Possible Victim: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, missing July 2007, found Gilgo Beach Dec 2010 *POI Rex Heuermann*

[coldcaser]

I’ve told a few people about this theory I have regarding how Maureen went missing and thought I’d share here.

I’ve long thought of Maureen as the odd one out in how she went missing. She was the first of the GB4 to go missing and was trying to get home last family heard from her. Maureen was last heard from while calling family from Penn Station. This doesn’t make sense from the get go. The only trains that leave from Penn go to LI or NJ. To get to CT, you need Grand Central. So why was she there to begin with? Did she set a date up even before she called family and that’s why she was at Penn? It doesn’t add up. No trains go to CT from Penn. None, no buses, nothing.

Now to get to my point. I don’t think anyone else has touched on the fact that there are ferries that go from LI to CT. There’s one in Port Jeff, one in Orient Point, and another one somewhere else (can’t remember, it’s been years). The ferry from Orient Point goes straight to New London CT, which is right next to Groton where Maureen lived. The more I think about it, the more it seems like one of the few plausible options as to how/why she got to LI and subsequently disappeared. I think she called up a regular and was then either picked up by him or took the LIRR. I think he offered her a lot of money for an overnight just as he did with other GB4 victims and offered to drop her off at the Orient Point ferry the next day.

Edit: I just checked the schedule for the Orient Point to New London ferry. They leave every hour in 2020 and I think it was probably the same in 2007, these aren’t schedules that change often unless there’s some kind of weather issue. Maureen went missing on a Monday, so assuming she did do an overnight on LI she’d be on an early Tuesday ferry to make it to her court date. Knowing now they leave every hour, it only seems more likely to me that this might’ve been what happened. Does anyone know what time her court date was?

 

[Mountain_Kat]

dbm

I need to refresh my memory.

 

[LR1]

I’ve told a few people about this theory I have regarding how Maureen went missing and thought I’d share here.

I’ve long thought of Maureen as the odd one out in how she went missing. She was the first of the GB4 to go missing and was trying to get home last family heard from her. Maureen was last heard from while calling family from Penn Station. This doesn’t make sense from the get go. The only trains that leave from Penn go to LI or NJ. To get to CT, you need Grand Central. So why was she there to begin with? Did she set a date up even before she called family and that’s why she was at Penn? It doesn’t add up. No trains go to CT from Penn. None, no buses, nothing.

Now to get to my point. I don’t think anyone else has touched on the fact that there are ferries that go from LI to CT. There’s one in Port Jeff, one in Orient Point, and another one somewhere else (can’t remember, it’s been years). The ferry from Orient Point goes straight to New London CT, which is right next to Groton where Maureen lived. The more I think about it, the more it seems like one of the few plausible options as to how/why she got to LI and subsequently disappeared. I think she called up a regular and was then either picked up by him or took the LIRR. I think he offered her a lot of money for an overnight just as he did with other GB4 victims and offered to drop her off at the Orient Point ferry the next day.

Edit: I just checked the schedule for the Orient Point to New London ferry. They leave every hour in 2020 and I think it was probably the same in 2007, these aren’t schedules that change often unless there’s some kind of weather issue. Maureen went missing on a Monday, so assuming she did do an overnight on LI she’d be on an early Tuesday ferry to make it to her court date. Knowing now they leave every hour, it only seems more likely to me that this might’ve been what happened. Does anyone know what time her court date was?

The book says her court date was Tuesday the 10th but her sister says it was on Monday the 9th. She called her sister just before midnight on the 8th but also called her brother just after midnight looking for a way home which would have been the 9th. I'm hearing she physically checked out of the motel on the 8th (time unknown by me) with her signature seen by the family. So with her calling multiple people trying to find a way home I think she was legitimately trying to do that. She technically disappeared in the early morning hours on Monday so the question is how did it go down. A regular kinda makes sense but I'm not convinced it was through craigslist or that she was even looking for another date. Could she have came across a familiar face in those early morning hours? It's always seemed like a strange date/time for this to have went down for some reason.

 

[Blueeyedbrowngirl]

Maureen is why I think LISK was a repeat client of (at least) the GB4 victims.

