AMBER ALERT WI - Jayme Closs, 13, Barron, missing after parents found shot, 15 Oct 2018 *endangered* #25

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I take it to mean that they did not know there was a child at the house until they saw the schoolbus comtimue to drop her off

I agree. Since Jayme had just changed schools, she probably just this year started taking a bus.

The neighbors most likely meant: “They’ve lived there all these years and we never knew a child lived there... until just recently when we started seeing her get off the bus each day.”

MOO
 
Reading the transcript, there’s a conflict in the statements as the Mrs claims they were in bed while the Mr remarks being “on the boat” (assuming on a trailer in the yard?) These neighbors frustrate me as does the media for not noticing the discrepency in statements . . .

From transcript:
18:25:17] BANFIELD: Can I ask you Joan --

SMREKAR: It was a lot closer than usual, that we would hear something at that time of night.

BANFIELD: Even though this is fairly rural, you are right next door, correct?

SMREKAR: Right.

BANFIELD: Yes. Can I ask you, just prior to hearing those two shots, as you said, a couple seconds apart, would you have been in a position to hear

any other shots before or after? Was there anything noisy that you may have missed?

SMREKAR: When we came home, we noticed nothing different in the neighborhood. And there was nothing prior to that. No noise, no nothing.

And when that happened, it was so overpowering, the noise, we did not hear anything else. There was no -- we hear the shots, like I said, from the

woods, and they`re not anything near the sound of this gun.

BANFIELD: Can I ask you about the Closs family? I mean, this is just such a horror that is been visited on them. I think most people are wondering,

what were they like?

SMREKAR: They were very quiet people. We only saw them come and go from their home. We took mail up to them that got delivered to us, and they

didn`t even want to come to the door. They were just quiet, preferred I guess to be alone. You didn`t see them out in the yard doing anything. At

least we didn`t.

BANFIELD: Did you ever see Jaime with any friends? Or did she ever come and go and get picked up by friends in vehicles of any kind?

SMREKAR: That I can`t tell you, I just know that the school bus dropped her off?

BANFIELD: And you would see her dropped off daily in front of the house by the school bus?

SMREKAR: Yes.

BANFIELD: But other than that, you didn`t see collections of friends coming and going from that house?

SMREKAR: No. We didn`t even know they had any children. They just weren`t out there doing things.

BANFIELD: That is remarkable. And that night, I guess it goes without saying you didn`t hear any vehicles coming or going, especially right

around the time of the gunshots?

SMREKAR: No, and I don`t sleep well at night and I was about at the boat. 1:00 --ish and our dog was on the porch and he was doing some light noises

and I knew something was up. But I could not see anything anywhere that looked or felt out of line. And I told the FBI people that have been here

a couple times.

I said, you know, from now on, if I hear something that doesn`t sound appropriate for that time of night. I`m going to call in immediately,

because we just thought it was maybe a neighbor chasing a bear out of their yard, you know.

BANFIELD: Well, Joan, don`t think anything otherwise, because I`ve lived in a rural area for a long time, and there are just many sounds that you

wouldn`t think twice about. Thank you for being on with us, and thank you for helping us sort through these very difficult details. I want to bring

in Karen Smith if I can. She is a retired detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff`s Office and a forensic specialist.
This is so very weird (just starting to check out this case...)

A very quiet family attacked by some very quiet attacker(s), who came and went in some very quiet vehicle, without leaving any trace inside or outside the home, without bumping into police that arrived just 4 minutes after 911 call (which was almost just as quiet apart from background noises)

Maybe they should send in Mulder and Scully :confused:
 
I go back and forth on whether the shots the neighbors heard are related. They said the shots were just seconds apart. If that's the case then it seems those would have been the two fatal shots. But based on the call log, James and Denise were not found near each other. So either one of them moved after the shots occurred, or the shots aren't related at all.

I missed that part of the police log that stated the parents weren't found in proximity to each other? Would you please just link that part of the log? Tia

Imo they could still be found close together. They first saw Jim right in the doorway area before even entering into the enterior.

Once entering they could have found Denise's body shortly afterwards just 15 to 20 feet from where Jim's body lay at the front door.

Imo the home looks like its about a 30 ft. wide x 60 ft. long SF home making it around 1800 SF in total.

So if she was found 15 or 20 feet away from Jim's body that would be about half way into the enterior of the home and still very close to where her husband lay dead.

I think both died instantly and never moved.

The reason I bring it up is Fitzgerald did disclose information about the approximate location of the cell phone that had been used to place the 911 call.

