OR - Brooke Wilberger, 19, Corvallis, 24 May 2004 - #1

Greetings again.

Thanks for all of the kind welcomes. It is very appreciated.

Scandi, you are asking a lot of the same questions that I've been asking. Specifics of the investigation into the "persons of interest" have been purposely vague, which is understandable as the investigators don't want to show all their cards.

Regarding Kim....

The stalking question came up, and when Kim was questioned he had said "no" but since his is the only word on the subject, who is to know for sure? That angle is being investigated. The problem is the inclusion of names with some pairs of the undergarments. Rhetorically, is that a sign of stalking before the theft, of potential stalking after the theft, or is he o.c.d?
There are some off record things some of us were told regarding the character of Kim and I can only say he is someone who bears watching.

Also regarding sex offenders who are required to register their address-19 in Benton County (Corvallis is the county seat) are unaccounted for. They cannot be located.

Sex offender break outs (I can't find the exact notes I had on this but I roughly remember the #'s) 160+ in Benton County and 550+ in Linn County.
The Linn County line is just across the Willamette River from Corvallis. Albany, which is only about 10-12 miles from Corvallis, is the Linn County seat.

The latest on the efforts to find Brooke:

Yesterday Brooke's mother, Cammie, made a plea to the kidnapper to bring Brooke back. She is still holding out hope that her daughter is still alive. She also thanked those who have been searching. Many of the searchers have had to take personal time from their jobs and school to search for Brooke. Cammie strikes me as a very classy woman, who under the circumstances, has held up much better than I believe most of us could while facing the press. I'm sure at home she's having a hard time, but publicly she handles herself with a simple grace.

On the searches: A big change starting today (Friday).
The large grid type shoulder to shoulder searches thru blackberry berms, poison oak, thistles, grass, and plenty of pollen (to name some of the things that have made this search so ugly for the volunteers) have now ended. A little over 3000 acres have been searched. Part of the reason the main reason the searches have come to an end is that many of the volunteers have jobs they must attend to and it's finals week for students. Those volunteering will now start a new effort canvassing with a new flier with some different photos of Brooke. They will also resume the use of "hasty teams."

Hasty teams have been used since about day 4 of the search. They are teams of three travelling by car, boat, bicycle, horse, atv, and foot. They travel fast compared to their gridsearch counterparts. They are armed with gps units and digital cameras. They quickly scan areas looking for anything that could be suspicious like bits of clothing, transient camps, *advertiser censored* (yes, they have found a bunch of it), anything that could be considered out of the ordinary. The hasty team will jot down coordinates, take pictures and head out for more searching. They then return to the information to investigators who follow up on these locations. A couple of things of note the hasty teams have found include an outdoor meth lab and some pot farms.

The new hasty teams will be made up of professional searchers including trackers who will be on call 24/7 to follow up on tips, and will evidently be doing some searching independent of tips as well.

Talk about fortuitous! I just talked to the PIO for CPD. The nuts and bolts latest (as of a few minutes ago) are the following:

Still five persons of interest. Kim is one of them. Contrary to what I wrote earlier besides Kim, there is another who is not a convicted sex offender and as to the reason he is being questioned is not being stated.

It was confirmed to me that there is some specific information that is being held back to be used as part of future interrogations should a suspect be caught. (A couple of things I've been quizzing them about for about a week.)

The bookings from the nearby hotel have been checked and are being rechecked. No confirmation as to whether anyone at the hotel at the time, has a criminal history or anything else to indicate something amiss.

The FBI agents assigned to this case-one in Oregon and one in Quantico- have yet to come up with a profile because of the lack of hard evidence. One of the t.v. stations supposedly had an FBI profile, but it wasn't an official one done by anyone with information to ALL the details.

CPD will continue with their press conferences until "people stop coming."

And for what it's worth-CPD has 8 or 9 theories they are working on.

