TX - James, 48 & Michelle Butler, 46, driving RV to Fort Lauderdale from Corpus Christi, 14 Oct 2019

[Lilibet]

Family stated they had been out west, had been working somewhere on the coast. They were headed to Florida to work at a Christmas tree farm, and were to start Nov 20. I believe Texas was a stop on the way and they also planned to visit New Orleans. So they appear to have been traveling and working odd jobs to support their journey. IMO

Yes, I understand, but it doesn’t take long to establish residency in Texas for RVers, so passing through Texas would allow them to conveniently change their residency/domicile to Texas if they wanted to before continuing on. Of course, we don’t know they did that, but I suspect they had Texas plates which would make it less conspicuous for whoever stole their truck and trailer and crossed the border.

ETA: This article indicates that they had already spent several months Workamping in Texas.
Rumney couple killed in Texas had been living an unconventional dream

Here’s how it’s done (helpful info for those planning to full time someday):

Texas · Escapees RV Club
Domicile · Escapees RV Club

 

[zecats]

Did I read that they were found in an area called "the bowl?"
Is this what that means?

County has plans for stretch of land on Padre Island
The beach area, also known as "The Bowl," will also be policed "to the extent it does not trigger environmental permitting or conflict with the preservation of the critical ecological functions of the barrier island system and waterway."

"The Bowl" is a popular part of the dunes where people drive all-terrain vehicles, like Jeeps or 4-wheelers, around for recreation. There are plans for the county to apply for dune restoration grant money to repair some of the damage, Cross said.

 

[zecats]

I find it unusual that someone who is not a local would know that 3 miles South of the pier is a good place to hide a body. Without the cell phone ping, they would have never been found.

How did the cell phone remain active and not confiscated by the suspect from Oct 14 to Oct 21? Where was the cell phone found on the body? In a pocket, or tossed on top?

That is where Michelle and James were camped. The bodies were buried right near the spot where they were camped. I imagine they were murdered and then dumped right there.

 

[cody22]

In the comments section of one of the news stories I read a few days ago, someone posted that the beaches in Corpus Christi can be dangerous. I had no idea.
Any locals on here can confirm that? (We were going birding near there next month in our rv, but will reconsider now)

I surf/wade fish the beaches from Port Lavaca down south to Corpus Christi often. I will not set foot on those beaches at night without being armed. I leave my vehicles unlocked with nothing of real value in them. ....... Tackle,cooler, etc., thieves abound down there sadly....Lots of good people also, but be aware of your surroundings ....moo

 

[zecats]

Yes, I understand, but it doesn’t take long to establish residency in Texas for RVers, so passing through Texas would allow them to conveniently change their residency/domicile to Texas if they wanted to before continuing on. Of course, we don’t know they did that, but I suspect they had Texas plates which would make it less conspicuous for whoever stole their truck and trailer and crossed the border.

Here’s how it’s done (helpful info for those planning to full time someday):

Texas · Escapees RV Club
Domicile · Escapees RV Club

You may be right. I confess I'm somewhat confused now after reading the account here. I didn't realize they had been traveling since summer of 2018, that they had been living and working on an oil rig in Texas previously to camping on Padre Island, nor that they had been camped there for 3 weeks.

Rumney couple killed in Texas had been living an unconventional dream

 

[not.a.muggle]

You are correct.

"The section of beach where both bodies were found, known to residents as "the bowl," is about three miles south of Bob Hall Pier and is a desolate section of beach."

Bodies found on Texas beach identified as New Hampshire couple

The bowl isn't really in a desolate part of the beach; KIII isn't winning any awards for their reporting. The Burners Without Borders are there all the time and people go there to party. The BWB group is posting about it on FB since they had a clean-up planned. It's an easily accessible area, which is why there are so many problems there with illegal driving and dumping.

Beaches in Texas are considered highways so a passing (or approaching) vehicle would not necessarily cause alarm. Shark fishermen are driving up and down the beach all night. I've been down to the 50 mile marker in the middle of the night and it's a heck of a lot scarier and more desolate than where they were murdered. I'm not sure what mile marker the beach goes to before the National Park boundary, but you can't go terribly far without hitting a locked gate and bollards. There is a stretch of closed beach where no driving is allowed south of the area where they were found.

I also don't think that the perps would necessarily need to be driving. As I said in a previous post, there are illegal immigrants there fairly often. They usually come in from the water and hide out in the dunes for days until they can get somewhere. I'm saying this based on info from the Park Service rangers whom I worked with at the Park. They sometimes had special operations at night where they were looking out for Mexican drug runners. They wouldn't have been on that section of beach though.

It's so bizarre to me that whoever did this would risk taking the RV. People have already said this so I'm just restating. Why not unhook it and get away with just the truck? What's going on with that RV?

