8.05.10 -Sources: 2 friends gave Terri Horman cell phones

[tabacue]

I have also purchased them for my oldest before adding him to our plan. He's only 12, but I wanted him to have something for emergencies.

Almost every major carrier offers a pay as you go. He had Virgin Mobile. You can buy the "top-up" cards everywhere (they are like gift certificates). You have the choice of adding minutes by credit, debit or the gift cards.

You do have to provide some personal information to make it work, but it does not have to be accurate info or even your info (as someone pointed out previously).

I agree with Tuffy that generally LE would have no idea about the use of the phones. In this case, either someone came forward or it came out through the examination of the phone records/texts for other people involved.

Some of these pay as you go phones are just like any other phone...it is really just the service that is different.

 

[tabacue]

The ones at the dollar store - all one has to do is call a number with the activation code provided on the receipt and it is activated. There is no name, registration, nothing. Most of them come with at least 60 minutes of time. After that, one simply buys the "credit card" type of phone minutes and enters that activation code to add more minutes. Those are the phones I required for my kids before putting them on a plan so that they could learn to manage their cell phone time/texting.

I think we must have been typing at the same time. I bought my son's at Dollar General and still had to go through the whole process to activate it. I would take the refill card to the counter to pay, but they didn't give me the card back. The info to refill the card is printed on the receipt like you mentioned. The first time, I thought they didn't give me my minutes. I was embarassed when I called.

They are all different though, so you never know.

 

[AbbieNormal]

Well TH should have had her own phone. LE doesn't keep them. If it was taken away by whoever....why couldn't she go buy her own new phone and why would she need two of them?

Buy a new phone with what money? Kaines? I am pretty sure he had cut her off financially by the time she needed a phone. You know, her wanting him killed and all probably upset him, and he said no more money or credit cards for you! (assuming the police had her cell phone, if they didn't, I be Kaine took it from her) Course, she could have asked her parents or DeDe (or whoever)for money for a throwaway phone, and she could have gotten one in her own name. So....if the phones were NOT in her name, plus bought by friends, to me that makes her look even more suspicious. Whats so secret you need to discuss it on nefarious telephones? And with who??? If she has nothing to hide, no need for "secret" (not-so-secret, anymore) cell phones! JMO

 

[AbbieNormal]

I guess the point of the throw away phone in criminal use is when the criminal is arrested there is not really a way to know if they had used a throw away phone or not. If they did how many did they have, and which companies did they get them through?

If you have to use credit card info to activate them, I guess they (the criminal) would use someone else's card.

My ex just bought my daughter a pre-paid phone to use while she was staying with him for a few weeks. I know he doesn't have a credit card so I'm not sure how he did it. (maybe debit cards work?)

The article didn't specify that TH was provided with a throw away phone though. I guess I'm just speculating about it being one. If she just got a new phone and phone plan, no problems documenting that.

Didn't used to need a credit card and I imagine you still don't, judging from the looks of some of the people I still see using them, no offense to criminal-types, bums and drug dealers who may be reading this. I see them out in front of our 7-11 all the time....anyway I bought mine w/ cash way back when.

 

[AbbieNormal]

The ones at the dollar store - all one has to do is call a number with the activation code provided on the receipt and it is activated. There is no name, registration, nothing. Most of them come with at least 60 minutes of time. After that, one simply buys the "credit card" type of phone minutes and enters that activation code to add more minutes. Those are the phones I required for my kids before putting them on a plan so that they could learn to manage their cell phone time/texting.

Wow, thanks for that info. Guess things have changed a bit over the years since I had one and its even more "covert" now to get one and use one.

 

[Tuffy]

Didn't used to need a credit card and I imagine you still don't, judging from the looks of some of the people I still see using them, no offense to criminal-types, bums and drug dealers who may be reading this. I see them out in front of our 7-11 all the time....anyway I bought mine w/ cash way back when.

Okay, that's what I thought, too. I just got a bit confused by the activation part. Thinking that was how you paid. I should have figured you didn't need a debit or credit card because some people go this route just because they have lousy credit also.

 

[BeanE]

Friend of Terri Horman used fake name to buy cell phone
Story Updated: Aug 6, 2010 at 4:54 PM PDT

Friends of Terri Horman purchased cell phones to communicate with her after Kyron Horman disappeared two months ago, one of whom did so using a fake name, according to multiple sources on Friday.

The friend, who is not DeDe Spicher, went to the Lloyd Center and bought a prepaid cell phone at an electronic store. The friend now says she regrets using a fake name and that it was “stupid” and “spur of the moment”.

But she insists the three of them, DeDe, Terri and her, only got the phones because they needed AT&T service which allowed them to make calls out of the Horman home at Shelter Nook Road, which is in a remote area and doesn’t service Verizon phones which is what they had.

They also wanted some level of privacy with their conversations which they felt were being monitored by law enforcement.

She insists she’s not guilty of anything besides trying to be supportive of her friend, Terri. But she said as she has cooperated with investigators she has withdrawn her support of Terri.


http://www.katu.com/news/local/100161574.html

 

[freefallzzzz]

Friend of Terri Horman used fake name to buy cell phone
Story Updated: Aug 6, 2010 at 4:54 PM PDT

Friends of Terri Horman purchased cell phones to communicate with her after Kyron Horman disappeared two months ago, one of whom did so using a fake name, according to multiple sources on Friday.