MysteryMomma---I've expressed my concerns about the search pattern. I'm still waiting to hear about one place in particular that bugs me everytime I drive by it.

I don't know if this has been mentioned or not, but the Wilberger family, in particular Greg (the dad), is in daily contact with the Smart family. From what Greg says they have offered moral support and advice, and have been a great comfort to the Wilbergers.

Calikid asks why all the missing/murdered kids and teens in Oregon. Sometime pick up the book "The Day America Told The Truth". It's about 10 years old now. It's a book dealing with demographics broken down by region on a variety of subjects that generally aren't the arena of pollsters or researchers. My recollection is that the Pacific Northwest led the nation in the per capita percentage of sociopaths. Go figure.


Best wishes to all, and thanks again for the warm welcome.

By the way, sorry for the length of my posts.

thanks, newsperson, for the excellent and very informative post. i learned more from reading your one post than i have scouring the media day in & day out. everything you said about Soo was reported in today's paper -and, boy is it some creepy stuff. great to see you here and thanks for sharing your info/insight into this terrible crime.

btw, i don't think anyone followed up on my "panties in the park" lead but these underwear were not labeled (i gave them a hard stare!). like i said, probably some overzealous teenagers celebrating a holiday weekend. :doh:

annemc2,

My understanding is that a lot of reports, like yours have been made by the public and the searchers. It could be they did go look. You bring up an interesting aspect for me, and that is how the tip line is prioritizing certain calls or e-mail.

If I were you I would call them and ask, particularly if it's bother you.

Newsperson, I am not up on Oregon law, but can they ask any of these "persons of interest", particularly Kim, to take a polygraph? I mean, I know they can ask...but I wonder if it's something being considered.

In some cases it's already been done. Honestly, I never really looked at the polygraph question quite from your angle. Convicted sex offenders do have certain requirements that legally they must abide by that other ex-cons do not in our state. For instance registering where they live with the county and local authorities. I'm not sure though whether they can be required to take a polygraph (doubtful actually) because that information isn't admissible in court. They can be asked to take a polygraph. Whether a sex offender can be REQUIRED is another question, but I will check.

So I know it has been used and that some of the original persons of interest moved off the list IN PART because of the polygraph.

I have a suspicion, (MY OPINION ONLY AND PURE SPECULATION) that members of the family may have been polygraphed. It has to do with body language exhibited during one of the late evening press conferences when the topic came up. I have to reiterate I am only speculating and the speculation is not based on anything anyone said.

You people ask good questions. I will follow up on some of them.

Just found out the Salt Lake City FBI are interviewing BYU students and asking if Brooke was having any problems that might have made her run away and disappear or for someone to harm her. No details on how many people were interviewed, nor when the interviews took place. Seems I remember something about SLPD assisting in a general way from last week. They say none of the interviews proffered anything useful.

Thanks, Newsperson. Let us know what you find out about the polygraphs!!

Just thinking here...

Jon Krakauer wrote a book called "Under the Banner of Heaven" which is about Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. He makes sure to emphasize that these fundamentalists are most definitely separate from the true LDS church, so I mean no offense to any real Mormons, but I wanted to throw it out there. These fundamentalists are zealous about things like plural marriage and subservience of women. Krakauer also goes on to describe the two major sects of the fundamentalists, one of which is based in British Colombia, but has a lot of followers peppered around the Pacific NW region.

This case seems kind of like Elizabeth Smart to me, in that the girl is accomplished, family-oriented, and beautiful. The guy who abducted/"married" Elizabeth Smart was not in one of those organized sects, but it did not prevent him from doing what he did. It's not inconceivable that the same type of thing could have happened to Brooke. What do you guys think?

Well Dugie, aren't you a breath of fresh air coming in out of cyber space! A hearty welcome to you!

