Eerie Similarity?

[BlueCrab]

The Ramseys had friends and family in and out of their house all the time. Workman came and went on various projects. Maids were employed.

If the alarm system was activated during the 3 years previous to JonBenét's death we would have heard loud and clear contradictions to the Ramseys' assertion that the system had been disconnected.

The alarm system hadn't been disconnected; it was simply turned off.

JMO

 

[Shylock]

The point is that the window was large enough for grown men to go through with relative ease. Quickly, easily, without tearing their clothing.

The dirt on the window sill hadn't been disturbed in WEEKS, LovelyPigeon. Anyone can see that. There are drop marks present in the dirt from the last rain.

And the window didn't open all the way because of some pipes hanging down. Lou Smit proved right on the Today Show with Katie Curric that it was possible for someone to climb through the window, but they had to drag their butt across the sill in order to do that.

Smit also did a nice little shuffle in the window well as he got himself into position to go through the window. No disturbance of that type was found in the bottom of the window well.

And the thing which is REALLY STUPID about the whole theory, is that the suitcase was under the window so someone could climb OUT the window, not IN. Nobody, even Smit, has ever climbed OUT that window! I'd love to see someone try THAT feat without touching the sill!

 

[Toth]

but they had to drag their butt across the sill!

I know that the seat pants of Lou Smit's overalls did not need cleaning afterwards. I am informed and believe and on the basis of that belief hereby state that the Prime Mover on the Ramsey Case did not have to brush off her clothing after she went through that window. One other person went both in and out of the window and did not note any dirt on their clothing.

 

[LovelyPigeon]

As far as I know, no one took photos of the window well immediately after any of the detectives (and a few others) took their turns going through the basement window. Therefore there's no comparison (at least none I've ever seen) for how things appeared in the crime scene photos of the window well and how they appeared after someone went through the window.

The sill looks to me as if it has an area that was "wiped" or "swiped", similar to what might happen if someone entered through the window.

I don't recall if anyone ever described their personal attempt to go out the window with or without using an object for a "step" up.

 

[BlueCrab]

The dirt on the window sill hadn't been disturbed in WEEKS, LovelyPigeon. Anyone can see that.

And neither had the partial spiderweb apparently been disturbed that stretched from one corner of the iron grate to some rocks. The Agelenidae spider that spun that funnel web hibernates in the winter and would not normally have repaired the web until Spring. However, even though the temperature had dipped to 6 degrees that night, it warmed up to 51 degrees on the 26th. So it's possible the spider could have come out and repaired the web, but it's not likely.

JMO

 

[Toltec]

If I were to stage the crime scene I would swipe the window sill to make it look like someone entered through the window.

 

[Spade]

John Ramsey had presented his own theory on the murder of his daughter to all who would listen. He pointed to the location of a blue suitcase under the basement window and told of finding the window open when he searched the basement on the morning of the alleged kidnapping. He theorized that the murderer had made his entrance and escape through the window. However, as noted by detectives arriving early on the morning of December 26, an intact spider web covered the grate which blocked off the window. In order to enter or exit the window, the grate would have had to have been removed.

This grate was photographed and collected for evidence. Interior dusting of the window for fingerprints was done by crime scene investigators and no latent prints were found. In May, the photos were submitted to Brent Opell,
Professor of Biology at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksbury, Virginia. Prof. Opell reported that the web was that of the Agelenidae, known as a funnel-web spider. The web was reasonably intact and extending through the grating, suggesting that the grating had not been disturbed since the spider constructed its web.

According to Prof. Opell, these types of spiders would cease constructing webs no later than early November, thus indicating that no one had entered that window well past this early November deadline. The theory that anyone
could have entered the Ramsey residence through this broken window was totally discounted by this simple evidence of nature.

 

[why_nutt]

According to Prof. Opell, these types of spiders would cease constructing webs no later than early November, thus indicating that no one had entered that window well past this early November deadline. The theory that anyone could have entered the Ramsey residence through this broken window was totally discounted by this simple evidence of nature.

That makes sense. Let us look at it this way. A spider only spins a web in a location where it can get regular meals. It cannot afford to invest the energy in a web which will not pay off for it.

If a spider spun a web in that location, and made sure to maintain it so vigorously that it knew there was an advantage in reconstructing the web within hours of its destruction, then the area was rife with enough bugs to feed the spider. But if the area was full of bugs, then there is a good chance that many of them made their way into the warm opening of the window and from there into the rest of the basement, where they would naturally be attracted to sources of moisture. And if you have bugs in the basement, then you have a potential source for the marks on JonBenet, which may have been literal bug bites. MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION OF DEATH warns investigators that sometimes flesh wounds which look like abrasions made before death are actually signs of insect feeding made post-mortem.

 

[Tricia]

That makes sense. Let us look at it this way. A spider only spins a web in a location where it can get regular meals. It cannot afford to invest the energy in a web which will not pay off for it.

If a spider spun a web in that location, and made sure to maintain it so vigorously that it knew there was an advantage in reconstructing the web within hours of its destruction, then the area was rife with enough bugs to feed the spider. But if the area was full of bugs, then there is a good chance that many of them made their way into the warm opening of the window and from there into the rest of the basement, where they would naturally be attracted to sources of moisture. And if you have bugs in the basement, then you have a potential source for the marks on JonBenet, which may have been literal bug bites. MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION OF DEATH warns investigators that sometimes flesh wounds which look like abrasions made before death are actually signs of insect feeding made post-mortem.

