ME ME - Anneliese Heinig, 37, Richmond, 26 Nov 2019 *vehicle found*

[PixieStix]

Just caught up with the threads and jumping in here because this case is strange for so many reasons!

I’m leaning towards she was harmed or abducted somewhere else and her car was ditched on the highway. Maybe staged to appear as not in her right mind/self-harm? I grew up in/currently live in Portland and drive this stretch of 295 all the time. The traffic is heavy between 630 and 830am, as many are driving into Portland from surrounding towns for work. If she got out of her car where they say she did and was walking, she’d have been seen by hundreds of cars. Hard to believe no one else has come forward as a witness to her walking on the side of the road. I’ve never seen a person walking on 295 north of Portland and if I did it would absolutely stand out.

Could something have happened to her in Richmond? Was she ever even actually driving on 295? And at that time? If a woman was walking right there, could it have been someone who looks like her who was involved in her disappearance? Where was her daughter in the days leading up to her disappearance? How did no one realize she was missing until Thanksgiving dinner?

There was a suspicious death in Richmond in October, quite close to where Anneliese lived. A man was found dead in his home and it’s still being investigated as a homicide by the state police. Maine certainly has crime like everywhere else, but not a ton, so to have a suspicious death and a missing woman in the same small town within a month is odd to me. Could be a coincidence, but certainly piques my curiosity.

I also want to echo what several other local people or people familiar with the area have expressed about the heavy presence of traffic during the time of day AH would have been stopped on the road and or walking along the highway. I have to believe it would not have been possible for her to jump or get off the highway in a way that would not have been seen as well as viewed as suspicious by people passing by.

@charliebarley The first thing that came to mind when I read about AH was the homicide investigation you mentioned that also occurred in Richmond. I don't think they are related, but it is still infrequent to have 2 significant events in that area.

I am not really sure what to think about this situation. There are many discrepancies with reporting and details. It is a very odd place to pull off and walk off if self-harm was the goal. There are a million other places all within a few miles that would be better suited to that purpose, this particular spot and time of day make me lean towards the potential for foul-play. If she wanted to disappear or worse, this is not the place to park your car and get out and walk away, that makes zero sense to me. She was so close to Portland literally right there next exit, it doesn't make sense not to continue at least to Portland. It also doesn't make sense that she would stop the car, thinking she was out of gas when clearly she could have tried to get to the exit and get closer to a gas station. So much of this just doesn't add up for any scenario mentioned. I have lots of questions!

 

[Steelslady]

I've had that happen to me, too. Often it's caused by moisture in the fuel lines, especially in cold or damp weather. The moisture will freeze and make a block, and when it melts the car runs fine, or the moisture is a big enough drop to block the fuel, but as the car sits, the drop breaks up and evaporates, and again the car appears to be fine.

Funny you should say that, as both myself and my friends' incidents happened during the winter months. I wonder if this could have happened to her, and maybe she thought she ran out of gas instead? Just trying to look at all angles here. Maybe she thought it would be quicker to get gas herself than wait for AAA?

 

[Meredith28]

This is nuts. I'm listening to the Maine Turnpike and State Police scanner and they just said that there is an abandoned RAV4 with no plates at the park and ride in Yarmouth that has been there....for A MONTH. Someone was going to read off the VIN so they could try to trace it, but an ENTIRE MONTH? There must be so many vehicles that get abandoned. That's scary stuff.

 

[rainynights]

State police respond to concerns raised by family of missing Maine woman over initial handling of investigation

[...]

Police continued their search for Heinig on Friday. The search for her has focused on the Prescumpscot River in the area where the car was found.

Heinig has two children, a teenage daughter and a 5-year-old son. Her family said they are in the process of making living arrangements for the children.

 

[ASheehy]

My husband and I just took a drive to see if there was any activity. First, we drove Middle Road (he drove so I could look) and we got stopped for a hydro excavation truck over the Middle Road/Rt. 9 bridge. This didn't seem to be related to the search for AH and there was no water patrol activity in the area.

Next, we jumped on 295 Northbound and got off at exit 10 (Bucknam Road). Headed northbound, we could see a police car and two other vehicles out on a hill/peninsula between exits 9 and 10. We looked at a map when we got home and my husband seemed to think it was out behind Magnolia Lane and Walmart. It's an area you can't really see in the summertime with the trees, but seems to be pretty open in winter. We didn't see anything worth noting, just noticed that that was where some search activity appeared to be happening. I have to think that LE has much more information on this case than they can release to the public, but I also worry, like others, about the two-day window when AH was missing but no one seemed to know.

If my car broke down north of that 295 bridge and I needed gas, I'd walk north just a bit and to the right there's actually a street that goes right up to Lunt rd - would just have to hop a fence and it'd bring you out very close to that Walmart...