He said he believes the phone was kicked away and may have just landed closer to Denise's body than Jim's body. By him saying that..imo.. this means both of the parents' bodies were found in the same area relatively close together but the suspect kicked the phone more in the direction of where Denise's body was layng instead of being kicking away in the direction of where Jim's body was laying imo.

Imo
 
I missed that part of the police log that stated the parents weren't found in proximity to each other? Would you please just link that part of the log? Tia

Imo they could still be found close together. They first saw Jim right in the doorway area before even entering into the enterior.

Once entering they could have found Denise's body shortly afterwards just 15 to 20 feet from where Jim's body lay at the front door.

Imo the home looks like its about a 30 ft. wide x 60 ft. long SF home making it around 1800 SF in total.

So if she was found 15 or 20 feet away from Jim's body that would be about half way into the enterior of the home and still very close to where her husband lay dead.

I think both died instantly and never moved.

The reason I bring it up is Fitzgerald did disclose information about the approximate location of the cell phone that had been used to place the 911 call.

He said he believes the phone was kicked away and may have just landed closer to Denise's body than Jim's body. By him saying that..imo.. this means both of the parents' bodies were found in the same area relatively close together but the suspect kicked the phone more in the direction of where Denise's body was layng instead of being kicking away in the direction of where Jim's body was laying imo.

Imo
Bbm

So you think Jayme made the 911 call?

I am more interested in how the call was terminated. Not easy to do that with a bootie, unless the phone was stomped on and broken.
 
This is my first post here, so I apologize if I didn't use the quote feature properly...

My take on the neighbors quote is that something was lost in translation/transcription due to their accent (I know quite a few folks, myself included, that sound like we're from Canada...especially words with "o", "ou" or "oa" sounds). This is only my opinion, and I could certainly be wrong, but I think:

"and I was about at the boat."

--was really--

"and I was out and about."

Not sure that it matters if they were out by a boat or just out walking the yard, I just remember this being brought up before in an earlier thread as well and figured I'd toss in my $.02.

Thank you all for the thoughtful and civil discussion! I found WS at the start of this case and have now spent more hours than I'd like to admit searching through these threads and many others. Its just nice to see people being decent to each other on the internet for a change!

Some people in WI, especially older people have an accent. About at the boat could mean he was fishing or just checking his boat. Why would you fish that late at night? Seems suspicious to me.
 
I think assuming he shot Denise “seconds later” may not be accurate. If we are to assume that the two shots heard by the neighbors killed James and Denise placed the 911 call that opens a 25 minute window.

How do we know Jayme didn't place the 911 call? Her mother's mobile may have been the most accessible to her. No talking to 911 as you may not want to be heard, being heard would give the baddies a clue as to where you were. As I said in a previous post I hope the local searches have been done comprehensively and that Jayme has not been missed by the search teams or the dogs. I am still of a mind that this crime was at the wrong house for reasons important by the person or people expecting to find one thing and suddenly realizing they were in the wrong home.

I personally don't think the perpetrator/s took Jayme and that there is a possibility she is close to home and succumbed to whatever elements WI has or injuries she may have sustained.
Bbm

So you think Jayme made the 911 call?

I am more interested in how the call was terminated. Not easy to do that with a bootie, unless the phone was stomped on and broken.

Oh I didn't realize I had actually posted that post but nevermind. I am simply looking at all the possibilities. It is a possibility Jayme was able to hide for a period of time and get to a phone when she thought it was safe to do so. unfortunately, it wasn't. it is simply a possible scenario nothing more.
 
If the chair was hit by a bullet (as I believe) that means there were at least 3 shots fired, correct?

If the neighbors heard two quick shots, were the others shots not heard because they were inside, or possibly a different gun was used? Thoughts?
 
Still here with nothing new to add.
Jayme Closs please make it home safe.
Anyone who has a tip phone it in.
If someone reading here is involved in any way with her disappearance now is way beyond time to say something.
This is not going to just go away.
Chi
 
