Victim: Alexis Murphy, 17, missing from Shipman, VA, 03 August 2013 - #5

Justice101 said:

Not getting morbid or anything, but I have a curiosity question: In cases where the body of any victim is not found for years and years.... what is it that the perp does in burying the body so that they are never hardly ever discovered? Morgan Harrington was not found for like 5 months and only because a farmer was checking his fences and the body had been dug up and moved by animals, etc. I would think that about anywhere you buried a body in Virginia, unless you buried it very deep, that animals would dig it up and it would be discovered. I guess my question revolves around: where should LE be looking for these bodies that are missing? Or is it that there are just too many places that would fit the bill? Any thoughts? Why can't we find these missing and bring them home to their families!

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My sense is often that there's just so much more empty land (and water) in this country than people realize. If the victims ARE found, it's typically because they either took them to a place they have an association with (e.g., left them on their own property or a place they have a past with), OR they put them somewhere other people may eventually go. I also don't discount the possibility that bodies get moved after the fact and re-hidden. (Sorry.)

Justice101 said:

IMOO, LE is investigating the corn row aspect as non-priority in order to show in court that they did indeed look at other suspects. Again, it will be very interesting to see how much more evidence is presented on Thursday to keep the guy in jail. I am guess cell phone records.

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I read in an artidcle upthread that they won't be giving any evidence and popsicle pointed out that its likely because they now have him on a probation violation which will be enough to keep him in.

SilkySifaka said:

I read in an artidcle upthread that they won't be giving any evidence and popsicle pointed out that its likely because they now have him on a probation violation which will be enough to keep him in.

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Good. He's got a rap sheet as long as my arm for serious stuff... he needs to be in jail...especially if he violated an order.

Justice101 said:

Not getting morbid or anything, but I have a curiosity question: In cases where the body of any victim is not found for years and years.... what is it that the perp does in burying the body so that they are never hardly ever discovered? Morgan Harrington was not found for like 5 months and only because a farmer was checking his fences and the body had been dug up and moved by animals, etc. I would think that about anywhere you buried a body in Virginia, unless you buried it very deep, that animals would dig it up and it would be discovered. I guess my question revolves around: where should LE be looking for these bodies that are missing? Or is it that there are just too many places that would fit the bill? Any thoughts? Why can't we find these missing and bring them home to their families!

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It is very hard to find bodies, they had one case where a female teen had killed another teen and buried her in a woods near the house, that woods had been scoured and LE must have walked on top of her or at least within 5 feet but they didn't find her until she led them to the body.

As someone who both feeds ferals and rescues the ones i can, I live near a busy road even though im in the woods and unfortunately have buried more than my fair share of bodies (if anyone digs up my front yard after im gone they will think im a serial killer of cats). We used to put stones over them but stopped because the animals never dug them up and we didn't dig that deep. I thought the raccoons or foxes would but nope. So if they put brush over the grave it won't even look like its dug up.

I do get very angry when they say they aren't searching bc they don't have a lead to where she is. Well duh thats why they need to search!!! Woods, parks, waterways, everyone they eliminate is a step closer to finding the missing person

The cars with the really large wheels is a trend and they are called Donks. Just a little fyi.

Checking in for the first time this morning, no new news? :scared:

It looks like things have really quieted down now and frustration is building because there are so many unanswered questions. I have confidence in LE . The investigation appears to be in a phase in which they are working to put all the puzzle pieces together and waiting on forensic results. It takes a long time to do this.

I'm sure they are working to rule out any other accomplice's. I would love to know what was caught on video where her car was located.

For some reason they haven't reached out to the public to help in locating Alexis. I'm puzzled by this but at the same time I am placing trust that the FBI has reasons for why they are handling the case the way they are. They are dealing with a perp they believe committed more than one crime of this nature. They not only want to solve this case but others as well, that may be associated with him. I would expect them to be extra cautious and quiet during this investigation.

Does anyone think LE or FBI is using ground penetrating radar to help them scan the ground beneath their feet? Or would the terrain not permit that due to it being "rocky"?

BTW RAT will appear in person on Thursday, not by video.

"Parker Slaybaugh ABC 13
Randy Taylor is scheduled to be back in court on Thursday for a bond hearing. Original reports were he was supposed to appear via video link, now clerks office tells me he will appear in person."

blah blah blah, nothing else new


Guys this seriously stinks.... last week I couldn't keep up with this thread -- 10 posts a minute!! Now it's like 1 post every 10 hours I'm so nervous this is going to fall by the wayside..

zapped said:

Not to dash anyones hopes but I wonder if Nelson county has moonshiners? I know the sw corner of the state has more illegal moonshine busts than anywhere in the country.

With any luck we will be hearing something in the next few days.I would love for Alexis' family to have some closure and some peace.

