Skyla Whitaker, 11, & Taylor Placker 13 - Found Murdered - #9

[Tom'sGirl]

Thank you, but, I get what it means, as mentioned....relating to this case, exactly when did they grade the road? The purpose of doing so?

I don't know the exact date it was graded Christine.

The only thing I come up with is that grading on that particular road is done on a scheduled basis, much like street sweepers do on paved streets. It's heavily traveled, and there had been a lot of rain and the ruts were probably pretty deep.

IF, the road had been closed to thru traffic at both ends, the graders wouldn't have entered, which leads me to believe the barriers were removed prematurely.

 

[kahskye]

Can someone explain 'grading' the road? Why, when? (I get it, not timeline, but what it is, don't know why/when)

TIA.

I believe it was scheduled already by the county that maintains the road.

From what I recall it was done the following day after June 8th around 2 pm.

imoo

I started emailing this reporter/editor about the dog, and also asked him yesterday about grading the roads. Here's his reply.

Here's the deal with the roads ...(Keep in mind that much of this is just my personal opinion.)

After an all night crime scene investigation, officers opened the scene, indicating the need to maintain the scene was no longer an issue.

They took down the crime scene tape and allowed people in to drive on the road, leave flowers, maintain the road, etc.

My personal opinion is the county needed to work on the road, due to the rains and increased traffic from people driving by to see where it happened. The county probably had no idea that investigators needed to return to the scene to find something four days after the shootings occurred.

In my experience, I have never seen a case where investigators have returned to the scene so many times, so long after an incident occurred.

But if investigators wanted to maintain the crime scene for future investigatory purposes, they could have done so, but chose not to.


jj
​

 

[Tom'sGirl]

I believe it was scheduled already by the county that maintains the road.

From what I recall it was done the following day after June 8th around 2 pm.

imoo

I should have read your post before I posted.............glad that you remembered the date!

 

[Tom'sGirl]

I started emailing this reporter/editor about the dog, and also asked him yesterday about grading the roads. Here's his reply.

Here's the deal with the roads ...(Keep in mind that much of this is just my personal opinion.) ​

After an all night crime scene investigation, officers opened the scene, indicating the need to maintain the scene was no longer an issue.​

They took down the crime scene tape and allowed people in to drive on the road, leave flowers, maintain the road, etc.​

My personal opinion is the county needed to work on the road, due to the rains and increased traffic from people driving by to see where it happened. The county probably had no idea that investigators needed to return to the scene to find something four days after the shootings occurred.​

In my experience, I have never seen a case where investigators have returned to the scene so many times, so long after an incident occurred.​

But if investigators wanted to maintain the crime scene for future investigatory purposes, they could have done so, but chose not to.​

jj​

Thank you for the info. kahskye. that's what I thought!

 

[ArizonaGiGi]

This interview is wonderful. Finally, someone has profiled the killers. Furhman believes there were two/three involved, that it was drug related, and one person is local. (Local might mean extended local.) He believes the girls witnessed something, or the killers thought they witnessed something, or that one of the killers (local?) would be recognized. Furhman also stated he thought the killers had training of some sort: two hits to the chest, one to the head. This, to Furhman, indicated possible police or military training, although Furhman seemed to emphasize more the police training aspect.

IMO these killings fit with drug running. These people have no morals and would "take out " anyone, including children, who got in their way. The interviewer referenced the drug related familing killing in Port Lucie, FL, where the very young children were shot along with the mother and father.[/QUOTE

A local dirty cop that both girls would recognize would certainly explain the manner and reason behind this whole thing.

I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Littledeer]

Tom'sGirl:

LD, your quotes aren't showing who posted them!

Good point!!

How do you do that?

 

[Albert18]

In my experience, I have never seen a case where investigators have returned to the scene so many times, so long after an incident occurred.​

But if investigators wanted to maintain the crime scene for future investigatory purposes, they could have done so, but chose not to.​

Wow. This is unsettling.

My gut feeling from the beginning was that they were doing an incremental investigation. They thought they could trot out there, turn over a couple of stones, and have this case whipped. I think this case has been eating their lunch.

Two dead little girls, why wouldn't you bring your A game from minute one.

 

[Littledeer]

Once again, kahskye comes through with information straight from a reporter!!

THANKS kahskye!!! :blowkiss:

Interesting to note that they had the option to maintain the "scene" for future investigative purposes, but chose NOT to.

So LE must have felt at that time they had gathered and seen everything there was to know about the crime scene and had all the evidence. :bang:

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Wow. This is unsettling.

My gut feeling from the beginning was that they were doing an incremental investigation. They thought they could trot out there, turn over a couple of stones, and have this case whipped. I think this case has been eating their lunch.

Two dead little girls, why wouldn't you bring your A game from minute one.

I really don't think so........so I am not going to go hard on the police. They found a lot of evidence at the crime scene that evening, night into the early morning.

Even with the road open the majority of evidence if anywhere to be found would be off the shoulder of the road and in the grass where the children were found. They had already found the tire tracks including u turn made and boot print at the scene plus the shell casings. They also returned and searched the woods within a few days, the bridge above and below it and the road scraping would have had no bearing on that.

The area of the crime scene yielded no further bullet casings which means imo they did a thorough job of collecting evidence.