My theory: she exhausted her options then thought about the regular clients who were easy to deal with & were good for the money. Maybe she called LISK, arranged to meet somewhere that required her to take the subway or the LIRR from Penn Station, and LISK seized the opportunity.

I think LISK previously met Maureen in Manhattan as a client but this time he invited her to meet outside of the city, maybe in Long Island City or Queens. I don’t think he lives or works in Manhattan, but is extremely familiar with it because (I think) he’s a lifelong Queens or Long Island resident.

I don’t think Maureen was kidnapped from Penn Station. Not that it couldn’t happen, but I’ve been in and out of that place a gazillion times at all hours of the day and night and even in the wee hours of the night/morning, there’s police and National Guard presence all over the place.

I think prior to the advent of the internet and Craigslist, LISK solicited street girls instead of using agencies because agencies kept records. Roosevelt Avenue in Queens was a hotbed of prostitution in the nineties so I’d bet LISK frequented that area and places like Queens Plaza in LIC and the LIRR hub at Sutphin/Archer in Jamaica.

 

[burntsnoop]

Copied from another thread. Belt may be tied to Maureen:

The new belt images have been posted on Articles Recovered at Scene

I definitely think the correct orientation is HM now.

Both image file names have the word "Barnes" in it. Maybe it was found on MBB.
"beltpicBarnesblack2noglove"
"beltpicBarnesbrown1"

 

[3Patriots]

Two simple scenarios:
1) (NY Post) "Brainard-Barnes called her friend in distress that night (July 9, 2007) from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, saying she had been robbed of the money she earned that day.

“'She just wanted to come home,' said the friend."

LISK is present at either PABT or Penn, chats her up either as a worker or, as is likely his strength, because he notices some distress. He learns her plight, offers to cover her losses, and convinces her to stay with him.

1a or 2) Two bigger concerts the weekend she goes missing.

July 7, 2007 - Live Earth at Giants Stadium
July 9, 2007 - Soul2Soul at Continental Arena
(Note: Both are in same complex geographically)

Perhaps he's on his way home from the latter. Perhaps he stayed in NYC for the weekend and saw both concerts, but I'd say very possibly the latter. Would put him in either PABT and/or Penn.

As this is first of GB4, and she was stated to be on her way home, this must have been opportunistic. That alone would be a major challenge and subsequent thrill for him.

But I'm going with MBB being an opportunistic choice. I'm saying he was there in PABT or Penn and chatted her up personally.

 

[Blueeyedbrowngirl]

Copied from another thread. Belt may be tied to Maureen:

Good catch!!!

 

[Ktsleuth]

You all need to check out the new evidence released about the belt....seems it may be the evidence linked to Maureen's case

 

[fieldnotes]

The whole belt is weird. He’s so careful. He’s gonna leave a belt with his initials? Or does it mean something else? "WH" short for *advertiser censored*? Or nothing at all. LE keeps drawing the public's attention to this belt but do they just dust off decade plus old clues whenever a new show comes on to make it seem like they are on top of it? More questions than answers as usual.

 

[SpookyOwl]

Maureen is why I think LISK was a repeat client of (at least) the GB4 victims.

My theory: she exhausted her options then thought about the regular clients who were easy to deal with & were good for the money. Maybe she called LISK, arranged to meet somewhere that required her to take the subway or the LIRR from Penn Station, and LISK seized the opportunity.

I think LISK previously met Maureen in Manhattan as a client but this time he invited her to meet outside of the city, maybe in Long Island City or Queens. I don’t think he lives or works in Manhattan, but is extremely familiar with it because (I think) he’s a lifelong Queens or Long Island resident.

I don’t think Maureen was kidnapped from Penn Station. Not that it couldn’t happen, but I’ve been in and out of that place a gazillion times at all hours of the day and night and even in the wee hours of the night/morning, there’s police and National Guard presence all over the place.

I think prior to the advent of the internet and Craigslist, LISK solicited street girls instead of using agencies because agencies kept records. Roosevelt Avenue in Queens was a hotbed of prostitution in the nineties so I’d bet LISK frequented that area and places like Queens Plaza in LIC and the LIRR hub at Sutphin/Archer in Jamaica.

