AMBER ALERT WI - Jayme Closs, 13, Barron, missing after parents found shot to death, 15 Oct 2018 *endangered*

[Gardener1850]

What about little HC (I think those are the initials), the little girl taken after a man got into the home and attacked her mother and left the mother for dead? The little girl wasn't the target but she got taken.

And I don't see how the number of bullets correlates to anything but the number needed to do the job? If you've got a gun and the two victims are in bed or corralled together then you might only need two bullets.

HT (Horrifying case and worth noting that the perp had no connection at all to the family and randomly targeted the mom and child because their life seemed "perfect" to him): Found Alive - SC - HT, 4, Johns Island, 13 Feb 2018 *Arrest*
Also likely connected to that same perp is the unsolved/still missing Sharon Hayden: SC - SC - Sharon Hayden, 39, Boiling Springs, Feb 2018

 

[MassGuy]

Shotgun wounds are different than handguns. Shotgun wounds are huge. The tissue and bone damage are severe owing to the fact that the pellets (not a single bullet like a handgun) scatter as they travel. Close-range shotgun wounds to the chest, abdomen or head are fatal. A killer only needs to close-range shoot the victim once with a shotgun.

Absolutely true. It’s entirely possible that’s what the killer used here, and it would definitely explain only two gunshots.

 

[borndem]

No outside cameras? I know the homes and other buildings are spread out, but maybe a vehicle in the area going down the highway in a particular time period caught in a security camera... something, however useful or not, is better than nothing at this point. IMO, LE wouldn't share that info if they had it. A McDonald's or Burger King or truck stop or gas station for cigarettes, beer? I hope this is standard procedure for LE.
I hope there is a good call-in line to LE for tips, etc. Grass roots.
And another thing --
I was discussing with the retired Chief of Police here in Raleigh who was a neighbor of my in-laws, a recent case where the suspect had been convicted of 1st degree murder. I asked him, "How do you find these people?" His answer was two short words, "People talk." That was 20--25 years ago, and I've never forgotten it.

 

[margarita25]

I would think it might be worth looking into robberies or leaving without payment at liquor stores or gas stations?

Good thoughts. And stolen vehicles.

With this being a manhunt I’m sure LE will be looking for all this, unless there happens to be “jurisdictional blindness” as @Foxfire would say.

 

[ElementalLaura]

Shotgun wounds are different than handgun wounds. Shotgun wounds are huge. The tissue and bone damage are severe owing to the fact that the pellets (not a single bullet like a handgun) scatter as they travel. Close-range shotgun wounds to the chest, abdomen or head are fatal. A killer only needs to close-range shoot the victim once with a shotgun.

I am (unfortunately) thinking along the same lines with regard to the reason for only two gunshots being heard.

 

[rosesfromangels]

They need to talk to her best friend. Kids that age tell their best friend everything. She would know if Jayme had been talking to some guy online, which is what I suspect. He came to collect, and the parents got in the way.

In my amateur opinion, LE needs to talk directly to this guy through the media/social media and tell him what he needs to do. (Drop Jayme off at a gas station NOW). He won't be thinking clearly and needs some instructions.

Amateur opinion and speculation only

 

[Colorado303]

Here's a different scenario. Not saying I think this is what happened, but I could see it as a possibility:

Jayme is home during the shootings, but gets away. However, she's seen enough that she understands what happened and is scared--really scared, because the crime was committed by someone she doesn't think she can get away from. If she tells the police, maybe no one will believe her so she runs. If a 13 year old girl won't go to the police, can't trust her family and doesn't know her neighbors the most likely place to run would be a friend's house. 13 year old girls are notorious for keeping secrets from their parents. I can imagine successfully hiding a friend for a day or two from my parents when I was 13. I can even imagine some situations where a friend's parents might help harbor her for a while figuring out what to do. I know she's been gone a scary long time if someone abducted her, but 1 or 2 days isn't that long to keep a secret.

If Jayme did run, the person she ran to might have to be close enough to get to on foot -- If she called them on her cell phone no doubt LE would know that by now. I've been in northern Wisconsin before near Cranberry Lake and remember it being darn near impossible to get a cell signal sometimes. But can't remember if there were still payphones around as a result. If there are I hope LE is checking all calls made from a pay phone within the radius a 13 year old girl could get to on foot.

Another perhaps even less likely situation is that an adult close to Jayme felt she was in danger at home, and killed her parents and took Jayme in order to "protect" her. Doesn't mean that the parents were really a threat--in this scenario the abductor could be a delusional crackpot.

Again, I don't think the odds of either scenario are particularly good, but I'm holding out hope that's what happened because I think they're the best hope we have that she's unharmed.

 

[margarita25]

If the perp lives alone he might have taken her back to his residence and who knows what she is currently enduring.

 

[PommyMommy]

Agreed. They also said pretty quickly that there have been no previous police calls to the family home. The Realtor.com link I posted earlier said the home was purchased in 2001. If that is accurate then the family has been in the community for a long time (17 years) and has had no run ins with the law, no domestic situations, etc. Neighbors have said they kept to themselves but looking at where the house is-- it is not in view of other houses and there are acres of trees between houses. It's not like they lived on a cul-de-sac or in a subdivision where you would see your neighbors coming and going all the time. JMO.

