Deceased/Not Found NY - Etan Patz, 6, New York, 25 May 1979 #1 *P. Hernandez guilty*

[epiphany]

CNN’s Susan Candiotti reported that FBI evidence recovery teams plan to use jackhammers to dig through the floor and they expect to continue the search there for five days. Candiotti told HLN’s Nancy Grace investigators believe Patz may have been killed or disposed of in that basement.

http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/201...rch-focuses-on-basement-near-home/?hpt=ng_mid

https://twitter.com/#!/JoeyBoots/status/193078705168453634/photo/1

 

[southern_scout]

My NY friend says Prince and Wooster St.'s are covered up with FBI and NYPD. I hope they do find him, if he's there, so his family can have some closure.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Etan Patz; DA hopeful Snyder vows to press the case if elected - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Thank you STEADFAST
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community > Crimes and Trials > Cold Cases Etan Patz; DA hopeful Snyder vows to press the case if elected
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08-07-2009, 05:32 PM Post#10

08-15-2009, 01:15 PM Post#12


I posted this comment to explain why I am 80/20 percent sure this boy is in this building.
But not 100 percent. No one is 100 percent on anything.


Thank-you again STEADFAST for finding these.
​

 

[dcgrumpy]

BBM

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that Etan was an only child. I tried googling but couldn't find anything one way or the other.

IIRC he had an older sister and a younger brother

 

[Pookie's Mom]

I so hope they can finally find something so that the Patz family can have some type of closure, however, media being what it is, I hope that after its all said and done they really do find something and aren't just blowing smoke and getting peoples hopes up.

Surely they have some strong indication that there is something there to find or they would have gone about it a bit quieter. You think?( I'm hoping someone agrees with me on that )

 

[Kat]

IIRC he had an older sister and a younger brother

Yes Shari and Ari respectively.

Here is a good 20/20 for those still catching up:

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7577234&page=1

(from 2009, sibs named in here too)

 

[southern_scout]

I
Surely they have some strong indication that there is something there to find or they would have gone about it a bit quieter. You think?( I'm hoping someone agrees with me on that )

I think you are right. If this wasn't a fairly strong suspicion, they would have kept it a little more on the low-down.

 

[Kat]

ETA: Shira I transposed the vowels in her name, so sorry!

 

[cartercar]

They are reporting that today's activity occurred because the investigation went off in a completely new direction, with a new suspect.

For many years, it was assumed that Ramos - the guy sitting in jail for a couple of decades on an unrelated molestation charge - was Etan's kidnapper and killer, but he has been slip-sliding around with semi-confessions, inscrutable statements and partial admissions for years, and I think everyone more or less gave up hope that he would ever give a full confession and tell the parents where their child is.

But today it seems they are setting the Ramos direction aside for now and are investigating a different person. He was described as a family friend, aged 76 (he's that age now, was much younger then, of course), lives in Brooklyn. I caught the name "Miller," didn't catch whether he was questioned back when it happened. I'm sure we will be getting more info in time.

Curiouser and curiouser. I hope they will be able to give at least some closure and resolution to this family. I remember it struck me then, and still does now, that the Patzes never moved, because the mom wanted Etan to be able to find them if he ever comes home.

Since then, I've heard similar things in other cases, but that was the first time, and my heart just broke for that poor lady.

They expect the excavation work to take a few weeks.

@Pookies Mom, you are absolutely right. It was my first thought. They went in there today as high profile as possible. The only thing missing was a marching band to announce their arrival. I think they said that even the Police Commissioner was there. They must have something very solid. Both the FBI and the NYPD would know very well how to stay hidden in plain sight, posing as maintenance or repair crews or something. The fact that a platoon of FBI officers showed up at 8:00 AM without any subterfuge means that they know there is something to find, and they will find it.

 

[epiphany]

How could FBI and NYPD keep this quiet?

Location of Search:

The neighborhood has boutiques and restaurants in the northern area along Broadway and Prince and Spring Streets. The sidewalks in this area are often crowded with tourists.

A look at the neighborhood here:

http://www.nyc.com/visitor_guide/soho.75863/editorial_review.aspx

 

[STEADFAST]

Othniel Miller
http://content.usatoday.com/communi...ains-of-boy-missing-since-1979/1#.T5CGKNXl-So

 

[wfgodot]

Here's a Village Voice link that may come in handy - I doubt whether any of the info is unique to it and you've probably read it on other links above, but I haven't plowed my way through them all as yet:

Etan Patz Disappearance: Authorities Dig Up SoHo Basement, Identify "Target" Of Probe

---
Additionally, sources say the "target" of the investigation is a neighborhood handyman named Othneil Miller, 75, who would often pay Patz a few dollars to help him out around his shop.
---
After speaking with Miller, law enforcement officials took "scent pads" -- which allows investigators to "collect scent evidence from hard to access places" without destroying any other evidence, like fingerprints -- to the basement of the building at 127 Prince Street, where Miller had a workshop at the time of Patz's disappearance.

Certainly worth checking back as the Voice generally has excellent local crime story sources, and especially as SoHo is just south of Greenwich Village.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

How could FBI and NYPD keep this quiet?

Location of Search:

The neighborhood has boutiques and restaurants in the northern area along Broadway and Prince and Spring Streets. The sidewalks in this area are often crowded with tourists.

A look at the neighborhood here:

http://www.nyc.com/visitor_guide/soho.75863/editorial_review.aspx

I'm right there and I didnt' know until I saw it just now on the news..Wow after 33 years hopefully the authorities will bring Etan home.

I also just learned the handyman was interviewed at his home today. The reported he is being cooperative as he always had been. It's also been said he used to give Etan a dollar when he'd help him out...so who knows if this man knows anything...What brought LE to the area again?

