GUILTY GA - Lauren Giddings, 27, Macon, 26 June 2011 # 1

[shefner]

Well it sounds like her neighbor was breaking into apartments and stealing items of a "personal" nature. Could that be underwear or nightclothes? Not sure...but it wasn't tv's, stereos, or items that would be considered of value.

This certainly sounds suspicious....

 

[bessie]

I thought after McD's arrest, LE might've narrowed it down to just him. But, no. The second POI was still mentioned in the pc this afternoon. It's not clear to me either, Steadfast, whether LE suspects the two POI's acted together, or if they're looking at them separately.

Another mystery. Why was LE searching near the Ocmulgee River?

Ironically, Lauren was a clerk in law firm helping to defend clients accused of burlgary and shoplifting. I wonder if that somehow figures into the crime.

 

[Knox]

Still trying to make sense of this. Was Lauren's body in that location since Saturday?

Another article here ... http://www.gadailynews.com/news/macon/69401-police-treating-remains-as-those-of-mercer-law-grad.html

Snipped- Burns said police have several people of interest in the case, including one of Giddings’ neighbors at the apartments on Georgia Avenue.

-and-

McDaniel, who also graduated from Mercer law school last month, worked for the Bibb County District Attorney’s office for about four months earlier this year to earn course credit for school, Winters said.

​

 

[SmoothOperator]

You guys IMO doesn't it make it just that much sadder and more tragic to know that as if yesterday she would have been moved out of this apt and securely living with a roommate I believe in Atlanta??..

It seems as tho several of her friends knew of this upcoming move as did a property mgr their at the apt complex that let themselves into Lauren's apt to see what was the status of her supposing to have moved out by Thursday.. This mgr stated that they noticed there was nOne of Laurens belongings had been packed in preparation for the move..

I now wonder did McD also know of this immediate upcoming move from the apt complex??.. IMO it's quite likely that he did have knowledge of this therefor him having to make his move with Lairen if he was gonna even be able to have the opportunity to do so..

One other detail that I noticed in reading the several articles about Lauren.. I believe it was on Thursday that one of her friends drove over to Laurens apt AFTer not having been able to reach Lauren.. She says that she used the spare key to gain entry Into Laurens apt with the key that Lauren was known to have kept outside for emergencies..

After learning that I believe that it's even possible that he didnt evern knock and her allow him in, but rather that in his most likely watching Laurems daily activities along with those who came and went from Laurems apt.. That he k ew where this spare key was kept..

While giving the on camera interview with the media he makes a statement that led me to believe a certain way.. He made the comment that when he and some other classmates entered her apt to check on her yesterday that her cell was on her nightstand(he went into further detail about the cell but it's nit relevant In the point I'm making).. His having given this detail I ft that it could beiky that Lauren was even in bed at the time he entered the apt with the hidden key of Lauren's.. She could him been taken by complete surprise in the middle of the night last Saturday night..

Not saying that's a fact in any way but just something that came to mind as a possibility after hearing McD speak about her phone on her nightstand..

Just some thoughts..

 

[bessie]

Still trying to make sense of this. Was Lauren's body in that location since Saturday?

Another article here ... http://www.gadailynews.com/news/macon/69401-police-treating-remains-as-those-of-mercer-law-grad.html

Snipped- Burns said police have several people of interest in the case, including one of Giddings’ neighbors at the apartments on Georgia Avenue.

-and-

McDaniel, who also graduated from Mercer law school last month, worked for the Bibb County District Attorney’s office for about four months earlier this year to earn course credit for school, Winters said.

​

It's hard to tell, Knox. The details are so sketchy. I looked at a google satellite view this afternoon, and the complex is surrounded by trees and small wooded areas. So, it's possible her body was there since Saturday. I keep wondering about the search near the river and the landfill, though. What would they be looking for? Weapons, maybe clothing, I guess.

Then, this last article mentions several POI's, twice. Earlier reports mentioned a second POI. So that's changed. From what I gather, the female friend and McD were in the apartment together, supposedly looking around, and they found the e-mail on her computer. They are also recent Mercer Law School grads, so they could know each other. And a third friend might've been with them. :waitasec: A lot of missing pieces here. I haven't read all of the earlier articles yet. Was the female friend mentioned by name or seen on video?

Smooth, the part about the missing key jumped out at me, too, when I read the report today. I found it curious that a key was hidden right outside, but it wasn't used by the perp, and there was no forced entry. Which tells us she knew the perp(s) and let him/them in. She was already frightened, so I doubt she would've opened her door to a stranger. Unless she didn't type the e-mail.) If the female friend is telling the truth, and she found the hidden key, then I think Lauren let McD in. I don't believe he would've put the key back in its hiding place.

So tragic. We're now looking at another beautiful young student, coincidentally named Lauren, whose tragic fate seems to be tied to "friends".

