The Springfield Three--missing since June 1992 - #6

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Is there any possibility of restoring Thread #3? There were some personal issues which were addressed but those got cleaned up. Never did know why the entire thread was pulled.
 
Did they ever re-examine the house. I just wonder if there were any grounds they could have been hidden in, or if they went back and did a luminol test they would find anything. It looks like whoever did this tidied up afterwards - but why? Why make it look like there was no struggle when it was always going to be obvious they did not leave of their own free will?
 
Did they ever re-examine the house. I just wonder if there were any grounds they could have been hidden in, or if they went back and did a luminol test they would find anything. It looks like whoever did this tidied up afterwards - but why? Why make it look like there was no struggle when it was always going to be obvious they did not leave of their own free will?


I would disagree that there are no signs of a struggle. There is evidence to indicate otherwise but unfortunately we will never know how much evidence was contaminated and destroyed by the 18 people in and out of the house on Sunday. And I would disagree that the house looked tidied up by anyone. The professional hitman/professional cleaners theory was pretty much destroyed by the evidence from the get-go.

There is no basement under the house. There is a crawl space that is literally that with no access from inside the house thru a trap door or anything. If the remains were buried on the grounds it would have been obvious at the time. And besides it would have taken considerable time to bury 3 bodies in a hurry like that. The remains are not there.
 
I would disagree that there are no signs of a struggle. There is evidence to indicate otherwise but unfortunately we will never know how much evidence was contaminated and destroyed by the 18 people in and out of the house on Sunday. And I would disagree that the house looked tidied up by anyone. The professional hitman/professional cleaners theory was pretty much destroyed by the evidence from the get-go.

There is no basement under the house. There is a crawl space that is literally that with no access from inside the house thru a trap door or anything. If the remains were buried on the grounds it would have been obvious at the time. And besides it would have taken considerable time to bury 3 bodies in a hurry like that. The remains are not there.

Fair point, but I thought the handbags had been placed neatly in a line? Was that just a media myth? What were the signs of a struggle. If there was a struggle do you thin that indicates more than one kidnapper. As three women might be able to overpower one person on their own, and a struggle indicates a fight as opposed to someone threatening them into submission with a gun or something. So that makes me thin there was more than one kidnapper and they were not armed. What do you think?
 
My personal opinion is that there was some evidence left behind. Also it is my opinion that the purses may have been looked at by the people who were in the house for clues to where the women were although I don't know that to be a fact. There is one published account where Mrs. McCall was said to have said that stuff was "rolling" out of the purses.

It is possible that whoever entered the house had on gloves and it is possible that the women were not all taken at the same time. Sherrill was "available" to be taken as soon as about 11:15 PM that night a full three and half or more hours before the girls arrived. The girls may not even have known she was not in the home and merely went to bed.
 
True. I think this is possibly one of the creepiest cases I have heard of, the idea that three fit people just living their lives can be just disappeared in these circumstances. It really is chilling.
 
True. I think this is possibly one of the creepiest cases I have heard of, the idea that three fit people just living their lives can be just disappeared in these circumstances. It really is chilling.

I'm not sure how far into this case you are but if I might suggest something it would be to look into the subjects of the grand jury investigation of 1994. The one thing that intrigues me the most is what the motive was.

But you do make an important point, nevertheless. There were certainly some "creepy" people on the streets at that time. There is almost an endless list of names to choose from but I would begin with the GJ3 and work from there.

And also post #562 in Thread #5 is, in my view, very close to what probably happened.
 
:bump:

Bumping for Suzie, Stacy, and Sherrill. :heartbeat:
 
I just learned about this case on Disappeared shown on the OWN network. I can't believe I haven't heard of this before. I contacted 48 Hours in hopes of getting a copy of their program on the case, but it is no longer available. It was on Youtube, but not anymore. If anyone has an extra copy, I would be grateful if I could buy it from you. My e-mail is mickfan2000@yahoo.com. Thanks!
 
Fullmoon,
I'll see if I can find anything online.
Meanwhile....
Welcome to WS :)!
 
Thank you Auramyst and wfgodot for the welcome. I can't seem to get enough information on this case. It's been 20 years and I've never even heard of this case other than on Disappeared and websleuths. Amazing. This is truly a mystery. My first impressions watching Disappeared is:

1. The reason given why the two girls left Jannell's house at 2 a.m. is that there was no room for them. I realize there were relatives visiting from out of town staying there, but I can't imagine asking my daughter's friends to leave the house in the middle of the night because there is no room. I would somehow find room.

2. As in all cases of crime and cold cases, you look at who were the last people to see the victims? Again, Janelle. Not saying she is involved, but there may be something she's holding back.

