I thought Smock said it was large older SUV? If so, then why are we discussing vans? It could be a painter, an electrician, a heating/air conditioning person, a maintenance person or construction person. I mentioned it early on in this case, that I know that painters from down south come up here to the midwest in the summer and they haul their campers and family up here and stay in the campgrounds for the whole season. They park their travel trailers in the campground and use their trucks to haul their painting equipment to their job sights. They get to know the areas by the back of their hands. Several come back year after year. One summer while I was camping in MN there were a couple of the painters that were telling me about places in the area to go to that I had never heard of before and I grew up around here so you would think I would know about these areas, but I didn't. I hate to say this but some of these people are really creepy. I've seen them with guns and knives right out in the open. I seen a couple of guys one night when I was camping throwing knives into tree trunks, practicing throwing knives. I said something to the guys about killing the tree and they told me to mind my own business or they'd use me for target practice. I should have kept my mouth shut but I didn't. I even mentioned it to the campground owners and they told me to stay clear of those guys because a lot of them were trouble. The campground owner told me that they try to keep the whole group in one spot away from other campers, but when they aren't working they like to party and get drunk. A lot of them I found out didn't speak English very well. That's why at the very beginning of this case I kept asking about the campground in Evansdale, because if these people are in MN and SD, I can guarantee they are in Iowa also.
IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #33
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I've read different news articles where it seems like Nebraska and Iowa intertwine with each other. I wonder if they also checked older SUV's in Nebraska? Also, I wonder if they still have five officers working the case since prior to this, they had shut down the cold case unit for budget cuts?
Most people with an SUV buy it because they have a family to transport. The SUV is the modern version of the Station Wagon. Large SUVs are also popular because it's possible to fold down the seats and sleep in the back, or transport a lot of stuff.
The photographer that kidnapped the 11 year old girl and left her to die in the mountains drove an SUV.
Should we be going back to the highway construction and looking at transient workers that passed through Evansdale for work?
I have an SUV and thinking back to the reasons for choosing this vehicle, it was because I could fold down the seats and throw a couple of bikes in the back, I could pack a lot of stuff and take short trips, and I could transport several people if necessary. I don't think an SUV is a convenient vehicle for deliveries. It's about as convenient for deliveries as a car with a trunk.
The photographer that kidnapped the 11 year old girl and left her to die in the mountains drove an SUV.
Should we be going back to the highway construction and looking at transient workers that passed through Evansdale for work?
I have an SUV and thinking back to the reasons for choosing this vehicle, it was because I could fold down the seats and throw a couple of bikes in the back, I could pack a lot of stuff and take short trips, and I could transport several people if necessary. I don't think an SUV is a convenient vehicle for deliveries. It's about as convenient for deliveries as a car with a trunk.
SUVs are known as gas guzzlers. Maybe the region also plays a role in vehicle choice.
I guess we need to ask the Evansdale people ... how popular are SUVs and what sort of people normally have them?
LOTS of people drive SUVs here. But an older one liked what was described would be fairly unusual. Wish we had s better description.
I've wondered about the campground myself, for that reason, and that it would have been easy to hide/transport the girls in a camper. I've heard that they talked to everyone who was camping that day. And yes, I believe some road workers were staying there.
palaminodee
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OT: great story IMO, this is what needs to happen to people that try and break in peoples homes and properties and children's bedrooms!
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...-yard-for-police-and-goes-to-work-as-planned/
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...-yard-for-police-and-goes-to-work-as-planned/
IMO the abduction was well planned. The windows most likely would have had something covering them on the inside to block the view from outside. Also two vechicle's could have been used, one for the girls and one for the bikes. I still don't feel the girls rode their bikes to lake, may have been transported in back of SUV though.
People who live in snowy icy winter climates might have an suv for the traction,they are also useful to transport musical instruments.
Some "gas-guzzling" suvs are owned by people who walk/bike/public transport around the city and drive only on weekends.
Some "gas-guzzling" suvs are owned by people who walk/bike/public transport around the city and drive only on weekends.
B4igo2it
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"Garcia, can you please bring up a list of white 1990s model Suburban vehicles registered within a 50 mile radius of Evansdale, IA and we can start from there?" ..... "Rossi, there are only a few left ... do you want me to expand the search?" (This is hypothetical "Criminal Minds" material, but I get what you are saying and it is a good point.)
