VA VA - Michael, 50, Mary, 36, & Jennifer Short, 9, Bassett, 15 Aug 2002

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DoubleN1993 said:
My country wouldn't be EU for long
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Same as mine. God knows what will happen. It is a shame though with these articles as it is a real hindrance to trying to solve cases but luckily for myself I was able to complete most of my research before the changes.:)
 
The podcast is out and I'm very hopeful that this will bring some new eyes, theories, and leads to this case. The first episode was only 9 minutes long, I hope future episodes are longer and go more in depth.
TV station in North Carolina launches podcast about Jennifer Short case
Who Killed Jennifer Short?

Just throwing in my two cents, I've said it before but I think this case is very similar to Jayme Closs. I believe that Jennifer was the target and her parents were murdered in order to make it easier to take Jennifer. All the same points I made with the Jayme Closs case before she was found when we were talking about motive apply here as well. I just cannot figure out any reason why you would risk taking Jennifer unless she was the reason for all of this. Why not murder all 3 of them at the house? Why would you risk driving with her in the car? Risk having her scream and alert neighbors as you take her from the house? Or getting caught with her at any point? In your car or your house or wherever.
Just to make LE think this was sexually motivated even though it wasn't?? Nah I'm not buying that.
I think if this was drug related and Michael had messed with the wrong people, wouldn't they have left him alive? Killed his wife and his daughter and made him live with that horror? I could maaaaybe believe this if they were tortured before being killed but the locations of their bodies make me think they might not have even seen the killer, shot dead while still asleep.
 
mks762 said:
The podcast is out and I'm very hopeful that this will bring some new eyes, theories, and leads to this case. The first episode was only 9 minutes long, I hope future episodes are longer and go more in depth.
TV station in North Carolina launches podcast about Jennifer Short case
Who Killed Jennifer Short?

Just throwing in my two cents, I've said it before but I think this case is very similar to Jayme Closs. I believe that Jennifer was the target and her parents were murdered in order to make it easier to take Jennifer. All the same points I made with the Jayme Closs case before she was found when we were talking about motive apply here as well. I just cannot figure out any reason why you would risk taking Jennifer unless she was the reason for all of this. Why not murder all 3 of them at the house? Why would you risk driving with her in the car? Risk having her scream and alert neighbors as you take her from the house? Or getting caught with her at any point? In your car or your house or wherever.
Just to make LE think this was sexually motivated even though it wasn't?? Nah I'm not buying that.
I think if this was drug related and Michael had messed with the wrong people, wouldn't they have left him alive? Killed his wife and his daughter and made him live with that horror? I could maaaaybe believe this if they were tortured before being killed but the locations of their bodies make me think they might not have even seen the killer, shot dead while still asleep.
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Agreed with you Mks762
 
mks762 said:
The podcast is out and I'm very hopeful that this will bring some new eyes, theories, and leads to this case. The first episode was only 9 minutes long, I hope future episodes are longer and go more in depth.
TV station in North Carolina launches podcast about Jennifer Short case
Who Killed Jennifer Short?

Just throwing in my two cents, I've said it before but I think this case is very similar to Jayme Closs. I believe that Jennifer was the target and her parents were murdered in order to make it easier to take Jennifer. All the same points I made with the Jayme Closs case before she was found when we were talking about motive apply here as well. I just cannot figure out any reason why you would risk taking Jennifer unless she was the reason for all of this. Why not murder all 3 of them at the house? Why would you risk driving with her in the car? Risk having her scream and alert neighbors as you take her from the house? Or getting caught with her at any point? In your car or your house or wherever.
Just to make LE think this was sexually motivated even though it wasn't?? Nah I'm not buying that.
I think if this was drug related and Michael had messed with the wrong people, wouldn't they have left him alive? Killed his wife and his daughter and made him live with that horror? I could maaaaybe believe this if they were tortured before being killed but the locations of their bodies make me think they might not have even seen the killer, shot dead while still asleep.
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9

Good post. Totally agree with you Jennifer was the target and her parents were eliminated to achieve this. The killer in my opinion would have enjoyed planning and carrying out this part of the crime to get at Jennifer. The execution of her parents may look like a hit it was in a way to get at her. In my opinion it is wrong to tarnish the name of her parents in relation to drugs without proper evidence being provided which I do not believe exists because it is not true.
 
Agreed with JaeJae - good post indeed , Mks762 seem to have his/her own point of view of this case .
Like I said before , we all got our own theories for this case .
 
jaejae said:
Not sure myself. But if I remember right I think the man was seen sitting in his truck in the morning outside their house. I sure this has been posted before but here is aged progressed composite:

image_large-1.jpg


Cold Case USA: WHO MURDERED JENNIFER SHORT AND HER FAMILY?