3. Janelle and her bf are first on the scene of the crime. I am a little surprised that they went into the house on their own. I can't imagine doing this myself at that age, or even now, even if the door was unlocked. I may have opened the door and called out, but I would not have gone in. I would have thought the girls were not home because they had planned something else for the day. Moreover, I would never decide to listen to messages on someone's answering machine. It would consider that an invasion of privacy.

4. Janelle said she answered the phone while in the house. Again, I would not have done so. I would figure that if someone wanted to contact me, they would have called me at my own home. Then Janelle said the call was obscene, but she couldn't remember what was said. I have received obscene calls twice in my life, at separate times, and after all these years, I still remember what was said. Something is just odd about Janelle's account.

5. I think all of this went down between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., when it was still dark out and no immediate threat of the sun coming up. I think it was someone the girls knew. Perhaps Suzie peaked out of the blinds because someone she knew had knocked on her window, calling for her to open the door because they didn't want to awaken Sherrill. Since she knows who the person (s) are, she opens the door. Maybe they wanted her to loan them some money. But they were obviously desperate. Sherrill was awakened by the commotion, perhaps she even threatened to call police if they didn't leave, and it went downhill from there. All three could identify the perps so all three had to be dealt with. I don't think this was planned. I firmly believe the perps were known to the girls. There was no sign of forced entry. I don't think it was someone pretending to be a utility worker knocking on the door in the middle of the night as a ruse to get them to open the door. I don't care if it's the police, I'm not opening my door to anyone in the middle of the night. Just not going to happen!

Does anyone know if Janelle's boyfriend who went with her that morning has been identified? Did he go with her because she didn't have a car to go and check on the girls, or was he supposed to be going with the girls to the water park? If the later, I would find that odd. This trip would be planned by the girls. I can't imagine my girlfriends getting together for something like that, and one of them wants to bring a boyfriend on the trip.

Well, those are my first impressions. I better get back to reading the posts on this message board regarding this case so I can catch up. Thanks again for your kind welcome!
 
You're pretty much up to speed. I would add two minor details. The girls left at 2:20 AM from Battlefield and would have arrived at about 2:50 AM if they didn't get delayed. It was about 11.6 miles.

I believe Jannelle's bf was her future husband, Mike Henson. I'm not certain if they are currently married.

I would also add that since Sherrill's whereabouts are unaccounted for after 11:15 PM she could have been abducted anytime after that and may not have been in the house when the girls arrived. It is also possible her car was not in the carport when they arrived and her car was being returned which is why Suzie might have let the perp(s) in. There is no evidence for this but it can't be discounted either.

Since the prosecutor surfaced the GJ3 for some reason (although not indicted) I would want to eliminate them first of all. It is my belief that two of them are in prison and the third one's location is undetermined. Since Robert Cox's name came up during this time and his alibi collapsed his actual participation in this crime is uncertain. Some believe he is knowledgeable of the burial site.

It is probable (as espoused by some) that if the GJ3 were involved, they had help after the fact and more likely than not the women were taken out to the Rogersville/Northview area (east of Springfield) where they may have met their demise although this is a theory based on probable routes out of town.

It is believed by some that the dig in the Cassville (southwest of Springfield) area was based on good information. What was obtained was put under seal and we don't know what was found. The later dig up near Northview is not believed to have any value.

The motive is not known to the public.
 
Thank you Auramyst and wfgodot for the welcome. I can't seem to get enough information on this case. It's been 20 years and I've never even heard of this case other than on Disappeared and websleuths. Amazing. This is truly a mystery. My first impressions watching Disappeared is:

1. The reason given why the two girls left Jannell's house at 2 a.m. is that there was no room for them. I realize there were relatives visiting from out of town staying there, but I can't imagine asking my daughter's friends to leave the house in the middle of the night because there is no room. I would somehow find room.

2. As in all cases of crime and cold cases, you look at who were the last people to see the victims? Again, Janelle. Not saying she is involved, but there may be something she's holding back.

3. Janelle and her bf are first on the scene of the crime. I am a little surprised that they went into the house on their own. I can't imagine doing this myself at that age, or even now, even if the door was unlocked. I may have opened the door and called out, but I would not have gone in. I would have thought the girls were not home because they had planned something else for the day. Moreover, I would never decide to listen to messages on someone's answering machine. It would consider that an invasion of privacy.

4. Janelle said she answered the phone while in the house. Again, I would not have done so. I would figure that if someone wanted to contact me, they would have called me at my own home. Then Janelle said the call was obscene, but she couldn't remember what was said. I have received obscene calls twice in my life, at separate times, and after all these years, I still remember what was said. Something is just odd about Janelle's account.

