The Ring/Jewelry

[CathyinTexas]

You're such a good sleuth

I just went back through the articles and videos. Nothing directly from Logan on the ring's value. From reporters only, and no direct quotes.

There was a link to a video posted, I think AZ something, Logan did say it was worth about $20,000. Sorry if I am repeating something I have already posted. Look at the video and read the article by Yami under it.

 

[BeanE]

I wonder why we never hear from the Grandmother. You would think that the media would be interested in her, given the fact they EJ said the ring came from her. Would LM tell the public she had the ring, and he believes it is connected to his son's disappearance, if LE had spoken with the Grandmother and she verified she did give such a valuble ring to an unstable 23 year old grandmother. A ring of that type should/would be in a safety deposit box!

Do you have a link to confirm that EJ said the ring came from her grandmother? This has been stated several times, and I'm still looking for the source of this info.

Thanks!

 

[CathyinTexas]

The news isn't reporting when the ring was appraised or valued, but it would be interesting to know the date that it was done ( & compare that to the supposed pick up date by GF), and if they have a requisition/approval process for that and the timeline of that itself.

Based on the GF's previous willingness to cooperate, it would seem more likely of him to say that he didn't pick up/recieve the ring, instead of saying he doesn't know where it is. It's that gray area of telling the truth without fully revealing himself - which is a bit suspect. At the same time, I don't blame the man for wanting to be vague if this is new information to him as well, or if it isn't - having to wrap his mind around the idea of that ring sitting in the sock drawer = Gabe.

Also, not all jewelry is etched, appraised, or insured or bought at mainstream stores. The amount of data out there (Insurance claims, stores, pawn shops) in TX alone would be massive and getting 100% co-op- uff) Besides, if it was passed within the family, tracking that would be difficult.

The thought has crossed my mind that the ring is stolen property given to EJ from the underground adoption ring. Couldn't they be criminal in others ways besides black market adoption?

 

[curves]

Isn't this ring the best lead they have? Why haven't LE released a picture or description of ii to the media? I think most women with a ring that expensive would show it off as much as possible - there is a good chance someone will recognise it which could lead them right to the person who has Gabriel.

 

[Boo Scout]

Isn't this ring the best lead they have? Why haven't LE released a picture or description of ii to the media? I think most women with a ring that expensive would show it off as much as possible - there is a good chance someone will recognise it which could lead them right to the person who has Gabriel.

From the information that has been released thus far, it's not clear where the ring is right now. AZ authorities seemed to indicate that it was released to EJ's GF, but EJ's GF does not seem to know where it is. In one article, LM said the GF denies any knowledge of the ring, while in the articles going back to the phone call between EJ and her GF on 1/16, the GF stated that EJ wanted him to pick up $300 and a ring she was wearing.

The problem is that we do not have verified information on the ring right now. We have news articles, but the information seems to conflict.

I think we need to know if someone actually has the ring now and when the appraisal was done and by whom.

There may be reasons if LE has the ring that they don't release a picture of it right now.

 

[kissdegirl]

http://www.kpho.com/video/22258496/index.html
http://www.kpho.com/news/22256806/detail.html

Elizabeth Johnson called her grandfather, Bob Johnson. It was the first time they've spoke in nearly a week.

The two only spoke for a couple of minutes, talking about items she wanted him to pick up from jail. Johnson asked her grandfather to pick up the $300 she had when she was arrested in Florida, as well as an expensive ring she said she was wearing.

The call came just minutes after Bob told CBS 5 he wasn't sure his great-grandson was still alive.

I guess we know which reporter to ask for raw video of the GF statement regarding an expensive ring? They were the only media there during that call.

 

[BeanE]

I hope an enterprising reporter will interview grampa today, and release video - and not just tell us his/her version of what grampa says.

I wonder if it would help if we wrote to some of the local reporters who cover Gabe's case in SA and Phoenix and tell them how much we appreciate when they give us video and direct quotes. Even if just a couple of them pay attention and deliver, it would be so helpful.

 

[CathyinTexas]

Well she was willing to give him to the Smith's for free so I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't confirm the value. She may of just accepted the ring and took their word for it and handed Gabriel over.

I recall that the Smiths promised her a house in Tennesse, and I suspect there was more offered we haven't heard about. She wanted to adopt EJ, which is unbelievable. I also suspect that LM heard about the ring from LE, because he changed his opinion of them after meeting with them. They must have shared info that none of us know at this time.

 

[NewMommy09]

Do you have a link to confirm that EJ said the ring came from her grandmother? This has been stated several times, and I'm still looking for the source of this info.

Thanks!

Good Morning friend.

I've been wanting verification on this too. I VAGUELY remember hearing something about the ring possibly being from EJ's grandmother. But I don't recall that info came from a media source. I'm thinking it was a possibility brought up here on WS early on when everyone was discussing this ring. I'm gonna try to go back and find the timeframe of those discussions. If I find it, I will post a link. I could be wrong about this, and maybe it really was reported somewhere.

 

[CathyinTexas]

Last post, I promise.

Even if EJ was given a ring in payment for Baby Gabriel, she could never get the full value of the ring by selling it or pawning it. Most pawn brokers buy valuables at a third or less of the real value.

I want to know the origin of this ring!!!!

IMO

Maybe she was given information on where the market is for the ring instead of a pawn shop. A third of $20,000 would probably be a fortune to a young woman like her. Also, if they find Gabriel, and are able to prove that she accepted this ring, in exchange for Gabriel, wouldn't that be the same as selling him? Isn't that illegal, and what is the punishment for the crime?

 

[CathyinTexas]

I wondered about the GF picking up the money. When I had to bail a friend out of jail, I had to use my own money, even thou he had enough in his billfold at time of arrest.

