Timeline Revisited-April 26, 2005

In re-reading the few public documents that are available, nearly two years later I still come back to the timeline. The times as we know them simply allow so little "wiggle room" for the murderer. I thought perhaps we could re-hash them again. When you look at them, it just seems so obvious that Raven HAS to be the perp, in my opinion anyway. That said, why then has there been no arrest? Are we missing something obvious? Certainly the Durham Police Dept (DPD) has a wealth of information to which we are not privy, but even so, with the "factual" information that we DO have, something just seems amiss…..

The "factual" timeline:

- About 7:00pm "(Janet) Last Known to be Alive." (This is from the Medical Examiner’s (ME) Report of Investigation.)

- Around 8:30pm "Raven Abaroa left the house…to play in an indoor soccergame…" (This is from the DPD press release announcing the Sund/Carrington reward.)
It is worth nothing here that the 8:30 time contrasts with the 7:00 time from the ME report. Seemingly the "last known to be alive" time would then be 8:30. As was posted at the time, more than likely one can extrapolate that the 7:00 time was confirmed from two sources – Raven AND the hometeacher(s). The 8:30 time is based on one thing only – Raven’s words. Accordingly, perhaps the ME used the 7:00 time as it was the only one that could be confirmed.

(Does this mean that DPD was questioning Raven’s story from the beginning? The timing?)

- About 10:50pm "Onset of injury or illness." (From the ME report.)

- About 10:55pm "Death." (From the ME report.)

- 10:58pm Raven calls 911. (Various reports – DPD spokesperson, Search Warrant)

- Around 11:00pm "…Raven…found (Janet) stabbed to death…" (DPD press release (see above))

What we DON’T know:
What time Raven left the house, aside from his word.
What time Raven arrived to play soccer.
What time Raven left the soccer game.
What time Raven arrived home.


Another thing to note. The Search Warrant narrative reads as follows: "On April 26, 2005 at 10:58pm uniform patrol officers responded to 2606 Ferrand Drive…." The property collection pages of the warrant reference "Time Reported 10:58."
One can surmise that the uniformed officers most likely arrived at the house fairly quickly, but in fact we do NOT have the exact time of their arrival, simply that they responded to a 911 call that came in at 10:58. We DO know that the first investigator arrived at the house at 11:50pm (per warrant narrative.) This is relevant when one thinks about the timing of Raven being in the house – how long was he there before calling 911, and who much time did he have prior to the first responders arriving – critical info as it regards to possibly getting rid of a murder weapon perhaps?

So, to analyze a little –

"About" is a big word in this context. When the ME uses that term do they mean a 10 minute timeframe, a 30 minute timeframe, hours? We have never known/seen the reports of the first responders, as far as their observations – body condition, body temp, body sounds, etc., etc. These are all certainly things that would aid in determining TOD.

We DO know a fact here – Raven called 911 at 10:58pm.

Per Raven’s words: He arrived home, the house was unlocked, he came inside, went upstairs, kissed Kaiden, and then apparently went into the dark office/bedroom where he found Janet kneeling on the floor. He turned on the light, saw the blood, rolled her over and saw that she not breathing…he thought she had been shot and called 911.

Guessing – working backwards from the 911 call - Raven would have been in the house, what, at least 5 minutes, most likely more (in order to come in, go upstairs, kiss Kaiden, find Janet, etc.,) before calling 911. Even at a minimum of 5 minutes, the clock is then at 10:53pm. Remember, ME says onset of injury was "about 10:50pm" and "death about 10:55pm." If we take those times at face value – the timing is incredible! With the 5 minute min scenario – the murderer stabs Janet at 10:50 – Raven is in the house at 10:53 – Janet dies at 10:55 – Raven calls 911 at 10:58. So using those times – the murderer is upstairs, stabs Janet at 10:50, gets back downstairs and out of the house, PRIOR to Raven coming IN the house at 10:53. Possible? I suppose. Likely? Hmmmm.

Now granted, I’m extrapolating a lot of timing things here. But just how "off" can the ME report really be? Would they pinpoint the "about" times that closely without good reason? Surely the ME writing those times on that report would know that at some point those times would most likely have to be justified in a courtroom.

Ok, a lot of speculation for sure. But the question remains, based on what we DO know, based on the times we DO have – wouldn’t those things be enough to arrest Raven, or, not? Is it possible to make an arrest based on the "fact" that there is no evidence anyone else COULD HAVE killed Janet in the given timeframe? Ok, sure, someone could have killed Janet and quickly slipped out of the house, in record time, unbeknownst to Raven, but is that really likely?

Given these ideas – there must be something more. Is the timing that off? Can an arrest not be made just on the simple facts of time? I have no idea. Someone?