I have always felt like this could be someone the family has encountered in the course of their lives, and they sound like they do as well, imo. They seemed to say they had some ideas and you can’t have ideas about someone you have never hears of or met, imo. Unless they are guessing at motives rather than individuals.
Since WS is suppose to be a forum where we can discuss different theories that can be discussed and debated I am going to throw this one out there. **Please note this is only a theory and strictly based on MOO but is one that in my mind anyway puts all the puzzle pieces together
I do believe this was a targeted hit. I think the perps were 2 -one male and one female. I think the perps knew the Closs family and perceived they had done something in the past that caused them the loss of something or someone very important to them I believe the perps have a history of drug abuse I also think the perp/s were probably strung out on drugs at the time of the assault. While I have a specific person in mind due to something mentioned in an interview with Fitzgerald a few weeks ago when a caller called in asking about the whereabouts of certain people I will not mention any names or be any more specific
I also think the rage fueled with drugs resulted in the murders. I think Jayme was taken from these people because in their minds it evened the score. Therefore I think the motive was to kill the Closses and take their daughter
I also think the perp/s have an indirect relationship with the extended Closs family but only due to their kindness.
While I know this is vague and has to be I think it's possible to put the pieces together and I do think LE has. Now to just find them and hopefully also find Jayme
This is MOO
 
Bbm

So you think Jayme made the 911 call?

I am more interested in how the call was terminated. Not easy to do that with a bootie, unless the phone was stomped on and broken.

Hi Marple.

No. I think its more likely Denise tried to call but was killed before the dispatcher could picked up.

He didnt realize at the time the phone call went through to the dispatcher. I am not sure what you mean when you say booties. I imagine the suspect may have been wearing hard sole boots. Just speculation on my part.

I dont think Jayme made the call but I definitely do believe it was Jayme's voice overheard on the call.

I base my opinion on that due to Fitzgerald saying the 'commotion' overheard on the call seemed to be coming from another room from where the phone was located.

I still think Denise and James were found murdered in the same general of the home a few feet away from each other with Denise being further into the interior of the home than Jim based in what Fitzgerald has said.

Imo that's why Fitzgerald seems hesitant as to which one of the parents actually made the call.

Hopefully by now they have been able to determine which one tried to call.

I think the 'commotion' overheard on the call Fitzgerald spoke about that he said seem to be coming from another room was right after the parents were killed and it was when the suspect then went to the room Jayme was in. Imo most likely trying to hide.

Imo that is how they know Jayme was there when her parents were murdered and why they say they know Jayme isn't a runaway.

Imo she was yelling for someone to help her hoping her voice would be heard from the outside of her home and she never knew about the call being activated. Imo

I am not sure how the call became deactivated but he could have seen the face of phone lit up like it does when calls are being made and ended it then. He could have ended it and then he kicked it away from the parents right after.

Hope this clarifies what I posted earlier.

Jmo
 
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The booties are an interesting thought. Would definitely mean there was a fairly sophisticated level of planning if that is the case.

I was surprised too that there were no shoeprints. It sounded like a fairly bloody scene so I would have thought there was a shoeprint of some kind, but sounds like there wasn't.

If perp(s) took James out at the front door is it possible they didn’t enter the home through that same door? Maybe they went to another place in order to avoid stepping on blood / leaving bloody prints? Maybe they went around to the sliding door? Grabbed Jayme from there, took out mom somewhere in the home - she’s calling 911 and the guy kills her before she can connect but the call goes thru. He struggles with Jayme and is out a back door thus not leaving bloody footprints or
much evidence behind?
 
Hi Marple.

No. I think its more likely Denise tried to call but was killed before the dispatcher could picked up.

He didnt realize at the time the phone call went through to the dispatcher. I am not sure what you mean when you say booties. I imagine the suspect may have been wearing hard sole boots. Just speculation on my part.

I dont think Jayme made the call but I definitely do believe it was Jayme's voice overheard on the call.

I base my opinion on that due to Fitzgerald saying the 'commotion' overheard on the call seemed to be coming from another room from where the phone was located.

I still think Denise and James were found murdered in the same general of the home a few feet away from each other with Denise being further into the interior of the home than Jim based in what Fitzgerald has said.

Imo that's why Fitzgerald seems hesitant as to which one of the parents actually made the call.

Hopefully by now they have been able to determine which one tried to call.

I think the 'commotion' heard on the call Fitzgerald spoke about that he said seem to be coming from another room was right after the parents were killed and it was when the suspect then went to the room Jayme was in. Imo most likely trying to hide.

Imo that is how they know Jayme was there when her parents were murdered and why they say they know Jayme isn't a runaway.

Imo she was yelling for someone to help her hoping her voice would be heard from the outside of her home and she never knew about the call being activated. Imo

I am not sure how the call became deactivated but he could have seen the face of phone lit up like it does when calls are beung made and ended it then. He could have ended it and then he kicked it away from the parents right after.

Hope this clarifies what I posted earlier.

