Breaks my heart... I wish they would have used those funds for his funeral/burial or more importantly to pay for a second medical examiner to review his autopsy results and give a second opinion.
Found Deceased OH - Joey LaBute, 26, Columbus, 4 March 2016 #2
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Breaks my heart... I wish they would have used those funds for his funeral/burial or more importantly to pay for a second medical examiner to review his autopsy results and give a second opinion.
anonypotomous
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So that's that? No more investigating?
Limecat
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It seems rather abrupt doesn't it anon? Maybe the family feels like because Joey is "home" they don't want to keep the donated money? I don't understand. I mean IIRC it was mentioned that because of the circumstances of his passing it cannot be a suicide, so there should be ongoing investigation. Or maybe they feel it's now all in LE's hands?
Continued prayers for Joey and those who loved him.
IMO of course
I've been told that most people that have donated are voicing that they do not want to be reimbursed, this just goes to show how much they absolutely loved Joey and how many lives he's touched.
Here is the newest update from the fund me page.
"Due to overwhelming responses on the reimbursements we would like anyone that has expressed that they don't want the money back to please accept the reimbursement back and use it to donate to a charity of your choice in Joey's name. It would honor his family and would continue to carry on Joey's sweet generous name and spirit." ❤️
This is the first time in weeks that I feel something other than sadness and depression.... Our community is something very special and it humbles me to be a part of it. [emoji4]
VTX88
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Seems odd to me also. I wonder if they feel like maybe it was a suicide? I wonder if maybe they discovered/uncovered something that led them to that idea? Maybe even around the time and following the search that was conducted. Maybe they figured that's what happened and were just waiting for his body to be discovered somewhere. Could be the reason nothing was being done like more searches, reward, hiring a PI, etc. They did allude to the thought that he was probably already dead, when they spoke of him in the past tense in that one update they gave publicly. There's no other reason I could think of is to why they would refund the donated money. They could use that money to investigate who he was last with that put him into the river. Makes no sense to me at all. I wish I knew them personally, I would totally ask "Why...." followed by a list of questions beginning with that one word. Why....
lupinibean
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This made me tear up.
My personal opinion is that LE is still investigating and even has a suspect in mind. I was getting pretty frustrated with the lack of updates as well over the weeks, but the more I think about it, I do believe there is much, much more to this story that we don't know. I just hope there is an arrest soon, and it's not one of those "well, we *know* who did it, but we don't have concrete evidence for an arrest and trial." I don't know Joey from Adam, but he seemed like such a sweet, gentle man and I hope justice is served.
I don't believe the family is "just letting it go" and "lets move on." There is a reason for this. The only reasons i can think of are:
1. Since LE found Joey, let LE find this "other guy"
2. Family has come to conclusion that this was suicide
3. An arrest is pending
1. Since LE found Joey, let LE find this "other guy"
2. Family has come to conclusion that this was suicide
3. An arrest is pending
Tiggerford
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Gosh that is so sweet that they are reimbursing the money...
I would have loved to see the money go towards a nice vacation or something special for the family (when they're ready of course). It has got to be so hard on all of them and they really just deserve a break....or a different view to grieve at least. I imagine everywhere they go they're reminded of Joey.
I would have loved to see the money go towards a nice vacation or something special for the family (when they're ready of course). It has got to be so hard on all of them and they really just deserve a break....or a different view to grieve at least. I imagine everywhere they go they're reminded of Joey.
mpnola
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Yeah, it seems like they felt they needed a PI to find him. He is now found. I dont think anyone is letting it rest, but they probably feel they can just work with the police, at this point. I would feel the same way. I think they handled that respectfully, with grace. I love that they are telling people to donate that money to a charity. It is clear that Joey comes from a place filled with love. Hopefully, it is what he remembered in his last moments.
I dont think it is suicide, but the only way it could have been was to kill himself/ overdose on the banks of the river and then as the tide rose, it could take him away. Or maybe he was right there on the edge the whole time? I don't know enough about that body of water to know if that is what happens there. I really dont feel like it was suicide, though. That makes the least sense to me.
I dont think it is suicide, but the only way it could have been was to kill himself/ overdose on the banks of the river and then as the tide rose, it could take him away. Or maybe he was right there on the edge the whole time? I don't know enough about that body of water to know if that is what happens there. I really dont feel like it was suicide, though. That makes the least sense to me.
janewall
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Tiggerford, I believe using funds raised for a vacation and not a p.i. would be utterly against the terms of service for Go Fund Me.
I hope that the family's refunding the funds collected for the purpose of hiring a private investigator means they feel LE has the investigation well in hand and will be able to determine what happened to Joey as he walked to the bar, and ultimately how he came to be in that water. I suspect some sort of misadventure befell him and someone else who was with him, rather than an intentional, criminal death. But if his body was placed in the water, that in itself is a crime. I would hope any person I was with if some accident befell me would have the decency to call 911. Try to get me to a hospital. Or if it was already way too late, at very least anonymously report where to find my body, so my loved ones didn't have to go through the agony this family endured not knowing where Joey was, or how he was, for three and a half weeks.