 

[Lilibet]

You may be right. I confess I'm somewhat confused now after reading the account here. I didn't realize they had been traveling since summer of 2018, that they had been living and working on an oil rig in Texas previously to camping onPadre Island, nor that they had been camped there for 3 weeks.

Rumney couple killed in Texas had been living an unconventional dream

Yes, this article makes it more clear that they weren’t just passing through. I added it to my post. I really doubt whoever did this would choose someone without Texas plates if intending to drive inconspicuously into Mexico and remain there.

 

[otto]

County has plans for stretch of land on Padre Island
The beach area, also known as "The Bowl," will also be policed "to the extent it does not trigger environmental permitting or conflict with the preservation of the critical ecological functions of the barrier island system and waterway."

"The Bowl" is a popular part of the dunes where people drive all-terrain vehicles, like Jeeps or 4-wheelers, around for recreation. There are plans for the county to apply for dune restoration grant money to repair some of the damage, Cross said.

I feel like I'm reading something out of Monty Python again. It's a sensitive ecological site with preservation restrictions and it's an ATV hotspot looking for grants to repair ecology that was destroyed by recent ATV activity.

Either way, it's also a dumping ground for bodies. Someone with an ATV or knowledge of the site was involved in the murders.

This must be the ATV and burial site. How did the couple get there? Did they walk?

 

[Lilibet]

Why not unhook it and get away with just the truck? What's going on with that RV?

I wonder if the RV was intended to be a home in Mexico or even used for bringing illegal immigrants across the border. It might not be searched if it has Texas plates.

 

[not.a.muggle]

I feel like I'm reading something out of Monty Python again. It's a sensitive ecological site with preservation restrictions and it's an ATV hotspot looking for grants to repair ecology that was destroyed by recent ATV activity.

Either way, it's also a dumping ground for bodies. Someone with an ATV or knowledge of the site was involved in the murders.

This must be the ATV and burial site. How did the couple get there? Did they walk?

View attachment 212963

They were parked by it. It's an illegal ATV hotspot. I work for the feds and was involved in some of the work there.

 

[otto]

That is where Michelle and James were camped. The bodies were buried right near the spot where they were camped. I imagine they were murdered and then dumped right there.

Reports are that they were at the Padri Balli park, meaning they were perhaps parking close to the Bob Hall Pier.

Correction as well - they were missing from Oct 16 (not Oct 14) at noon. It was 5 days later that the vehicles crossed the border. Why so long between murders and border crossing?

"The Kleberg County Sheriff's Office has confirmed bodies found in a shallow grave on Padre Island are James and Michelle Butler, a couple who had been missing since October 16.
...

The section of beach where both bodies were found, known to residents as "the bowl," is about three miles south of Bob Hall Pier and is a desolate section of beach."​

Bodies found on Texas beach identified as New Hampshire couple

 

[zecats]

Reports are that they were at the Padri Balli park, meaning they were perhaps parking close to the Bob Hall Pier.

Correction as well - they were missing from Oct 16 (not Oct 14) at noon. It was 5 days later that the vehicles crossed the border. Why so long between murders and border crossing?

"The Kleberg County Sheriff's Office has confirmed bodies found in a shallow grave on Padre Island are James and Michelle Butler, a couple who had been missing since October 16.
...

The section of beach where both bodies were found, known to residents as "the bowl," is about three miles south of Bob Hall Pier and is a desolate section of beach."​

Bodies found on Texas beach identified as New Hampshire couple

View attachment 212964

Timeline from Family

Here is the timeline of when James and Michelle Butler were last seen, according to the Finding Michelle & James Butler Facebook Page:

Also linked:
James & Michelle Butler Killed, RV Driven Over Border | Heavy.com

• October 14: Checking out of Padre Balli Campground
• October 15: Last Facebook post was setting up on Burners Beach near Corpus Christi, Texas
• October 15: Michelle last spoke to her son.
• October 16: Last known text.
• October 17: Missed a scheduled Facetime with their granddaughter to see her open a package they sent from Flour Bluff.
• October 19: Camper last seen on Burners Beach without their truck.
• October 21: RV and truck were gone. GPS devices could not detect their vehicles.

 

[otto]

The bowl isn't really in a desolate part of the beach; KIII isn't winning any awards for their reporting. The Burners Without Borders are there all the time and people go there to party. The BWB group is posting about it on FB since they had a clean-up planned. It's an easily accessible area, which is why there are so many problems there with illegal driving and dumping.