Jmo
Thanks. Your scenario makes a lot of sense.

Regarding the 911 call again - so the sequence would be:
  1. Denise/James called 911
  2. She/he was shot
  3. Cellphone was dropped as she/he fell
  4. Call went through to dispatcher
The sequence was possible, but amazing that the dispatcher didn't hear any of the shooting, falling, phone dropping crashing etc. There were only a very short few seconds that those sounds could have been missed ... Unless 911 calls take a while to go through, and I have no idea about that.

Regarding booties:) they are as per previous discussions eg.
The booties are an interesting thought. Would definitely mean there was a fairly sophisticated level of planning if that is the case.

I was surprised too that there were no shoeprints. It sounded like a fairly bloody scene so I would have thought there was a shoeprint of some kind, but sounds like there wasn't.
I am thinking, if the attacker touched the cellphone to end the call, some mark should be left even if wearing gloves, on that end call button or icon. I don't see that mentioned?..
 
This is so very weird (just starting to check out this case...)

A very quiet family attacked by some very quiet attacker(s), who came and went in some very quiet vehicle, without leaving any trace inside or outside the home, without bumping into police that arrived just 4 minutes after 911 call (which was almost just as quiet apart from background noises)

Maybe they should send in Mulder and Scully :confused:
Sorry can't edit, so have to quote myself..

Want to add that no one heard the dog bark either.
 
Reverse order but yes.
“I just know the school bus drops her off.”
Then (right after)
“We didn’t even know they had any children.”

ETA: To be clear I don’t believe these people are lying, per se. I believe they are elderly and suddenly forced into a public lime light and sometimes feel like they should have answers so they say what makes sense or what their (not crisp) memories or musings are.

They aren't what I'd call elderly, older than the Closs parents, but they don't strike me as doddering old folks who don't remember what happened a few hours before. I found the podcast that goes with the CNN transcript from Ashleigh Banfield. The transcript has lots of small errors in it. I think the audio is clearer in what is meant. One kind of big error in the transcript is the mention of a boat. The neighbor never says anything about the boat. I've also seen some posters saying they think there may have been a mistake in the transcript that changed her stated time from 12:58 to 12:38, but she clearly states the time as being 12:30-ish when they went to bed, and 12:38 when they heard the shots and she looked at the clock. The part that I find interesting is that she says she was out and about at 1:00-ish and saw and heard nothing. I wonder if the Closs' driveway is visible from her yard/house.She may have gone inside by the time the cops arrived, but the dog was hearing something. Too bad the dog can't say what it was, but I'm guessing it was the perps leaving, maybe even the yelling that was heard on the 911 call.

Link to podcast that goes with CNN transcript:

Neighbor interview starts at 19:40

Hunt For Missing Girl After Parents Killed; Frat Boy Accused Of Rape Set To Walk Free! Crime & Justice With Ashleigh Banfield podcast

And an interview with the Daily Mail:

The man says the gunshots sounded like a .22 or .410.


Video: Jayme Closs neighbors heard two gunshots before a 911 call was made | Daily Mail Online

All this makes me think the perp(s) were in the house about 30 minutes and cleared out after the 911 call. That would have given them time to tell Jayme to get on some clothes, shoes and coat.

Thinking of James getting shot at the door. What if there was a female knocking on the door, saying she had car trouble, dead phone, some excuse, so James opens the door part way, maybe it has a chain? Male shoots James, kicks door open...
 
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Since WS is suppose to be a forum where we can discuss different theories that can be discussed and debated I am going to throw this one out there. **Please note this is only a theory and strictly based on MOO but is one that in my mind anyway puts all the puzzle pieces together
I do believe this was a targeted hit. I think the perps were 2 -one male and one female. I think the perps knew the Closs family and perceived they had done something in the past that caused them the loss of something or someone very important to them I believe the perps have a history of drug abuse I also think the perp/s were probably strung out on drugs at the time of the assault. While I have a specific person in mind due to something mentioned in an interview with Fitzgerald a few weeks ago when a caller called in asking about the whereabouts of certain people I will not mention any names or be any more specific
I also think the rage fueled with drugs resulted in the murders. I think Jayme was taken from these people because in their minds it evened the score. Therefore I think the motive was to kill the Closses and take their daughter
I also think the perp/s have an indirect relationship with the extended Closs family but only due to their kindness.
While I know this is vague and has to be I think it's possible to put the pieces together and I do think LE has. Now to just find them and hopefully also find Jayme
This is MOO

I agree. very near what I think happened. moo.
 
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