TN TN - Robert Adams, 31, Knoxville, July 1996

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I am starting to think his death was an accident. The commonly held theory is that he died of internal bleeding from being punched in the stomach. Now, the lead detective says he thinks the victim was run over, according to a recent news cast. There were road rashes on the body. It's possible he was thrown from a car, then hit or run over. The only DNA collected was a woman's strand of hair.

If I tell you what I really think happened, it will sound like I am trashing the victim, which wouldn't be right, so I'll just stick to the facts.

The victim's step dad said recently that the reason he stopped in Knoxville was because he was on his way to the Olympics in Atlanta. Prior to that comment, no one knew why he was in Knoxville. His step dad is bitter about it and basically said the chance of the case ever being solved is "remote as hell".
 
This is a strange case....I've never heard about it before...I've stayed in the Strawberry Plains area while visiting Gaithersburg...I think it's a nice area...

I watched a little of the video above... Did LE suspect a sexual assault because his pants were pulled down... Since he was renting hotels and buying plane tickets, was someone able to track him down...Did he provide his location to a trusted friend and they unknowingly told the wrong person...

Robbery wasn't the motive...Unless it was dark out and the killer only noticed the Canadian money and did not realize there was American money mixed with it...There aren't currency exchanges all over, but primarily in points of entry in the US (borders and airports)...What could he do with Canadian money...It could've lead back to them as the attacker...

I remember going into a gas station down south and being told they don't take foreign money...I live in the US and somehow I had a Canadian dime...I had a good laugh about that...

I think he may have encountered someone walking or a hitchhiker...I don't think the killing was intentional, but they beat him up...Who would anticipate someone dying from a punch in the stomach...However, if he was hit by a car, it was the murder...Perhaps an expert in forensic medical examination can determine if it was a car or a punch/hit to the stomach...This is a lot of speculation on my part...
 
I always thought the answer to the mystery in this case lie in what He could have had that someone desired or needed to the point of murder (although perhaps not 1st degree in this theory)
The inside out socks and the evidence someone/something was in his rectum points to someone searching for something. The amount of cash and jewelry they left in blatant sight points to it being not of "traditional value" (i.e like data on a USB although at this time I do t think they were widely in use if at all) The way he was killed also doesn't seem like a typical murder, I doubt you'd be able to tell you'd dealt a lethal blow of that sort immediately, and if you'd wanted him dead to the point of following him thousands of miles why not deal one more blow you can actually see, it would only take a second. More likely they only cared about getting whatever they were after his death seems like it was inconsequential. That is assuming that it was not a random crime, but i think the point that the money was removed and then scattered points to that. What criminal would violently immobilize someone to rifle their pockets and just throw away the money and jewelry? One who is looking for something more valuable (at least to him/her/them), And figuring out whatever that hypothetical object was, I believe could help lead to the killer. I wonder what/who/where he would have had access to that he could have obtained whatever it was they could have been after. I mean it either has to be a completely random crime, and a truly baffling one if so, or it has to be a totally targeted attack that involved tracking him across national and state lines and I presume a lot of effort and time. I think if you can figure out what he had, you could start to figure out who wanted it.

(Something I was watching just reminded me of this case thought I'd share my two cents if it hasn't already been thunk up by someone else)
 
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I always kicked around the theory that blair was carrying something specific that someone wanted (or they thought he was at least). his socks being turned inside out as well as evidence that something was inserted into his rectum (and therefore possibly removed) point to someone searching for something, and searching desperately. They left cash and obvious valuables scattered on the street after having removed them from his person. No random criminal who just bothered to assault then run his pockets would then leave the cash there, now way. Someone wanted something that was to them, valuable to the point that thousands of dollars was just something in the way to discard. The way he was killed also points to the murder it's self not being the motive. I don't think this type of internal injury would be clearly seen as fatal, if at all, and why not take another second to make sure with a more concise injury. Seems more likely his death was inconsequential and a robbery of some type was the motive(also not a 1st degree if so). So the question is what/who/where did he have access to that he could have received or learned something that someone could want so badly. It could also be something of non traditional value such as information recorded on something. Although if it were info I think it's more likely he would have been killed more outright, to make sure he didnt get back up and talk. What it is he had, and where he got it, could lead to who wanted it, and therefore his killer. Also I apologize I had this written in a much better fashion and my device died as I hit reply, this version is sub par. Was just watching something that reminded me of this case although I've never dug hard into it myself. But it doesn't seem random and they weren't after his money or jewels so there's a link somewhere in his past dealings shortly before his death, I'd presume.
 
