GUILTY CA - Gavin Smith, 57, Oak Park, 1 May 2012

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The federal prison aspect may have influenced the no nonsense approach to the second search warrant. I'm glad the officers' safety was considered. Wonder if the first was executed differently, and if so, if further investigation led to that approach. Just mentioning since some questioned it. We've seen it before, IMO, that the type of previous convictions can influence how officers approach. Hope someone can find why he was in federal prison!

I also wonder where John is, since he wasn't home, lawyer said their only vehicle was towed away by authorities, and neighbors said they hadn't seen him for a few days. I did check the LA County inmate list yesterday. Not listed.

Glad LE is working hard for answers for Gavin's family.

Moo
 
From the Pawbucks link in my long post:

I am the owner/operator of Pawbucks. I am opening an exclusive retail showroom in Los Angeles and I'm looking for high quality items from respectable businesses. Please forward all your catalogs along with pricing sheeets. I look forward to doing business with you.
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link

Don't know that he obtained or opened a showroom. Could be what the WH biz was set up for?

Regarding the 2nd Appellate Court case linked above, the disposition is listed as "petition summarily denied by order" (4/1/11) and status is listed "Final, TAC". Link. Don't know what TAC stands for.

Regarding the Fed prison release, since some may not be clicking through the links, the Bureau of Prisons website link has a section entitled "Who is a Federal inmate?" link

Only persons convicted of violating Federal laws (that is, laws of the United States) are sent to Federal prisons. Some individuals awaiting trial for violating Federal laws are also held in Federal prisons. Additionally, pursuant to the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, the BOP is responsible for housing persons convicted of a felony under District of Columbia laws. While the BOP also houses a few state inmates from other jurisdictions, most inmates convicted of violating state or local laws are sent to state prisons or city or county jails.

The Bureau does not have any information on non-Federal inmates. However, most states have their own locator systems. Contact the department of corrections for the state in question for further information.

Please note: It is possible that a record may exist for an individual who was in BOP custody but never served a federal sentence of incarceration (e.g., a person was detained pre-trial but criminal charges were dismissed, held as a material witness, or held for civil contempt).
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Also, both Pawbucks & Money Management are listed as "suspended" at the CA SOS site. Link

All available at previously provided links, but decided to post for those skimming.

Moo
 
FYI for those sleuthing, some articles refer to Creech's home as in Canoga Park, others as Chatsworth. Per comments on some articles, it looks like the area changed names??


Back on the chain gang ... in West Hills?

John Creech, who lives a few blocks away with young children, was stunned to see barbed wire on the comfortable hilltop home overlooking Chatsworth Reservoir.

"The first time, I was offended - what the heck is this?" said Creech, 39. "Then I realized they're trying to make a point. It's a gimmick. It's comical. Now I get it."
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link
 
To confirm, this is not the house where Gavin was staying.

Smith, 57, was reported missing May 1 after driving away from a friend's home on the 500 block of Kellwood Court in Oak Park. Smith, who lives in West Hills, worked in Calabasas.
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Sheriff's detectives searched the cul-de-sac home believed to be owned by <snip> on the 8600 block of Santa Susana Place (map) in Canoga Park Friday
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(Address is 8620)

From prev linked article here
 
Seek&Find said:
FYI for those sleuthing, some articles refer to Creech's home as in Canoga Park, others as Chatsworth. Per comments on some articles, it looks like the area changed names??
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I "think" it is still called Canoga Park but some people might refer to it as Chatsworth because it is near the Chatsworth Reseroir which would be a big landmark.
 
2rose said:
I "think" it is still called Canoga Park but some people might refer to it as Chatsworth because it is near the Chatsworth Reseroir which would be a big landmark.
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When you live in the section of Canoga park that is East, out near Chatsworth, you often like to refer to the area as Chatsworth, and NOT Canoga. Canoga was once solidly middle class, and has since gone way downhill. It is now pretty full of gangs and higher crime rates, so You would rather be associated with Chatsworth, which is a bit more rural and better off.
 
Seek&Find said:
FYI for those sleuthing, some articles refer to Creech's home as in Canoga Park, others as Chatsworth. Per comments on some articles, it looks like the area changed names??


Back on the chain gang ... in West Hills?

link
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I've noticed alot of cities in the Valley have changed their names. I used to live in Sepulveda and Van Nuys which is now known as North Hills and East Hills? No wonder I'm having a hard time with the locations in this case.
 
2rose said:
I "think" it is still called Canoga Park but some people might refer to it as Chatsworth because it is near the Chatsworth Reseroir which would be a big landmark.
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I think it was Chatsworth until 1986 or something like that.

Sorry for the O/T, but is Topanga Plaza still in Canoga Park? And is Los Toros still in Chatsworth? They had they best 5 dollar pitchers of Margaritas. Now I'm craving one.
 
SuziQ said:
I think it was Chatsworth until 1986 or something like that.