 

[PixieStix]

I would like to know why she was heading south presumably to Portland? Did she have friends there besides her sister? It would be good to know what her intentions for traveling there were. Her mother seemed surprised to find out her car was found there, which tells me most likely if she were planning on visiting friends or doing some shopping, she would have mentioned it to her. I have not read anything from family or friends about what she was doing down there.

I was also thinking about all the water searches LE is doing in that area. They must have a reason for focusing so hard on that area, so logically I believe they probably have information they haven't released to the public. I did read an article that was shared here where LE stated because of additional information, they were concentrating on the searches on that area. I wonder if witnesses have come forward who passed by AH and saw her and reported it.

 

[carbuff]

Funny you should say that, as both myself and my friends' incidents happened during the winter months. I wonder if this could have happened to her, and maybe she thought she ran out of gas instead? Just trying to look at all angles here. Maybe she thought it would be quicker to get gas herself than wait for AAA?

That's what I'm thinking--sometimes AAA response times can be two or three hours if there are a lot of people with problems, which tends to happen more often in winter. If the car did stall for that reason, and she was only that short distance from the exit, it might really have seemed like grabbing some cash and walking was the quickest answer.

added: I don't know why she'd leave her phone, though. Maybe no pocket to carry it, and didn't want to bother with the extra weight of a purse?

My dad was a mechanic and I helped out around the shop growing up. Used to go out on calls with him sometimes, and I remember probably dozens of times where the car started right up when it got there--often the person had simply flooded the carburetor trying to start, or it was vapor lock, or an electrical wire had come loose going over a bump. The flooding and the loose wires don't happen much with new cars with all their solid-state components, but vapor lock is still a thing.

I should add, the closer the tank is to empty, the more likely you are to get vapor lock or freeze-up. Keeping your tank at least half full in winter drastically reduces the chances of it happening.

 

[zecats]

That's what I'm thinking--sometimes AAA response times can be two or three hours if there are a lot of people with problems, which tends to happen more often in winter. If the car did stall for that reason, and she was only that short distance from the exit, it might really have seemed like grabbing some cash and walking was the quickest answer.

added: I don't know why she'd leave her phone, though. Maybe no pocket to carry it, and didn't want to bother with the extra weight of a purse?

My dad was a mechanic and I helped out around the shop growing up. Used to go out on calls with him sometimes, and I remember probably dozens of times where the car started right up when it got there--often the person had simply flooded the carburetor trying to start, or it was vapor lock, or an electrical wire had come loose going over a bump. The flooding and the loose wires don't happen much with new cars with all their solid-state components, but vapor lock is still a thing.

I should add, the closer the tank is to empty, the more likely you are to get vapor lock or freeze-up. Keeping your tan at least half full in winter drastically reduces the chances of it happening.

All great points..and thanks for the tips.

Possible Anneliese wanted to handle things herself and not have family be aware that she had car issues? Maybe didn't want to be lectured for letting car run out of gas - so no call to sister or AAA, therefore no record of what happened. If she realized a gas station was not so far away, she could have decided to pop over there and be back and on her way. Maybe she didn't even want anyone to know she had been out and was headed back home from wherever. MOO

 

[Steelslady]

I would like to know why she was heading south presumably to Portland? Did she have friends there besides her sister? It would be good to know what her intentions for traveling there were. Her mother seemed surprised to find out her car was found there, which tells me most likely if she were planning on visiting friends or doing some shopping, she would have mentioned it to her. I have not read anything from family or friends about what she was doing down there.

I was also thinking about all the water searches LE is doing in that area. They must have a reason for focusing so hard on that area, so logically I believe they probably have information they haven't released to the public. I did read an article that was shared here where LE stated because of additional information, they were concentrating on the searches on that area. I wonder if witnesses have come forward who passed by AH and saw her and reported it.

Very true, but if this is the case, then why all the secrecy? Why not just say that witnesses saw her walking at such and such a location, where we are currently searching?

 

[Steelslady]

That's what I'm thinking--sometimes AAA response times can be two or three hours if there are a lot of people with problems, which tends to happen more often in winter. If the car did stall for that reason, and she was only that short distance from the exit, it might really have seemed like grabbing some cash and walking was the quickest answer.

added: I don't know why she'd leave her phone, though. Maybe no pocket to carry it, and didn't want to bother with the extra weight of a purse?

My dad was a mechanic and I helped out around the shop growing up. Used to go out on calls with him sometimes, and I remember probably dozens of times where the car started right up when it got there--often the person had simply flooded the carburetor trying to start, or it was vapor lock, or an electrical wire had come loose going over a bump. The flooding and the loose wires don't happen much with new cars with all their solid-state components, but vapor lock is still a thing.

