MS - Jessica Chambers, 19, found burned near her car, Panola County, 6 Dec 2014 - #9

[MyBelle]

My thinking is it is too soon to bring a PI in. Everyone in this town is still in fear and looking over their shoulder. IMO. A stranger, PI, in town would get absolutely nowhere! It would be a waste of money. The outside agencies are going to have to leave so the citizens feel a sense their town is back to normal. It is going to take time before people resume their "regular" activities. That is why I have questioned the arrest of Mister and the woman (forget her name). One would think this group of friends of JC would try to stay out of LE's attention.

Even as time passes, I don't know how effective a PI would be due to being a stranger. I am sure there are ways to go undercover, such as moving in to work some where. However, that is expensive. And thinking about it, I would not trust the sheriffs department to keep it under wraps. Sorry to say that, but if they come out of this unscathed, it will be surprising.

My opinions only!

I agree with you. No PI is going to be more effective than the law enforcement specialists already assigned to this case. Nor does the family need to hire a PR specialist. I doubt the DA is sharing any evidence with the parents because he's said it must go to the Grand Jury. No way would he share it with a PI. Ain't gonna happen, imo.

 

[1&2&3]

I don't think this has been discussed. How long would it take for Jessica's car to cool down after the fire department put the fire out? Would the frame stay extremely hot for a long time?

The purpose of this question is if the car did remain hot, how could it have been thoroughly processed at the scene? And, in the dark?

 

[machiado]

Because Jessica seemed so hopeful about turning her life around after the Leah's house stay, I have not leaned towards a suicide theory. However, you have got me thinking about it, especially when there seems to be no clear POI. I wonder if an incident, say a "party" against her will that same evening, could have made her feel desperate and hopeless about ever getting out of the terrible cycle of violence she was in, and that a suicide, if that is what it was, was a very impulsive action.

1. As there have been no charges filed and no person or persons deemed suspects or persons of interest, we have only the word of a local law enforcement apparatus that, I submit, seems entirely inadequate to the investigation, viz. the apparently shoddy crime scene investigation, curiously difficult to believe statements (she spoke to first responders in spite of her condition), etc., that this is indeed a homicide. A suicide would more readily fit the facts we know. As well, suicide better serves the prime Occam's Razor precept: "Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity." (Wiki)

2. Accelerant would not be difficult to obtain if indeed it was used it.

3. We do not know her actual state of mind; she had a job lined up, we're told, but one cannot really know another's psyche, and she was an individual with a good many problems, problems which perhaps were inescapable in the short term. This, I think, is the strongest indicator that she might have killed herself. Disappointment in her life might have fed a residual guilt about outcomes and led to the painful choice of a self-punishing death by fire. And, we are told, she purchased over twice as much gasoline as usual a short time before the fire.

4. "It is estimated that 25–30% of suicides are accompanied by a note." In other words, most are not thus accompanied. (Wiki)

5. A suicide's actions are by definition irrational, but this perhaps seems more like a killer's action, I agree.

6. Either scenario would fit this. It proves nothing. If anything, it is only an argument against accidental death.

7. One does not always choose to go gentle into that good night. At least nine of the car fire suicide victims I linked above were women -- just a bit under 30% I think. Surprising, perhaps, but there it is. And finally, on a percentage basis alone, this is much more likely a suicide: the murder rate in America is about 6 per 100,000; for suicides it's 10.8. (LiveScience)

 

[BirdycatNY]

...because to be accurate, we need to reframe what you mean by "on a percentage basis alone." I *think* you mean that in terms of the whole population, with no specifics as to the *cause* of death, the *manner* of death was much more likely to have been a suicide than a homicide.
...
My personal guess is that you'd see a much larger percentage of burning deaths that are actually accidental rather than a homicide or suicide...

I found an interesting article on suicide by fire...looks like statistically @1% of suicides in U.S./Europe are from self-immolation. I think that males commit suicide by fire more frequently than females and it may be a form of political/social protest. See Why Do People Commit Suicide by Fire? Jan 27, 2014 07:48 PM ET // by Benjamin Radford http://news.discovery.com/history/religion/self-immolation-the-macabre-mystery-140127.htm

I am willing to entertain certain WS posters "suicide" theories because it's good to explore all possibilities to determine exact cause and will make other theories stronger if suicide ruled out.

