POI - Heath Dykes

christine2448

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Was Heath Dykes responsible or involved in Tara's disappearance?

Friend of Tara's, last person to be at Tara's 12:15am Monday

(picture anyone?)


Please discuss this person of interest here.
 
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Heath Dykes
 
Welcome kryptonite!!!

Was the car he was driving ever processed?
 
I have read most of the threads here and some media reports (as limited as they are). There has been some activity on the MH POI thread, so I thought I would bring up HD's thread. HD is married, a father of two and a LEO. He was reportedly in a relationship with Tara. He allegedly left well over a dozen phone messages that weekend on Tara's answering machine. He was also in Ocilla over the weekend (alone from what I understand) at Tara's house (he left a business card). He also called Tara's mom late one night inquiring about Tara (around midnight, I believe) when he was standing in her yard.

As for his vehicle, it is my understanding that he was at the police station that Monday morning on one vehicle and came back later that day on a different. Believe, which vehicle are you referencing (I realize she asked this ? in 2008)?

IMO, HD had a means, motive and opportunity to do something. Perhaps Tara was going to tell his wife? IDK...just thinking outloud.
 
Has it ever been established as fact that Tara and Heath were actually having an affair? Can someone point me towards a link where that is stated? The term "relationship" has always been quite vague considering the fact that they had known each other since childhood, or at least high school (confirmed by Tara's own family). I know about the incident with Anthony Vickers banging on her door and HD being inside, so please don't refer to that. If I were Tara, I would not have opened my door to Anthony Vickers either the way he was acting, regardless of who was inside.

The phone call that HD made to Tara's mother, as people always want to say "from her yard", was the very same night that he left his business card on Tara's door. This was of the course the same night that she was last seen at the pageant, BBQ, etc. If I remember correctly, he called her mother to see if she had heard from her and whether she was alright. He also called Tara's # several times on Sunday, with great concern. I don't know...leaving your LE business card, calling someone's mother at an odd hour, leaving several voicemails...not exactly the signs of someone trying to cover their tracks or hide a so-called affair from anyone, in my opinion.

I believe there were also 3 phone calls that Tara made or received on Saturday night after the BBQ. I know one was from one of the former pageant girls (Was it Mandy? Sorry, I can't remember that girl's name), who informed Tara that she saw MH at some club/bar with his new girlfriend. Undoubtedly, this was upsetting to Tara who apparently still had feelings for MH - per MH himself and others. She had just come from a BBQ attended by MH's parents and who knows what she heard there. Maybe they were quite open about the fact that MH was dating other people. Maybe she had hoped to see MH there and, compounded with the comments from others about MH, became increasingly upset.

When you look at these series of events, doesn't it seem possible that she made some type of distress call to HD? I don't necessarily mean an emergency distress call. But, since they had been friends for a long time, it would not be entirely out of the ordinary for her to have called him during a moment of emotional distress over the MH situation. It could have been something like she left him a message saying she was going to go back out and see if she could run into MH where he was last known to be (the bar - per her friend/pageant girl). This would have concerned any good friend, considering the history of that relationship.....Presumably, he (HD) also knew about what had transpired the previous week where Tara did not go into work and went to MH's house crying at his window. I am, of course, referring to the incident that MH discussed in an interview with Greta Van Sustern where he portrayed Tara as suicidal and irrational.
 
Why did HD's wife throw his clothes out in the yard? Over a friendship? I don't think so.......
 
Why did HD's wife throw his clothes out in the yard? Over a friendship? I don't think so.......

I don't know, why did HD's wife throw his clothes out in the yard? How do you know this event even occured? Did you read it in a news article? Read it on another online discussion forum, posted by a "local" or something? Were you there as a firsthand witness? If you were there, what were the expressions on their faces or the words spoken between them?

Again, my previous first two questions were: Has it ever been established as fact that Tara and Heath were actually having an affair? Can someone point me towards a link where that is stated? Thanks.
 
I don't know, why did HD's wife throw his clothes out in the yard? How do you know this event even occured? Did you read it in a news article? Read it on another online discussion forum, posted by a "local" or something? Were you there as a firsthand witness? If you were there, what were the expressions on their faces or the words spoken between them?

Again, my previous first two questions were: Has it ever been established as fact that Tara and Heath were actually having an affair? Can someone point me towards a link where that is stated? Thanks.

