Something that has been bugging me... (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)

[Anyhoo]

I don't mean to pick on you (and welcome to WS). You're just bringing up some common ideas about the case.

I have a question about the EA theory: on a fair-skinned child like JBR, how could anyone have planned to torture her with a garrote without fearing they would leave tell-tale marks?

My family's coloring is similar to that of the Rs and, unless we are very well tanned, we show a record of the most casual contacts. I can leave a visible (and painless) bruise clutching my own arm.

Of course, I can't begin to fathom the thinking of someone who would garrote a child for sexual pleasure; and perhaps the garrote was making its "debut" on the night JBR died. But I doubt anyone could have tightened that cord tight enough to cut off JBR's wind without also leaving an obvious (and alarming) bruise.

Thanks for the good point, which to me signifies the garrote not being used prior to the night of the murder, which further signifies it had only two possible purposes: a murder weapon or staging or both.

 

[Nova]

He wouldn't even admit he wet the bed.

IMO he was one of those kids you could catch with chocolate all over his face & his hand in the cookie jar and he'd still deny he ate it.

I don't doubt that, but we're still talking about risking EVERYTHING, including the welfare of the entire family, on what a fourth (?) grader would or wouldn't do in a unique situation. I'd want him close by to make sure I could intervene if too much were said.

 

[tlcya]

What I have learned here today is. I need to do a lot more lurking and reading before diving into any discussion about this case.

 

[Chris_Texas]

Do a search here. It's been done to death.

I have been unable to find an actual discussion of this exact point, BUT..

A different thread turned up some other images of this knot which certainly suggest that the hair is actually caught into the knott as it was tied, rather than tangled and perhaps caught under a loop as the device was rotated.

Which means that I am incorrect and should probably slink off into the shadows and hide again.

 

[Anyhoo]

I don't doubt that, but we're still talking about risking EVERYTHING, including the welfare of the entire family, on what a fourth (?) grader would or wouldn't do in a unique situation. I'd want him close by to make sure I could intervene if too much were said.

Well when you think about it the parents risked everything when they left JB's body in the basement to be found by police. I think the situation was out of their control and they were doing the best they could to survive it. Whether BR committed the murder or not, he certainly knew something and could have talked at any time.

 

[Nova]

What I have learned here today is. I need to do a lot more lurking and reading before diving into any discussion about this case.

Or just dive in and figure somebody will correct your errors. (Somebody will.)

If you don't let it bother you (I don't), where's the harm?

(Just to be clear, I'm not saying I haven't read thousands of pages on the case--but over the past 15+ years. I make errors all the time, all of which are graciously corrected by others.)

 

[Chris_Texas]

IMO the EA theory doesn't hold water.

Not if the hair was caught within the knot as it was tied.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Thanks for the good point, which to me signifies the garrote not being used prior to the night of the murder, which further signifies it had only two possible purposes: a murder weapon or staging or both.

Oh it killed her.

 

[Nova]

I have been unable to find an actual discussion of this exact point, BUT..

A different thread turned up some other images of this knot which certainly suggest that the hair is actually caught into the knott as it was tied, rather than tangled and perhaps caught under a loop as the device was rotated.

Which means that I am incorrect and should probably slink off into the shadows and hide again.

Don't slink off, but that is my recollection, that the hair was pulled when the knot was tied. It's one of the reasons some people are sure JBR was unconscious when the garrote was constructed: they can't imagine the child remaining quiet while her hair was pulled out, again and again.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I don't doubt that, but we're still talking about risking EVERYTHING, including the welfare of the entire family, on what a fourth (?) grader would or wouldn't do in a unique situation. I'd want him close by to make sure I could intervene if too much were said.

There to witness the lies and and the discovery of the body? That seems riskier to me. The. Everyone would see he didn't care!

 

[Anyhoo]

Oh it killed her.

Doesn't the use of the garrote strike you as being particularly sadistic? You really think BR hated his sister that much?

 

[Venom]

I have been unable to find an actual discussion of this exact point, BUT..

A different thread turned up some other images of this knot which certainly suggest that the hair is actually caught into the knott as it was tied, rather than tangled and perhaps caught under a loop as the device was rotated.

Which means that I am incorrect and should probably slink off into the shadows and hide again.

Don't slink off. This case has so much to it, someone is bound to get something wrong or forget something. It happens, just keep on discussing. :seeya:

 

[Linda7NJ]

Or just dive in and figure somebody will correct your errors. (Somebody will.)

If you don't let it bother you (I don't), where's the harm?

(Just to be clear, I'm not saying I haven't read thousands of pages on the case--but over the past 15+ years. I make errors all the time, all of which are graciously corrected by others.)

Ditto ...same here
Keep posting ...it gets out brain juices flowing

 

[Linda7NJ]

Doesn't the use of the garrote strike you as being particularly sadistic? You really think BR hated his sister that much?

Yes, I do. She was the golden child.

 

[Venom]

Doesn't the use of the garrote strike you as being particularly sadistic? You really think BR hated his sister that much?

What was the relationship like between JB and B? I've read that they were close, she would go and sleep with him sometimes. Then I read that he didn't care for her.

 

[Nova]

Well when you think about it the parents risked everything when they left JB's body in the basement to be found by police. I think the situation was out of their control and they were doing the best they could to survive it. Whether BR committed the murder or not, he certainly knew something and could have talked at any time.

I don't think the parents had a choice. I doubt they wanted to discard JBR's body in the wild, but even assuming they did, I don't think they could risk a neighbor seeing the car coming and going in the middle of the night.

In fact, I think that's why the Small Foreign Faction and the "WAR AND PEACE of ransom notes" were invented: to suggest the presence of others in the house without removing the body.

OTOH, with BR they had a choice: they could have easily kept him close, explaining that they feared for his psychological well-being or simply that they were afraid of the SFF. To get him out of the way, all they had to do was send him to his room.

As I envision that morning, of course.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Yes, I do. She was the golden child.

I think he hated her.

He erased her from his life after she was gone.

 

[tlcya]

I haven't read nearly enough to land on BR or anyone else specific as my perp.

What strikes me about the staging (And I do feel strongly there was staging here) is that it seems almost Matlock or Murder She Wrote in its presentation. Does that make sense. I am having a hard time conveying how weirdly amateurish I feel the staging was. Sort of all over the place.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I haven't read nearly enough to land on BR or anyone else specific as my perp.

What strikes me about the staging (And I do feel strongly there was staging here) is that it seems almost Matlock or Murder She Wrote in its presentation. Does that make sense. I am having a hard time conveying how weirdly amateurish I feel the staging was. Sort of all over the place.

Yep, over the top drama queen type stuff...that's screams Patsy to me.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Doesn't the use of the garrote strike you as being particularly sadistic? You really think BR hated his sister that much?

Look at the brutality of the rope embedded in her neck.....now contrast that with the loose and totally useless wrist ties.

That was not done by the same person IMO.