*How did Jessica get the gash on her head if she committed suicide? How does that play out? So she knocks herself on the head in attempt to kill herself and then since that didn't work, douses her entire car, swallows gas and douses herself then sets herself on fire inside/outside car?
*Given Jessica's religious affiliation (I assume she is Christian denomination) and recent working on self-improvement and her closeness to her deceased brother, she is less likely to have committed suicide. As a Catholic, my understanding is suicide is a BIG no-no and if Jessica had hopes of seeing her brother in the afterlife, then it's less likely.
*Jessica is a writer as evidenced by her letter to niece and aspiration to write a book. So I think as an articulate and expressive young lady, Jessica would have left a suicide note. Or she also would likely expressed suicidal thoughts to mom, or friend like CW.
*CW statements-Why would CW insert herself into investigation?
*Why would others insert themselves into investigation?
*There are various individuals in time, location, familial relations, ex-boyfriend abuse/family hostilities that it seems to me suicide is the absolutely last resort answer in this case. EVERYTHING must be ruled out and that's a lot of EVERYTHING and people.
*Please provide evidence that Jessica had a gas can to douse her car, or an apparatus to siphon gas from her tank onto car and herself. Or receipts of accelerant purchase.

Here's are an article on Forensic pathology of thermal injuries- http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1975728-overview
btw- I am sure that LE/FBI will thoroughly investigate and determine exactly who/what/when/where/why responsible for Jessica's death.

Jmo/

 

[samantha17]

No one outside of LE knows what evidence they have or don't have, and the time investment needed at the crime scene is almost always based on what's actually there to be recovered.
I don't see how anyone can jump to the conclusion that any evidence has been mishandled, and that the whole case has been botched based on what has been gleaned from the media. Outside of LE....no one really knows anything.

I believe that most of that kind of thinking comes from prejudice about the region in which this crime occurred. Don't assume that the investigators have had no training or aren't that smart just because they work in rural Mississippi. All the references about country music and good ol' boys.....really not accurate. The actual problem is the same all over the US....a rise in crime and cuts in funding due to the lingering recession. That means less resources for LE and investigators who are stretched too thin,especially in poor rural communities.

I'm in total agreement .... unless you are a member of LE working this case no one knows any evidence except what has been related by the media and their few interviews.

 

[samantha17]

How is hiring a private investigator interfering with an investigation?

"A private investigator can devote a great deal of quality time to re-investigate and closely scrutinize all aspects of a given case. Investigators are often hired to widen theories, identify new leads in the case, interview or re-interview witnesses, and interface with law enforcement.

With expertise, private investigators can take an unsolved crime or a cold case file and scour it with fresh eyes and new perspective. With new insight they can then begin to follow the evidence, across typical jurisdiction-limits, setting aside any preconceived notions and allowing the evidence to tell the story (http://pursuitmag.com/private-investigators-assisting-with-unsolved-crimes-and-cold-cases/)".

I wasn't speaking of a hired private investigator .... the poster was referring to someone/anyone in the community investigating and getting personally involved when this is still an ongoing investigation by LE.

 

[ashny]

If this was a suicide then they would have found empty gas cans/containers because from what I have read someone poured gas all over the car and Jessica. We don't know what they found at the scene, but I am more than confident that this was not a suicide. There is a good reason that they are treating this as a homicide.

 

[Dee Deforest]

I didn't read back through all the threads to see if this happened to anyone else... Thursday afternoon i was logging on to Websleuths and my ipad went crazy! Some number popped up that would not go away ... so i called it and they wanted 200.00 to fix my ipad? Well im not that crazy! so i cleared my web history and called Applecare and they said they were getting 7 to 8 calls a day where people are having this happen.. it was all ok but ... Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks Dee

 

[samantha17]

Both are good questions. I'm doing this on my iPad, so please excuse any technical difficulties
1) Managing family---how, what?
Many families of victims of crimes find it necessary or beneficial to have a 'family representative', someone with experience in public relations and law (often an attorney), to speak on behalf of the family. This is helpful for many reasons. This would have helped initially, as the dad let a couple of things slip that LE was/is not prepared to confirm/deny, the sister has said a few things, and the mother as well. The person hired to represent the family, preferably an attorney, can use their knowledge and experience to filter what is communicated to media, as well as take some of the 'grunt' of the questions, which has to be so painful for the family to rehash. Also, said attorney knows what questions to be asking LE, when to back off, etc. Their attorney will also be up to date and informed in the event that a civil suit needs to be brought to the courts. The primary function of a family rep would be to safeguard the interests of the victim's family. They are in an extremely traumatizing, emotionally draining nightmare. Having someone with experience in such cases to help navigate through things, such as interviews, following up with LE, etc. can be greatly beneficial.