TMK there is no link that will state HD and Tara were having an affair. It was said by locals that HD's wife threw his clothes out. Also, they got back together to save face (from what I've heard). Also, HD left more than 20 messages on Tara's answering machine telling he loved her and that he was sorry, etc.

I think there are more questions, for me, about HD's activities that weekend than there are MH. There are several hours that are unaccounted for -- where was HD? He also, out of the blue, went to see an old friend near the river.

HD, a married police officer, was at Tara's often -- different times of the day. This was stated by locals....it was no secret he was there. He would park his vehicle in other locations and go see her. If their relationship was innocent, why not park in her yard?

FWIU, he also had access to her house. Why wouldn't he have gone in when he called, knocked and saw that her car was home yet she still didn't answer? If I thought something was wrong (wrong enough to call her mom after midnight, wrong enough to drive from Perry to Ocilla), I wouldn't have left a card and drove off. But that's just me.
 
Bree, I've gotten distracted by several things, namely the Kyron case. But, I appreciate your reply. The thing is everything that you're saying is still, just as I said previously, a rumor started by locals. You even cite them as your source for the information. I am not saying that the man (HD) was never at her house. They were friends, so it would not be extremely out of the realm of possibilities that he ever went to see her.

All I have ever asked for is something beyond speculation and rumor that was written on one of those Tara-focused forums created years ago by some locals. I read the very same things you did and you are probably talking about things you read on the exact same place that I read them. But, what is that about you can't believe everything you hear/read especially online? Generally, the people who were very supportive of MH were the ones who seemed to be the ones against HD, which may mean nothing but it is certainly interesting.

I also remember reading the things about HD supposedly parking behind her house or the opposite side of the house where there was no driveway or some odd place. Frankly, the parking situation story doesn't even make sense. Tara's house was on a corner and there was also a fence around her yard, if I remember correctly. So, not only would he not have been able to park behind her house...unless he had some great skills and could get his car to jump fences, but also being that Tara's house was on a corner someone would have been able to see his car from one angle or another. It, therefore, doesn't make sense that he was parking in all of those extreme ways to avoid attention. Or, even if he did park on the side once....maybe it was just to not block her car into the driveway/carport and the neighbors read way too much into that? Plus, where were all of these nosy neighbors on the night that Tara disappeared???
 
Bree, I've gotten distracted by several things, namely the Kyron case. But, I appreciate your reply. The thing is everything that you're saying is still, just as I said previously, a rumor started by locals. You even cite them as your source for the information. I am not saying that the man (HD) was never at her house. They were friends, so it would not be extremely out of the realm of possibilities that he ever went to see her.

All I have ever asked for is something beyond speculation and rumor that was written on one of those Tara-focused forums created years ago by some locals. I read the very same things you did and you are probably talking about things you read on the exact same place that I read them. But, what is that about you can't believe everything you hear/read especially online? Generally, the people who were very supportive of MH were the ones who seemed to be the ones against HD, which may mean nothing but it is certainly interesting.

I also remember reading the things about HD supposedly parking behind her house or the opposite side of the house where there was no driveway or some odd place. Frankly, the parking situation story doesn't even make sense. Tara's house was on a corner and there was also a fence around her yard, if I remember correctly. So, not only would he not have been able to park behind her house...unless he had some great skills and could get his car to jump fences, but also being that Tara's house was on a corner someone would have been able to see his car from one angle or another. It, therefore, doesn't make sense that he was parking in all of those extreme ways to avoid attention. Or, even if he did park on the side once....maybe it was just to not block her car into the driveway/carport and the neighbors read way too much into that? Plus, where were all of these nosy neighbors on the night that Tara disappeared???

Call it rumor if you want, but I happen to believe what I've been told by the person telling me - so we didn't read it in the same place. You know, we can't look at MH and not look at HD. MH did have an alibi, no matter how perfect it may be. A ride along is a ride along...happens spontaneously all the time where I'm from. And I'm not (nor is my friend) pro-MH/anti-MH or pro-HD/anti-HD...I'm PRO-TARA! Someone knows something and they need to own up to it.

In fact, my opinion is that it could be neither MH or HD that is responsible. But, HD is very suspicious, IMO. He had too many hours that were unaccounted for and he placed himself at the scene of a missing persons case (before we knew she was missing). Here we have a married father of 2 at a single woman's house in the middle of the night...a single woman who he allegedly had a relationship with....he should have been at home and then there would be no cloud hanging over his head.