Per LE's description, we are looking at a vehicle that is quite old (15+ years) - no mention of an out-of-state license plate that would stick out as much as this type of vehicle.
(In the early 2000s, the inception of new vehicles became smaller in an effort to be less gas guzzlers.)
It always cracks me up how they pull this up in SECONDS.... Even I can't type that fast, let alone access the website/database that fast!
Darcyline
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If it is an older model (significantly older model) I would not think it is a status symbol or a company vehicle. That is actually a good thing-I feel like it narrows the window down much more than just "white van" which is commonly used as a company/delivery vehicle. There really can only be so many old white SUVs out there, yes? Maybe it will jog someone's memory who knows of someone who owns a vehicle like that, or did.
B4igo2it
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OT: Permanent/Part time Position - Waterloo area - Fed Govt Job
http://my.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/345871100
Job Title:Test Administrator
Department: Department of the Army
Agency: U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command
Job Announcement Number:NCBG13609532912191D
SALARY RANGE: $13.41 to $17.43 / Per Hour
OPEN PERIOD: Friday, June 21, 2013 to Friday, July 05, 2013
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0303-04
POSITION INFORMATION: Intermittent - Permanent
DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy in the following location: Waterloo, IA United States
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Friday, July 05, 2013 to receive consideration.
I hope this post does not violate WS policy! sincerely, B4igo2it
http://my.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/345871100
Job Title:Test Administrator
Department: Department of the Army
Agency: U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command
Job Announcement Number:NCBG13609532912191D
SALARY RANGE: $13.41 to $17.43 / Per Hour
OPEN PERIOD: Friday, June 21, 2013 to Friday, July 05, 2013
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0303-04
POSITION INFORMATION: Intermittent - Permanent
DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy in the following location: Waterloo, IA United States
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Friday, July 05, 2013 to receive consideration.
I hope this post does not violate WS policy! sincerely, B4igo2it
This just occurred in Ontario, but thought it worth noting here..
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3877721-halton-police-seek-suspects-in-child-luring-cases/
"Halton police seek suspects in child luring cases
Halton police are looking for two men after children in the Oakville area were approached by strangers in a van.
The first incident happened June 28 just before 8 p.m. near West Oak Trails Boulevard and Fourth Line.
Police say a young boy was riding his bike on the street when a van approached and attempted to block his path. The driver motioned for the boy to come closer, but he rode away.
The two men in the vehicle are described as white and 35 to 45 years of age.
The driver had a long white beard, long blonde hair and was wearing a red and blue bandana across his forehead. The passenger had a short goatee, long hair and was wearing a white and black t-shirt"
Bbm.
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3877721-halton-police-seek-suspects-in-child-luring-cases/
"Halton police seek suspects in child luring cases
Halton police are looking for two men after children in the Oakville area were approached by strangers in a van.
The first incident happened June 28 just before 8 p.m. near West Oak Trails Boulevard and Fourth Line.
Police say a young boy was riding his bike on the street when a van approached and attempted to block his path. The driver motioned for the boy to come closer, but he rode away.
The two men in the vehicle are described as white and 35 to 45 years of age.
The driver had a long white beard, long blonde hair and was wearing a red and blue bandana across his forehead. The passenger had a short goatee, long hair and was wearing a white and black t-shirt"
Bbm.
Just to add to above link, a girl was also approached...
" Then on July 2, just before 9 p.m., a young girl was walking in the area of West Oak Trails Boulevard and Calloway Drive when a van pulled up near her. The driver offered her candy in exchange for directions.
The girl ran to a nearby business.
The suspects in this case are described as white and 40 to 50 years of age.
The driver had a short grey goatee, was tanned and wearing a dark coloured baseball cap. The passenger had a fair complexion with a long white beard and was wearing a red baseball cap.
The vehicle was described as a white cargo or panel type van, similar to a Ford Econoline or GMC Safari van"
" Then on July 2, just before 9 p.m., a young girl was walking in the area of West Oak Trails Boulevard and Calloway Drive when a van pulled up near her. The driver offered her candy in exchange for directions.