Beaches in Texas are considered highways so a passing (or approaching) vehicle would not necessarily cause alarm. Shark fishermen are driving up and down the beach all night. I've been down to the 50 mile marker in the middle of the night and it's a heck of a lot scarier and more desolate than where they were murdered. I'm not sure what mile marker the beach goes to before the National Park boundary, but you can't go terribly far without hitting a locked gate and bollards. There is a stretch of closed beach where no driving is allowed south of the area where they were found.

I also don't think that the perps would necessarily need to be driving. As I said in a previous post, there are illegal immigrants there fairly often. They usually come in from the water and hide out in the dunes for days until they can get somewhere. I'm saying this based on info from the Park Service rangers whom I worked with at the Park. They sometimes had special operations at night where they were looking out for Mexican drug runners. They wouldn't have been on that section of beach though.

It's so bizarre to me that whoever did this would risk taking the RV. People have already said this so I'm just restating. Why not unhook it and get away with just the truck? What's going on with that RV?

Illegal aliens would not steal the truck/RV and then head back to Mexico, would they? Are they lurking in the dunes ready to pounce on unsuspecting tourists to commit murder, steal vehicle and return home?

 

[not.a.muggle]

Timeline from Family

Here is the timeline of when James and Michelle Butler were last seen, according to the Finding Michelle & James Butler Facebook Page:

• October 16: Last known text.
• October 17: Missed a scheduled Facetime with their granddaughter to see her open a package they sent from Flour Bluff.
• October 19: Camper last seen on Burners Beach without their truck.
• October 21: RV and truck were gone. GPS devices could not detect their vehicles.

So they (or the perps) possibly went into town and came back?

 

[not.a.muggle]

Illegal aliens would not steal the truck/RV and then head back to Mexico, would they? Are they lurking in the dunes ready to pounce on unsuspecting tourists to commit murder, steal vehicle and return home?

No, and I didn't mean to imply that illegal immigrants would. But drug runners definitely would.

 

[Lilibet]

Illegal aliens would not steal the truck/RV and then head back to Mexico, would they? Are they lurking in the dunes ready to pounce on unsuspecting tourists to commit murder, steal vehicle and return home?

I’m inclined to think that a legal resident of the U.S. stole the truck and RV to take to Mexico for either human or drug smuggling purposes. It would be a perfect cover if they are an American citizen or legal resident.

 

[zecats]

I’m inclined to think that a legal resident of the U.S. stole the truck and RV to take to Mexico for either human or drug smuggling purposes. It would be a perfect cover if they are an American citizen or legal resident.

Except I'd think the truck and RV would be more circumspect on the way into the US. Searching and paperwork requirements more stringent. IMO

 

[otto]

Timeline from Family

Here is the timeline of when James and Michelle Butler were last seen, according to the Finding Michelle & James Butler Facebook Page:

Also linked:
James & Michelle Butler Killed, RV Driven Over Border | Heavy.com

• October 14: Checking out of Padre Balli Campground
• October 15: Last Facebook post was setting up on Burners Beach near Corpus Christi, Texas
• October 15: Michelle last spoke to her son.
• October 16: Last known text.
• October 17: Missed a scheduled Facetime with their granddaughter to see her open a package they sent from Flour Bluff.
• October 19: Camper last seen on Burners Beach without their truck.
• October 21: RV and truck were gone. GPS devices could not detect their vehicles.

Does that mean that the truck GPS stopped working on Oct 21, or is that the last timestamp for the RV GPS? Both final vehicle GPS timestamps are on the same day?

Is there any information about where the truck was between Oct 16 and Oct 21?

 

[otto]

I’m inclined to think that a legal resident of the U.S. stole the truck and RV to take to Mexico for either human or drug smuggling purposes. It would be a perfect cover if they are an American citizen or legal resident.

It seems quite bold for an illegal alien to murder two tourists, steal their 2018 truck and RV, wait 5 days, then cross the border and vanish.

Was it a gamble to see if their silence (being missing) was in the news and then make a run for it? Why not make a run for it before the sun went down?

Was the appearance of the vehicles altered in any way when the suspect went through the Del Rio border?

 

[Yesiamapirate]

Timeline from Family

Here is the timeline of when James and Michelle Butler were last seen, according to the Finding Michelle & James Butler Facebook Page:

Also linked:
James & Michelle Butler Killed, RV Driven Over Border | Heavy.com

• October 14: Checking out of Padre Balli Campground
• October 15: Last Facebook post was setting up on Burners Beach near Corpus Christi, Texas
• October 15: Michelle last spoke to her son.
• October 16: Last known text.
• October 17: Missed a scheduled Facetime with their granddaughter to see her open a package they sent from Flour Bluff.
• October 19: Camper last seen on Burners Beach without their truck.
• October 21: RV and truck were gone. GPS devices could not detect their vehicles.

Thank you for this. I knew I read somewhere that the camper was seen still on the beach without the truck. I feel they were dead by then. Moo