2) How much more $ is needed to bring forth an informant?

That's the million dollar question!! (Some pun intended). Who knows! Part of me says increasing the reward amount to a figure that would allow for a 'clean break' from Panola County, for life, might do the trick. Another part of me thinks that no amount would be enough to ensure that, as the family trees are too deeply rooted there, with multigenerational families coexisting, I recognize the fear that must be so real to those who know who is responsible. I'm leaning towards neither, and it being more of a situational circumstance in which someone decides to come forth, rather than an, 'OMG, I want $53,000' type of scenario.
I think, not certain, but I think that when I wrote that initial post, I was more enthusiastic about expressing the need for a Private Investigator to become involved. Having a representative for the family or increased reward money are second to that on my personal wish list. Even just within the interview on i❤️Radio with JC's mom, there were so many questions that were unanswered. So little awareness of what I see to be critical aspects of this case have been overlooked, and not to fault her mother-God knows what she must be going through.
All JMO/IMO, and thanks, I'm glad I joined this thread as well. There are some seriously good sleuths on here who have provided some excellent banter regarding this case. I love a good discussion. Keep the questions coming! Just don't expect me to answer them tonight, lol, it's almost my bedtime.

I doubt seriously, since the father is a mechanic and the mother is unemployed, that they would have the resources to hire a family spokesperson or an attorney to speak on their behalf.

 

[tlcya]

I think that is why MSCJ was suggesting more fundraising that would go for PI and or atty/spokesperson. I misunderstood MSCJ's original post in that regard as well but then it was clarified with later posts.

 

[New1]

I guess I am not a very open minded person to the idea of this being a suicide or accident from what little information has been released by LE. For one thing They IMMEDIATELY ruled it a homicide and went looking for EB. Why would they have done that if there was even a remote chance of suicide or accident? Why would the FBI and MBI be involved in an investigation of a suicide or an accident? We don't know what LE found at the scene to immediately rule it a homicide, but I'll bet it was something substantial. Why would they go through the courts to get access to her phone records? LE doesn't do that in suicides and accidents to my knowledge. Why would a judge give approval to search her phone records without LE providing evidence that there was foul play? Sorry, but I just scroll on by the posts about suicide/accident because I'm not open minded to those scenarios at all. There is *something* that we don't know about and wont know about unless there is an arrest and a trial. JMO

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

If this was a suicide then they would have found empty gas cans/containers because from what I have read someone poured gas all over the car and Jessica. We don't know what they found at the scene, but I am more than confident that this was not a suicide. There is a good reason that they are treating this as a homicide.

The LEOS say it was a murder. So until otherwise a homicide is what it is. Even though I am not convinced by what I had read and heard from news programs. But as I said the LEOS state homicide and with so many agencies involved I am looking at it that way.
But I have watched several of the YouTube videos of her at the gas station. In slow mo and using windows magnifier increased the frames to see if she pour some of that gas into the inside of her car and not just the gas tank.

At first i thought the gas cap was on the passengers side, but found out it is on the drivers side of that particular car.

The one scene when she is entering the store to pay before she pumped her gas. Someone said something to her out of camera range. And she raised her hand with her thumb pointed in the opposite direction as if to indicate she was going that way. Did they found out whom she chatted with off camera before she went inside the store?

 

[New1]

Yes, Cassandra Markett also known as Sandra Rudd was interviewed on TV and says she is the one who called Jessica over to ask her for a cigarette.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Yes, Cassandra Markett also known as Sandra Rudd was interviewed on TV and says she is the one who called Jessica over to ask her for a cigarette.

Thank you for the information. But someone asked her which way she was headed, that is why she raised her hand and pointed with her thumb backwards as to indicate she was going that way. Then she walked over to where the person/person was. At least that is my interpretation of her actions at the gas station.

