Aspects of a case that are deemed as "suspicious" that you think aren't

JusticeWillBeServed

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I saw a discussion for this on Reddit and wanted to start it here. What are some things in an unsolved case that are regarded as "suspicious" but you usually don't see it that way? It can be a general thing or something from a specific case.

Polygraph tests are something I don't have much faith in as they can be unreliable. When LE announces that an individual refuses to take one, I don't really see it as that weird. Sure, they could be hiding something but I don't think that should be an automatic assumption.

I also think people have a tendency to over-analyze a family member's public appearances. If they aren't crying enough or appear too stoic given the situation at hand. Individuals process stress and tragedy differently. The way they respond may just be a reflection of who they are and not actual evidence that they have something to hide.
 
The old "referring to the person in the past tense" thing.

I see this trotted out all the time in the case of missing persons. It's always pointed to as the person using the past tense knowing that the missing person is dead (and therefore having had something to do with their death). Time and time again the person using the past tense ends up being innocent of wrong-doing. The sad part of this is it's often used to cast aspersions on the people closest to the victim who are deeply in mourning. I think they sometimes say "was" and "were" instead of "is" because they are trying to come to terms with their loved one never coming back.

Deciding that whether people are lying or not during interviews based on body language. http://io9.com/no-you-cant-tell-someone-is-lying-by-reading-their-mi-1454953226

Especially based on their eyes/eye movement. This has been debunked based on actual missing persons media interviews with relatives: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/really-you-can-spot-a-lie-by-watching-a-persons-eyes/?_r=0

Also: people (especially women) being out late at night on foot, particularly in urban or otherwise walkable areas.

Spouses not knowing where their better half is for long stretches of time, at least within a 24 hour period (or seeming to not care about checking up on their spouse's whereabouts often)- what one person thinks is normal and caring another person finds stifling and bordering on controlling. There's lots of variation in relationships between people. Even when (and often when) those relationships are good.

Women not always traveling in pairs or women not staying in at night unless they have a buddy system of some sort (I'm always surprised by this one).
etc.


good question.
 
The old "referring to the person in the past tense" thing.

I see this trotted out all the time in the case of missing persons. It's always pointed to as the person using the past tense knowing that the missing person is dead (and therefore having had something to do with their death). Time and time again the person using the past tense ends up being innocent of wrong-doing. The sad part of this is it's often used to cast aspersions on the people closest to the victim who are deeply in mourning. I think they sometimes say "was" and "were" instead of "is" because they are trying to come to terms with their loved one never coming back.

I agree. I think it is a personal choice and definitely not indicative that they had a hand in the disappearance.

Spouses not knowing where their better half is for long stretches of time, at least within a 24 hour period (or seeming to not care about checking up on their spouse's whereabouts often)- what one person thinks is normal and caring another person finds stifling and bordering on controlling. There's lots of variation in relationships between people. Even when (and often when) those relationships are good.

I remember the case of Tanya Rider, who was missing for eight days before she was found (alive thankfully). At the time, Tanya and her husband worked odd hours and they could go days without seeing each other. So LE was suspicious that he took a little longer to report her missing and that he hadn't seen her in a couple of days. On the surface, it does sound suspicious but maybe, just maybe it's the truth. This is an extreme example but sometimes spouses don't know the whereabouts of their partners.
 
The old "referring to the person in the past tense" thing.

I see this trotted out all the time in the case of missing persons. It's always pointed to as the person using the past tense knowing that the missing person is dead (and therefore having had something to do with their death). Time and time again the person using the past tense ends up being innocent of wrong-doing. The sad part of this is it's often used to cast aspersions on the people closest to the victim who are deeply in mourning. I think they sometimes say "was" and "were" instead of "is" because they are trying to come to terms with their loved one never coming back.

Deciding that whether people are lying or not during interviews based on body language. http://io9.com/no-you-cant-tell-someone-is-lying-by-reading-their-mi-1454953226

Especially based on their eyes/eye movement. This has been debunked based on actual missing persons media interviews with relatives: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/really-you-can-spot-a-lie-by-watching-a-persons-eyes/?_r=0

Good post -- before opening this thread, these are among the first things I was going to mention. Related to they eye movement/body language 'evidence', I'd include judgments based on the appearance or facial expressions of a suspect/POI. I can't tell you how many times I've read people suggest that someone they thought was guilty partly because s/he was supposedly 'smirking' when I see nothing of the sort, or when people say that someone looks evil or guilty. I'm glad that real justice doesn't work that way.
 
Anything not seen on Facebook. Lots of people post images and updates that aren't viewable to everyone, but if parents or spouses don't have enough pictures of their children or spouses it's highly suspicious. I just looked at my FB as "everyone" and there are only four pictures of my daughter and not one (!) of my husband viewable over the last six months. Why so few? Hmmm.
 
I agree with the social media thing. I rarely use it, so there aren't any recent photos of my family online. And the ones I do have are set to private, so I guess if a stranger looked me up on Facebook it would look like I didn't like my kids.
 
After reading through a thread for a recent homicide, I'm seeing an immediate response to statements made by significant others of the victim. If the statement is delivered in the first person, then a lot of suspicion is thrown their way. This is something I never viewed as suspicious, by itself. Eulogies and such are usually done in a first person pattern; it personalizes the deceased to show what kind of impact they have made on the person speaking.

Statements released by a SO immediately after their loved one has been found murdered must be an incredibly difficult time, to put it mildly. They are hurting and probably not thinking ahead to how their words will be scrutinized by the public. If it turns out that they were involved, I doubt a lot of connection between their initial words and the subsequent evidence found will be a factor. There are just as many cases where initial "suspicious" statements are said and the person who said them were completely innocent.
 
Oh yeah, and then a link to a certain blog shows up, gets deleted, shows up again, on and on. If someone says anything in the first person or uses past tense it means guilty.

Eulogies is a good comparison. They often go back and forth.
 
The couple had an argument before one of them went missing or was found dead. It might mean something but it might just be a coincidence. It doesn't automatically mean the partner was involved. Couples often argue.
 
Body language / "microexpressions".

Some people also get hung up on thinking they can see the killer's outline in the blob of an unfocused photo or reflection or something, and don't realize they are experiencing pareidolia. (If you think you've been staring at a crime photo too long...you probably have.)
 
Arguments and/or expressions of anger directed at the missing/dead person. People spout off in anger all the time and say things they don't mean. People argue all the time.

One thing I completely disregard either way are statements made by family members, particularly parents. Most are either in denial or truly ignorant of their family member's secrets.
 
After a recent case especially, but after years of it general, I really don't care what anyone in a case says or has said on bloody Facebook.

Obviously there are exceptions, like Teleka Patrick with Twitter, or the occasional psycho killing someone and then posting about it on SM, but 99.9% of the things people think are suspicious on Facebook never turn out to be significant. And then people bring the "local rumors" into the mix from the comments sections, and it's just a huge mess.
 
Dogs that don't bark when a stranger enters the home. Not all of them are guard dogs. Some are total slackers. Old with bad hearing or have dived under the covers and slept so soundly they don't even hear their owners movements let alone someone who's not suppose to be there.

Quickly getting an attorney on board. Always seen as suspicious instead of smart.
 

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