Sorry for the O/T, but is Topanga Plaza still in Canoga Park? And is Los Toros still in Chatsworth? They had they best 5 dollar pitchers of Margaritas. Now I'm craving one.
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Los Toros is still there, still serving margaritas...
Don't know if Topanga plaza is still considered in CP, but I went there last year and they have made it really really fancy. Like, I cannot buy anything from that mall (except at the Target). It is all designer stuff. Purses for $1000, etc.

Some name changes: Van Nuys to North Hills, etc. was to put a polish on areas that had gotten slummy.Other areas were redrawn during the housing boom...you might buy a $600,000 house if it had a Chatsworth address, but you weren't going to plunk that down if it had a Canoga Park addy. I grew up in the area and I find it funny that people say they live in Northridge or Porter Ranch and they are really in Granada Hills because they think their house will sell better.
This is all my opinion from listening to friends and relatives since I moved from there a while ago.


back to Gavin. Why would he be dealing with this Johnny Creech person?
Possibilities:
1) legit business venture
2) he loaned money to JC (legit)
3) JC loaned money to GS (legit)
4) mutual friend
5) money issue (non legit...drugs, gambling etc)
???

I really don't see GS as getting into any funny business. He seems like he has been mostly an upstanding citizen for his entire life. JMO
 
Perhaps it is not the alleged male resident of the house but rather the female homeowner in which LE is interested. Altho I have yet to find an article in which LE is quoted as naming either one of them, she is the individual whom Gavin Smith was rumored to know.

~jmo~
 
Thanks deca, the Valley is my old stomping grounds, but I have not been back there in over a decade. As an adult I worked in Topanga Plaza and lived within walking distance of Los Toros. I used to hike the areas I suspect Gavin might be located in. Has anyone heard if there have been any searches?
 
I grew-up in the SFV until the age of 15. All of these name changes are too much for my old brain, sheesh!

SuziQ, I've not read of any planned searches, even from volunteers gathering on their own. This case is such a mystery and I am left to wonder if the lack of organization has to do with what 'people' think may have happened, particularly since the news of the search warrants has been released.

~jmo~
 
I thought he may have taken off himself, given the fight with his son, his pending divorce, being upside down on the mortgage, and having financial problems. But this raid by LE on that house makes me wonder if he met with foul play.
 
SuziQ said:
Thanks deca, the Valley is my old stomping grounds, but I have not been back there in over a decade. As an adult I worked in Topanga Plaza and lived within walking distance of Los Toros. I used to hike the areas I suspect Gavin might be located in. Has anyone heard if there have been any searches?
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I know that there were searches earlier, but I believe they were in a different location. Someone help me out here...

As you know, Suzi Q (and others familiar with the Valley) there are a lot of areas like Rocky Peak that despite the lack of trees and dense low growing plants are STILL hard to search. These are the areas SuziQ probably hiked in.

Many of these areas have lots of rocks which make overhangs, pockets, hard to access areas, etc. great places to hid things or people. There are many famous legends of gold, gun caches and other forms of treasure being secreted away in the area hills.

So, even though that it is a mega city there are still lots of wild areas within a 15-30 minute drive. Maybe longer if you are in downtown proper.

The thing that might be easier to find is his car or parts of his car. I would think a chop shop would burn off the VIN numbers on everything, but still...
 
shana said:
Perhaps it is not the alleged male resident of the house but rather the female homeowner in which LE is interested. Altho I have yet to find an article in which LE is quoted as naming either one of them, she is the individual whom Gavin Smith was rumored to know.

~jmo~
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Info has been provided in the thread that was sufficient for a mod, so perhaps we can move on to why John is under suspicion and what the connection may be. Hopefully they'll find Gavin soon and if foul play occurred, an arrest made.
 
katydid23 said:
I thought he may have taken off himself, given the fight with his son, his pending divorce, being upside down on the mortgage, and having financial problems. But this raid by LE on that house makes me wonder if he met with foul play.
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Yeah, I don't think SWAT teams are sent in if indications are he just walked away or had an accident. I'm thinking they're dotting their i's and being thorough as they haven't found Gavin yet, and this guy is savvy/already has an attorney involved.
 
Seek&Find said:
Info has been provided in the thread that was sufficient for a mod, so perhaps we can move on to why John is under suspicion and what the connection may be. Hopefully they'll find Gavin soon and if foul play occurred, an arrest made.
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With respect, why are you so reluctant to provide a quote?

~jmo~
 
deca said:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/gavin-smith-missing-fox-eecutive.html
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From this link:

After consultations between the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and the Gavin Smith family, it has been decided that there will be NO search this weekend," family spokesman Howard Bragman said in a statement to the media. "There is not a specific area of defined interest to make this effort productive at this time."
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Since posts indicate some have been following the website set up for Gavin, I'm guessing you've seen some have been out searching. I pulled up a map of the drive from the friend's house he was staying at to the Creech home and was struck by the large areas of wilderness all around. Comments at Gavin's website indicate people have been pushing through poison oak in a bid to find him. Link
 
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