CA CA - Johnnie Joe Herrera, 20, Oxnard, 27 Aug 1971 - Page 7

rosesfromangels · #**151** 06-16-2012, 11:27 PM

O.K. Bobby - here's a far stretch, but an interesting alternate theory. What if there really *wasn't* a bachelor party that night? What if the "party" was just a set up to murder him? Did anyone confirm there was a bachelor party that night? Were all the attendees questioned? Did their stories match up? Where is LE in all this?

Bobby88 · #**152** 06-17-2012, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosesfromangels

O.K. Bobby - here's a far stretch, but an interesting alternate theory. What if there really *wasn't* a bachelor party that night? What if the "party" was just a set up to murder him? Did anyone confirm there was a bachelor party that night? Were all the attendees questioned? Did their stories match up? Where is LE in all this?

That's actually something I have considered. Here's the exact quote from Det. Lynette Fenton of the Oxnard PD, who is in charge of Johnnie's case:

The bachelor party that Johnnie attended the night that he disappeared was for a friend of his. Several people at the bachelor party were contacted and questioned.

However, I personally don't think this necessarily clears the attendees as possible suspects. Think of how disarmingly simple it would be. All they have to do is agree on a story to tell the authorities when questioned. They all tell identical stories to the cops and with no proof, the cops have to clear them. This doesn't mean that the cops themselves don't have their suspicions about these people, but legally, they have no clear evidence of wrongdoing and must therefore dismiss them as suspects, at least for the time being.

As I said in a previous post, there was a couple in Oxnard who got married less than two weeks after the disappearance, so there's still a possibility that there was an actual party that night for that particular groom. Or it could just as easily be a coincidence.

Bobby88 · #**153** 06-24-2012, 02:23 PM

Bumping.

Gia · #**154** 06-24-2012, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby88

That's actually something I have considered. Here's the exact quote from Det. Lynette Fenton of the Oxnard PD, who is in charge of Johnnie's case:

The bachelor party that Johnnie attended the night that he disappeared was for a friend of his. Several people at the bachelor party were contacted and questioned.

However, I personally don't think this necessarily clears the attendees as possible suspects. Think of how disarmingly simple it would be. All they have to do is agree on a story to tell the authorities when questioned. They all tell identical stories to the cops and with no proof, the cops have to clear them. This doesn't mean that the cops themselves don't have their suspicions about these people, but legally, they have no clear evidence of wrongdoing and must therefore dismiss them as suspects, at least for the time being.
As I said in a previous post, there was a couple in Oxnard who got married less than two weeks after the disappearance, so there's still a possibility that there was an actual party that night for that particular groom. Or it could just as easily be a coincidence.

BBM

I think it's great that you haven't given up on Johnnie's case.

I agree. Based on what little information we know, it doesn't seem like the party guests were really cleared. But it also doesn't seem like LE had much of an interest in the case to begin with.

IMO I don't think his disappearance was caused by a random person, simply because his car was never found. If he met with foul play through a serial murderer or the like, I don't feel they would have taken the time to hide his car. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I personally don't feel it fits in this case.

I think it had to be someone/people he knew. Like some have already mentioned, maybe something went wrong at the party, maybe he was set-up from the beginning and there was no party, maybe he stopped on his way home to try and score drugs and met up with the wrong person, maybe he was drunk and ended up driving off of a cliff/into a body of water.... There are so many scenarios.

Since it's been so long, I think the only way to get answers at this point, would be if someone came forward, who knows what happened that night.

On another note, did the magazine contact ever get back in touch with you, about the story they wanted you to co-write? I was also thinking about the final e-mail response you got from LE, and do feel it had a bit of a negative tone to it.

Do you think they weren't happy that Ms. Fenton divulged so much personal information? Maybe her supervisor read what was posted here, and felt it was inappropriate to have that info on a public forum? Or maybe they know the ball was dropped. And they don't want anyone digging deeper into things, to expose some form of negligence on LE's part, during the original investigation?