The girl ran to a nearby business.
The suspects in this case are described as white and 40 to 50 years of age.
The driver had a short grey goatee, was tanned and wearing a dark coloured baseball cap. The passenger had a fair complexion with a long white beard and was wearing a red baseball cap.
The vehicle was described as a white cargo or panel type van, similar to a Ford Econoline or GMC Safari van"
roseofsharon
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Maybe someone could 007 using google maps on Lafayette Ave. doing 360 degrees. It says the picture was taken in August 2012. There are some white vehicles in parking lots, but I am not good with year or type of vehicle.
While scanning across all of Evansdale using GMps, there are many white vehicles.
In August 2012, the killer may not have been so careful, maybe freely parking the vehicle anywhere, not knowing pictures were being taken for the internet.
imo
roseofsharon
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Grainne Dhu
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Waterloo/Cedar Falls is way, way closer to Minnesota and Wisconsin than to Nebraska. Closer to Illinois, too.
Same thought applies though: did they cross check with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois? Of the three, Wisconsin is easiest to work with, Minnesota is okay and Illinois... well, you never know about Illinois! (that was intended as a good natured Iowa-Illinois rivalry poke)
My general impression, based on nothing more than a few media articles, is that the three main LE jurisdictions involved (Evansdale, Black Hawk County and DCI) are still working this as an active case.
One problem is that there are so many vehicles on the road that could be described as an "older white SUV." When I was out yesterday in the small town close to me (population just over 6K), I counted the number of vehicles I would classify as older white SUVs. Not based on being able to recognise model years or anything like that, I just estimated the age by the condition of the body of the vehicle.
On one trip through a small town, I counted 14 such vehicles. A little banged up, a few dents and dings, etc, but clearly still functional and being used as business vehicles.
In Iowa, btw, as part of state policy to encourage and support small businesses, vans and SUVs that are used only for business purposes get a huge discount on their yearly vehicle registration fees. An enormous discount, something like 90% off the normal fee. But! the rules are pretty strict. For instance, if the vehicle has more than a driver's seat and front passenger seat, it does not qualify for that particular discount. So one giveaway that a vehicle is registered as a business vehicle is if there are only two seats in it. Eleven out of the 14 vehicles I counted, I could see that they only had two seats.
I also noticed that where businesses used to have painted on signs on their vehicles, many businesses are going with magnetic signs. Which makes sense because they are cheaper and easier to get than a classy looking custom painted sign.
My point being that it is possible that LE has found more than one older white SUV only to discover after investigating anyone who had access to it that it wasn't the SUV they are looking for.
Grainne Dhu
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My sister and her husband both drive Suburbans (late model). The reason why is because they are both anesthesiologists and they have seen way too up close and personal the damage to the human body that can happen when that body is in a lighter weight car in a crash with a heavier vehicle.
Same reason that when I turned 16, my father bought me an Olds Toronado. It was the heaviest passenger car that year (and lots of other years; this was the era of the land yacht). My father is an anesthesiologist and he was determined that his daughter was not gonna be in the lighter car. No matter how much of a daredevil leadfoot she turned out to be (I stopped counting warnings when I passed 50 before I was 20). My teenage philosophy was that what my parents didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
Looking back, I think my dad made a smart decision.
My sister and brother-in-law are like my dad. They have two sons and their safety is the highest priority they have. My sister still has the car she got when she graduated from med school, a sporty little Mazda. Her sons have never, ever ridden in that car because it is small and lightweight. No way are they allowed to risk their lives that way.
Besides, if either of her sons put so much as a scratch on her little car, my sister might just fall into a hissy fit and never come out of it. She gets asked all the time if she's had it restored but she hasn't; she's just been very careful and made sure it always had a garage to live in.
I don't know if our family is atypical or not. I don't think so; when I go to a medical appointment, the doctor's lot is full of huge SUVs and full sized vans. They might drive something sporty for fun but for every day safety? Go with the heaviest vehicle you can get.
I have noticed that there are two types of people who drive the gas guzzlers: the well off and the very poor. Those gas guzzlers are older and just not worth very much. It is easier to eke out the money for gas each month than it is to qualify for a vehicle loan.
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