He was a construction foreman, maybe he was involved in some shady dealings, possibly mafia related. Crazy, but possibly he had some dirt on government officials and was in the middle of a situation involving powerful people in government and crime. What where they looking for? A tape, incriminating records, etc.
 
All of this speculation about his murder, yet they may already have the answers with that strand of hair. Why hasn't it been tested for the DNA? I'm extremely annoyed that they failed to address this in the news article. Not mentioned by the reporter or law enforcement. It stated that it was found, but that's it. The end of the article basically says that they need a break or it won't be resolved. HELLO!
 
snowleopard said:
John Lordan's coverage of Blair's case:
Click to expand...

I totally remember this case from Unsolved Mysteries, but was glad to see John Lordan's coverage of it.

I just can't imagine someone was actually after Blair. First he tries to cross into the United States from Victoria. Then he goes to Vancouver and books a flight to Germany. Then he wants help crossing into the US again. Then he nixes Germany and actually crosses into the US. Now in the US, he flies to Washington DC, on the completely other side of the country. And last, he drives 7 hours away to Knoxville.

What killer, professional or not, could keep up with all that? That's way too many variables for any one person to follow. Did his pursuer buy a ticket to Germany too? Did he also get it refunded? Did he manage to get on Blair's flight to DC? If not, then how would he have followed Blair to Knoxville?

I think the chase was all in Blair's head—probably the onset of mental instability, as others have speculated—and whatever happened to him in Knoxville is unrelated.

John Lordan speculates that Blair went back to the gas station to search for his missing car key (which he might've unknowingly still had). We know he left the motel around 7:40 p.m. Maybe he ate at the nearby Cracker Barrel afterwards, so let's say he's done with dinner by 9 p.m. From there, it's a 10-15 minute walk to the gas station. By that time, it would've been dark. Was the gas station still open? Did anyone see him searching the area?

Apparently the area was known for drug and prostitution activity. I wonder if Blair ran into a man who was out there for either of those activities, and if Blair, known also to have been attracted to men, mistook the guy's loitering as an advance. Yes, would a guy who's been so paranoid for the last 3 days have gone for that? But he was clearly comfortable enough to be out around sunset when he could've simply gone and hid in his motel room, so by this time maybe he felt more confident. If this is what happened, then maybe the other man got angry at Blair's response and attacked him, maybe even sexually assaulted and ran over him as retaliation.
 
Mystifying said:
After reading the several facts about the case and many theories propositioned by various people, I recited what I knew about the case to my son - an ex military. He said, "Have you ever seen "No Country for Old Men?", the tracking device was in the duffle bag".

Blair's green duffle bag was apparently the only thing missing from the crime scene. If I were the police and I wanted to solve this cold case, I would investigate as to where that duffle bag came from and who had access to it before he left Canada. That will lead them to the killer.

Knowing this, the entire story makes sense to me.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting angle I have never been creative enough to think of.

This could add credence to one of the possible theories I have.

I have at least two theories about this case (thought certainly not sold on either)

1) He had something that someone wanted back. This was 1996, so it is unlikely that it was a USB, electronic, etc. I think that the money was withdrawn by him as an offering to the people who wanted the item back.

I particularly think it involved a woman...I think that the item may have been a ring, a necklace, maybe even ultrasound picture.

Blair may have took everything he owned to them, hoping they would accept it instead of taking the possession he so highly cherished. I think this is why there are indications that he was searched, to the point of having his anal cavity searched as opposed to being sexually assaulted.

Where the "No Country for Old Men" tracking device comes in involves the car key. (I think it is a little farfetched, for with the technology at this time I think they would have had to be very closed to Blair to sound off the tracking alarm) I think that Blair intentionally acted like he could not get back into his car, and the the gas station he was at was in very clear view of the construction site that he died at. This site may have been were his former coworkers and now enemies where working. I think that Blair used the car to hide the item that he wanted to keep, hoping that the people who wanted it back would accept his money instead.

Blair was then beaten and strip searched for the item, possibly being thrown out of the car and then ran over (not necessarily in that order)

2) It was an accident involving someone with a medical background.

In this theory, I picture someone like a former or current military medic or EMT. This person hits Blair with their car by accident. They rest Blair's head on his shoe for support, and begin to remove his clothes in effort to see if there is bruising, protruding bones, etc.

This person may have not been in the position to draw this kind of attention to themselves for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they were driving drunk, maybe they just felt like they could not afford the negative attention.

These are just two theories, not ones I am sold on being the ultimate truth, but kicking around ideas.
 
Ok, may be totally unrelated.

But, I read once that his mother claimed he was travelling that area because he wanted to see the Olympic Games in Atlanta that year.

