MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #6

[Wolf Dreamer]

I understand that viewpoint. However, I think it's very irritating that he wont even relay a statement to the press and went as far as to hire a lawyer. Even about "How deeply sorry he is for the family" or.. anything. Perhaps he's just anti-social or worried about any ramifications?
IMHO~I want him to give us a reason to think he cares. If he's worried about his business more than he is about someone who's worked for him (possible for a few YEARS) what does that really say about how he feels about his employees?
Setting all business aspects aside;
How is he as a person?
I'm not suspicious of him, don't get me wrong. He's been cleared by LE. But that doesn't give him a reason to be an absolute Jerk. But that's just me. My Opinion Only.

Totally. But I equally think - what business is it of ours whether he cares or not? We're transient strangers, it's the people who know/work for him will know what he's like, and they're the ones he has to answer to as a person. But really, as long as LE are content with his position, the media - and through them, us - don't have any right to go invading his life just to fit our requirements. JMO

Of course, if it was Annie Meyer's room mate, I'd be helping them set up camp on her doorstep.....

 

[margarita25]

More than likely not related, but posting this just in case (white van / attempted abductions / possible ties to Michigan / both male and female child victims / perp described as older scruffy white male / perps described as 3 men in the van)

http://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/butler-county/Local-abduction-attempts-may-be-tied-to-cases-in-Mich-W-Va/-/13601510/19029900/-/c5oa1kz/-/index.html

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Good point. Not sure how many lights are left on outside at night when they are closed. Or even if cameras outside would be aimed at any place besides the pumps? ( where my daughter worked there were something like 16 cameras... but none in the back where they wanted employees to park. After my daughter refused to park there when she worked till close, they let employees park up in the lighted area...) This guy sounds cheap enough to just put cameras to protect his $$ at the pumps... wonder if there are any inside the store now?

Media reports indicated that the owner of the Exxon station and adjacent carwash installed video cameras within days of Jessica's disappearance.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Totally. But I equally think - what business is it of ours whether he cares or not? We're transient strangers, it's the people who know/work for him will know what he's like, and they're the ones he has to answer to as a person. But really, as long as LE are content with his position, the media - and through them, us - don't have any right to go invading his life just to fit our requirements. JMO

Of course, if it was Annie Meyer's room mate, I'd be helping them set up camp on her doorstep.....

Well said. The fact that the owner brought an attorney into this situation doesn't sound at all suspicious to me, either. Most business owners retain legal counsel and seek their advice in many different circumstances. The Exxon owner was in an uncomfortable position and sought the advice of experts. He is not considered a person of interest in the case and has since installed surveillance cameras on his property. End. Of. Story. :moo:

 

[elidar]

If sadly, my fears are proven correct--and Jessica has been murdered and they find her. I would not be surprised in fact I would expect a "wrongful death" civil lawsuit filed against the station owner by fiance and family--against even EXXON--deep pockets--their liability in relationship to their stations would be interesting to find out

statues differ from state to state but Michigan has one--generally "Wrongful Death" is about ensuring financial support for spouses and orphaned children.

The station owner in his cheapskate managerial ignorance contributed to her abduction and death--I am sure there are not many stations without cameras--

 

[Seajay]

Almost 3 months later and still no sign of Jessica and no leads. I'm always amazed when someone disappears and there isn't a search. That usually means they don't have a clue where to search. They have no idea where she went, or where to look.

I wish for her family that some answers are forthcoming.

 

[SteveP]

If sadly, my fears are proven correct--and Jessica has been murdered and they find her. I would not be surprised in fact I would expect a "wrongful death" civil lawsuit filed against the station owner by fiance and family--against even EXXON--deep pockets--their liability in relationship to their stations would be interesting to find out

statues differ from state to state but Michigan has one--generally "Wrongful Death" is about ensuring financial support for spouses and orphaned children.

The station owner in his cheapskate managerial ignorance contributed to her abduction and death--I am sure there are not many stations without cameras--

There may very well be a wrongful death suit brought if she is found dead, but in order to win, I would think it would have to be shown that if cameras were installed, she most likely would not have been abducted. And with all of the crimes that happen in locations that have cameras operating each day, i.e., bank robberies, other armed robberies and thefts, and the like, I believe that it would be difficult to persuade a jury that cameras would have prevented this. JMO

 

[nerosleuth]

You've mentioned key points about the owner of the Exxon station. He probably regrets his defensive reaction, but I think some of it indicated fear of what might happen further down the road in the investigation. His attorneys likely suggested that he have surveillance cameras installed immediately to prevent another similar incident. I'm sure that the owner is hoping that there won't be any serious repercussions due to his earlier negligence in having video monitors. To us it seems like too little, too late, but the owner took necessary steps to make his business operation safe for employees and customers. He is not directly responsible for Jessica's disappearance and has to protect his investment. :moo:

There are two kinds of service stations, oil company owned and operated stations and independently owned franchise stations.

