Thank you Laura for being so candid and open about all of this. It takes a lot of strength and courage and I know that it is motivated by your desire to find out what happened to your sister.
After reading what you wrote in response to my post I really think your parents should be looked at. Elizabeth was a burden to them. They were obviously very concerned about what people would think which in the end made it worse for them because they would not get Elizabeth the help she needed. It sounds like they were embarrassed of her, burdened by her and very worried about their future if they had to keep taking care of her. IF your dad did have something to do with it I would imagine it was not a pre-meditated thing but a situation where they were fighting and all those resentments, stress, worries came out and he lost control.
I am surprised the police did not take more notice of their behavior. Taking two weeks to report her missing, leaving the house before the police got there and making their daughter deal with it because it was too upsetting for them seems a little suspicious and I would think that most LE would think so and want to speak directly to the parents. It sounds like LE did not do a very good job of this at all. They probably realized due to the lack of action by your parents to find out what happened (which is also suspicious) they could get away with just sweeping this one under the rug. They should have dusted the family vehicles for prints, checked for blood in the car and in the house, questioned you and your parents.
Your mothers current avoidance and annoyance of the issue could very well be motivated out of fear that if this case is investgated the truth may come out.
You mentioned something about a lake house.....a lot of times people will dispose of a body in a place they are familar with - an area they camp, a spot they used to fish at, etc.
You were already married and out of the house when this happened, correct?
How long was it before your mom told you Elizabeth was missing?
I don't want to sit here and condemn innocent people but I do think they should at least be investigated to rule them out as suspects....
I totally agree with your views about my father. I do know that in spite of his alcoholism and anger problems, his heart was pure. If he hurt Elizabeth, intentionally or otherwise, I feel sure that he did not mean to kill her. And if she died perhaps from falling back and hitting her head, for example, I know that deep down my father would have been crushed that it happened while she was in his care. My mother is sneaky - and this is not to say that her soul isn't shiny-bright too - just that she has a sneaky way about her, very mischievous, and VERY concerned about what people will think. I know that is part of her heritage and upbringing but come on - this is your daughter!
I agree, and I am not condemning them either - who knows what happened that night? But that is the thing - we DON'T know what happened and I will be the first to say that the initial investigation, from my standpoint, was a joke. I asked for this and that, such as search parties, finding more people at the party...and was totally blown off by the initial investigator. I don't think it ever even crossed his mind to look at my parents. Why? I was even told, by him, that if I wanted a complete search, I should hire a private investigator.
???
I did call several top crime investigators in Houston. As I wrote in my Squidoo lens, they all wanted at least $10,000 as a retainer, to start the case. I did not have that kind of money, so the case went down the drain.
It's also very sad that things I heard in the three years after my sister disappeared, when I'd call the investigator to check on the case, and all that he told me, was evidently not logged in the case files. Like him telling me that the man who was last seen with Elizabeth was polygraphed a few years later in prison. And that he passed. Now I wonder if what I was told was even true? Doesn't an investigator have the obligation to chart that sort of thing in the case files?
Is there any way to complain about a case being mis-handled? Who listens to that kind of rant?
I was married a month before Elizabeth disappeared. And yes, I had been living out of the house for years, and was located in West Houston.
The lakehouse was (and is) about 2 or so hours from my parent's Katy home. It could be that her body was brought up this way, but I think that would be lower on the list of places to hide it. Simply because it is so far away, and the earth up here is much harder to dig. There is so much rock and limestone and granite. But it could be. I am ruling nothing out until it is formally investigated and ruled out!
I just hope that Captain Dickerson talks with my mother - I know she can't make anyone talk to her, but this bears further investigation - MUCH further investigation. I was told that my mother said, "I told you all I knew back then and I don't know anything more now. I'm busy and don't have time for this."
I know my mother doesn't handle pain well. And I know she lies - to herself, mostly (in order to escape pain and feelings) and to others (to hide feelings she doesn't want to feel). She is quite an artist about this. But isn't it time that she faced up, and took some responsibility? I mean, how in the heck can she get away with saying that to a police officer?
Thanks for listening and asking questions!
Laura
There are a lot more people on this site that have a lot more experience. I'm just making observations and will try to help in any way.