 

[imkeylime]

Renowned Rolling Stone journalist Michael Hastings died in fiery car crash
"Why cars explode into fireballs and why they usually don't"
http://jalopnik.com/why-cars-explode-into-fireballs-and-why-they-usually-do-560552028

Back to the bonfire smell and now that (someone) is focusing on the tires burning:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_fire


Car with flat tire catches fire

http://youtu.be/FvF0tJQNU_w



Kia Sorrento catches fire on dealer's lot

http://youtu.be/UeEv8K-l5vQ

I don't know any better way to relay this info, so: Flatfootjoe made a very relevant reply to a post of mine in Post 705, Thread 7, re: her Kia. This is what he said:

"The 2003 & 2004 Kia Rio both had multiple safety recalls, including a fuel system delivery recall.
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2003/kia/rio/recalls/
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2004/kia/rio/recalls/

The 2005 Kia Rio which Jessica owned did not share that distinction. It had a single recall for a child seat issue. It had no documented problems with the fuel delivery system, after a period of 10 years, that would be something Kia would be well aware of and compensating.

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2005/kia/rio/recalls/

LE knows everything we don't, literally.
Last edited by flatfootjoe; 01-14-2015 at 12:36 AM. Reason: contextual spelling error"

I really appreciate this info, as I would have leaned toward her car malfunctioning over suicide, as I drove one of those infamous Ford Pintos as a teenager (gotta love my dad's friend who owned a used car lot and sold it to us)! IMO, based on the fact that the ATF is involved in this case as well as the FBI, it seems to most resemble a homicide.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

I just had a rather wild thought when thinking about car fires. Could someone possibly have sabotaged JC's car when she was in M&M or talking to SR? I'm thinking of how CW said things went too far. What if someone set out to scare JC by throwing a lit cigarette or even a rag with an accelerant into the back of her car but then she didn't get out in time? That wouldn't account for her having an accelerant within her body, but we really don't know that to be true or false at this point.

After watching the videos at the gas station. I never seen anything suspicious. Everything seem pretty normal. The man with the gas can. He just appears in one video. But then another video you see him coming out of the station with the can going to the pump in front of her car, puts gas in it and walks away. Another seen with the big SUV i think it is pulls up next to her, and they may had said something to each other in passing. But nothing seemed odd.

But one thing I like to know. That i have not seen on any video is her leaving the gas station. Did she make a left turn from the pump and head back onto the road,or did she continue straight and head into the area where she had the conversation with someone off camera? Did she go around the building and head out?

 

[Crosby87]

What caused Ben Chambers Jr’s motor vehicle accident? Have the details about his death been discussed?
I can't find a MSM report. Was his death reported in the Panolian?

 

[MSCJgrad]

Thus the need for the assistance I was referring to. I was hoping that the money they had been disbursed from 'Justice for Jessica' funds could have gone towards some of those things you mentioned... The PI, the PR... Ya know, resources to help find justice for Jessica...JMO

I doubt seriously, since the father is a mechanic and the mother is unemployed, that they would have the resources to hire a family spokesperson or an attorney to speak on their behalf.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zZD4sPiErdd8.kZlkjIsipZPU

Looking at the above map, and seeing her home was up North I believe that is the direction. I am convinced someone there asked her where she was heading and she pointed in that direction towards her home....When she walked over to where the woman said she asked for a smoke from her, I am thinking someone ask for a ride. I don't think Jessica made a left turn from the pumps and headed back on 51. I think she went foward from the pump and someone off camera got in her vehicle. And they left on 51 headed towards main street where her car was found. Would explain the passenger seat being in a more recline position than the drivers side.

As far as a motive IF this was a murder. It could have been nothing more than a hate crime. With what was going on in Ferguson MO and New York someone may had taken the opportunity to strike back and Jessica happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But just speculating on that.

Add On...Have they been hooking anyone up to any wires to ask relevant questions about this case??

Add on 2...Wondering if besides the man getting gas in a container for a generator, if anyone else purchased gas there with a container because they ran out of gas earlier? Just not sure about that.

 

[MyBelle]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zZD4sPiErdd8.kZlkjIsipZPU

Looking at the above map, and seeing her home was up North I believe that is the direction. I am convinced someone there asked her where she was heading and she pointed in that direction towards her home....When she walked over to where the woman said she asked for a smoke from her, I am thinking someone ask for a ride. I don't think Jessica made a left turn from the pumps and headed back on 51. I think she went foward from the pump and someone off camera got in her vehicle. And they left on 51 headed towards main street where her car was found. Would explain the passenger seat being in a more recline position than the drivers side.

I think you could very well be correct in that theory. Also located on Main Street is a car wash.