I would say that the station where Jessica worked at was an independently owned franchise station. A indepent franchise station is a station operated by an independent owner who has a contract with an oil company to sell the oil company's products.

I think it's more likely that the owner was told by the corporate office to install security cameras at the station or risk losing the franchise contract as oil companies don't like adverse publicity involving their company name and brand name.

I believe that if the station where Jessica worked had been an oil company owned and operated station, there would have security cameras inside and outside the station which could have given LE a whole lot better picture and description of the suspect and vehicle involved in the first place.

 

[YidArmyRach]

If sadly, my fears are proven correct--and Jessica has been murdered and they find her. I would not be surprised in fact I would expect a "wrongful death" civil lawsuit filed against the station owner by fiance and family--against even EXXON--deep pockets--their liability in relationship to their stations would be interesting to find out

statues differ from state to state but Michigan has one--generally "Wrongful Death" is about ensuring financial support for spouses and orphaned children.

The station owner in his cheapskate managerial ignorance contributed to her abduction and death--I am sure there are not many stations without cameras--

Surely Jessica chose to work there knowing that there weren't cameras? No one forced her to work there, and she was seemingly happy enough to work on her own at the station that night without even taking her mobile with her.

I'm not saying its right - in fact I think that there should have been cameras - but I can't see that the station owner can be sued or held responsible for any part of her death should Jessica have been murdered. The only person responsible would be the killer(s).

Her fiance must have been happy enough for her to work there at night, whilst he stayed at home with their son - or surely he would have been working instead?

I'm not blaming anyone here, and hope it doesn't sound like I am.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Almost 3 months later and still no sign of Jessica and no leads. I'm always amazed when someone disappears and there isn't a search. That usually means they don't have a clue where to search. They have no idea where she went, or where to look.

I wish for her family that some answers are forthcoming.

Jessica went missing on April 26. It was seven weeks ago this past Friday night - barely two months, let alone three.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

If sadly, my fears are proven correct--and Jessica has been murdered and they find her. I would not be surprised in fact I would expect a "wrongful death" civil lawsuit filed against the station owner by fiance and family--against even EXXON--deep pockets--their liability in relationship to their stations would be interesting to find out

statues differ from state to state but Michigan has one--generally "Wrongful Death" is about ensuring financial support for spouses and orphaned children.

The station owner in his cheapskate managerial ignorance contributed to her abduction and death--I am sure there are not many stations without cameras--

I've considered the possibility of a "wrongful death" lawsuit against the Exxon station owner and/or Exxon corporate, but there would be several major hurdles to overcome: a body, cause of death, proof that surveillance cameras could or would have prevented Jessica's abduction and/or subsequent death, etc.

I doubt that Jessica's family/fiancé have the financial means to pursue a lawsuit of this magnitude. They would have to get lucky and find an attorney to take the case on a contingency, and, without significant proof that the Exxon owner/franchisee was negligent in not having video cameras in his business and that this led to Jessica's abduction and (possibly) subsequent death is a stretch. :moo:

 

[JoCoKSEyes]

This may not be popular, but I believe the answer to this mystery is right in front of us. Very close to home.

 

[Flutterby80]

I think you are right, Treelights. Any exposure is good, but both JVM and NG are terrible when it comes to getting facts straight. I think most likely they only know what their copy writers hand them, and they spend so much time talking over guests, they tend to get facts wrong very frequently. JMO

The only gas stations in "the vicinity" are the Meijer station which is up over a hill and maybe 3/4 mile away, the Speedway on Grand Haven Rd and Pontaluna which I would say is couple of miles away, and the 2 gas stations on the corner of Grand Haven Rd and Airport Rd. Those are the 2 just past Homestead and Boyer's Coins (or Coin Zone, I guess they are calling it now). There are no gas stations that could be considered adjacent to the Exxon by any stretch of the imagination. The show has bad information.

It really bothers me that these "news" outlets do not check the details of their information. Shows like these can't even use the "breaking news" excuse. This is all old information! As the host of a national show that is named after you, would you not hire people you can trust to not make you look like a misinformed idiot?

 

[Flutterby80]

I just want to say that I haven't stopped thinking about Jessica. I think about her all the time! And I think about the fact that there is a guy (or multiple people) out there who has not been caught. I just don't know what to say anymore that could be helpful. I wish I did.

