WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #14

[No More]

If you want an interesting diversion that also has a few similarities to MC's case, check out this very old cold case file http://www.iowacoldcases.com/marlene_padfield.html

What struck me are a few things:

1. 17, claiming to be 19
2. New older male friends
3. Being somewhat secretive about new friends and new activities
4. The girl being a trusting person

ps I'll explain later why I was looking at Iowa. Have to do some more sleuthing first.

 

[hotmadre]

snipped by me:


With all the mud on MC's tires, it DOES look very much like her car was possibly taken to a construction site. I mentioned this several threads back. When we built, even if the streets were dry, in winter with snow melting on uneven soil in a construction site driveway, my tires were coated in the exact same way. The clay soil sticks horribly, and is very predominant in the Eaglerock area.

Hotmadre,
do you suppose that LE took soil samples from her tires to match with locations with either PC or Eaglerook to see where her car may have been?

Good question. I don't know that LE would test the soil, but it definitely would be wise to do so. The Eaglerock area was predominantly orchard property, and especially where much of the new construction is, belonged to Dole. I know that before we built we had to test the soil. Our soil contents were much different than our neighbor. It could definitely narrow down where MC was taken, depending on the pesticides found in the soil, or the lack thereof.

 

[Sherlock_9]

A couple quick comments (some are answers to questions that were asked and answered several threads back):

- the carwash in question where MC may have been was identified as being the Superwash on the East side of Wenatchee Ave, next to the Shell station on the corner of Wenatchee Ave and Maple Street. If the car was there, it was likely recorded on video at the Shell station, as they have four cameras on the pumps and at least two are angled to have seen the carwash.

That carwash has both automatic and manual washes. The auto wash takes about 4 minutes.

- the dirt on the car appears to be one of two things: #1- road silt from driving at high speed on wet paved or dusty gravel roads. Several threads back, I mentioned that in driving from Orondo to Wenatchee daily, and likely in morning, during the winter MC would have encounterded road spray on the Columbia River bridge from de-icer that is sprayed daily on that bridge in the AM. Although the snow was long melted in the Valley, the AM temps were still cool, below freezing and the road crews were still spraying the bridge daily. That type of spray, when driven through on pavement, leaves a light colored, dirt type residue all over the car that appears identical to what is on MC's car.

If the car was never washed, it would likely look as it does in the photo, with residue all over the car.

- the dirt may have been from high speed driving on gravel roads, following a car wash. But to get that much dirt on the car, it would have ti have travelled at high speed for a good period of time. It was February and the roads were pretty moist. Also, there is no where up Pitcher canyon where the car would have gotten that amount of dirt on it. Mud, yes, but it shows no mud splatters or buildup in the wheel wells.

There is no where, in the likely travels between Wenatchee, Eagle Rock, Crescent Bar and PC Road where a clean car would have gotten that filthy from gravel road travel unless:

* the car was driven off the main path on gravel roads
* there was substantial road filth the car drove thru on way to CB and back- this is a possibility as it did rain later in the afternoon/early evening

OR- is there a back way into CB? Can one turn off Hwy 28 south earlier and drive in on a gravel road for a distance in and out?

 

[averageguy]

Notes about MC's car and the car wash ....

I owned a '97 and own a '02 Grand Prix, both with the spoiler. When this particular Grand Prix design was introduced in '97 the spoiler originally was part of an option package but almost immediately became a 'standard' item that model year.

The spoiler is not insulated properly around the base perimeter. The spoiler base and trunk lid contour match in shape, but not *exactly*.

Whenever you wash this car or drive through at least a moderate rain, water accumulates between under the spoiler base and the top surface of the trunk lid. Consistently.

After you dry the car, and eventually drive from the car wash the water trapped under the spoiler seeps out over the trunk lid from the lowest points around the base of the spoiler left-side and right-side along the rear edge. Consistently.

The volume of water and trapped dirt under the spoiler dictate how much water seeps out and how much remains to eventually evaporate.

In a previous post I attached a pic with arrows indicating where water seeped out and pathed down the trunk lid of MC's car.

It is also clear in the pic that dirt accumulated over the car after having been washed, as evidenced by the water seepage running along a 'dirty' trunk lid.

The dirt could have accumulated when LE had the car towed from PCR to the impound lot or the dirt could have accumulated from the last driver's dump drive.