I should add, the closer the tank is to empty, the more likely you are to get vapor lock or freeze-up. Keeping your tank at least half full in winter drastically reduces the chances of it happening.

My Dad always told us to never go below a half of a tank of gas, especially during the winter months.

I was thinking the same thing about how long it can take AAA to get there. I've used them on several occasions- some were there within minutes, while other times I had to wait 2-3 hours. If I thought that I was going to run out of gas, I'd walk to the nearest gas station myself and get a couple of gallons, enough to get me to the gas station to finish filling the tank up.

 

[zecats]

My Dad always told us to never go below a half of a tank of gas, especially during the winter months.

I was thinking the same thing about how long it can take AAA to get there. I've used them on several occasions- some were there within minutes, while other times I had to wait 2-3 hours. If I thought that I was going to run out of gas, I'd walk to the nearest gas station myself and get a couple of gallons, enough to get me to the gas station to finish filling the tank up.

Supposedly she had the option of calling her sister too though (who lives in Portland?) Just another piece of the story that adds to mystery and confusion. IMO

 

[carbuff]

Supposedly she had the option of calling her sister too though (who lives in Portland?) Just another piece of the story that adds to mystery and confusion. IMO

I can see thinking, "I don't want to bother my sister when she's trying to get to work/get kids ready for school/whatever, when there's a gas station just over there."

 

[charliebarley]

What if she pulled over for whatever reason, gas or another car issue, and a predator drove past and saw a pretty blonde woman alone, so they also pull over. Maybe she gets out, without her personal belongings, to just chat quickly with the nice person who stopped a ways in front of her SUV, perhaps be able to get some help. Maybe this is when a passerby saw her walking northbound. And maybe she’s then pulled into the person’s vehicle or gets in willingly thinking they’re helping her, and she’s then taken. Just a thought. Literally anything could have happened at this point.

 

[zecats]

I can see thinking, "I don't want to bother my sister when she's trying to get to work/get kids ready for school/whatever, when there's a gas station just over there."

Definitely. It's one thing if she was in the middle of nowhere. But she probably had access to a station close enough to walk to, so it seems at least. Depending on which way she was driving, which way she was walking, where her car actually was found, if she was north or south of the highway bridge..etc.

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

I have a lot of thoughts about this case, but right now am leaning towards foul play. However, I would like to know what her demeanor was like the night before, leading up to the concerning Facebook post/update/change (sorry not sure what it is called, I dont have FB). People have said that her daughter wasn't home, but that was Monday night/early Tues, not the nights her daughter was at a friend's, which I understood to be Tuesday and Wednesday night. Am I incorrect in that thinking, or missing some details? Or maybe this is just another thing to add to the confusing reporting list...

 

[Spider92]

I've had that happen to me, too. Often it's caused by moisture in the fuel lines, especially in cold or damp weather. The moisture will freeze and make a block, and when it melts the car runs fine, or the moisture is a big enough drop to block the fuel, but as the car sits, the drop breaks up and evaporates, and again the car appears to be fine.

You’re such a car buff

 

[Steelslady]

I have a lot of thoughts about this case, but right now am leaning towards foul play. However, I would like to know what her demeanor was like the night before, leading up to the concerning Facebook post/update/change (sorry not sure what it is called, I dont have FB). People have said that her daughter wasn't home, but that was Monday night/early Tues, not the nights her daughter was at a friend's, which I understood to be Tuesday and Wednesday night. Am I incorrect in that thinking, or missing some details? Or maybe this is just another thing to add to the confusing reporting list...

You're not the only one that is confused by this, and thank you for bringing this up!

I'd like to know which two days her daughter was at her friend's house as well. If she was home that night, was Anneliese in a good mood? Tired? Stressed? Couldn't sleep? Worried about someone or something? Then again, her daughter could have been in her room most of the night and not noticed anything out of the ordinary with Anneliese.

 

[Meredith28]

Now unexpectedly snowing in Falmouth. Looks like we are supposed to get 1" - 3" which probably isn't going to be helpful to LE in their search. No updates today from what I've seen, either

 

[CuriousMaine]

Dozens attend vigil in Brunswick for missing Richmond mother

 

[Artis]

State police respond to concerns raised by family of missing Maine woman over initial handling of investigation

[...]

Police continued their search for Heinig on Friday. The search for her has focused on the Prescumpscot River in the area where the car was found.

Heinig has two children, a teenage daughter and a 5-year-old son. Her family said they are in the process of making living arrangements for the children.

???

Haven't yet read the article, just your snip. Previous articles said the five year old boy lives with his father.