 

[Seajay]

Jessica went missing on April 26. It was seven weeks ago this past Friday night - barely two months, let alone three.

Ok, two months. I stand corrected.

 

[Some1Nose]

First of all, I want to clarify that in my last post #499, I meant “guitar” shop vs. “cigar” shop, and I’m not even dyslexic! LOL

I’m still not clear on the number of actual witnesses? There was someone (guitar store employee?) between 9 pm - 9:30 pm who saw a male with a silver or gray van getting gas and talking to Jessica outside the station. And then there was the coworker and her husband who saw a van parked near the back of the station while Jessica was still there shortly before 11:00 pm?

Why is the van seen at 9:00 pm..ish considered the suspect vehicle? Since that was nearly two hours before Jessica’s abduction. There are only so many colors for minivans translating in to there being thousands of silver/gray minivans. Was there video of the 9:00 pm..ish minivan recorded and matched to the video footage of the 11:00 pm..ish minivan?

I know this has been hashed over before, and I’m in no way saying she is suspect, but wondering why the coworker did not go over to the station since she was in the vicinity and thought something didn’t look right. Or, at the very least, call Jessica on the station phone to see if everything was okay…maybe she did
call, who knows.

So…is LE going off the suspect description of the coworker only…do we know?

It seems we don’t know much of anything about this case…very frustrating!

IMOO

 

[Some1Nose]

First of all, imo LE needs to make pleas to the public to try to recall if any family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. acted strangely right after 4/26. For example, changed their appearance, meticulously cleaned their vehicle (whether it be a silver/gray minivan or not), sold their vehicle or said it was stolen, were standoffish, secretive, missed appointments, drank or took mind altering drugs more, anything that was out of the ordinary or excessive.

In Mickey Shunick’s case, her murderers fiance’s father phoned in a tip because the abductor/murderer was acting strangely and had stab wounds that he couldn’t explain well.

Secondly, I do not understand why LE seems opposed to outside people conducting searches. SAR K9 teams need to scour the area surrounding where Jessica was abducted from outward to cover a 15 or so mile radius, imo. And, with all the water in the area, sonar searches and K9 water searches could help rule out possibilities. While they may not find her, they may find valuable clues.

Action is the key word here…I’m sure LE is doing much more than we are aware, just hope they’re doing all they possibly can to bring Jessica home!

 

[TxLady2]

I've considered the possibility of a "wrongful death" lawsuit against the Exxon station owner and/or Exxon corporate, but there would be several major hurdles to overcome: a body, cause of death, proof that surveillance cameras could or would have prevented Jessica's abduction and/or subsequent death, etc.

I doubt that Jessica's family/fiancé have the financial means to pursue a lawsuit of this magnitude. They would have to get lucky and find an attorney to take the case on a contingency, and, without significant proof that the Exxon owner/franchisee was negligent in not having video cameras in his business and that this led to Jessica's abduction and (possibly) subsequent death is a stretch. :moo:

People win wrongful death lawsuits all the time. I would think the Exxon corporation would not want their name attached to a case like this where lack of security cameras contributed to the abduction/death of anyone. I understand that it's the owner's responsibility if he owns the station outright, but it still has the Exxon name attached to it, and it's bad publicity.
I do agree that they would need the body, but I don't think the rest of it would be that hard to prove, with a good lawyer on board. Most of them will take a case like this in a heartbeat, and not require much money up front, only ask for a percentage of the settlement.
I do most strongly feel that the lack of cameras has hindered this case. I don't think for one minute that Jessica took off for parts unknown without her belongings. Somebody took her. I hope she's alive, but I fear that she will be found dead, sooner or later. I wish these store owners would wake up and realize that it's dangerous for a young woman to work late shifts by themselves.
JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I know that Jessica's parents are estranged and that she lived with her dad for a while in Muskegon, but has Jessica's father ever talked to the media about her disappearance? I don't recall seeing him speak or even reading comments from him about his daughter's disappearance.

 

[Treelights]

http://fox17online.com/2013/05/13/e...own-with-jessica-heeringas-dad/#axzz2TGxCo0nf

"The past two weeks have been excruciating for Jessica’s Dad and Stepmom, Pete and Christina Jenkins. Pete says, “My daughters gone and nobody knows where she is.” He hasn’t seen Jessica in seven months saying distance and losing touch are to blame. “I just want her back, that’s all.” Pete says."



Read more: http://fox17online.com/2013/05/13/e...own-with-jessica-heeringas-dad/#ixzz2WU9IHg8r