True, about Penn Station but it doesn't mean he didn't lure her away if he knew here enough to make her feel comfortable? Also, even though I have covered this case for a long time I can't remember every exact detail. ... do we think it is possible that they both boarded a train to LI where he took her somewhere there where it would be easier for him to get her where he wants. I have been on LIRR from Penn to LI multiple times. For the most part (from my own experience) later at night most people leave other passengers alone and mind their own business. OR there are people who are just drunk from parties on the way back to LI and are in their own worlds. Might of been easy for them to blend in without anyone really paying attention. Just a thought that has probably been brought up before. It's just these girls must have been comfortable with this person.

 

[eagleyeseymour]

True, about Penn Station but it doesn't mean he didn't lure her away if he knew here enough to make her feel comfortable? Also, even though I have covered this case for a long time I can't remember every exact detail. ... do we think it is possible that they both boarded a train to LI where he took her somewhere there where it would be easier for him to get her where he wants. I have been on LIRR from Penn to LI multiple times. For the most part (from my own experience) later at night most people leave other passengers alone and mind their own business. OR there are people who are just drunk from parties on the way back to LI and are in their own worlds. Might of been easy for them to blend in without anyone really paying attention. Just a thought that has probably been brought up before. It's just these girls must have been comfortable with this person.

Posted my theory in another thread but I don't think he was at Penn. I think he was a prior john who built up trust and enticed her with a large sum of money. I think he picked her up at the station of his choice. Based on his movement alone, I think riding the train with her had too much risk, chance of being seen on camera, being in the background of someones selfie, etc. He doesn't want to be seen with his selected victims by anyone, which is why I believe he takes his victims directly to the location where he will kill. As evidenced by the prep of the victims bodies, it's all calculated. I'd bet the farm he is killing them in his home or location that is completely controlled. He isn't Rifkin leaning over his center console and driving about aimlessly.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[karmaskiss01]

I really hope that MBB friend who was featured in the 48 hours special has told investigators everything and anything she may know about any regular clients MBB may have had or shared about with her. I wonder if because MBB had just been robbed and was in a time crunch to pay rent she vented to LISK about her situation and well...

Sickening to think but that’s how he/they work as evidenced by the calls to Melissa B’s little sister. Just twisted.

 

[coldcaser]

Posted my theory in another thread but I don't think he was at Penn. I think he was a prior john who built up trust and enticed her with a large sum of money. I think he picked her up at the station of his choice. Based on his movement alone, I think riding the train with her had too much risk, chance of being seen on camera, being in the background of someones selfie, etc. He doesn't want to be seen with his selected victims by anyone, which is why I believe he takes his victims directly to the location where he will kill. As evidenced by the prep of the victims bodies, it's all calculated. I'd bet the farm he is killing them in his home or location that is completely controlled. He isn't Rifkin leaning over his center console and driving about aimlessly.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm right there with you. There is no way he wasn't a repeat client and I've always believed he picked her up directly from a location of his choice by car. He needed, or needs, absolute complete and total control, from start to finish. He's no sloppy Rifkin or Shulman.

 

[SpookyOwl]

Posted my theory in another thread but I don't think he was at Penn. I think he was a prior john who built up trust and enticed her with a large sum of money. I think he picked her up at the station of his choice. Based on his movement alone, I think riding the train with her had too much risk, chance of being seen on camera, being in the background of someones selfie, etc. He doesn't want to be seen with his selected victims by anyone, which is why I believe he takes his victims directly to the location where he will kill. As evidenced by the prep of the victims bodies, it's all calculated. I'd bet the farm he is killing them in his home or location that is completely controlled. He isn't Rifkin leaning over his center console and driving about aimlessly.

Just my 2 cents.

Very true.. this case is so crazy ..I sometimes cannot keep track. I do agree it would seem quite sloppy if they were both on the train. I also agree that it had to have been a john or at least someone she trusted enough for her to leave with. He was able to get these girls to let their guard down. I somehow wonder if besides their line of work or outward appearance such as being petite what else these victims had in common that would appeal to the killer. We don't know how long he could have been planning these crimes.. a. Getting to know them breaking down the barriers of caution. That must of given the killer a sense of control and power over these girls. I just feel like there is something these women had in common other than what we already know.. something else that the killer was drawn to. Does that make any sense?