Here is a sketch of the truck he was sitting in:

truck.bmp


Kidnapping, Murder, and Mayhem: Jennifer Short Murder Update

Here is part of the article. The eye witness who say the suspect said he had rugged features as if her were an outdoors man type:

The FBI has released a sketch of the truck, described as a 1998 to 2002 white, single-cab, two-ton stake body truck with wooden rails. An unidentified man was seen sitting in the truck along U.S. 220 in the vicinity of the Shorts’ Oak Level home, according to the FBI.
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I remember reading that the woman who saw him sitting in his truck at 2 a.m underwent hypnosis to see if she could remember any more details about what he looked like. She said that right after that she couldn't remember any more details, but a few days later she was watching TV and saw the actor Mike Rowe, and it suddenly clicked that the guy in the truck looked like him.
 
Sunny Day said:
I remember reading that the woman who saw him sitting in his truck at 2 a.m underwent hypnosis to see if she could remember any more details about what he looked like. She said that right after that she couldn't remember any more details, but a few days later she was watching TV and saw the actor Mike Rowe, and it suddenly clicked that the guy in the truck looked like him.
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hmmm .... interesting hypnosis
 
huxley72 said:
I don't this is a drug related crime at all. Why leave the money? Why take Jennifer? Jennifer was definitely the target. I would venture to say it was someone who knew the family. Could of been a relative. The cutting the telephone lines is what sticks out to me. The person had to have worked for the phone company at one time. I think the body of Jennifer was taken to a place probably not near the killer, but a place the killer knew well. Maybe he traveled this road a lot or grew up near the dump place. Hope they find out who did this, it's been too long.
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I agree. The fact that the money was left (I think I read that it was around $600 and was in plain view) makes me think money was not the issue. If it was over drugs they would have grabbed that money and run.
 
Sunny Day said:
I remember reading that the woman who saw him sitting in his truck at 2 a.m underwent hypnosis to see if she could remember any more details about what he looked like. She said that right after that she couldn't remember any more details, but a few days later she was watching TV and saw the actor Mike Rowe, and it suddenly clicked that the guy in the truck looked like him.
Click to expand...

Good and interesting post. I have looked the actor up and what strikes me is the rather rugged looks with a rather large nose.
 
mks762 said:
The podcast is out and I'm very hopeful that this will bring some new eyes, theories, and leads to this case. The first episode was only 9 minutes long, I hope future episodes are longer and go more in depth.
TV station in North Carolina launches podcast about Jennifer Short case
Who Killed Jennifer Short?

Just throwing in my two cents, I've said it before but I think this case is very similar to Jayme Closs. I believe that Jennifer was the target and her parents were murdered in order to make it easier to take Jennifer. All the same points I made with the Jayme Closs case before she was found when we were talking about motive apply here as well. I just cannot figure out any reason why you would risk taking Jennifer unless she was the reason for all of this. Why not murder all 3 of them at the house? Why would you risk driving with her in the car? Risk having her scream and alert neighbors as you take her from the house? Or getting caught with her at any point? In your car or your house or wherever.
Just to make LE think this was sexually motivated even though it wasn't?? Nah I'm not buying that.
I think if this was drug related and Michael had messed with the wrong people, wouldn't they have left him alive? Killed his wife and his daughter and made him live with that horror? I could maaaaybe believe this if they were tortured before being killed but the locations of their bodies make me think they might not have even seen the killer, shot dead while still asleep.
Click to expand...
I agree, and I keep wondering how, after the first person was shot, why didn't the other victim wake up? Was a silencer used on the gun? I think I read they were both found in their beds so they must not have heard anything. That, along with the phone line being cut, makes me think this was a very carefully planned crime.
 
Sunny Day said:
I agree, and I keep wondering how, after the first person was shot, why didn't the other victim wake up? Was a silencer used on the gun? I think I read they were both found in their beds so they must not have heard anything. That, along with the phone line being cut, makes me think this was a very carefully planned crime.
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He was found with a GSW to the head laying on his sofa in an attached garage (where I think he hung out alot fixing odds and ends) and she was found in their bed. So the murderer would've had to have moved from one place to the next in between the shooting, and I think it's obvious the first gunshots were not heard by the second victim. IMO yes a silencer would've had to have been used
 
One thing that's kinda been bothering me lately is the phone line being cut. Isn't that so cliche? Like that's what happens in every scary movie and every scary story... you're home alone, you hear a noise, you pick up the phone to call the police and...THE LINE IS DEAD!!!!!!!
Idk why LE has always emphasized that fact when they've told us so little about what they found that day. I've always heard that the phone line was cut and they also always mention the murderer would've had to have been familiar with phone lines to know what to cut and they also always mention that the murderer would've had to have brought a tool to cut the line.
If I walked outside of my house right now I would know what the phone line is (and I'm a city living young female who knows nothing about electrical) and I wouldn't need some sort of specialized tool to cut it. A lot of people in rural (and even not so rural) areas carry a switch blade/pocket knife which is all you'd need to cut the line right?? Idk what the focus on the cutting the phone line means. And hey maybe I'm way off base and it actually is a lot more complicated?
I know it means these murders were premeditated I guess, like whoever went to the house that night knew what they were going there to do but I still don't quite understand why LE has always been soooo stuck on that clue.
Maybe I'm just talking in circles. It's crazy to me how little we actually have been told by LE. After all this time I wish they'd give us some more.
My given name is Mary Short and I live not so far away from all this so this case has always and will always haunt me. I'm always glad to see on Websleuths how many people still care about this family and want to see justice served.
 
