WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #7

[Liz]

IMO whoever dumped the body next to the river did not have access to a boat. If they had a boat why not conceal the body inside the boat on land then take the boat to the river and go out and dispose of the evidence. It just doesn't make sense to transport the body to the rivers edge, then go get the boat and go back to pick up the body then take it out to dispose of it in the water.

Good point. Except IF she was murdered at the river's edge.

 

[Miss Optimism]

It doesn't seem very likely that her car was washed that day though, what do you guys think? The whole car seemed dirty, not just the tires.

I think the perp knew her as well. If she was shot out in the open like that case in January, then I would think it would be related but the circumstances are so different.

 

[AutumnRose]

IMO whoever dumped the body next to the river did not have access to a boat. If they had a boat why not conceal the body inside the boat on land then take the boat to the river and go out and dispose of the evidence. It just doesn't make sense to transport the body to the rivers edge, then go get the boat and go back to pick up the body then take it out to dispose of it in the water.

I think the killer tried to float her out from the beach, but the currents deposited her back on the shore nearby. So, hid her there on that property in hopes of coming back with a boat. I haven't figured out yet how he/she/they would have accomplished even attempting to float her out without going out into the water and freezing within 5 minutes! Maybe the buoy with attached line had something to do with it. Maybe put her in upriver somewhere? Maybe that's how her arm was cut so badly (rumor)?
I do think she was in the water. speculation

 

[girlfawkes]

Just got back from a drive both up Pitcher canyon road and up Number Two Canyon to both Stiss Canyon road and the end of Number two.

First of all RE: Number Two canyon Road and Stiss Canyon Road there is a gate up Stiss a ways a car would not have passed, so they did not come in the back way. They may have walked out that way however, but as I will detail below, I kind of doubt it.

RE: Pitcher Canyon Road- The road from the pavement is good, county gravel composite for .7 more miles. It's not real rutted and likely would not have left either the mud we see on the tires, or been impassible by MC's car. However, it becomes a nasty, switchbacked private road at .7 miles, just past a house. It is posted no-tresspassing and goes right in front of the front window of a house. It is unlikely anyone would have dared venture past at that point. I didn't even like being there mid day in an SUV and promptly backed up and turned around.

I really do not think a perp would have walked past that place on his way out after dumping the car where it was left. And to get out the back way, they likely would have had to walk past that place, with a large picture window looking right out on their private road- with dogs running around and barking, etc. I just dont see someone being either stupid or brave enough to take this route.

If I'm correct in where the car was left, at the end of the pavement on Pitcher Canyon, near the entrance to the area where SH keeps misc. machinery and farm stuff, I just cannot see why anyone would have left the car there, either. But, alas, they did...

Furthermore, I'm pressed to figure how the tires would have gotten that much mud and type of mud. County gravel roads, are not that mud ridden, even when wet. After driving a ways up PC road past pavement today, and up Number two (another trip) my tires were no where near as muddy as MCs.

However, after travelling PC road, I drove up some neigboring roads. In all instances, most were county roads initally. A ways up, they all become "primative", are signed as such and are mostly dirt. One road- up past the turnoff to Mission Ridge, at at development called Whispering Meadows, the road turns to dirt, much like the end of the PC county to private road. I drove up it a bit, the car sunk in some, as it was soft and clay like. I had to put it in 4 wheel drive when I turned as I got stuck. I got out at the entrance and looked at my tires and sure enough they were covered with mud to the same degree as MC's.

Theory The mud on my tires tells me someone took that car up another dirt road that seemed passable before dumping it where it was left.

SpeculationI think it unlikely MC drove the car up there. The mud on those tires tells me someone went up with teh idea of dumping it and being picked up and decided against leaving it in at least one attempted spot as the road was muddy, somewhat impassable and they were wary of getting stuck, or of a possible accomplice not being able to pass on the road and pick them up.

I think Pitcher Canyon road was chosen as a last resort- I think the perp(s) had driven around trying to find a spot to dump the car- basically on the assumption it would be easy to just leave it "up in the hills". Pitcher Canyon Road is the last road off Squilchuck that does not appear to be residential before many house appear. Although there are quite a few houses on the road, you would not notice this from Squilchuck road when turning. I'm thinking whoever dumped the car turend up there hoping they could be rid of it finally. After driving by a number of houses and worrying about being seen, they left it in the first fairly dark spot they could find, by SH's lot, and got out, either on foot or by ride.