To the rest of the forum hi. I'm new around here. I've read every post in both of Joey's threads, but I was only recently approved for posting so this is my first reply. I know some of you are friends or family of Joey's, and my heart goes out to you in your loss. He seemed such a well-loved and kindhearted young man, full of promise and vitality and good humor. I want Joey to have justice if any is needed, and I want those who loved him to have answers to the questions that must be haunting them.
I hope that the family's refunding the funds collected for the purpose of hiring a private investigator means they feel LE has the investigation well in hand and will be able to determine what happened to Joey as he walked to the bar, and ultimately how he came to be in that water. I suspect some sort of misadventure befell him and someone else who was with him, rather than an intentional, criminal death. But if his body was placed in the water, that in itself is a crime. I would hope any person I was with if some accident befell me would have the decency to call 911. Try to get me to a hospital. Or if it was already way too late, at very least anonymously report where to find my body, so my loved ones didn't have to go through the agony this family endured not knowing where Joey was, or how he was, for three and a half weeks.
To the rest of the forum hi. I'm new around here. I've read every post in both of Joey's threads, but I was only recently approved for posting so this is my first reply. I know some of you are friends or family of Joey's, and my heart goes out to you in your loss. He seemed such a well-loved and kindhearted young man, full of promise and vitality and good humor. I want Joey to have justice if any is needed, and I want those who loved him to have answers to the questions that must be haunting them.
Tiggerford
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Yes, I know it would technically be against the terms. I was more just saying it'd be nice to see that happen, especially since I think most of the people who donated aren't worried about receiving a refund.
I've been thinking of his death as an accident myself- I think it's just easier to think that way rather than believing someone intentionally meant to hurt him- but then I get stuck because if it was just an accident, why wouldn't someone just report it. It's just so sad, any way I think about it :-( I really hope all the questions get answered in this case....even if we never find out at least so the family knows and can have some closure!
And welcome to the forum janewall!!
I've been thinking of his death as an accident myself- I think it's just easier to think that way rather than believing someone intentionally meant to hurt him- but then I get stuck because if it was just an accident, why wouldn't someone just report it. It's just so sad, any way I think about it :-( I really hope all the questions get answered in this case....even if we never find out at least so the family knows and can have some closure!
And welcome to the forum janewall!!
"at very least anonymously report where to find my body"
That might have been how the police discovered Joey. No one is totally sure. Did the police serendipitously find Joey, or did they find him by virtue of a tip received, or by pinging his last phone message ?
He did lose his only sibling (brother) and biological mother. How long ago and how far apart i am not sure.
He
newshound6
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There are always many things that us amateur armchair sleuths do not and will not know-we've got to take our lead from the victims family-Joey's family may know things we will never find out-if they believe he is a victim of murder and the killer still needs to be found and punished, I think we would be hearing that message from them and they would retain the donations to help pay for a P.I. to find the killer.
bighairdontcare
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I think LE has a suspect or a good lead- family must be aware of it.
Otherwise, I would think that the money would absolutely go towards hiring a PI. There are still so many missing pieces.
I don't agree with the suicide- only because they ruled out drowning.
He potentially could have traveled to the site (but, how?) and overdosed, falling into river- but, this does not seem probable to me in the least.
I still firmly believe his death is the result of foul play. I think CPD has been on to someone this entire time. I think that this person ultimately gave them the tip to search that particular area of the river.
I guess it is a waiting game......hope there are answers.
Coldpizza
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MerryB
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I agree that there are clues in the communication(s) from the family. The first communication referred to Joey in the past tense, and spoke of bringing him "home," which I interpreted to mean find his body seeing as they were talking about him as if he'd already passed.
This most recent communication does not mention hoping for justice for Joey, or wanting a resolution to a crime, or anything that would hint at them still hoping for further investigation or action. They are refunding money or asking monies refunded be donated to charity in JL's name.
This leads me to believe they already have an idea of what happened to him, and are just waiting for confirmation. There is probably a lot of information we just aren't privy to.
Hatfield
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Its hard to think of a suicide based on what we were learning early on but maybe they recently found personal information that started to point more and more towards that.
I suppose we will have to wait for more information to know for sure what happened.
As far as how LE found the body I do remember reading an article where someone had spotted a body in the water. Sorry I don't have the link handy for that. That could have been after LE was already looking in a particular area too.
It just struck me as maybe that is how LE ended up finding him in the water that maybe that person saw it floating. And maybe by time LE could spot him and get him out then maybe it moved a ways away from where first spotted.
ETA I found an article and it was the Missing Persons Unit themselves that spotted the body so that is what I must have read. So it wasn't just a member of the public afterall. Which means detectives were looking in the area.
"Columbus police said detectives with the missing persons unit spotted LaBute’s half-submerged body near a boat launch."
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/body-pulled-from-columbus-river-is-lakota-grad/nqwwX/