The home was up for sale; it seems like I remember reading that they had recently had an "open house" so prospective buyers could go in and look through the house. If that is true, the killer could have gone in and used the opportunity to familiarize himself with the layout of the rooms, and who slept where. In some areas the realtor actually writes down the name of those who come by to look, although a criminal wouldn't give his real name, but maybe someone would have noticed his demeanor. Just speculating here.
 
mks762 said:
One thing that's kinda been bothering me lately is the phone line being cut. Isn't that so cliche? Like that's what happens in every scary movie and every scary story... you're home alone, you hear a noise, you pick up the phone to call the police and...THE LINE IS DEAD!!!!!!!
Idk why LE has always emphasized that fact when they've told us so little about what they found that day. I've always heard that the phone line was cut and they also always mention the murderer would've had to have been familiar with phone lines to know what to cut and they also always mention that the murderer would've had to have brought a tool to cut the line.
If I walked outside of my house right now I would know what the phone line is (and I'm a city living young female who knows nothing about electrical) and I wouldn't need some sort of specialized tool to cut it. A lot of people in rural (and even not so rural) areas carry a switch blade/pocket knife which is all you'd need to cut the line right?? Idk what the focus on the cutting the phone line means. And hey maybe I'm way off base and it actually is a lot more complicated?
I know it means these murders were premeditated I guess, like whoever went to the house that night knew what they were going there to do but I still don't quite understand why LE has always been soooo stuck on that clue.
Maybe I'm just talking in circles. It's crazy to me how little we actually have been told by LE. After all this time I wish they'd give us some more.
My given name is Mary Short and I live not so far away from all this so this case has always and will always haunt me. I'm always glad to see on Websleuths how many people still care about this family and want to see justice served.
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Good post and interesting name connection. I think you sound a little bit more practical than you might realise because I might struggle to know what to do. My feeling is the killer was very used to cutting phone lines as he had done it many times before. I think the point LE make is the killer was self-confident just to cut the one line. Just my thoughts but I think the killer had cut phone lines many times before and was good with phone technology.
 
mks762 said:
One thing that's kinda been bothering me lately is the phone line being cut. Isn't that so cliche? Like that's what happens in every scary movie and every scary story... you're home alone, you hear a noise, you pick up the phone to call the police and...THE LINE IS DEAD!!!!!!!
Idk why LE has always emphasized that fact when they've told us so little about what they found that day. I've always heard that the phone line was cut and they also always mention the murderer would've had to have been familiar with phone lines to know what to cut and they also always mention that the murderer would've had to have brought a tool to cut the line.
If I walked outside of my house right now I would know what the phone line is (and I'm a city living young female who knows nothing about electrical) and I wouldn't need some sort of specialized tool to cut it. A lot of people in rural (and even not so rural) areas carry a switch blade/pocket knife which is all you'd need to cut the line right?? Idk what the focus on the cutting the phone line means. And hey maybe I'm way off base and it actually is a lot more complicated?
I know it means these murders were premeditated I guess, like whoever went to the house that night knew what they were going there to do but I still don't quite understand why LE has always been soooo stuck on that clue.
Maybe I'm just talking in circles. It's crazy to me how little we actually have been told by LE. After all this time I wish they'd give us some more.
My given name is Mary Short and I live not so far away from all this so this case has always and will always haunt me. I'm always glad to see on Websleuths how many people still care about this family and want to see justice served.
Click to expand...
The emphasis on the phone lines being cut is indeed intriguing. Especially considering that I think I remember reading that among things LE found in the house was a cell phone. Does anyone else remember reading that? If that is true, it makes me think the killer didn't know the family, or he probably would have known that they had a cell phone. This was in 2002 and not a lot of people had them back then. Just thinking.
 
Sunny Day said:
I agree. The fact that the money was left (I think I read that it was around $600 and was in plain view) makes me think money was not the issue. If it was over drugs they would have grabbed that money and run.
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Or maybe he been told not to take it or that the ( cheaply almost clever hired )hitman mission never instructed to take it , take Jennifer to avoid the point it was well planned murders
 
DoubleN1993 said:
Or maybe he been told not to take it or that the ( cheaply almost clever hired )hitman mission never instructed to take it , take Jennifer to avoid the point it was well planned murders
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As I say you are entitled to your opinion but I do not agree with your theory the Short Family were drug dealers and this was the reason for the murders. My suspect Ralph Jackson looks a fair bit like that actor the witness referred to under hypnosis. To suggest the murder of Jennifer was to deflect from a hit seems rather far fetched to me and I find the suggestion that the Short Family were involved in drug likely based on a few unsubstantiated rumours rather offensive and these rumours were likely due to the fact they were murdered, As I say you are entitled to your opinion and theories but the one that dugs were involved is not a very good one to me. Cheers.
 
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