Great info. Maybe (assuming they did make it up farther) they turned back around because they didn't want to essentially park in front of someone's window and the Hurd's feedlot was a compromise.

All I can say is what I saw the day after she disappeared, and I wouldn't have attempted the portion of the road right after the feedlot in a million years in my sedan. And there was no gravel on that portion at all, just deep ruts in mud.

It's been much drier lately. Any chance that conditions are different now than then? Also wondering if the Hurd's or other neighbors have graded and graveled that portion very recently.

Re the weather on the day she disappeared and several consecutive days after, I recall it being grey and dreary. If there was rain it was probably only localized and intermittent. Temp was in the low 40's. There may have been sun breaks at certain times but it wasn't enough to inspire me to go out.

 

[alt.theory]

I really think the mud on the car was simply picked up in the spot it was found. It is a dirt driveway - mud this time of year. Not to be negative but I don't think it had anything to do with where the murder occured.

Well, it does seem possible that the dirt was picked up there. Because it wasn't driven back to the impound lot it was put on a flatbed, (just my assumption), therefore the dust wouldn't have come off of the tires. I think we could be mistaking dust on the tires for mud. And I don't see any around the wheel-wells, as if it was driven after going through mud.

That doesn't explain why the back of the car appears so dirt. The construction site theory for the murder scene is starting to gain traction, (especially if it is mud and not just dust on those tires). Maybe the killer had MC drive him to a construction site to pick something up? Maybe he drove it there with her wrapped up in trunk?

Unless YOU know otherwise the above is just speculation.

 

[alt.theory]

It doesn't seem very likely that her car was washed that day though, what do you guys think? The whole car seemed dirty, not just the tires.

I think the perp knew her as well. If she was shot out in the open like that case in January, then I would think it would be related but the circumstances are so different.

Yeah, hearing that the attendant at the car wash didn't seem to know anything, (according to a previous poster). Maybe that rumor is crap.

 

[peacegirl]

Another good point I hadn't considered, but the information we seem to have points to the body being placed there post-mortem. It would make sense if that was the place of the murder and the murderer could come back in their boat to further dispose of the body. I guess we don't know for sure where she was killed.

 

[Nancee Drue]

IMHO I believe the perp knew her...very well.

The shooter knew the 17 year old? or, Killer knew MC? or both?

 

[AutumnRose]

It doesn't seem very likely that her car was washed that day though, what do you guys think? The whole car seemed dirty, not just the tires.

I think the perp knew her as well. If she was shot out in the open like that case in January, then I would think it would be related but the circumstances are so different.

I'm thinking the same. Could be just another red car that someone thought might have been hers with a driver that had similar hair.......and a male passenger. It is still just a rumor. Maybe the video eliminated her car as having been there. Either that, or somebody drove it on a dirt road. We don't know when they moved the car either. Maybe it was the next day and the search teams and helicopters were kicking up some dust? I can see where the tires could get that dirty just backing it up and moving it forward to get it up on a platform truck. :banghead:

 

[alt.theory]

I'm thinking the same. Could be just another red car that someone thought might have been hers with a driver that had similar hair.......and a male passenger. It is still just a rumor. Maybe the video eliminated her car as having been there. Either that, or somebody drove it on a dirt road. We don't know when they moved the car either. Maybe it was the next day and the search teams and helicopters were kicking up some dust? I can see where the tires could get that dirty just backing it up and moving it forward to get it up on a platform truck. :banghead:

On the other hand, the front of the car does appear pretty clean. Doesn't it to you?

Would be interested to know when it was towed. Vehicles driving around it would kick up lots of dust.

 

[AutumnRose]

On the other hand, the front of the car does appear pretty clean. Doesn't it to you?

Would be interested to know when it was towed. Vehicles driving around it would kick up lots of dust.

I'm gonna go look at the parking lot video again to see if her tires look dirty there.

I can't tell. If I could zoom in, maybe.

 

[girlfawkes]

The shooter knew the 17 year old? or, Killer knew MC? or both?

The incident you are referring to was random in the sense that this girl wasn't intentionally shot- ie; she wasn't in the shooter's sites. It was a driveby and IIRC she was lying in bed and happened to be struck in the wrist by a bullet passing through the house. Someone else was also shot in the shin.

I don't think it's related, personally.