The day his body is found in Knoxville is 11 days before the Olympic Games bombing took place.

Is there any possible connection?
 
Ready to go down another rabbit hole??? Blair Adams was a victim of something called “gangstalking “. TARGETED INDIVIDUALS - Gang stalking I know because I am as well. It’s a very difficult thing to understand unless you are experiencing it yourself. It essentially involves someone “gaslighting” you or causing you to question your own reality thus causing intense paranoia. Nonetheless Gangstalking is very much a real thing.
Due to the effects of Gangstalking, someone does appear to be suffering from some kind of psychotic break... and by most definitions he probably was, but one caused by very real circumstances. He couldn’t tell his mother what was happening because he feared that if she knew it would cause her unnecessary stress and worry and it could possibly then put her life in jeopardy as well. So it’s hard to say if he was following orders or trying to lose the ppl following him by booking the trip to Germany and then canceling and then the trip to dc and then to TN. IMO the mother suddenly claiming Blair was in TN at that time due to the olympics was probably her best guess. Maybe Blair had expressed interest in going to the olympics, and because of the timing she concluded that was why he was there. And maybe when Blair was looking for a state to go to, TN was his first choice because the olympics were being held there but it was more of just a destination for him to get away rather then a place to go with a plan... he mostly changed cars to try to lose his followers and the situation with him using the wrong key... it’s very possible his mind was so overloaded with stress that he was confused...
sometimes people become victims of Gangstalking as a result of a crime they committed or information that they had, other times it is completely random. It sounds like maybe Blair had an encounter or relationship with a girl from Germany that wasn’t of age.... he may have been targeted because of the money he had.
It sounds like the manner in which he died was not necessarily intentional... the theory that he was thrown from a car seems most plausible to me... he possibly did solicit a prostitute and something happened in the process of it all causing the female to push him from the moving car and the impact caused his money and Fanny pK to skatter. It’s possible none of the money was taken because she didn’t know he had it on him and it wasn’t visible until after he was thrown from the car. It seems like these were 2 completely different events that had nothing to do with each other but still ended in his death.
 
Honestly, I don't think anyone was chasing or even tracking Blair Adams. Blair had a manic mental episode and by chance he ran into the wrong people or person.
In 1996 no civilian had the capability to track Blair Adams in real time from Vancouver Canada and show up in Knoxville TN in 24 hours. Unless he was in contact with someone at Knoxville (which i highly doubt). The fact that none of his valuables were taking is very telling to the random nature of what happened to him.

I believe he met a man at the Cracker Barrel restaurant they spoke and that man or group of men followed Blair into the parking lot and killed him. I strongly believed this man hit Blair over the head with a crowbar, then proceeded to rape and kill him. The man could very well be a homosexual serial killer. Like the I-95 killer.

There is too much of a ritualistic sadistic angle to how Blair Adams was murdered.
 
KingChris said:
Honestly, I don't think anyone was chasing or even tracking Blair Adams. Blair had a manic mental episode and by chance he ran into the wrong people or person.
In 1996 no civilian had the capability to track Blair Adams in real time from Vancouver Canada and show up in Knoxville TN in 24 hours. Unless he was in contact with someone at Knoxville (which i highly doubt). The fact that none of his valuables were taking is very telling to the random nature of what happened to him.

I believe he met a man at the Cracker Barrel restaurant they spoke and that man or group of men followed Blair into the parking lot and killed him. I strongly believed this man hit Blair over the head with a crowbar, then proceeded to rape and kill him. The man could very well be a homosexual serial killer. Like the I-95 killer.

There is too much of a ritualistic sadistic angle to how Blair Adams was murdered.
Click to expand...

I have a couple of base theories that branch out
webs of details for his death.

1. He was in contact with who killed him, and was killed for something he had. He was killed at a construction site, the same business he was in. His clothing was removed similar to a strip search. Some reports say there was signs of condoms entering his anal cavity. Could it have been latex gloves looking for something? In this theory, he intentionally left his car at the hotel with the item inside, making a show at the construction site nearby. Item? Maybe a ring, necklace, sonogram. I think he crossed someone the wrong way, with a woman involved. I believe he tried to offer all of his monetary possessions in order to not give up the item.

2. It was an accident. There is reported signs of road rash on his arms, and his stomach was ruptured. Could he have been run over by someone who could not afford to be caught (drinking and driving, other reasons)? Someone with some medical training (EMT, soldier, doctor) who props his head up with the shoe, and removes his clothing to check for signs of damage. To me, this would be a good reason as to why the loot was left at the scene, too.

I would have to revisit this case, but I have more points to enforce these two theory’s and I believe on of them is most likely to be what happened.
 
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