As for HD parking behind Tara's home....no one ever said he parked literally behind her home or that his car jumped her fence. There was a neighboring home nearby that was vacant, FWIU. It is also my understanding that he parked at another neighbors so that his vehicle would not be seen in her driveway. Why hide your vehicle if your relationship is innocent? :waitasec: From what I've been told, the relationship wasn't just a friendship...it was far more than that. Sometimes you have to listen to the locals, because more times than not, they know things. Obviously, the GBI doesn't know the answers as there have been no arrest made in 5 years (JMHO). If we don't move forward with what information we do have (be it rumors or whatever you want to call it), then we are at a complete standstill because the GBI has put out little to no information to go on.

I would suspect those "nosy neighbors" were asleep at midnight or thereafter when Tara disappeared. Not surprising in the least.
 
Call it rumor if you want, but I happen to believe what I've been told by the person telling me - so we didn't read it in the same place. You know, we can't look at MH and not look at HD. MH did have an alibi, no matter how perfect it may be. A ride along is a ride along...happens spontaneously all the time where I'm from. And I'm not (nor is my friend) pro-MH/anti-MH or pro-HD/anti-HD...I'm PRO-TARA! Someone knows something and they need to own up to it.

In fact, my opinion is that it could be neither MH or HD that is responsible. But, HD is very suspicious, IMO. He had too many hours that were unaccounted for and he placed himself at the scene of a missing persons case (before we knew she was missing). Here we have a married father of 2 at a single woman's house in the middle of the night...a single woman who he allegedly had a relationship with....he should have been at home and then there would be no cloud hanging over his head.

As for HD parking behind Tara's home....no one ever said he parked literally behind her home or that his car jumped her fence. There was a neighboring home nearby that was vacant, FWIU. It is also my understanding that he parked at another neighbors so that his vehicle would not be seen in her driveway. Why hide your vehicle if your relationship is innocent? :waitasec: From what I've been told, the relationship wasn't just a friendship...it was far more than that. Sometimes you have to listen to the locals, because more times than not, they know things. Obviously, the GBI doesn't know the answers as there have been no arrest made in 5 years (JMHO). If we don't move forward with what information we do have (be it rumors or whatever you want to call it), then we are at a complete standstill because the GBI has put out little to no information to go on.

I would suspect those "nosy neighbors" were asleep at midnight or thereafter when Tara disappeared. Not surprising in the least.


I have never said that Marcus Harper is the only possible answer or that we can only discuss him and not HD. So, please don't put words in my mouth. I also am not sure whether it is even HD or MH and have always left open the possibility of it being someone else. It seems like the only people discussed repeatedly are Marcus Harper, Heath Dykes and Larry Gattis. And, of course, there is the other unproven theory out there that she walked away which I also don't believe. Nobody apparently wants to talk about Anthony Vickers or that other guy she dated who moved to Florida or maybe even some stalker from the Valdosta State College campus that she didn't necessarily know. But, I know I have always put forth those people (or types of people) as possible POIs in my mind from day one.

No one is saying that you can't believe whatever it is that you want to believe, but the more you describe how you obtained this information it certainly sounds like people swirling up and sharing rumors. Me asking you or anyone for a mainstream media link concerning HD should not be all that big of a deal, considering it is required in all other topics and forums here. Sure, locals might have valuable information that *could* pertain to the investigation. That is, it can be useful as long as they are sharing it with the proper authorities. How is a local sending you this information via email or PM or maybe even phone call, whatever it was, doing something in a constructive way to help the investigation?

That would sure have been convenient if the whole neighborhood was nicely, tucked away and in bed by midnight on that Saturday night....unlike several of the other nights with various people keeping tabs on Tara's home activities. What a lucky perp, I guess.
 
I have never said that Marcus Harper is the only possible answer or that we can only discuss him and not HD. So, please don't put words in my mouth. I also am not sure whether it is even HD or MH and have always left open the possibility of it being someone else. It seems like the only people discussed repeatedly are Marcus Harper, Heath Dykes and Larry Gattis. And, of course, there is the other unproven theory out there that she walked away which I also don't believe. Nobody apparently wants to talk about Anthony Vickers or that other guy she dated who moved to Florida or maybe even some stalker from the Valdosta State College campus that she didn't necessarily know. But, I know I have always put forth those people (or types of people) as possible POIs in my mind from day one.