Timeline:

• morning of 02/09/2010 - unknown - where was / what did MC do?
• 11:30 am - MC visits the Target with intent to meet JV. MC hangs a bit perusing CDs then decides to leave because JV is still attending to a customer(s).
• unknown - assumption is MC goes to the Academy of Hair Design.
• 2:45 pm - JV receives / exchanges text from / with MC. This is before MC leaves the Academy of Hair Design or at least she is still in the immediate vicinity of / in the building.
• 3:01 pm - video shows MC walking to her car in the parking lot.
• 3:40 pm - LE reports MC's phone (and probably MC) is 'located' at the boat dock. This is sketchy and *too accurate* a placement if based on phone signaling only. Maybe Gold's Gym? Can JV confirm? Did MC frequent the boat dock?
• 4:00 pm - MC and a 'passenger' are witnessed at the car wash. Possibly on video. Attendant assists MC with inserting money. JV indicates MC was not a regular visitor to a car wash - or at least was not adamant about washing her car so who knows if she did or did not actually visit the car wash for whatever other reason?
• 4:15 pm - JV sends a text to MC but it is not received by MC's phone. The phone either is powered off or is outside of cell coverage areas, such as along the route to CB?
• 5:42 pm - LE reports a last 'ping' of MC's phone. This leads me to conclude the phone was not powered off earlier but was outside of coverage area. I do not expect a perp to power on the phone after having powered it off. LE does not reveal the ping location. Why not? I believe LE can not pinpoint an area and do not want this public.
• Present Day - LE and Websleuthers pull hair out sleuthing this case. Wig and Toupee manufacturers follow closely behind picking up remnants.

Thanks for this post as it helped me to eliminate some faulty thinking I've had about possible scenarios that might have developed as the timeline progressed through that 1st day into the evening when the car was found up P.C. Unfortunately, for those of us outside of law enforcement there are only certain established facts we have to work with, but I applaud the key people here and on other forums who are doing there best to sort fact from fiction and uncover genuine clues that could aid in the discovery of the one(s) responsible for doing this. I think it's safe to assume L.E. explore these forums in search of possible info to help them at this point. They understand that some of what they're searching for may turn up online, don't ya think? Two comments that I want to make after reading the post above. I used to have Verizon before switching to another carrier, and part of the reason I changed to another provider was because of the poor reception I had on my way to the Quincy area from Wenatchee. This leads me to speculate that the phone was still powered up and on it's way to Crescent Bar, along with M.C. She may or may not have been alive at that point. She may have been badly injured or deceased. The phone may have been in her coat pocket or in the perp's possession. I do know from having had Verizon that some of my messages (made to me while I was in transit) did not come through until I reached the Quincy area. This leads me to speculate this could have been why her B.F. could not reach her at 4:15 and in subsequent attempts thereafter. But I do believe the phone remained on until the last ping when it was turned off or destroyed. I do not believe her car went to Crescent Bar that day. I tend to think that she was taken in another vehicle and after which the person returned to retrieve her car from wherever it was to park it up P.C. Since her red car was very conspicuous it would have had to have been parked somewhere in the interim that it would not draw undue attention. I also was led to ask myself could the last ping have been as the perp was returning from P.C. to Wenatchee? If that's the general area determined by the cell ping, that might explain why L.E. were so adamant early on about asking the public if they witnessed anyone walking down the road back to town. And, obviously, L.E. did not want to release the location of the last ping, as only they and the perp would know. MOO

 

[Sherlock_9]

One thing that I do not think has been covered:

What occured/possibly occured during the rest of MC's day on Feb 9th, other than what has been posted (attending Hair academy, seeing JV possibly at 11:45, at boat launch, etc.)?

What I'm getting at is this: Everyone discusses Feb 9th, beginning with 3:00 when MC left the Academy. But, she had a lot of day before that. MC took only one class a day at Wenatchee High School. In the morning- I'm not sure what time. She had a lot of free time between when she left WHS and had to be at the Academy, I'd bet.

Where could she have been and whom could she have encountered?

What did she usually do during this time?

What time was she required to report to the Academy?