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We got a chuckle out of your question, No offense. ahhh, Yuup, Nelson Co does have moonshiners. But I don't see that as a detriment. I bet there's a more'n a few scramblin' now with Feds crawlin' around the woods, & they may be adding some new fresh tracks. But they do know the woods. Shiners, Hunters, Trailriders, all will be out in force in the fall.
I keep thinking this creep has a hidey hole somewhere, and it has to be accessible by vehicle. You cannot move a 155# person up a mountain or very far without a vehicle.

BeginnersLuck said:

It looks like things have really quieted down now and frustration is building because there are so many unanswered questions. I have confidence in LE . The investigation appears to be in a phase in which they are working to put all the puzzle pieces together and waiting on forensic results. It takes a long time to do this.

I'm sure they are working to rule out any other accomplice's. I would love to know what was caught on video where her car was located.

For some reason they haven't reached out to the public to help in locating Alexis. I'm puzzled by this but at the same time I am placing trust that the FBI has reasons for why they are handling the case the way they are. They are dealing with a perp they believe committed more than one crime of this nature. They not only want to solve this case but others as well, that may be associated with him. I would expect them to be extra cautious and quiet during this investigation.

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BeginnersLuck, one only has to look at the recent Hannah Anderson(CA) abduction & her miraculous rescue over 1,000 miles away, 8 miles deep in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, a roadless 3,600-square-mile preserve in the heart of Idaho, to understand the value of the American public in missing/murdered person's investigations.

Imo, this antiquated silence strategy being utilized in Alexis Murphy's and many other cases involving stranger predators, only causes innocent victim's lives lost and mounting cold cases.. The public is analogous to a security camera across the USA; a very valuable investigative resource. Sexual predators are recidivist, become more brazen, and escalate with each successful abduction.
Most predators are eventually apprehended due to an aware citizen's tip..

Imo, Randy Allen Taylor, is a meth driven sexual predator/serial killer that has been active for decades. In 2005, the FBI redefined a serial killer as having only 2 victims. When and if Alexis Murphy is located, other victims will not be very far away, imo.

RE: Search area where knobby tire tracks were found.
Most times experienced predators place their victims near water; creeks, springs, ponds, etc., on the downhill side. This is due to increased scavenger activity in these areas. If the tire tracks were RAT's, these areas should be focused on, imo. He would likely have proceeded to the top of the mountain to turn around and exit, imo.

Most murder victims are located by aware landowners, hunters, fishermen, and other outdoor persons..

In the Mickey Shunick case(LA-2012), her abductor SK Brandon S. Lavergne, buried her remains in a shallow grave in a secluded historical cemetery. BSL; a psychopath and experienced predator spread cayenne pepper over the makeshift grave to prevent scavengers and to interfere with K9 searches.

astridxx said:

BTW RAT will appear in person on Thursday, not by video.

"Parker Slaybaugh ABC 13
Randy Taylor is scheduled to be back in court on Thursday for a bond hearing. Original reports were he was supposed to appear via video link, now clerks office tells me he will appear in person."

blah blah blah, nothing else new


Guys this seriously stinks.... last week I couldn't keep up with this thread -- 10 posts a minute!! Now it's like 1 post every 10 hours I'm so nervous this is going to fall by the wayside..

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I just don't see that as happening. Too much LE involved and the fact that they picked him up so quickly, and got the Feds in. I'm sticking with the idea that they need time. He is too slippery and too dangerous. He has spent years perfecting his crimes. They cannot make any mistakes like the last time. I don't expect much info to come out to the public, they need to keep everything they have close to the vest, so they can play out their leads effectively. And I believe this creep is responsible for more than this abduction. He needs to be stopped. I do think all the landowners should be out looking, but I don't know that LE hasn't already contacted them, or that there isn't some coordinated effort as I am not there.

I hate seeing the information, updates and action slow down like this. I keep checking back hoping to see an update that Alexis was found.

Parker Slaybaugh ‏@ParkerABC13 2h
A lot of questions about the other car that Randy Taylor's Attorney says may be involved with the Alexis Murphy... http://fb.me/1ABaKvNEz

Psychopathic predators such as RAT, imo, are very calculating, deflective, creative, and manipulative opportunists. They hone their skills and escalate their deviant behavior with each successful innocent victim devoured. Many, if not most are driven by the abuse of various drugs, and have no human emotions or empathy for others.

Nightline from ABC News : The Mind of a Psychopath

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V7EL-Yg8Gg"]The Mind of a Psychopath - YouTube[/ame]

Foxfire said:

Psychopathic predators such as RAT are very calculating, deflective, creative, and manipulative opportunists. They hone their skills and escalate their deviant behavior with each successful innocent victim devoured. Many, if not most are driven by the abuse of various drugs, and have no human emotions or empathy for others.

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I am interested to know the source that says RAT is a psychopathic predator. As far as I know he's only been charged with abduction and has been linked to no other murders or victims at this time. I'm not standing up for the guy but is it fair/misleading to call him a predator when we don't know his involvement in other cases for sure?