No one is saying that you can't believe whatever it is that you want to believe, but the more you describe how you obtained this information it certainly sounds like people swirling up and sharing rumors. Me asking you or anyone for a mainstream media link concerning HD should not be all that big of a deal, considering it is required in all other topics and forums here. Sure, locals might have valuable information that *could* pertain to the investigation. That is, it can be useful as long as they are sharing it with the proper authorities. How is a local sending you this information via email or PM or maybe even phone call, whatever it was, doing something in a constructive way to help the investigation?

That would sure have been convenient if the whole neighborhood was nicely, tucked away and in bed by midnight on that Saturday night....unlike several of the other nights with various people keeping tabs on Tara's home activities. What a lucky perp, I guess.

Apparently you misread my post because I didn't put any words in your mouth. I'm sorry that you feel that way. It was not my intention. I was making a basic statement. I also agree that we can't just look at MH, HD and LG. It could be anyone. I too don't believe she just walked away, but I suppose at this point, anything is possible.

As well, it's dificult to link anyone to media links when the case is pretty tight-lipped. There isn't much to link to that hasn't already been provided. I know the person that told me the information, and with that said, I will continue to believe what I was told. You can call it rumor, I will call it word-of-mouth. I also never said that my friend hadn't spoken with the proper authorities. :waitasec: So without getting into a p*ssing match, and risk getting banned, I'll stop here. I enjoy WS too much to do that. [FWIW, I haven't always lived in WA and won't live here any longer than I have to.]

ETA: Lucky perp or not...it's not surprising that people were asleep at midnight. Speaking for myself here....I am up at midnight almost everynight, but unless someone comes knocking at my door, I wouldn't know what was going on outside. For locals [in GA] to see things on occasion, doesn't state that they are up being nosey every night. I, also, never said HD only visited at night. According to reports, he was there when AV came beating on Tara's door (his truck was not in her yard from what I understand). I'm not saying he's [HD] is guilty of anything; I don't know because I wasn't there.
 
The post stated to me that basically it's not fair to look at MH without also looking at HD, as if that was what I was trying to do or my goal behind questioning the HD claims. So, I don't believe that I misread, as it was a direct response to me and not just a general post here. But, thanks for giving your side. Glad we can agree that there are, and should still be at this point, multiple possibilities here.

Obviously, we are going to have to agree to disagree about labeling this information concerning where HD was parked, when and why, etc. as rumor or not. I'm not sure how you are differentiating between rumor and "word of mouth", when they are actually interchangeable. A very basic, crucial part of the definition of a rumor is that it is transmitted by word of mouth.

It is interesting that the main example anyone has of HD being parked somewhere else is when the police had to be called to deal with AV. I suppose that Tara's guests may have had to take precautions if someone was stalking her, especially male guests as AV was clearly taking Tara's relations with any male very personally. Could she have been trying to get a witness to AV's behavior, without necessarily alerting AV to the fact that there was a witness?
 
What happened to Tara?

LillyRush and Bree0732, you guys had some great ideas. I wonder if we can get you back here thinking about this...
Tara took her purse and keys wherever she went, right? (in theory, being that they were missing.) Most likely situation is that someone she knew said, hey let's take a ride here, or come with me real quick, I have to do this. Either way, she's going in someone's car. And never makes it back :(

Now let's think of HD here - let's say he is having an affair with her. He cares for her. Who do we know has decided he does not care about her? MH. What if HD and Tara had planned to hang out Saturday night after the BBQ or on Sunday? She gets home, and something goes wrong with HD and he starts covering things up by breaking her lamp and dropping a glove, and calling, or she gets home Sat. night and MH shows up, things go sour and when HD arrives at her house on Sunday, he can't find her and knows something's wrong because she missed their date.

Either way, I feel it has to be one of them. I actually was stalked by a student and it was a very terrifying experience. But I feel more likely it's someone in LE, who would have knowledge of how to pass a polygraph, how to kill and dispose of a body...I just don't think a "crazed college kid" would have enough skill to evade police so much. Any thoughts?
 
> let's say he is having an affair with her. He cares for her. <

He was having an affair with Tara.
 
Calling a woman 22 odd times in one night is being more of a possessive, infatuation side of things.
 
Or she had a original distress call earlier that night,to him. Might have sounded frantic. She could have left a frantic voicemail even. And of course he couldn't get back in touch with her cause her cell was in her house.

Was the phone left on? When it was plugged in the charger?
 

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