The friend, who is not DeDe Spicher, went to the Lloyd Center and bought a prepaid cell phone at an electronic store. The friend now says she regrets using a fake name and that it was “stupid” and “spur of the moment”.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/100161574.html

Ok BeanE.. You are SO on top of things I've decided I'm just looking at WS for the news! =) And I'm a local!! =)

I was watching KOIN ..
here is my post from the other thread that should probably be here =)

KOIN just reported that DS, and TH's other friend who's house was searched both bought cell phones so that they could keep in touch (as they felt their conversations were being monitored by LE) and because they provided better reception up at the H. home..

Also this other friend testified today. KOIN says her name, the other channels blurred her face.

Interesting to me..
They said one person purchased the phones at Lloyd Center, which is across the river..

I do have to say that when a friend and I went a few weeks ago up to Sheltered Nook I was curious about the cell phone coverage..
We checked, my phone had no reception (Sprint) his had reception (AT&T)..

 

[wondering1]

Friend of Terri Horman used fake name to buy cell phone
Story Updated: Aug 6, 2010 at 4:54 PM PDT

Friends of Terri Horman purchased cell phones to communicate with her after Kyron Horman disappeared two months ago, one of whom did so using a fake name, according to multiple sources on Friday.

The friend, who is not DeDe Spicher, went to the Lloyd Center and bought a prepaid cell phone at an electronic store. The friend now says she regrets using a fake name and that it was “stupid” and “spur of the moment”.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/100161574.html

wow...that certainly doesn't look good, does it? Also, the fact that they bought them "to communicate with her," is significant imo, as well. Not to have private conversations with her lawyer, or in general, but with those friends, in particular. hmmmm

 

[matou]

Oh boy, what a dumb thing for those friends to do. Why would they be afraid of having any conversation over the phone with Terri unless they had something to hide. Obviously, it is very suspicious of them to do something like this. If no one is guilty of anything then why be afraid of LE overhearing their phone conversations? COme on...JMO

 

[Jasmine_xoxo]

I just don't understand why Terri, Dede and this unnamed friend feel the need for covert operations. If Terri is not guilty this is a crazy way of showing it. Also as for Dede, I have to say that she definitely portrayed herself as one type of person while in reality was a completely different person IMO.

Dede was someone who would have been around my young son on a frequent basis and that bothers me the more I learn about her ability to be deceptive.

What kind of world is this?

The fact that Kyron is missing is not some stupid CSI or Dexter episode ladies. He is a real boy with real family.

 

[BeanE]

wow...that certainly doesn't look good, does it? Also, the fact that they bought them "to communicate with her," is significant imo, as well. Not to have private conversations with her lawyer, or in general, but with those friends, in particular. hmmmm

Yep looks specific to those three people, a decision they made among themselves.

 

[cluciano63]

Is this an entirely new friend (to us)? Did they give her name out?

 

[Tuffy]

snipped

I do have to say that when a friend and I went a few weeks ago up to Sheltered Nook I was curious about the cell phone coverage..
We checked, my phone had no reception (Sprint) his had reception (AT&T)..

I checked Verizon's website and most of Sheltered Nook Road is not covered. So, no Verizon coverage there. I guess at least that part of their story adds up. Using a fake name, not so much.

 

[Tuffy]

Is this an entirely new friend (to us)? Did they give her name out?

Sounds like all we know is that it is not DDS.

 

[Tuffy]

She insists she’s not guilty of anything besides trying to be supportive of her friend, Terri. But she said as she has cooperated with investigators she has withdrawn her support of Terri.

Interesting that she now has withdrawn her support of Terri. I wonder what has changed her feelings? Getting caught?

 

[DairyGirl]

Oh, I think it is very possible that Houze discouraged TH from all kinds of electronic and verbal communications. That kind of advice makes perfect sense for a defense attorney to give.

I disagree with the traceability of a new phone though. If the phone she was given was one of the throw away types, there would be no way to trace the calls or texts. She would have had to have been caught with the phone. If she used the phone then disposed of it no one is any the wiser.

That's why these phones are often associated with criminal activity. You don't have to sign up for anything like you do when you purchase a cell phone plan. When you're done with it, you pitch it. Nothing to connect the phone with any particular user.

I may be wrong but if she used that phone to call someone and that person told LE then they would have her new phone number and then they can search records for all calls made with that phone. I believe that the provider keeps those records even if it is a disposable phone.

 

[wondering1]

Is this an entirely new friend (to us)? Did they give her name out?

A new name, to me anyway, is andrea leckey. It's in the KOIN article. She was before the GJ, but I don't know if she's one of the batphone triplets. There also was a couple mentioned, but I don't know the names, or if their testimony was related to the phones, either.

 

[Tuffy]

I may be wrong but if she used that phone to call someone and that person told LE then they would have her new phone number and then they can search records for all calls made with that phone. I believe that the provider keeps those records even if it is a disposable phone.

I think you would be right. I think. I wonder if they are able to do that in this case? It sounds like the friend cooperated with investigators, so they probably are getting all the phone data.

 

[Jo in Calif]

I wonder if Terry disclosed this info, about the new phones to her CD attorney, and if he has the #, If not, I can't see him being a very happy camper about this.