I recall the Michael Peterson case. Michael was at the house, no question. Michael had Kathleen's blood all over him, no question. Michael says he came in and FOUND Kathleen at the bottom of the stairs. The defense alleged that Kathleen was the victim of nothing more than a fall. The ME thought otherwise. No factual murder weapon was ever found. So when you think about it – the case went forward on the merit that no one else COULD HAVE done it. Sure, there were a myriad of other factors involved, ie., past events, lifestyle issues, money, etc., things that in reality dealt with MOTIVE, but as far as BRINGING THE CHARGE – there was timing. While Michael was sitting outside having a cigar, someone else was in the house and beat Kathleen? She fell? All in a relatively short timeframe – prior to Michael coming in the house and "finding" her.

I know, the cases are very different, the facts are very different. But it remains that Raven puts himself in 2606 Ferrand at 10:58pm, at the very latest. Unless we are to believe that the ME report is simply vague and ambiguous, then Raven murdered Janet, period….or….the phantom murderer simply slipped out of the house, unbeknownst to Raven - no visuals, no sounds (boy, I’d LOVE to know how someone, presumably in a hurry, tiptoes down a staircase, even carpeted, and makes no sound!), simply POOF – and disappears into the night, oh, and with the "missing laptop" in hand I suppose.

Let’s remember a key phrase used by DPD from almost day one – "investigators do not believe it was a random act."

IMO, the Durham Police Department knows full well who murdered Janet Abaroa. My guess is they’ve known from day one. Yet, as we all know, knowing and proving are two entirely different things.

IF Raven can’t be arrested on the timeline alone, something’s missing. What that missing link is remains to be seen……….

Great summory, I have some theories myself, but time is limited, will respond as soon as I can.

One thing missing, murder weapon.

http://livetrialupdates.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links&l_op=viewlink&cid=21

The links to Medical Examiner report here.

It states "About" for onset of injuries "about" for TOD.

Medical Examiner Notified April 27, 2005

The medical examiner viewed the body on April 28, 2005 at 11 am. That's 36 hours later?

Will delve into this more later

terminatrixator said:

It states "About" for onset of injuries "about" for TOD.

Medical Examiner Notified April 27, 2005

The medical examiner viewed the body on April 28, 2005 at 11 am. That's 36 hours later?

Click to expand...

Yes, but about 10:50 and about 10:55? I could see if the report stated "about 10:45" and "about 11:00". But two approximations, only five minutes apart? That seems like more than mere guessing to me.

And if the ME didn't view the body for 36 hours, where are these times, approximate or not, coming from? Are these times based on other documents that we haven't seen? Perhaps from first responders since, as SES pointed out, we don't really know who was on the scene and when prior to the first investigator. For all we've seen, there are so many other things that we haven't, I'm sure. The times 10:50 and 10:55, IMO, are too specific to be approximations.

I can't think of why he hasn't been arrested yet based on this information of TOD, it places him there, but I just don't understand the "about" and how they came to it.

Originally Posted by Moxie
Published: Jan 25, 2006 12:30 AM
Modified: Jan 25, 2006 02:53 AM



$5,000 reward offered in slaying
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Samiha Khanna, Staff Writer
For nine months, family and friends have been waiting desperately for an arrest in the killing of Janet Abaroa, a young mother stabbed in her home.

On Tuesday, Durham police released more details about her last day alive and announced a $5,000 reward in the unsolved case.

In his first interview about the killing, the victim's husband said Tuesday that he hoped a reward, if not someone's conscience, would bring clues forward.

"Someone knows something," Raven Abaroa said in a telephone interview. "I don't know what it's going to take."

Janet Abaroa, 25, was found dead by her husband the night of April 26 inside her home at 2606 Ferrand Drive. Her 6-month-old son, Kaiden, was in the next room, uninjured, police said. At the time, police said there were no signs of forced entry and the crime was "not random," but they have not named any suspects.

On Tuesday, police said a laptop computer was missing from the home. They also said that on her last day, Abaroa went to pick up her son from day care, then she and her husband dropped off her car for repairs, according to a Durham police news release.

That evening, the couple hosted a friend from church at their home. About 8:30 p.m., Raven Abaroa went to Morrisville for a soccer game, the release said. About 11 p.m., he returned and found his wife dead, kneeling on the floor of a bedroom, according a medical examiner's report.

An autopsy report later showed that Abaroa was in the early stages of pregnancy when she was killed.

Little information has been released by authorities, but the case is still active, said Dena Kendall, 38, the victim's older sister.

"Our family has been in constant contact with the police," Kendall said Tuesday. Waiting for developments from police is frustrating, she said, "but we have to let them do their job."

Meanwhile, Raven Abaroa, 26, has moved to Utah with Kaiden. He left Durham shortly after his wife's death, he said, because there was no reason to stay.

"The only thing I had there was my family, and my family was taken from me," he said.

Months went by and Kaiden, now 1, took his first steps. He learned to kick a soccer ball, something that would have made his soccer-star mom proud, Raven Abaroa said.

"He knows who his mom is," he said. "He sees pictures of her and says, 'Ma,' " he added, sobbing.