5. I think all of this went down between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., when it was still dark out and no immediate threat of the sun coming up. I think it was someone the girls knew. Perhaps Suzie peaked out of the blinds because someone she knew had knocked on her window, calling for her to open the door because they didn't want to awaken Sherrill. Since she knows who the person (s) are, she opens the door. Maybe they wanted her to loan them some money. But they were obviously desperate. Sherrill was awakened by the commotion, perhaps she even threatened to call police if they didn't leave, and it went downhill from there. All three could identify the perps so all three had to be dealt with. I don't think this was planned. I firmly believe the perps were known to the girls. There was no sign of forced entry. I don't think it was someone pretending to be a utility worker knocking on the door in the middle of the night as a ruse to get them to open the door. I don't care if it's the police, I'm not opening my door to anyone in the middle of the night. Just not going to happen!

Does anyone know if Janelle's boyfriend who went with her that morning has been identified? Did he go with her because she didn't have a car to go and check on the girls, or was he supposed to be going with the girls to the water park? If the later, I would find that odd. This trip would be planned by the girls. I can't imagine my girlfriends getting together for something like that, and one of them wants to bring a boyfriend on the trip.

Well, those are my first impressions. I better get back to reading the posts on this message board regarding this case so I can catch up. Thanks again for your kind welcome!

Since most of this is pure speculation and your opinion I will only address what you appear to state as fact in your point #1: Suzie and Stacy were not told there was no room for them to sleep at the Kirby's. In fact Mrs. Kirby made preparations for them to stay there. Not feeling well all evening, Suzie made the decision to return home and sleep in her new waterbed which was a graduation gift from her mom. She must have extended an invitation to Stacy to go home with her. It has been speculated by others that it was Janelle who sent Suzie away, not expecting Stacy to go with her. That is simply not true.
 
My apologies to Mrs. Kirby if she invited the girls to stay. I was relying on what was said in the documentary "Disappeared," which states that the girls could not stay there because there was no room at Janelle's house. The clip can be seen on Youbube at Disappeared - The Springfield Three - YouTube. At 6:04 into the clip, it states:

"After a long night of celebrating, the girls are ready to settle in for the night. But Janelle's house is packed with out of town relatives. They can't stay there afterall."

Was that an error in the documentary?
 
Actually, they could have stayed there according to Jannelle. The narration is "sloppy" to be charitable. There is no first person account directing the girls to leave for Suzie's house. In fact, I believe Jannelle states she "begs" them to stay and could have stayed on the living room floor.

It is not so much an "error" but a subjective statement that the circumstances had changed which led Suzie to want to return home instead and Stacy followed her believing the accommodations would be more to her liking.

Like so many things this was the "perfect storm." Had the girls not gone there and only Sherrill went missing Suzie would have, more likely than not, been able to finger a perp or perps. Additionally, if Stacy had not followed Suzie home, and since she was tight with Suzie, she probably would have been able to brief the police on the likely perp or perps.

Almost nothing made this case easy to solve and it may never be solved. From what I gather the police are buried in other more recent cases and this one has had to take a back seat.

I think the informed consensus is that it will take a confession to bring closure to this case or some witness who comes forth to finger the perp or perps.

There is an enormous amount of material accumulated at the police station which has been carefully documented and gone over with a fine toothed comb several times by different officers and agencies.

My personal opinion, for whatever it may be worth, is to look at the GJ3 and Robert Cox. I think that any one of these four individuals knows what happened but isn't talking; at least not now.
 
My apologies to Mrs. Kirby if she invited the girls to stay. I was relying on what was said in the documentary "Disappeared," which states that the girls could not stay there because there was no room at Janelle's house. The clip can be seen on Youbube at Disappeared - The Springfield Three - YouTube. At 6:04 into the clip, it states:

"After a long night of celebrating, the girls are ready to settle in for the night. But Janelle's house is packed with out of town relatives. They can't stay there afterall."

Was that an error in the documentary?

You need to go back and read the documents from the time of the crime and what Kathy Kirby has said, which is that she got back up out of bed when all the kids returned from the Elder's party and prepared a place for both Suzie and Stacy to sleep. It was late and for all she knew the kids (and that was classmates & friends, not just females) planned to leave early for Branson, so she did not want them leaving again to go somewhere else. She was trying to get everyone settled down for the night. But Suzie and Stacy declined to stay there.

I would not use the word "documentary" when discussing the programs "Disappeared", "Vanished", or "48 HRS" and their reporting on this case.
 
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