I lived and breathed the Elizabeth Smart case. I was my first venture into forum-world, so to speak. In general we all felt that LE was not effective in going about solving the crime as they kept the public out of their doings and didn't make the public a part of the project solving her disappearance. Then Sgt Corona hit America hard with team sprited investigations, which did so much for LE all over America. Still SLCPD was slow going and never did get a handle on the crime. It was solved by a call to the tip line, not through investigation.

So as it equates to this case, Le has been very sincere in including the public in ways that they can to help find her. In Elizabeth's case, I venture forth in saying the Morman church took a strong play in the crime and/or coverup of it, that is only in forum world. We learned so many things about the church that were horrid - taking their young girls into captivity to be sacrificed - that just can't be true. How they controled the police dept decisions and also that of any other civic entity in the city, which I probably think is mostly true.

But we were so far off in Elizabeths case, that I often hope that maybe we have learned a lesson here. The Morman church had nothing to do with her captivity. The parents were not in collusion with the church to have Elizabeth spirited off to have a baby! It was a simple case of a chance meeting between her and an utter nut from Butternut, who then pursued her, kidnapped her for his own, covered her with his scent so the dogs that were nearby wouldn't discover her and molded her mind to make her think the way he wanted her to.

This case parallels her case so much, and I would hate to see us fall into the same pitfalls.

What do you bet it is someone with a perverted mind that stalked her, learned her modus operandi and then snatched her when the time was ripe. For all we know she is somewhere up in the hills being held captive, covered with his scent so she will not be discovered.

But whoever took her will make some mistake and someone will call the tip line. She will be found, and I just hope for her dear ones that she comes home alive.


Scandi

Hi Newsperson,

Do you think the father got really upset when he was asked to take a polygraph? I have heard on the news that tomorrow is the last day of regular searches. He says at that point , if she is not found, they will have to accept her as being gone and get on with their lives, even though they adore her and love her so much.

Does anyone else think his attitude and actions are not what we expected. It is less than two weeks that she has been gone. Time, flowing like a river, Time, we couldn't see! Even through all of their agony and the turmoil in their lives now, I do find their aproach highly unusual. I also wonder what the police make of this new change in the case? It was a hand motion someone in the family made at the evening press conference? Have they started looking in areas along Hwy 20 to the coast, so similiar to the place where Danielle was found?

Will look forward to more updates from you!


Scandi

Quote from Scandi

So as it equates to this case, Le has been very sincere in including the public in ways that they can to help find her. In Elizabeth's case, I venture forth in saying the Morman church took a strong play in the crime and/or coverup of it, that is only in forum world. We learned so many things about the church that were horrid - taking their young girls into captivity to be sacrificed - that just can't be true. How they controled the police dept decisions and also that of any other civic entity in the city, which I probably think is mostly true.

Where in the world do people get their ideas from!! The Mormon church does not take their young girls into captivity to be sacrificed! Were you being Sarcastic Scandi?

Newsperson..it sounds like you are right there in Oregon. I've often wondered if the police have had scent dogs out there. Do you know? Seems like they should have been able to pick up Brooke's scent from where she was abducted. Also, I've wondered about anyone's survellaince tapes. Has LE asked businesses (including the college, apartments, etc.) to look at their tapes. Many times they wait too long to requests tapes, and they have been taped over.

Scandi: "It was a hand motion someone in the family made at the evening press conference?"

Is there a video of this press conference on line somewhere? My curiosity is getting the best of me. Also, is there is a video of the dad saying they are just going to have to accept that she is gone and get on with their lives (paraphrased).

Thanks.


IMO

newsperson: please dont apologize for the length of your posts! (I'm the one who should do that, lol) :crazy:

They're so informative and bring so much to the discussion. Many of my own thoughts and questions are answered here by the likes of yourself and scandi ~ for example: I was particularly interested to learn from your earlier post that the FBI has been interviewing BYU students. Any news on that score?