Why Nutt I so enjoy your posts. Very interesting. Could some of the abrasions have been bugs feeding on the flesh? I never ever thought of that.

Wow.

 

[Shylock]

One other person went both in and out of the window and did not note any dirt on their clothing.

We're talking about the lack of disturbance in the filth the day after the crime, Toth - not someone's laundry needs the following summer.

We can safely file Lou Smit's window disturbance in the same trash can as we put his blue lines that were made by electrical arcs.

 

[BlueCrab]

And if you have bugs in the basement, then you have a potential source for the marks on JonBenet, which may have been literal bug bites. ... actually signs of insect feeding made post-mortem.

Good thinking why_nut. Of course, only JonBenet's face was likely exposed to the basement's insects because of her papoose style of wrapping in the white blanket. But it nevertheless is something to crank into the equation with regard to identifying the source of facial injuries. The large open and ugly mark on the right side of the face near the ear comes to mind.

JMO

 

[why_nutt]

Good thinking why_nut. Of course, only JonBenet's face was likely exposed to the basement's insects because of her papoose style of wrapping in the white blanket. But it nevertheless is something to crank into the equation with regard to identifying the source of facial injuries. The large open and ugly mark on the right side of the face near the ear comes to mind.

JMO

Here are a couple of pictures (greyscale and with no blood, not particularly graphic to my opinion but YMMV), of post-mortem bites. The caption to this one is "Postmortem artifact. Skin lesions of arm caused by roaches. These are easily confused with antemortem abrasions if the roaches are not observed when the body is discovered."

http://s92053900.onlinehome.us/bites.jpg

But what is more interesting is a phenomenon many Ramsey defenders say is impossible outside the presence of a stun gun. Observe: these roaches apparently were trained, because the bites appear in sets of three evenly-spaced marks!

http://s92053900.onlinehome.us/bitespaired.jpg

MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION OF DEATH has this to say:

Similarly, postmortem injuries caused by various scavengers (such as flies, ants, beetles, roaches, dogs, rodents, aquatic animals) may cause injuries (anthropophagy) simulating postmortem trauma. Superficial (epidermal) skin defects produced by insect feeding are sometimes mistaken for cigarette burns. When in doubt, microscopic examination of such areas readily reveals the true nature of such lesions.

 

[LovelyPigeon]

There is a forensic pathologist with experience in stun gun injuries and who was consulted by LE on this case who has concluded to a "medical certainty" that the pairs of marks on JonBenét were made by a stun gun.

If there is a forensic pathologist with experience in post mortem insect bites who examines the evidence in this case and concludes that the pairs of marks on JonBenét were made by insect activity, we should give him or her opportunity to present opinion & evidence.

 

[Toth]

I too believe they are stun gun marks but I do admit that the color plates in forensic texts that show peri-mortem insect bites are interesting. Ofcourse, the Ramsey basement was not a cockroach infested inner-city ghetto dwelling and the "insect" bites would indeed be curiously spaced on the torso and even more curiously spaced with reference to each other.

 

[Toltec]

JonBenet was found with her head tilted to her right...which I believe accounted for the mark behind her right ear.

The triangular abrasion comes from someone trying to remove the cord from JonBenet's neck. The marks on her left leg, back and right shoulder very well could have come from struggling with her killer.

 

[jubie]

I don't usually say much here but I have done some reading.... sometimes it's the really simple things that get missed..... IF this supposed intruder is comfortable enough to walk through this house and even sit in the kitchen to write the RN... how in the heck can you convince me he'd go out that window instead of a door upstairs?? Nopey nope, that just doesn't make enough sense to make a penny!! :twocents:

Jubie

 

[Islander]

Jubie: I agree with you. Why go to the trouble of climbing out the basement window when the alleged intruder could have walked out any of the doors. But if the alleged intruder did not leave through the basement window as Lou Smit alleged, how was the window grate placed back in its normal position? I don’t believe an intruder could have entered the basement through the window and, once in the basement, reach back and replace the grate.

Maybe Toth can tell us if Lou Smit or his “Prime Mover” attempted to reposition the grate while in the basement. While he is at it, maybe Toth can tell us if Smit or his “Prime Mover” wore a heavy coat when they entered through the window. The only picture I saw of Smit, he was not wearing a coat at all. Considering that it does get a little chilly in the middle of a winter night in Colorado, I suspect any intruder would probably be bundled up pretty good, and thus more likely to leave much more of a disturbance than say a coatless Lou.

 

[Shylock]

I suspect any intruder would probably be bundled up pretty good, and thus more likely to leave much more of a disturbance than say a coatless Lou.

Good point on the coat, Islander...But you really couldn't have left more of a disturbance than ol' Lou did. The guy virtually did a soft-shoe trying to get into position to slide through that window. And there was no disturbance at all like that in the garbage at the bottom of the window well.

Basic math:
(wild imagination) + (intruder) = "Imagintruder"

IMO

 

[BlueCrab]

Good point on the coat, Islander...

I agree the heavy coat adds more evidence to the unlikelihood that an intruder entered the house by way of the basement window. It was six degrees outside that night so he had to have been bundled up. The evidence is overwhelming there was no intruder.

The fake ransom note alone is 100% proof there was no intruder. Why would an INTRUDER take the time and risk to write a fake three-page ransom note trying to make the killing look like an INTRUDER did it? Duh!

JMO

 

[Nehemiah]

And don't forget that John Ramsey said he took off his clothes to go through that window!

IMO