I'm just guessing here, of course. But I find it a little surprising that LE would automatically put up a wall, letting you know that you won't be getting any more information from their end.

As far as his son...have you tried sending him an e-mail? True enough, he was too young to remember him. But he might have some inside knowledge of his father's disappearance (gathered from others over the years), that could possibly shed light on something. Maybe more friend's names from the party, a girlfriend on the side, a person he was having problems with, etc. You never know.

Bobby88 · #**155** 06-25-2012, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gia

BBM

I think it's great that you haven't given up on Johnnie's case.

I agree. Based on what little information we know, it doesn't seem like the party guests were really cleared. But it also doesn't seem like LE had much of an interest in the case to begin with.

IMO I don't think his disappearance was caused by a random person, simply because his car was never found. If he met with foul play through a serial murderer or the like, I don't feel they would have taken the time to hide his car. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I personally don't feel it fits in this case.

I think it had to be someone/people he knew. Like some have already mentioned, maybe something went wrong at the party, maybe he was set-up from the beginning and there was no party, maybe he stopped on his way home to try and score drugs and met up with the wrong person, maybe he was drunk and ended up driving off of a cliff/into a body of water.... There are so many scenarios.

Since it's been so long, I think the only way to get answers at this point, would be if someone came forward, who knows what happened that night.

On another note, did the magazine contact ever get back in touch with you, about the story they wanted you to co-write? I was also thinking about the final e-mail response you got from LE, and do feel it had a bit of a negative tone to it.

Do you think they weren't happy that Ms. Fenton divulged so much personal information? Maybe her supervisor read what was posted here, and felt it was inappropriate to have that info on a public forum? Or maybe they know the ball was dropped. And they don't want anyone digging deeper into things, to expose some form of negligence on LE's part, during the original investigation?

I'm just guessing here, of course. But I find it a little surprising that LE would automatically put up a wall, letting you know that you won't be getting any more information from their end.

As far as his son...have you tried sending him an e-mail? True enough, he was too young to remember him. But he might have some inside knowledge of his father's disappearance (gathered from others over the years), that could possibly shed light on something. Maybe more friend's names from the party, a girlfriend on the side, a person he was having problems with, etc. You never know.

Thanks. Johnnie's birthday (2/17/51) is the same as my aunt who in May 2010, just a few days before Johnnie's case was first added to the Doe Network, was diagnosed with cancer (which she beat, BTW) and I took the news of her illness and the fact that she and Johnnie shared the same birthday as an omen to look into Johnnie's disappearance. Two years on, I'm still here. FWIW, my mother (the younger sister of the aunt) is a year and a day younger, born 2/18/52.

I've heard nothing from the magazine since November. If I ever get enough information, I'd love to write a book about Johnnie's disappearance. That could definitely generate some clues.

Bobby88 · #**156** 07-02-2012, 11:47 PM

Bump. This Wednesday will mark the 40th Fourth of July (since he vanished in August of 1971) that Johnnie's family will have celebrated without him.

smile22 · #**157** 07-04-2012, 11:12 AM

just found this thread. i was in california last august for 10 days for a few of those days we were in the ventura area and staying in camrillo but went to the oxnard area for shopping and such. i did notice more mexicans/ and hispanics in that area but in general i noticed a whole lot more of them in calfornia vs connecticut when i am from. sounds fishy that his car vanished bobby why dont you contact the twin brother and try to get some info from him and go from there

Bobby88 · #**158** 07-04-2012, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smile22

just found this thread. i was in california last august for 10 days for a few of those days we were in the ventura area and staying in camrillo but went to the oxnard area for shopping and such. i did notice more mexicans/ and hispanics in that area but in general i noticed a whole lot more of them in calfornia vs connecticut when i am from. sounds fishy that his car vanished bobby why dont you contact the twin brother and try to get some info from him and go from there