Your *suspicion only* regarding the polygraphs on family members is fully accepted and understood, too. After all ~ where do you draw the line between being safe and being sorry? Sadly, the stigma of having had to take a poly leaves less to be desired; but just as has been highlighted in the Scott Peterson case, the mere fact that close family members and relatives take these polygraphs covers 2 areas: 1 that LE are indeed doing their job; and 2 that no person is 'eliminated' until all ground has been covered.

That also underscores the 'length and breadth' of the dire consquences these abductions have.

As for Kim... being in possession of over 1000 pairs of female undergarments beggars belief! cpd? I'd say more than that and it's so true this is highly indicative of stalking, or else HOW on earth would he know when. where, how to gain access to such items. Win lose or draw as regards being connected to this case, I'd say Kim is definitely a sour character of ill-intent (or in the makings thereof).

Finally, (Juliana might be interested in this response, too) did you pick up any feedback apropos the vigil being video-taped? Could those tapes perhaps have referenced 'other' types of body-language? Any other video tapes avaialble??

Oh dear! There's got to be something; there just has to be! Brooke was barely back at that apartment ~ broad daylight; it doesn't make sense.

Prayers for Brooke continue. Faith in justice presides! God bless all.

Annie.

Hi Juliana,

I watched the father on the news last night and heard with my own ears what he said - so I don't know if there is a video link to this. He had been crying a lot, you could tell by his face. But his countanance had changed, and I got the feeling from his words that if they don't find her today then they will go on with their lives and always treasure her in their hearts as they adored her so much.

Newsperson mentioned it was 'body language' at the news conference from the family, so I took that as a body movement of negativity, not a verbal one.


Something has had to have been learned by the father to make his attitude change so sharply. The police might have made him angry asking him to take a LD test, or maybe one of the persons in the family who resisted the request. I would never imagine him giving up in spirit like he has stated in so many words. The search will just take on a different tone now, with LE officers and not so much w/ the public.

Gosh, especially with Ed Smart talking to him on the phone every day, giving him encouragement.

Oh, and re: the sacrifice of a young Morman, it was widely talked about in reference to the dedication of some huge church center or building as I remember, and of course links were flying right and left. I never believed they actually killed a girl to glorify the dedication of some huge new church!


Scandi

I don't know if this is the story Scandi saw or not, but there is a video link here, under her photo.

http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=67955

It's always so sad to me when they stop searching...I know they aren't giving up, really, but it sure feels like it.

God, please bring bring Brooke home to her family!!

Hi Scandi,
I have looked forward to your posts on this thread - you are very insightful.

I watched the video with the link Scandi posted. Let me preface my next statement with this: I know I am gullible - I always want to believe the best of people. But when I saw the video, I saw a very sadly resigned man, a father who very humbly felt that he had been asking alot of the public in the last couple of weeks to look for his daughter, and if they could just do one more search, he would ask no more. Maybe he doesn't realize how invested the local public is in finding his daughter - how his plight and his daughter's plight have touched the heart of Oregon and the area.

My heart just breaks knowing that this family will again try to rest tonight, not knowing where their daughter, sister, friend, is and what has happened to her.

Hi Juliana,

He tried so hard not to cry, and it looked like he had been crying as his face was red and his eyes a bit swoolen. I heard a lady officer say today one of the reasons they stopped the search is they do not have one lead to go on.

When I have listened to the police spokesman before, he made it real clear this Kim guy was still being intently looked at. The guy has been arrested twice.

Maybe what the police are using here is a diversionary tactic, to relax the perv, to see if there are any more moves made. One thing we have learned here is that criminals often go back to the scene of the crime to relive it - or if she is held captive somewhere would have to bring food and water, right? They said the searches now would be LE ones, on a tip by tip basis. Makes sense to me! And it would explain why they stopped the searching after only 2 weeks. Maybe they know more than they are letting on - Gosh, I hope so!

This Kim is really the only thing we have to analyze. I wonder if he has a friend who has a bite mark on his arm! It could have been done with an accomplice. Oh, this is so hard. Hope Newsperson comes to give us a new update after the search closing.