 

[Mountain_Kat]

I'm right there with you. There is no way he wasn't a repeat client and I've always believed he picked her up directly from a location of his choice by car. He needed, or needs, absolute complete and total control, from start to finish. He's no sloppy Rifkin or Shulman.

I always assumed it was someone Maureen knew. Since she was calling friends and family for a ride home, it makes sense to me that that LISK picked her up in his vehicle. He certainly didn't abduct her from the train station at any rate. We know enough about LISK to know that he doesn't "abduct " his victims. At least, not any of his known victims.

I'd sure like to known the name of the photographer she sat for.

 

[hawkshaw]

She was at Penn Sta., and Harry Feingold was living near there at the time. Harry did 10 for drugs out of Suffolk. Comes out and openly goes into the *advertiser censored* film business. He had a sideline in the Russian Mail order business. Gets out of prison and buys a house on Oak Beach. He paid $225K for it in 2000. He keeps it for about 4 years (Savannah Walk) and sells it to Bellones BFF, Robert Stricoff for $825K! The house was listed for $425K Stricoff. Stricoff was supposed to be a financial wizard as he was the IDA CHAIRMAN at Babylon. He was such a wizard he managed to get two mortgages on the house for $700K. HOWHEDODT

 

[Mountain_Kat]

She was at Penn Sta., and Harry Feingold was living near there at the time. Harry did 10 for drugs out of Suffolk. Comes out and openly goes into the *advertiser censored* film business. He had a sideline in the Russian Mail order business. Gets out of prison and buys a house on Oak Beach. He paid $225K for it in 2000. He keeps it for about 4 years (Savannah Walk) and sells it to Bellones BFF, Robert Stricoff for $825K! The house was listed for $425K Stricoff. Stricoff was supposed to be a financial wizard as he was the IDA CHAIRMAN at Babylon. He was such a wizard he managed to get two mortgages on the house for $700K. HOWHEDODT

Feingold ?! Hmmm.

 

[Ironbutterfly8]

I began reading this thread from the beginning and came across some info that 2 weeks after MBB went missing, her cellphone pinged off of a cellphone tower near Oak Beach. This info apparently wasn't released until late 2008. Does anyone have any legit links about this, the old links at the beginning are all dead. Sorry if this was covered, its a long thread and read what I could. TIA.

 

[GrayShadow]

Ironbutterly8-

I think you are referring to the following,

"...until Missy learned that the police had picked up a ping from her sister’s cell phone—someone trying to access her voice mail, perhaps. The signal registered at a water tower on Fire Island."

This comes from, "Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery", by Robert Kolker. I have a modified .pdf file that does not show the page number but the quote comes from the "BODIES" section.

The location of MBB's remains (on Jones Beach Island) is approximately 11.75 miles from the reported cell tower (on Fire Island) with the Oak Beach community roughly midway between the two.

It is also referenced at
The Bond Between the Mothers and Sisters of the Long Island Serial Killer’s Victims -- New York Magazine - Nymag

 

[Ironbutterfly8]

Ironbutterly8-

I think you are referring to the following,

"...until Missy learned that the police had picked up a ping from her sister’s cell phone—someone trying to access her voice mail, perhaps. The signal registered at a water tower on Fire Island."

This comes from, "Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery", by Robert Kolker. I have a modified .pdf file that does not show the page number but the quote comes from the "BODIES" section.

The location of MBB's remains (on Jones Beach Island) is approximately 11.75 miles from the reported cell tower (on Fire Island) with the Oak Beach community roughly midway between the two.

It is also referenced at
The Bond Between the Mothers and Sisters of the Long Island Serial Killer’s Victims -- New York Magazine - Nymag

Thank you so much GrayShadow! I actually just finished reading the NY Mag article before I seen your post. I don't have Kolker's book yet but do have another one written by Robert Banfelder which I have yet to read. I agree with others that it would be likely that some of the answers may lie with MBB's disappearance. Again thank you for the references.