Raven and Janet Abaroa were private people, and now strangers speculate on the details of their lives and the killing on Web sites, he said. He recognizes that even strangers want to see justice for his wife, but he also worries that people personify Janet as weak, as being helplessly victimized. They should remember her as the strong woman she was, he said.

"She [was] the epitome of what a woman should be," he said.

For the next six months, the Carole Sund/Carrington Memorial Reward Foundation, based in Modesto, Calif., will pay $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the killing.

Carole Carrington, 72, started the foundation in 1999, when her own daughter, granddaughter and family friend were murdered on a trip to Yosemite National Park.

It was publicity of the reward that broke open that case and put a serial killer behind bars, Carrington said. Now, it is how she helps other families.

"When you've got a tragedy in your life, helping other people helps you, too," Carrington said in a telephone interview. Since 1999, the nonprofit foundation has offered more than $2.5 million in 364 cases, including the killing of congressional intern Chandra Levy. Durham CrimeStoppers also is offering up to $1,200 for information. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator S.W. Vaughan at 560-4440, ext. 247, or CrimeStoppers at 683-1200.


Staff writer Samiha Khanna can be reached at 956-2468 or skhanna@newsobserver.com.
"That evening, the couple hosted a friend from church at their home." <<< Why haven't I seen anything on this "friend from church" being at their home right before the murder?! Who was it and when did that person leave? Does anyone know anything more on this?

__________________

SeriouslySearching said:

"That evening, the couple hosted a friend from church at their home." <<< Why haven't I seen anything on this "friend from church" being at their home right before the murder?! Who was it and when did that person leave? Does anyone know anything more on this?

Click to expand...

This reporter has actually reported this wrong. It was actually two men from church. Right? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. They are supposed to come visit in pairs. They are called home teachers. They are given a few families in the church to visit and to make sure the family is doing alright. They were there earlier in the evening and they left before Raven left for soccer. In my opinion, these "friends" would have had nothing to do with Janet's murder. The real murder is the one who was in the house at the TOD. Now, wait, let me think who that was.....hmmm.....oh, yeah it was RAVEN!!

Have the police openly cleared the two 'friends'? If so, can someone point me to where it has been discussed? I have gone back to the beginning of this case only to find the few links which have not disappeared. I would like to know more about them.

Hometeachers are from their Church. My understanding is the Hometeachers that came, left before Raven left to go play soccer and were cleared. Where it has been discussed here, I am not sure where, I cannot find some of the threads now, but they did leave before Raven left.

SeriouslySearching said:

Have the police openly cleared the two 'friends'? If so, can someone point me to where it has been discussed? I have gone back to the beginning of this case only to find the few links which have not disappeared. I would like to know more about them.

Click to expand...

To my knowledge, LE has never cleared anyone, at least publicly. That said, they (LE) have said the following -

November 8, 2006, local television station WRAL reported in an interview with Cpl. Sheldon Perkins of the Durham Police Department:

Investigators said much of their work in the past year has involved tying outside information to clues found at the scene.

"We got a lot of forensic evidence on the scene," Perkins said. "But sometimes it's just as important the evidence you don't find."

Police said they believe Janet Abaroa knew her killer, noting there was no forced entry into the house.

Investigators have interviewed dozens of people, some of them more than once, he said.

"We have some people we're looking at, and we do have a person of interest," he said. "I feel it's a very good case."

Is it possible the Mormon hometeacher(s) were involved? Sure, I suppose it’s possible. My guess is that that person or persons would have been the first people LE contacted after interviewing Raven. As noted in the earlier post, note that the ME Report of Investigation notes the "last known alive" as 7pm, NOT 830pm which seemingly is the time Raven provided as being when he LEFT the house to play soccer. The 7pm time must have been verified – Raven most likely said that the hometeacher(s) left the house at 7pm, which was then verified WITH the hometeacher(s)…otherwise the "last known alive" time would be noted at 830pm.

Accordingly, I just feel certain that those church folks were interviewed thoroughly, maybe more than once. What was said? Who knows. Is it possible that one of them came back to the house AFTER Raven left to play soccer? Sure. But again, for me anyway, it all comes back to timing.

The time of the stabbing. The time of death.

The time Raven arrived home. The time Raven called 911.

There are certainly gray areas in any investigation. But in this case, if Raven is innocent, the times just don’t add up.

1 + 1 = 2. Always. No gray area there. If Raven was in the house at the time of the murder, well, unless his story involves some mystery person, the answer is clear, to me anyway.

Thanks for looking up that information SES.

You are correct and they were not "publicly cleared."

I think that since, imo that Raven is indeed the perpetrator of this heinous crime, that she did indeed know the perpetrator, no sign of force entry, two church members would have left some sort of evidence and would probably have been caught immediately.

The fact that Raven is the only person that had anything to gain by her murder, that having nobody "publicly cleared" did slip my mind, as it hasn't been revisted in a while.