Johnnie's older brother Ralph is on Facebook. I was thinking of getting in touch with him via PM on there. I didn't see Johnnie's twin brother Joe on there however. Since he was the exact same age as Johnnie at the time and was particularly close to him (like many twins are), I think he may have had a better idea of who Johnnie may have been with that night.

smile22 · #**159** 07-04-2012, 10:16 PM

bobby i would invite him to websleuths and tell him there are people who are actively searching for answers to what happened to your brother. maybe he has more info he would be willing to share on here

Bobby88 · #**160** 07-05-2012, 12:12 AM

I just sent him a PM on Facebook, but I held off on inviting him here until I found out if he was even interested in talking to me about Johnnie's case.

Bobby88 · #**161** 07-08-2012, 01:17 AM

CarlK90245 was nice enough to do a photo overlay of Johnnie's picture with the reconstruction of the John Doe found in 1979 in New Jersey.

Johnnie Herrera - YouTube

Most of the features line up almost perfectly.

smile22 · #**162** 07-08-2012, 04:40 PM

so i went ahead and sent over johnnies info to the njsp against the unidentified
john doe i told the lady who i hope is still on the case that i was from websleuths.com and i also sent her the youtube link and told her this might be a match hopefully she will get back to me

Bobby88 · #**163** 07-08-2012, 06:55 PM

Thanks, but I already sent this in as a possible match about a month ago and they said they'd look into it.

Bobby88 · #**164** 07-13-2012, 09:36 PM

Bump.

Bobby88 · #**165** 07-19-2012, 06:59 PM

Bump.

Bobby88 · #**166** 07-30-2012, 12:16 AM

Next month marks the 41st anniversary of Johnnie's disappearance.

Bobby88 · #**167** 08-11-2012, 03:39 PM

I was thinking of making a website for Johnnie, similar to what one member here did for Roger Ellison from Colorado. Does anyone think this is a good idea to reach people who may have information or who simply want to help?

Bobby88 · #**168** 08-22-2012, 04:11 PM

Bump. Today would have been Johnnie's late wife Annette's birthday. She would have been 59. RIP Annette.

Bobby88 · #**169** 08-27-2012, 01:23 PM

Johnnie has been missing 41 years today.

Bobby88 · #**170** 09-01-2012, 03:02 PM

Bump. Johnnie's identical twin brother Joe made the missing persons report 41 years ago today.

Bobby88 · #**171** 09-10-2012, 02:15 PM

Bump.

Bobby88 · #**172** 09-18-2012, 03:58 PM

Bump.

Donamena · #**173** 09-18-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby88

Bump. Johnnie's identical twin brother Joe made the missing persons report 41 years ago today.

I agree about the party, etc. Is the record from investigating detective ever been made public? Don't know about California. Is there a FOIA for criminal records from the 70s?
Such a truly off & odd case:
So few people interviewed
Only one person reported missing
Car never recovered
That peculiar detective & LE interaction
We have absolutely nothing to go on...
Did the photo overlay get anywhere? NJ is so very far from California.
Has his brother contacted you from the FB request?
This case really is toiling in the haystack...
No interviews w/ his son, Jr??

Bobby88 · #**174** 09-18-2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donamena

I agree about the party, etc. Is the record from investigating detective ever been made public? Don't know about California. Is there a FOIA for criminal records from the 70s?
Such a truly off & odd case:
So few people interviewed
Only one person reported missing
Car never recovered
That peculiar detective & LE interaction
We have absolutely nothing to go on...
Did the photo overlay get anywhere? NJ is so very far from California.
Has his brother contacted you from the FB request?
This case really is toiling in the haystack...
No interviews w/ his son, Jr??

I never got a FB response from the brother. Johnnie Jr. was only ten months old when his father went missing, so I doubt he would have any information.

Bobby88 · #**175** 09-27-2012, 03:19 PM

Bump.