MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #7

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Also, was going to add about the cell phone issue.
I wonder if they both didn't have their own cell phone. But yet shared one due to not being able to always pay the bill? Could these have been pre payed phones?
I have a pre payed smart phone and when I run out of min I still bring it every where with me. It has my games on it, contacts, calender to put in my work scheduled, and also sometimes bring it just for the camera. Also sometimes if there is wifi I can still get on facebook and WS.
It's just a thought. I haven't read nothing about this maybe being the case. But it could explain how they shared a phone yet she did have her own. Maybe she was waiting for payday to put more min on it and until then they were in fact sharing a phone.
 
giagreen said:
Also, was going to add about the cell phone issue.
I wonder if they both didn't have their own cell phone. But yet shared one due to not being able to always pay the bill? Could these have been pre payed phones?
I have a pre payed smart phone and when I run out of min I still bring it every where with me. It has my games on it, contacts, calender to put in my work scheduled, and also sometimes bring it just for the camera. Also sometimes if there is wifi I can still get on facebook and WS.
It's just a thought. I haven't read nothing about this maybe being the case. But it could explain how they shared a phone yet she did have her own. Maybe she was waiting for payday to put more min on it and until then they were in fact sharing a phone.
Click to expand...

Jessica's fiancé specifically mentioned in an early interview that he had their shared cell phone and immediately contacted everyone in their address book to see if anyone had seen or heard from Jessica. At least one media report suggested that a cell phone was found with Jessica's belongings on the counter at the Exxon station. I think that Jessica might have had her own cell phone, and it's possible that Dakota didn't know about it. :moo:
 
I am also picturing it as one of those usual back doors that is heavy and possibly locks when it is closed on it's own. That is what I see at many businesses but it is possible it's just your average door. I have so many questions and really no answers to things that seem so simple. How many people noticed the lights, the door? That can help give a time frame and we could see if the door and lights were open and lights off before this perp came around or if it was after and left that way when LE arrived.

If there was a struggle right in that area and it was inside the store area the perp may have had to prop the door to carry her out maybe? A lot of those auto lock doors you have a button you push then you push on the door to open so if it was like that and also heavy it may be difficult to carry Jessica and manage the back door as well thus needing to prop it open.

The perp really had such a small window of time and a customer could have come in off the hwy at any moment. I find it hard to believe that this person on a whim decided to abduct someone and happened to pick a gas station with no cameras that happened to already have the back lights off and the door open providing him the perfect opportunity. I just can't believe that he did not know that store well already

Can someone who has been there tell me what the restroom situation is like in that Exxon? Does one need to ask the clerk for a key to use it or is it always open? Is it right off the main store area or would someone need to head into the back area a bit to use it? I have seen gas stations where the restrooms are toward the back and when I use them I always feel kind of awkward like I am intruding on an employee only zone. I ask about the restrooms as perhaps on a prior visit if the restrooms were not right in front he was able to get a look at the back area by saying he needed to use the facilities.

To me it doesn't add up that she was out for a cig with the cash drawer right out in the open and the lights off in the back area. I personally would feel paranoid that someone would walk in unseen and grab the cash and I would be in big trouble and about being out back with no lighting at all. I think that she would secure the cash prior to going out there unless something happened that startled her or got her immediate attention and she rushed to see what was wrong or he parked at the side went in the front where she was counting cash and took her out the back right into his waiting car which is what makes the most sense to me.

The perp could go in the front make sure no one was there but him, grab Jessica and force her out the back and if a customer were to have come in before he made it outside that would give him a head start and the customer probably would not notice right away the clerk was not someone in the store. By that time his car was right there waiting and he could be in it with Jess and out of the parking lot before someone that came in the front door even caught on.

My opinion is that this was a regular customer or someone that had at least at one time worked there that knew the layout of the main store and the back as well. If it is a regular I suppose it could go wither way. Who used to come in a lot but all of a sudden doesn't? I wouldn't rely on that though as I feel it's just as likely he still goes to the Exxon as to keep up his usual pattern.