Looking back at Taylor's neighbor's response in newsplex.com

http://www.newsplex.com/news/headlines/219427411.html

“They pulled out a small travel-behind trailer,” says Larry Spencer, who lives across the street from Taylor. “A lot of stuff in bags and boxes and then they kept combing the area. And this went on, you know, all day.”

"Spencer says he never saw Taylor until a few weeks ago.

“I was mowing the grass, and I just happened to look up, and there he was.”

He says Taylor would occasionally walk up and down Route 29."



I wonder if Taylor was just taking a walk or was he trying to cover his tracks? Was he looking for some evidence that he threw in the grass or a ditch on Route 29?

astridxx said:

I am interested to know the source that says RAT is a psychopathic predator. As far as I know he's only been charged with abduction and has been linked to no other murders or victims at this time. I'm not standing up for the guy but is it fair/misleading to call him a predator when we don't know his involvement in other cases for sure?

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He was a POI in the SC case and does have a stalking charge we know nothing about. But yes, I think we are getting ahead of ourselves and trying to tie every involved case in VA to him. It is very suspicious that he was the last person seen with 2 missing girls, but there is nothing to link him to any other abductions at this point. And not enough evidence to charge him for SC.

I am actually happy that LE is being tight lipped and methodical. Sometimes letting out too much evidence and getting too many details out makes it difficult to have a trial, leads to problems with using evidence etc.

It's annoying to be kept out of the loop, but I am hoping that LE has a lot of evidence and is protecting it in order to get a conviction.

Bsublime said:

It's annoying to be kept out of the loop, but I am hoping that LE has a lot of evidence and is protecting it in order to get a conviction.

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Hopefully there will be a flood of evidence released at Thursday's bond hearing.

astridxx said:

I am interested to know the source that says RAT is a psychopathic predator. As far as I know he's only been charged with abduction and has been linked to no other murders or victims at this time. I'm not standing up for the guy but is it fair/misleading to call him a predator when we don't know his involvement in other cases for sure?

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astridxx, imo, it would be unfair to Alexis and his many probable unknown victims to dismiss his past violent criminal behavior, or to overlook his obvious deviant personality traits which are synonymous with many sexual predators prior..
After finding a strand of Alexis Murphy's hair in Taylor's camper, imo. it would be naive to come to any other conclusion...

Many serial killers/predators past were only convicted for one victim, yet were responsible for many victims. Psychopathic sexual predators/serial killers MJ Klunder(IA) or Israel Keyes(AK) were not convicted for any of their many victims;

http://www.ktuu.com/israel-keyes-suicide-prompts-action-to-dismiss-charges-121312,0,7846030.story
<sniped>
Israel Keyes' Suicide Prompts Action to Dismiss Charges

A serial killer's recent suicide has prompted federal prosecutors to seek dismissal of charges in the slaying of an Alaska barista. Prosecutors in Anchorage said in a motion filed this week that the indictment against Israel Keyes "is abated by his death" by law. A federal magistrate recommends granting the motion and has forwarded it to the judge assigned to the case against Keyes, who confessed to the February murder of 18-year-old barista Samantha Koenig in Anchorage, as well as others across the country.
_______________________________

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...ing-iowa-teens-blood-found-investigator-says/
<sniped>
Kathlynn and her 12-year-old friend were kidnapped while walking home from school in Dayton, a rural area about 60 miles north of Des Moines. The two had just stepped off their school bus when the suspect, Michael Klunder, lured them into his truck by offering to pay them for mowing lawns and to give them a ride home so they could ask their parents, Kietzman said

Instead, he took them to a hog confinement building where he worked and tied the girls' hands with zip ties at an office inside the building. During the kidnapping, Klunder displayed what appeared to be a gun but was actually a "lethal weapon" used to euthanize livestock, Kietzman said.

The investigator said MJ Klunder took Kathlynn to a different part of the building, and the 12-year-old girl was able to free her hands and escape. The younger girl grabbed the weapon that Klunder had left behind and ran through the woods, eventually finding a farmer and calling 911. Police then started looking for Kathlynn, a high school freshman.

Klunder, 42, was found dead hours later at another rural property, where his truck was also found. Authorities said he committed suicide; an autopsy completed Wednesday determined the cause of death was hanging.

Klunder was released from the state prison system in 2011 after serving 20 years for two kidnapping convictions in Iowa dating back to 1991.

astridxx said:

I am interested to know the source that says RAT is a psychopathic predator. As far as I know he's only been charged with abduction and has been linked to no other murders or victims at this time. I'm not standing up for the guy but is it fair/misleading to call him a predator when we don't know his involvement in other cases for sure?

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I agree we don't know all details and that we don't know if he is a true predator, but what we do know is that AM's hair was found in his camper. IMO with his background that's enough to know he was definitely involved in her case in some way. As for SC there's just too many coincidences as far as I am concerned to say he wasn't involved in her disappearance as well.