LE would know when she left WHS, as the entire lot is filmed and saved. When did she leave? Where all did she go? It could be possible that she first encountered her killer during THIS time.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

snipped:

I was at the candlelight vigil the night before she was found. WW was present and taking a lot of pics and names. Only 2 pics were in the paper or in their online gallery of that night. A friend told me "the creeps show up for things like this" and so we kept our eyes peeled for anything strange.
This is what I noticed (strange):
WC and RC were NEVER together. RC was the only parent who spoke. WC was quiet, received lots of hugs/condolences while a man stood over her shoulder. He was standing so close his front was against her back. He never engaged in conversation but kept his eyes over the crowd. At the time I was more tore up to see 2 parents unable to come together to find their missing daughter. As days went by I got more creeped out wondering who this guy was. Through this website I was able to piece it together that it was JF.
I thought it was strange that he didn't talk to anyone and odd that the paper didn't post more pics of the love for MC that was shown that night.

In those pics, the only person shown hugging / kissing and being in arms-length proximity to WC is her son, Colby, MC's brother.

I also did not see JF in any of those pics.

 

[jgk10414]

MC's wiper (driver's side) was stuck upright and has been for a long time before her disappearance. That was a distinctive characteristic that has been omitted from descriptions of her car all along. The windshield was also cracked.

1. SP, I find it difficult to believe the windshield wiper, especially the driver's side would be not functioning for a long period of time. This is the Pacific North West- it rains - alot. I would think her dad would have this fixed, post haste for his daughter.

2. Did anyone comment on the apparent fresh gouge mark on MC car passenger front quarter? Staged accident abduction?

ETA: Windshield wiper position was commented on several threads ago. A cracked windshield is common in as cars age due to stresses in the frame transmitted to the brittle glass, divot from flying stone will eventually migrate into a crack. If I saw a smashed impact type damage to the glass then that would be something. IMO

 

[hoppyfrog]

It's obvious to me that many WS members have been doing this for a long time. My question is to Liz, Hoppy, Salem and any other super veterens out there. Have you ever Sleuthed a case to finality, where LE was later found to have been publicly deceptive?

Yes..

 

[Sherlock_9]

Did anyone comment on the apparent fresh gouge mark on MC car passenger front quarter? Staged accident abduction?

Is a gouge or is it an emblem noting engine type, etc?

 

[hoppyfrog]

Within the last few pages someone asked a question about bashing MC's mom.

Here is the answer:

Being "a decent person" means not bashing anyone, especially victims of a crime. MC is a victim, but so is her mother. No one on WS is going to trash her.

Part of the tragedy of crime is that the victims are not only violated by the crime, but they are victimized again by our culture when they are trashed by gossip and discussion in the media, especially in the internet age when any ape with a keyboard can post anonymous garbage nearly anywhere.

There is a huge difference between sleuthing someone and bashing him/her. Sleuthing can be done in a respectful manner.

Sleuthing family members is allowed. If you choose to sleuth a family member and find evidence that he/she is involved in MC's murder, you may post that evidence.

However, look at how far into this case we are without any evidence that MC's mom was involved in her murder. It's doubtful that we're going to find any at this point.

Thanks,

Hoppy

 

[jgk10414]

Is a gouge or is it an emblem noting engine type, etc?

I zoomed in on it and it looks like a silver gouge mark, straight and deep, as if caused from hitting something significant IMO ...definitely not a keying mark.

ETA: Just behind the headlight/running light.

Representative car for comparison...this is not MC's car.

 

[No More]

I zoomed in on it and it looks like a silver gouge mark, straight and deep, as if caused from hitting something significant IMO ...definitely not a keying mark.

ETA: Just behind the headlight/running light.

It would be interesting to look for red paint at various points of interest or on other vehicles.

 

[jgk10414]

It would be interesting to look for red paint at various points of interest or on other vehicles.

We think alike...see my edit in post above.

ETA: Sorry, typing faster than my brain. Edit was to answer Sherlock
I think I get it, are you saying damage to other vehicles or places Mac visited to match red paint...good thinking.

 

[dashaz]

[

A couple quick comments (some are answers to questions that were asked and answered several threads back):

- the carwash in question where MC may have been was identified as being the Superwash on the East side of Wenatchee Ave, next to the Shell station on the corner of Wenatchee Ave and Maple Street. If the car was there, it was likely recorded on video at the Shell station, as they have four cameras on the pumps and at least two are angled to have seen the carwash.

That carwash has both automatic and manual washes. The auto wash takes about 4 minutes.