I agree that this feels solvable and it's frustrating that there doesn't seem to be much progress. What are in those little details from the interviews? Why would another employee watch the area and not actually call or pull in seeing something out of the ordinary? Did any area cameras confirm that the employee and her husband in fact parked where they say they did and show how long they were parked there watching? Did the same cameras that picked up the van show the witness's vehicle at any time to confirm that version of events? Where there is not real alibi aside from husband/wife saying they were there together I don't see how LE could rule them out completely without some sort of visual evidence.
 
I am wondering if the perp knew that there would be customers in the store shortly after 11pm, as the 911 caller expressed that he goes to the Exxon regularly after work, and he arrived at 11:07pm. So invariably, in order not to be seen, the perp would have had to abduct her before the 11pm work crowd gets off work and could arrive at the station.
 
Can someone who has been there tell me what the restroom situation is like in that Exxon? Does one need to ask the clerk for a key to use it or is it always open? Is it right off the main store area or would someone need to head into the back area a bit to use it? I have seen gas stations where the restrooms are toward the back and when I use them I always feel kind of awkward like I am intruding on an employee only zone. I ask about the restrooms as perhaps on a prior visit if the restrooms were not right in front he was able to get a look at the back area by saying he needed to use the facilities.



Lorin, the restroom is inside the building, in a corner between the checkout and the backdoor. Unlocked. The building is a rectangle, checkout/restroom across one end. Very brightly lit inside. We sleuthed it, and while my DH was using the bathroom I inspected the back door - noticed there was a large wooden stick (along with other junk) in a pile by the door. Other sleuths feel this stick is mostly likely used to prop the door open. So, I'm guessing the door would lock by itself.

I actually remember the night of April 26, only because we've had a long winter that just wouldn't let go, and it was the first day that actually felt like spring. We went for a walk in the woods that evening. I know other Michiganders get stir crazy in winter, maybe she had the door propped open to enjoy the relatively warm day? (warm for Michigan, that is)

At this point, I think it's starting to sound like a few old cold cases that were recently solved around here, like the Janet Chandler case. 30 years ago, the police were pretty sure who the perps were, but it took years for people to start 'fessing up. I suspect the police have a pretty good idea who did this, just can't get enough evidence, hence the relative silence on their part - just waiting for someone to screw up? And if that is the case, what's the best thing for us Websleuthers to do? Just sit back and wait? I don't know. This case has been so frustrating. I feel so terrible for her fiance and family.
 
For anyone who has worked at a gas station/convenience store or knows someone who has:

What duties/responsibilities would employees have when they work the closing shift?

Approximately how long would it take to complete the expected tasks?
 
It's getting close to 3 months since Jessica went missing and the task force has disbanded. It seems like people are giving up on Jessica. It sucks cuz we have nothing new to work with and we keep going over what we were given. No new answers. It's had to keep a discussion alive without something new to gnaw on.

So many of these cases just aren't going anywhere. Unless a body is found, there is no movement in this cases.
 
Police should hang their heads. They utterly failed this poor girl. Couldn't ID a van they had on camera in 3 months. Absurd.
 
On another site people in Michigan were waiting for november hunting season as the time that they expect Jessica to be found. Everyone s concerned that very few seaarches have been made for her.
 
BetteDavisEyes said:
For anyone who has worked at a gas station/convenience store or knows someone who has:

What duties/responsibilities would employees have when they work the closing shift?

Approximately how long would it take to complete the expected tasks?
Click to expand...

I worked at an EZ Mart gas station/convenience store about 45 minutes from Jessica. When I closed, I had to mop and clean the bathroom, take care of garbage, restock the coolers, mop the store, close out the register and straighten up anything that needed it. How long it took really depended on how busy you were. If it was a slow night you would be able to do some of these things before locking the door. If you had to wait until the store was locked to do any work it would take an hour or a bit more. I was scared to close and frequently did it alone. However, I needed a summer job to pay college tuition. We lived in a small town where nothing bad happens, but my dad knew what time I was supposed to be home and if I wasn't there he came looking for me.