Now if the bodies had been found off in a field I can understand them securing the crime scene longer but this road was used by many who traveled in the area from small community to community. That has to be taken into consideration also when releasing the road for public access.



imoo

 

[KR2tonenow]

This interview is wonderful. Finally, someone has profiled the killers. Furhman believes there were two/three involved, that it was drug related, and one person is local. (Local might mean extended local.) He believes the girls witnessed something, or the killers thought they witnessed something, or that one of the killers (local?) would be recognized. Furhman also stated he thought the killers had training of some sort: two hits to the chest, one to the head. This, to Furhman, indicated possible police or military training, although Furhman seemed to emphasize more the police training aspect.

IMO these killings fit with drug running. These people have no morals and would "take out " anyone, including children, who got in their way. The interviewer referenced the drug related familing killing in Port Lucie, FL, where the very young children were shot along with the mother and father.

Mark Furman is usually spot on. This rings true.

 

[KR2tonenow]

Okmulgee county jail inmate Joe Dean Smith

http://okokmulgee.jailsoftware.com/PressArrestRelease.asp?itbSiteID=6&ArrestNo=2008001437

This perp may have info to bring to the table regarding the murders.

 

[KR2tonenow]

I just heard that they arrested the husband. I have not seen any of the articles yet, but it does restore some of my faith in TPD.

Thanks, G, great to hear

 

[KR2tonenow]

Thanks! Been mostly lurking a long time and I love it here. The near-universal kindness and respect among the posters here is a real light in the dark, especially amid the awful stories in the news today.

I must admit that I hadn't considered the POI in my theory. But since I'm on a roll: the POI may be a witness himself and afraid to come forward. Maybe he's got a warrant out on him, or maybe (anything's possible) he didn't realize the significance of whatever he saw. His arrival may have scared the perps away without the POI realizing what they were up to. This could apply to any theory, not just mine.

I really hope law enforcement has been asking around in the NA community.

Great idea, I hope they have a good relationship with these folks. It could be quite possible that this POI is scared to talk.

 

[DeltaDawn]

I doubt the family member who "got the message" would be advertising that fact to the public. Of course they are going to SAY they don't know why it happened or who might have done it (or gotten it done)- and if it's a more distant family member or friend, they would hardly want to incriminate themselves or go to Taylor's GPa or Skyla's Mom and say that their children are dead because of THEM

The message may very well have been received loud and clear. We have just a FRACTION of the facts and evidence in this case. OSBI isn't even releasing the types or caliber of the guns used (and they do know that info according to an interview on Wed). The OSBI even said Wed the the "noose was tightening". For all we know - the OSBI may be asking GPA Placker to dodge any questions about the suspects or knowing them and we are not getting any information from Skyla's family at all.

I am getting a feeling that this may involve something bigger than just Taylor and Skyla's murders. The OSBI is being far too stingy with information and far too quiet - in a case that is getting NATIONWIDE coverage. There is a REASON the OSBI hasn't released autopsy information, the cell phone information, that they had a dog with them, the precise timeline, the gun evidence, the footprint and vehicle evidence, the POI clothing description and why they just took the POI sketch nationwide 18 days AFTER the murders.

And "personal" does not mean they were sending a message to anyone - it could be that the killer was mad or upset at one (or both) of the girls or feared they might "tell" something (like a romantic interest with a too old boy or an online flirtation/stalking?). Like I said, this was up close and personal, Tyler could have literally been almost face to face with the killer - we have to ask WHY would she let a stranger (a man?) that close to her if he was threatening to her? Even Skyla was only 5' or less off the road. The crime scene just didn't say stranger, impersonal, girls afraid...the guy either had something (Taylor's Dog?) that made them approach or he was familiar to one of them or used their names, a family/friend name etc.

My Opinion

Once again bolding is mine..yes I believe in this case if a family member got the message, in prison or out, they would have given the info to their family and LE. This family seems very close and tender hearted..and not ashamed or embarrassed by family members in jail.. They seem to still love and care about each other very much. I think if any family members knew what was going on they would have come forward by now. If they are already in jail, what would they have to lose..if not , then they would have for their own protection.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

While I am just catching up here, I am delighted that Kahskye contacted a reporter that is willing to communicate! Great job and you are getting some good info! (Thanks, Christine for the prodding~!)

We still do not have a motive or the (Sorry...I meant POI) yet, but since they are taking this nationwide (which by the way means across OUR country)...I am hopeful other agencies might have more input. I still believe the POI is from OK according to his truck...but it doesn't mean he hasn't gone somewhere else to hide.

I watched Peter on Greta last night and I had to tip my hat to him a couple of times. Whoever mentioned the things he said were few, but profound was right. He even stopped Greta in her tracks a couple of times for talking in generalities. I do feel so sorry for him and the family. I don't suspect the parents (they have earned this title imho). Taylor would be proud that he has been willing to speak out on television at all and hold his own with the likes of Greta. (It reminds me of Mark Lunsford. Not much education, but a lot of truth and common sense who says what they mean.)

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Once again bolding is mine..yes I believe in this case if a family member got the message, in prison or out, they would have given the info to their family and LE. This family seems very close and tender hearted..and not ashamed or embarrassed by family members in jail.. They seem to still love and care about each other very much. I think if any family members knew what was going on they would have come forward by now. If they are already in jail, what would they have to lose..if not , then they would have for their own protection.

I would have to agree with you. They do seem very loving and kind-hearted people. They would want to catch the person/people responsible no matter what. Taylor and Skyla were truly loved and admired. The girls made them better people, imo.

 

[Trino]

I still believe the POI is from OK according to his truck...but it doesn't mean he hasn't gone somewhere else to hide.

The truck might have evidence, but IMO there's no reason to look for the POI and the truck together. With this on national news, he's long abandoned it. The truck could have also been stolen.

 

[christine2448]

Please continue here.