Per Barron County Property Assessor, 2001 is correct, and the property is 1.24 acres.

"Joan Smrekar and her husband live right next door to the Closs family, who they describe as “very quiet, almost reclusive.” The Smrekars reported hearing two high-powered gunshots after 12:30 a.m. Monday."
Source: Parents found dead, 13-year-old girl missing in Barron County, Wisconsin

I think it's interesting that the family is described as reclusive. Did Jayme go to public school or was she homeschooled?

We had a case here locally a few years ago where a homeschooled teen around her age was tricked into meeting up with an older man she met online. Sometimes when teens don't have a lot of experience in the world and are actively shielded from it, they fail to see red flags. Hopefully, her social media accounts will give them answers quickly.

One of the videos linked here today was made in front of Riverview Middle School. I believe that is the school she attended.

If someone was watching J at a bus stop or out running, why not abduct her between the bus stop/run and her home? Why go into the home and kill the parents? It seems to be making things way harder than they need to be?

Good point. Maybe the perp's wife was home when he saw her. Maybe late night/early morning was his opportune time for other reasons. I'm just throwing out ideas. ?
MOO

 

[wont_stop]

This is unsubstantiated by anything other than local people but James was some kind of middle management shift supervisor type (called a “lead”) at the Jennie-O factory. I still don’t know what Denise did there but they both worked there for many, many years.

 

[Amonet]

Just noticed new thread for woman missing from Crow Wing county
MN, in Maroon Honda hrv. That's only 3.5 hrs from barron, WI. Could have been car jacked, vehicle used for this abduction?? Looks like she hasn't been seen since 11p 10/14. Lack of details in both cases.

Good find, I do think stolen cars would be another thing to watch out for.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Sorry if already covered, but this thread is moving fast. Who called 911 do we know? I'm guessing things got out of hand, and perhaps murder wasn't the original intent. Did Jayme call 911? I'm thinking she did?

 

[Amonet]

I am also wondering if the parents were shot with TWO different weapons. I would think to shoot one, the other would run. There may have been two perpetrators. Even a man and woman.

I was wondering if two weapons would explain the neighbor saying that one shot sounded louder than the other?

 

[MassGuy]

Sorry if already covered, but this thread is moving fast. Who called 911 do we know? I'm guessing things got out of hand, and perhaps murder wasn't the original intent. Did Jayme call 911? I'm thinking she did?

We don't know who called. My best guess is that it was Jayme, but that's only a guess.

 

[cody22]

Sorry if already covered, but this thread is moving fast. Who called 911 do we know? I'm guessing things got out of hand, and perhaps murder wasn't the original intent. Did Jayme call 911? I'm thinking she did?

No one knows for sure.

 

[borndem]

↑][/URL]
Shotgun wounds are different than handguns. Shotgun wounds are huge. The tissue and bone damage are severe owing to the fact that the pellets (not a single bullet like a handgun) scatter as they travel. Close-range shotgun wounds to the chest, abdomen or head are fatal. A killer only needs to close-range shoot the victim once with a shotgun.

Absolutely true. It’s entirely possible that’s what the killer used here, and it would definitely explain only two gunshots.

How well did the neighbors describe the sound of the gunshots? Do we know/did LE say? I know a shotgun will have a BOOM sound, and a handgun usually, and in my very limited experience, has more of a sharp, quick sound. But yes, a shotgun would certainly get it done quickly and with little or no doubt.

 

[Gardener1850]

Sorry if already covered, but this thread is moving fast. Who called 911 do we know? I'm guessing things got out of hand, and perhaps murder wasn't the original intent. Did Jayme call 911? I'm thinking she did?

We don't know. Nobody spoke to the operator. Someone was saying "help" in the background. They are still trying to clean up the audio to see if there are other clues.

 

[kkdj]

I think this case will more than likely have to do with someone wanting to be with Jayme. I won't be surprised if there is some sort of history with someone. Not necessarily a relationship, but someone pursuing her and her parents disapproving of him/her (the pursuer).

 

[MassGuy]

How well did the neighbors describe the sound of the gunshots? Do we know/did LE say? I know a shotgun will have a BOOM sound, and a handgun usually, and in my very limited experience, has more of a sharp, quick sound. But yes, a shotgun would certainly get it done quickly and with little or no doubt.

Absolutely true, and that's the thing that gives me a bit of pause as to that being the weapon. It explains two gunshots (If that is in fact the case), but it is an incredibly loud weapon, especially when compared to just about any handgun.

 

[rainynights]

I was wondering if two weapons would explain the neighbor saying that one shot sounded louder than the other?

I hadn't seen this quote yet, bbm:

Neighbors Joan and Tom Smrekar said they heard something strange overnight.

"I hear one shot and the second shot was even louder yet," said Joan.

"It actually sounded like a car backfiring or something quite large," said Tom.

Police confirmed there had been gunshots, but stopped short of saying that's how the couple died.
Amber Alert: Teen missing, parents found dead in Wisconsin home