is they just don't look like they would do it. Hit her so hard her head splits, strangle her, stage a molesting scene with the paintbrush, carry her downstairs, write the note, everything. It is so bizarre the lengths they went to that people just can't believe they would do that.
Click to expand...
Crazy like a fox as they say. Personally I think (OMG you wouldn't believe what I did. I just had to erase my family members name and put in Patsy here. Talk about strong feelings and they way they come out. ) Bipolar or some similar mental health issue was behind this. Or at least I think its a strong possibility.
 
coloradokares said:
In my opinion they threw mud in any direction they could fling it in. Hoping any would stick on anybody or nobody in particular at least long enough to get the tires from their bus bumping over the lucky suspect of the weeks backside. To put it succinctly they baffled with brilliance and buffaloed with bull.... you know
Click to expand...
yes,sure was a load of it too!
 
coloradokares said:
Crazy like a fox as they say. Personally I think (OMG you wouldn't believe what I did. I just had to erase my family members name and put in Patsy here. Talk about strong feelings and they way they come out. ) Bipolar or some similar mental health issue was behind this. Or at least I think its a strong possibility.
Click to expand...
I think so, too.
 
Solace said:
Another thing is they just don't look like they would do it. Hit her so hard her head splits, strangle her, stage a molesting scene with the paintbrush, carry her downstairs, write the note, everything. It is so bizarre the lengths they went to that people just can't believe they would do that.
Click to expand...

But they'll believe someone else did it - anyone else, as long as it's not a Ramsey. It could be FW, or his wife, or the Stine's babysitter, or Chris Wolfe, or JMK, or ....
 
Chrishope said:
But they'll believe someone else did it - anyone else, as long as it's not a Ramsey. It could be FW, or his wife, or the Stine's babysitter, or Chris Wolfe, or JMK, or ....
Click to expand...
Ain't that the truth !!
 
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