 

[ajfa]

Looking at the tires again on the picture, the dirt/dried mud seems to be on the sides of the tires a bit, and not just the tread. Possibly an indication that the car sunk in a little in the mud? Just my .02.

 

[del rio]

I worked in a law firm for years, and for many things like medical and bank info, we had to request/subpoena them from the originating party (hospital, doctor, bank, credit company, etc.) even if we had copies from the client.

The reason was that unless a set of records comes from the source, it isn't considered "clean" or "complete," because any other party could redact or otherwise alter them.

It's different for criminal cases. For one, subpoenas may only be issued when a case has already been filed. Usually in criminal matters, warrants are needed and issued before any charges have been filed. Plus, there are constitutional restrictions on the government's abilities to search and seize evidence and information.

Subpoena powers for civil cases is almost limitless, unlike criminal cases.

 

[alt.theory]

IMO whoever dumped the body next to the river did not have access to a boat. If they had a boat why not conceal the body inside the boat on land then take the boat to the river and go out and dispose of the evidence. It just doesn't make sense to transport the body to the rivers edge, then go get the boat and go back to pick up the body then take it out to dispose of it in the water.

IMO, you want to dispose of the body at night. Taking a boat out in the dark seems very suspicious. But if you only come back from fishing a little late the week or so after she went missing might not have been too suspicious - if the murderer was only a friend of the family or someone who knew MC but wasn't extremely close to her. I would have been suspicious of either parent if they went on a fishing trip in the first two weeks after their daughter went MISSING. With the daughter found that is another set of circumstances.

You are absolutely right. It doesn't make any sense when you think of the myriad of other ways to dispose of a body around the Wenatchee area. Still this could have fit the murder's plan.

 

[peacegirl]

The dumping of the car and the body both seem like they may not have gone as the "perp" planned. The rumored condition of the body sounds like a dismembering gone wrong. These things together lead me to believe she was possibly killed by accident by someone close to her doing something they shouldn't have been doing. I'm pretty sure this has been mentioned before but today it seems to be resurfacing.

 

[alt.theory]

Exactly. We know LE got warrants for MC's cell phone records. Therefore, either RC and/or WC refused to give consent to LE to obtain MC's cell phone records. ASSUMING it was WC who refused to give consent regarding MC's cell phone records, then why on earth would she consent to a search of the Spec house?

"...either RC and/or WC refused to give consent..."

Just because LE got a warrant does not mean one of parents refused consent. That doesn't match up with what I know of the FCC acts and such, (not sure which one). But I believe Fed law dictates that phone companies cannot give out cell phone records of this type to a simple law enforcement request, EVEN if the cell phone owner's parents have given permission. By FCC and telecommunication laws on this issue, police must have a warrant. (This is in place to protect the phone companies from lawsuits under privacy rights more than its meant to protect you or I from invasion of privacy).

Further, I highly doubt they would have even asked the parents for permission to access cell phone records. Besides, in the amount of time it would take to ask the parents the question, a warrant would have been verbally authorized by a judge with the paperwork pushed through in a heart-beat. This task force likely has a number to the courthouse that is answered in half a ring by the court clerk.

 

[AutumnRose]

IMO, you want to dispose of the body at night. Taking a boat out in the dark seems very suspicious. But if you only come back from fishing a little late the week or so after she went missing might not have been too suspicious - if the murderer was only a friend of the family or someone who knew MC but wasn't extremely close to her. I would have been suspicious of either parent if they went on a fishing trip in the first two weeks after their daughter went MISSING. With the daughter found that is another set of circumstances.

You are absolutely right. It doesn't make any sense when you think of the myriad of other ways to dispose of a body around the Wenatchee area. Still this could have fit the murder's plan.

IF the killer had a plan. If the killer snapped and killed her in a fit of rage.............probably not premeditated. Otherwise, I don't think the car would have been found right away........and neither would her remains.

 

[Miss Maple]

Miss Maple... I have a question and you dont have to answer of course... But, has JF's soon to be ex wife (your relative) seen JF since all of this has happened? I would imagine she has since they have 2 children together. Also, I believe he was living with WC so if he wasn't now I am sure SF would know if he was still. Do you know any of this information?

Yes, she has seen him since this has happened, but I'm not sure if he's living with WC again.

 

[Nancee Drue]

Rumor has it that he didn't attend the funeral or memorial. He must have been working?