Sadly, we Michiganders often think about deer hunters finding people who go missing. We were hoping the same for Baby Kate who went missing (and still is) from my home town.
 
I have to agree the police have failed. We have a 10 out of 10 sketch, eyewitness, video of the van yet no solid leads. They dropped the ball securing additional video along potential routes or at local businesses the perp may have visited within 24 hours of abduction. They also should be able to compare sketch to driver's license photos to narrow down potential suspects. Yet nothing.
 
goldenbear said:
On another site people in Michigan were waiting for november hunting season as the time that they expect Jessica to be found. Everyone s concerned that very few searches have been made for her.
Click to expand...

Hope the hunter's have more luck in the field than LE had with their computer searches for the mini-van owner.
 
dulcinea said:
I worked at an EZ Mart gas station/convenience store about 45 minutes from Jessica. When I closed, I had to mop and clean the bathroom, take care of garbage, restock the coolers, mop the store, close out the register and straighten up anything that needed it. How long it took really depended on how busy you were. If it was a slow night you would be able to do some of these things before locking the door. If you had to wait until the store was locked to do any work it would take an hour or a bit more. I was scared to close and frequently did it alone. However, I needed a summer job to pay college tuition. We lived in a small town where nothing bad happens, but my dad knew what time I was supposed to be home and if I wasn't there he came looking for me.

Sadly, we Michiganders often think about deer hunters finding people who go missing. We were hoping the same for Baby Kate who went missing (and still is) from my home town.
Click to expand...

There are more closing duties that I thought there would be, and it would be an awful lot to expect from one person who had worked a long shift already. I'm sure that you're glad that you did it so that you could go to college. I worked for parks & rec during the summers and in the dorm office to help finance my college education.

I'm afraid that we might have to wait until hunting season if Jessica was killed and her remains tossed in a remote wooded area. It's been 12 weeks since she went missing, and I have little hope any more that she'll be found alive and well. :(
 
goldenbear said:
On another site people in Michigan were waiting for november hunting season as the time that they expect Jessica to be found. Everyone s concerned that very few seaarches have been made for her.
Click to expand...

The lack of searches has baffled me from the beginning of this case. :confused:
 
As ninjapoof said in Terrilynn's thread one time, this is bull excrement.
 
Tangie said:
Can someone who has been there tell me what the restroom situation is like in that Exxon? Does one need to ask the clerk for a key to use it or is it always open? Is it right off the main store area or would someone need to head into the back area a bit to use it? I have seen gas stations where the restrooms are toward the back and when I use them I always feel kind of awkward like I am intruding on an employee only zone. I ask about the restrooms as perhaps on a prior visit if the restrooms were not right in front he was able to get a look at the back area by saying he needed to use the facilities.



Lorin, the restroom is inside the building, in a corner between the checkout and the backdoor. Unlocked. The building is a rectangle, checkout/restroom across one end. Very brightly lit inside. We sleuthed it, and while my DH was using the bathroom I inspected the back door - noticed there was a large wooden stick (along with other junk) in a pile by the door. Other sleuths feel this stick is mostly likely used to prop the door open. So, I'm guessing the door would lock by itself.

I actually remember the night of April 26, only because we've had a long winter that just wouldn't let go, and it was the first day that actually felt like spring. We went for a walk in the woods that evening. I know other Michiganders get stir crazy in winter, maybe she had the door propped open to enjoy the relatively warm day? (warm for Michigan, that is)

At this point, I think it's starting to sound like a few old cold cases that were recently solved around here, like the Janet Chandler case. 30 years ago, the police were pretty sure who the perps were, but it took years for people to start 'fessing up. I suspect the police have a pretty good idea who did this, just can't get enough evidence, hence the relative silence on their part - just waiting for someone to screw up? And if that is the case, what's the best thing for us Websleuthers to do? Just sit back and wait? I don't know. This case has been so frustrating. I feel so terrible for her fiance and family.
Click to expand...

:websleuther: :detective:
 
goldenbear said:
On another site people in Michigan were waiting for november hunting season as the time that they expect Jessica to be found. Everyone s concerned that very few seaarches have been made for her.
Click to expand...