- the dirt on the car appears to be one of two things: #1- road silt from driving at high speed on wet paved or dusty gravel roads. Several threads back, I mentioned that in driving from Orondo to Wenatchee daily, and likely in morning, during the winter MC would have encounterded road spray on the Columbia River bridge from de-icer that is sprayed daily on that bridge in the AM. Although the snow was long melted in the Valley, the AM temps were still cool, below freezing and the road crews were still spraying the bridge daily. That type of spray, when driven through on pavement, leaves a light colored, dirt type residue all over the car that appears identical to what is on MC's car.

If the car was never washed, it would likely look as it does in the photo, with residue all over the car.

- the dirt may have been from high speed driving on gravel roads, following a car wash. But to get that much dirt on the car, it would have ti have travelled at high speed for a good period of time. It was February and the roads were pretty moist. Also, there is no where up Pitcher canyon where the car would have gotten that amount of dirt on it. Mud, yes, but it shows no mud splatters or buildup in the wheel wells.

There is no where, in the likely travels between Wenatchee, Eagle Rock, Crescent Bar and PC Road where a clean car would have gotten that filthy from gravel road travel unless:

* the car was driven off the main path on gravel roads
* there was substantial road filth the car drove thru on way to CB and back- this is a possibility as it did rain later in the afternoon/early evening

OR- is there a back way into CB? Can one turn off Hwy 28 south earlier and drive in on a gravel road for a distance in and out?

It is possible if they went through Palisades as I have stated before if you follow the road all the way through it does lead to Ephrata. Which then they could get to CB that way. However that would take a lot more time then if they had just stayed on hwy 28 and with the limited time frame, I'm just not sure.

 

[PaulR]

It would be interesting to look for red paint at various points of interest or on other vehicles.

And calling up the local body shops.

 

[Miss Maple]

Some people had some questions about the possibility of JF being at the candlelight vigil, but then said that it was confirmed that he wasn't there. I'm thinking some may be confusing the vigil with her memorial. There were no pictures of him at the memorial, which leads me to believe he was not there...but I don't know if he was at the candlelight vigil or not and I don't think it was confirmed that he was not there. So JF being at the candlelight vigil is a good possibility.

 

[hotmadre]

Some people had some questions about the possibility of JF being at the candlelight vigil, but then said that it was confirmed that he wasn't there. I'm thinking some may be confusing the vigil with her memorial. There were no pictures of him at the memorial, which leads me to believe he was not there...but I don't know if he was at the candlelight vigil or not and I don't think it was confirmed that he was not there. So JF being at the candlelight vigil is a good possibility.

Does anyone have any insight as to WHY he was not at the memorial? Is this fact?

 

[suns]

Some people had some questions about the possibility of JF being at the candlelight vigil, but then said that it was confirmed that he wasn't there. I'm thinking some may be confusing the vigil with her memorial. There were no pictures of him at the memorial, which leads me to believe he was not there...but I don't know if he was at the candlelight vigil or not and I don't think it was confirmed that he was not there. So JF being at the candlelight vigil is a good possibility.

were mc'S brothers at the vigil?

 

[No More]

And calling up the local body shops.

Yes! I hope LE calls up the local shops and asks if any of the repair tech's did a job with red paint flecks embedded in the damage.

Spectulation: The damage on MC's car looks pretty high and sharp... maybe like damage from a rear truck or rear SUV bumper?

 

[sunhaven]

Within the last few pages someone asked a question about bashing MC's mom.

Here is the answer:

Being "a decent person" means not bashing anyone, especially victims of a crime. MC is a victim, but so is her mother. No one on WS is going to trash her.

Part of the tragedy of crime is that the victims are not only violated by the crime, but they are victimized again by our culture when they are trashed by gossip and discussion in the media, especially in the internet age when any ape with a keyboard can post anonymous garbage nearly anywhere.

There is a huge difference between sleuthing someone and bashing him/her. Sleuthing can be done in a respectful manner.

Sleuthing family members is allowed. If you choose to sleuth a family member and find evidence that he/she is involved in MC's murder, you may post that evidence.

However, look at how far into this case we are without any evidence that MC's mom was involved in her murder. It's doubtful that we're going to find any at this point.

Thanks,

Hoppy

Thanks Hoppy----I thought what you were telling us was we couldn't discuss any family members because they are all innocent---because there is no evidence yet. And that was confusing to me. It is clear to me (without a TOS) that we should not bash anyone including our peers on here.