As far as the ring, now days fake rings can look real to the naked eye. I, myself would have thought it was a cheap fake ring, why would LE have any reason to believe otherwise.

They arrest a young girl staying in a hostel with only a backpack of belongings, $300 cash and a ring in her pocket. They probably never gave the ring a second thought. Who would have thought she would be carrying a $20,000 ring in her pocket!

If it is true that the ring is worth $20,000 and the GF picked it up and can't find it, then he knows more than he is saying. Whether it was her GM ring or not!

JMO

Did he sell it?

 

[vjlaw]

If she didn't ask the grandfather to get the ring until Jan. 19th,iirc, then that was several days after her arrival to Maricopa county. That seems to me to be several days to wait to have someone come retrieve a ring that expensive. I can understand the grandfather, if he has it, not wanting anyone to know. That is a big piece of jewelry to have laying around the house for the national media knowing he has. Could be a good chance someone might steal it. I know nothing about jewelry, but it seems it might take awhile to find or set a ruby and diamond worth $20k. Especially since it is EJ's birthstone. I don't think that was an accident. They must have underground jewelry suppliers. jmo

 

[CathyinTexas]

Do you have a link to confirm that EJ said the ring came from her grandmother? This has been stated several times, and I'm still looking for the source of this info.

Thanks!

No, I don't have a link, but have read it here at WS. Could that info have come from the mouth of TPS on NG?

 

[NewMommy09]

OK, I used the search engine and it looks like a lot of our earlier discussion about the ring was in thread #11. If anyone else wants to help scour that thread with me....

 

[Boo Scout]

If she didn't ask the grandfather to get the ring until Jan. 19th,iirc, then that was several days after her arrival to Maricopa county. That seems to me to be several days to wait to have someone come retrieve a ring that expensive. I can understand the grandfather, if he has it, not wanting anyone to know. That is a big piece of jewelry to have laying around the house for the national media knowing he has. Could be a good chance someone might steal it. I know nothing about jewelry, but it seems it might take awhile to find or set a ruby and diamond worth $20k. Especially since it is EJ's birthstone. I don't think that was an accident. They must have underground jewelry suppliers. jmo

I did some internet searching yesterday b/c I was curious exactly what you'd get for a ruby / diamond ring worth $20K (or maybe even $30K).

It would be quite a ring, and imo, not very common. The rings I saw for anywhere near $20K had platinum settings, large rubies (3+ carats), and at least 1 carat of diamonds. They were also from well-known high-end jewelry names like Tiffany's.

It would seem like a ring like that could be traced. But if they had it custom-made for this purpose, probably not.

 

[BeanE]

OK, I used the search engine and it looks like a lot of our earlier discussion about the ring was in thread #11. If anyone else wants to help scour that thread with me....

Please list the URLs for any posts you all want moved into this thread in the Threadiquette thread, and I'll move them right over.

You can copy any post URL by right clicking the post number in the upper right hand corner of the post next to the red triangle alert button.

Thanks!
BeanE

 

[LaLaw2000]

Here's another quote for you, from Logan, in this video at 1:35, transcribed by me, just for you lol.

Logan: The Tempe police appraised the ring and it appraised at about 20 to 30 thousand dollars.

ETA: Corrected link: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/local/tempe/tammi_smith_not_guilty_021810

Just now catching up this morning. If the Tempe police had the ring appraised, then somewhere there will be paperwork where the police removed the ring for appraisal. Even the police cannot remove property of an arrestee without showing good cause. Logan's statement of the Tempe police appraising the ring is not clear. I doubt that a police officer could do an accurate appraisal.

Bless Logan's heart. He has been fed such a line of BS by EJ as well as by TS. I encourage him to keep digging along with his PI. He deserves to know what happened to his son and to have Gabriel returned to him.

 

[TXHOPE]

I did some internet searching yesterday b/c I was curious exactly what you'd get for a ruby / diamond ring worth $20K (or maybe even $30K).

It would be quite a ring, and imo, not very common. The rings I saw for anywhere near $20K had platinum settings, large rubies (3+ carats), and at least 1 carat of diamonds. They were also from well-known high-end jewelry names like Tiffany's.

It would seem like a ring like that could be traced. But if they had it custom-made for this purpose, probably not.

How obvious would a giant ruby be but I guess it's possible. I honestly think the value was in the diamonds in the ring and it probably had ruby accents. What I don't understand is how LE could have it appraised and then let it leave evidence (HUGE evidence), go back to her personal belongings and give it to Grandpa. That doesn't seem possible.

 

[~PrinceSSa~]

If Elizabeth herself bought the ring legally it would automatically come with an appraisal card on which it states the ring value, the size of the diamonds, a registered number for insurance purposes, the clarity of the diamonds and much more. I have such a card that came w/my ring and I will look to see what exactly it says.
If indeed she purchased the ring as oppose to carrying cash on her trip, I am confident that salesperson would remember selling such ring to a young lady and probably have it on surveillance as well.

If she received the ring as payment from someone, it is possible that she went with those person/s to have it sized since she was actually 'wearing' it upon her arrest. Most rings are bigger and need downsizing, rather than sizing up to fit her little finger.

If the ring belonged to grandma, could grandma not verify that easily?

If grandpa 'lost' the ring, I am sure he knows more about the whole hinky story.

So many questions.

 

[BeanE]

No, I don't have a link, but have read it here at WS. Could that info have come from the mouth of TPS on NG?

No, I've got all the NG transcripts in one big file for quick and easy searching. Nothing in there. I haven't been able to find anything Googling either.

It needs to be substantiated with a link. It's growing legs.