 

[epiphany]

From Steadfast's Link:

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...ains-of-boy-missing-since-1979/1#.T5CHI45ivs1

The basement unit housed a carpentry business when Ethan disappeared. Sources told the Daily News the link was Othnie I. Miller, a handyman who gave Etan $1 for helping him the night before he vanished.

Miller was interviewed by police but never named as a suspect, with the NYPD opting not to dig up his basement after the Patzes said he was a family friend, one source said.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703341904575267070222203334.html?KEYWORDS="Etan+Patz"

Mr. Ramos said in his Web posting that the allegation of his guilt in Etan's case "is a lie from the former US assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York City who conducted an improper interview and reported the lie to the media."

Last year, the Patz case became a lightning rod in the divisive race for district attorney. Mr. Morgenthau said it was "irresponsible" to promise to convene a grand jury in the case.

"We spent a huge amount of time on that case. If we could go to a grand jury, we would in a minute," Mr. Morgenthau said last summer. "There's no sufficient evidence, and there's absolutely no reason to open a grand jury investigation when you don't have any admissible evidence."

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

BBM

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that Etan was an only child. I tried googling but couldn't find anything one way or the other.

IIRC he had an older sister and a younger brother

Yes Shari and Ari respectively.

Here is a good 20/20 for those still catching up:

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7577234&page=1

(from 2009, sibs named in here too)

Good to know, I thought Etan was an only child..

I pray for the authorities to bring Etan home...it's been a long, lonely journey and must be torture for the family...:rose:

 

[epiphany]

I'm right there and I didnt' know until I saw it just now on the news..Wow after 33 years hopefully the authorities will bring Etan home.

I also just learned the handyman was interviewed at his home today. The reported he is being cooperative as he always had been. It's also been said he used to give Etan a dollar when he'd help him out...so who knows if this man knows anything...What brought LE to the area again?

"Information that was known at the time is being re-examined. It does involve a suspect," he said, according to the Daily News.

A search warrant was obtained after an FBI cadaver-sniffing dog picked up the scent of human remains in the basement about two weeks ago, sources told the Daily News.

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...ains-of-boy-missing-since-1979/1#.T5CHI45ivs1

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - NY NY - Etan Patz, 6, New York, 25 May 1979

 

[LucyOso]

From end of video:

Reporter: ...we don't know the whereabouts of the handyman; police are checking

Question:

All this time they have been questioning Ramos, focusing on Ramos and trying to prosecute Ramos. Meanwhile someone else may have been free to hunt down other children for 33 years. What I do not understand, is if the police wanted to investigate this man, why...why...why...did they allow distressed parents to make a decision based on being friends with the guy. This is not the parent's fault. Does anyone have any insight as to why the police lost objectivity and ruled out the handyman originally? Thanks!

 

[LisaB]

http://www.mail.com/news/us/1220822-nyc-basement-searched-boy-missing-1979.html#.7518-stage-hero1-2

In the past few months, the official said, investigators had received information that Etan's remains might be buried in the basement. Then, within the past few weeks, an FBI dog indicated the possible presence of human remains in the space, prompting the decision to dig.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

They are reporting that today's activity occurred because the investigation went off in a completely new direction, with a new suspect.

For many years, it was assumed that Ramos - the guy sitting in jail for a couple of decades on an unrelated molestation charge - was Etan's kidnapper and killer, but he has been slip-sliding around with semi-confessions, inscrutable statements and partial admissions for years, and I think everyone more or less gave up hope that he would ever give a full confession and tell the parents where their child is.

But today it seems they are setting the Ramos direction aside for now and are investigating a different person. He was described as a family friend, aged 76 (he's that age now, was much younger then, of course), lives in Brooklyn. I caught the name "Miller," didn't catch whether he was questioned back when it happened. I'm sure we will be getting more info in time.

Curiouser and curiouser. I hope they will be able to give at least some closure and resolution to this family. I remember it struck me then, and still does now, that the Patzes never moved, because the mom wanted Etan to be able to find them if he ever comes home.

Since then, I've heard similar things in other cases, but that was the first time, and my heart just broke for that poor lady.

They expect the excavation work to take a few weeks.

@Pookies Mom, you are absolutely right. It was my first thought. They went in there today as high profile as possible. The only thing missing was a marching band to announce their arrival. I think they said that even the Police Commissioner was there. They must have something very solid. Both the FBI and the NYPD would know very well how to stay hidden in plain sight, posing as maintenance or repair crews or something. The fact that a platoon of FBI officers showed up at 8:00 AM without any subterfuge means that they know there is something to find, and they will find it.

This handyman wasn't looked into due the the family insisting he was a good friend. Some tip brought the FBI there with a K9 who indicated human remains. At the time Etan went missing, this handyman in the building their checking now, laid a concrete floor in the basement..so, they will dig it up..listening now..

I pray for Etan to be brought home and given a proper burial..Don't know but the handyman's daughter was interviewed, her dad's cooperating and he didn't do anything and doesn't know anything. He was checked out when this first occured...

 

[LucyOso]

This handyman wasn't looked into due the the family insisting he was a good friend. Some tip brought the FBI there with a K9 who indicated human remains. At the time Etan went missing, this handyman in the building their checking now, laid a concrete floor in the basement..so, they will dig it up..listening now..

I pray for Etan to be brought home and given a proper burial..Don't know but the handyman's daughter was interviewed, her dad's cooperating and he didn't do anything and doesn't know anything. He was checked out when this first occured...

I read he renovated the basement right after Etan went missing. That is what put him on the radar originally. I am not sure why the police would not pursue it though. Even, if the family felt he was a good friend...confused. Does this happen a lot in investigations? Curious.