Sadly, without organized searches with people specifically looking for Jessica, the likelihood of her being found is not very good. I also thought hunters may be able to find Kelli Bordeaux, but she has been gone since April of last year now and no one has stumbled upon her remains. Likewise, Holly Bobo still hasn't been found, and she lived in a rural area where most likely a higher than average percentage of the residents like to hunt. Brittany Drexel has been missing a bit over four years now and still hasn't been found. We like to think that hunters may find the missing because they are out in the woods, but we have to remember, they are not out in the woods looking for human remains, they are usually looking for deer or turkey, so it would just be an unlikely stroke of good fortune if they were to find someone's remains. JMO
 
SteveP said:
Sadly, without organized searches with people specifically looking for Jessica, the likelihood of her being found is not very good. I also thought hunters may be able to find Kelli Bordeaux, but she has been gone since April of last year now and no one has stumbled upon her remains. Likewise, Holly Bobo still hasn't been found, and she lived in a rural area where most likely a higher than average percentage of the residents like to hunt. Brittany Drexel has been missing a bit over four years now and still hasn't been found. We like to think that hunters may find the missing because they are out in the woods, but we have to remember, they are not out in the woods looking for human remains, they are usually looking for deer or turkey, so it would just be an unlikely stroke of good fortune if they were to find someone's remains. JMO
Click to expand...

Just this past week, the body of Brenna Machus was discovered not far from the Family Dollar Store in Dearborn (MI) where her colleague was found murdered on Tuesday morning. It was believed at first that Brenna had been abducted and was perhaps being held against her will, but she was apparently shot to death like the other employee. After only two days, Brenna's body was already decomposing and could not be positively identified without dental records and her clothing.

I know that this will sound gruesome, but the reality is that Jessica has been missing for 12 weeks (last night), and it's unlikely that there would be much in the way of remains besides bones. The only thing that makes me think that hunters and/or their dogs might discover something is that hunting season very popular in Michigan, and there will be thousands of hunters roaming wooded areas statewide. Like you said, without organized searches, there is little hope that Jessica will be found if she's deceased. :moo:
 
BetteDavisEyes said:
For anyone who has worked at a gas station/convenience store or knows someone who has:

What duties/responsibilities would employees have when they work the closing shift?

Approximately how long would it take to complete the expected tasks?
Click to expand...

It really depends on the store. But if there is a coffee/pop machine I usually would start with that first. Turn it off, clean it...ect. Then I would make sure everything was stocked. Then typically I would count the cigarets and lottery tickets. Then check the bathrooms, empty the garbage. If bathrooms were messy or needed anything then clean them. In between all this I would be waiting on consumers as they come and go. I would empty all the garbage and typically set it aside like Jessica seemed to have done. The garbage was always something I could take out on my way to my car when I was going home for the night. Then I would work on moping the floor well I waited for it to be time to close. Five-ten min to closing I would always shut off the big sign light in front so the customer flow would slow down. I'd also shut off all other lights there were no longer needed at this point. Only leaving on the lights at the gas pumps and one small light to indicate we were still open just so I wouldn't get yelled at by my boss for closing to early. Typically it was for the regulars who would actually complain about lights not being on. And once it was officially closing time...I'd lock the doors and count down my till. I'd never count my till unless doors were locked.
Now the thing is that there is no set way to close down a store. You can go in what ever order you wanted or worked for you just as long as all your duties were done by the end of the night. From the sounds of this Exxon the boss wouldn't care how you closed as long as it was all finished.
I would start my clean up about an hour before close. So by the time I locked the doors all I had to do was count the till. I could get the till counted down in about five min if everything added up. If another employee or myself had over rang something earlier in the day then it would sometimes take longer because I couldn't leave till all my cigarets and till money added up to what it should be. Sometimes if it was really busy like 4th July weekend or something I would have to mop after closing and that would take longer. But on a typical night when things were slow and I was able to do my normal closing I would be out of there about 15 min after closing.
 
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