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

Yeah it is odd. Another thing that is odd is that email. I wonder if she was the one that wrote it. If that was the last known communication how do they know the killer didn't type that up while in her apartment as a red herring?

Seems like if she had a boyfriend and lots of friends at school she would likely have told someone about the break-in attempt the day after it happened, not just mention it in an email to some friend in Atlanta 2 days later.

i was also thinking that maybe someone else had written that email. surely if she were scared she would have went somewhere else, called the cops, something.

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

I dont get how she was missing for day before anyone noticed. From what i gather she was close to her friends. idk about her family, but still and she had a boyfriend? it makes no sense.

also on stephen mcdaniels, i would think that since he is a law student he would have done a better job in all this. he had days. im not saying he isnt guilty, but i wouldnt rule anyone else out either. its good he is in custody.

 

[Sonya610]

Still trying to make sense of this. Was Lauren's body in that location since Saturday?[/I]

​

Looks like it probably was. The found the body shortly after the police arrived to follow up on the missing persons report.

It is very very unlikely someone removed her from the scene, killed her elsewhere and then took the body back to the apartment complex. Also pretty unlikely someone held her for days at the scene without being noticed. The body was in bad shape, they still haven't positively identified her which would be consistent with dismemberment and laying out in 95 degree macon heat for 5 days.

So that means the dismemberment likely took place in the apartments or close by. Wish the police would state what they found. Was she dismembered in HER apartment? If this was done in the neighbor guys appartment the police would NOT be saying there are "several POIs right now" and that is exactly what they are saying.

People need to give the McDaniel kid a break until the police sort this out -- at first the police had 2 poi's, now there are "several" so maybe this guy didn't do it.​

 

[Sonya610]

Ironically, Lauren was a clerk in law firm helping to defend clients accused of burlgary and shoplifting. I wonder if that somehow figures into the crime.

Yes, it put her in contact with numerous questionable people and lord knows there are lots of untreated mental health problems out there. Plus that apartment complex was tiny, just three tenants. On a Saturday night it would be quite possible the other two might be out and anyone that was watching could see that.

 

[sue4141]

My Mom said in Macon they say she is a runner which is why they were checking down by the river. There's a running trail there. Doesn't look good for the neighbor.

 

[sleutherroo]

Long time lurker, and I finally decided to sign up and post. Thanks to everyone for the great info. I am originally from the area (but no longer live there). I have spoken to some friends, and a contact of mine within the local leadership says the body found was a torso and nothing else...which is why identification has been so difficult. Whoever did this is truly a disgusting sicko, and I hope that justice will be served. Prayers for this poor girl and her family.


http://www.macon.com/2011/07/02/1617930/police-treating-remains-as-those.html

“We can’t say positively that it’s her because the FBI is still doing tests,” Burns said. “We’re not sure when we’re going to get those back. All I can say is we’re pretty sure she’s going to be the (homicide) victim.”

Why is the FBI involved? Is that normal?

Also from same article- it looks like they revoked SM's bail for the burglary charge.

 

[Sonya610]

Long time lurker, and I finally decided to sign up and post. Thanks to everyone for the great info. I am originally from the area (but no longer live there). I have spoken to some friends, and a contact of mine within the local leadership says the body found was a torso and nothing else...

Sheesh! I figured identification was difficult due to dismemberment and heat.

Kind of figured some body parts might be missing due to the landfill search but figured it was organs not all limbs. Or bloody clothes and such.

If this is true then hopefully they were far far more interested in the corpse than the living person. Yeah it makes sense, the authorities do not shut down the landfill for evidence, but hey do to retrieve major body parts. As bad as this is whomever did this hopefully focused on the corpse not the suffering of the victim.

 

[sandangel]

I dont get how she was missing for day before anyone noticed. From what i gather she was close to her friends. idk about her family, but still and she had a boyfriend? it makes no sense.

also on stephen mcdaniels, i would think that since he is a law student he would have done a better job in all this. he had days. im not saying he isnt guilty, but i wouldnt rule anyone else out either. its good he is in custody.

The last time anyone heard from her was Saturday. Several days later (Thursday) I believe, a friend became concerned and reported it. Then her body was found.

 

[Sonya610]

If in fact they only found a torso (which sounds plausible due to the landfill and river search) my gut says this one is going to go unsolved.

 

[EllaMae]

This is really a terrible case. That poor young woman.

 

[SmoothOperator]

Re: the boyfriend not noticing her missing sooner..

If I'm not mistaken In one of the first articles linked ^above^ it states that her boyfriend is out of town in California.. It did not specify how long or when he had left.. So IMO depending on when he left(and LE know already).. It either totally rules him out.. Or makes him look suspicious.. If say he left on Monday or Tuesday, with Lauren missing since Saturday it would seem odd that he did not see her before leaving for his trip and if attempted to that he did not contact family earlier to report her missing..

IMO most likely I believe he was already gone to CA when this occurred, but either way this info LE already knows..*

Re: the email that was sent "late" hours of Saturday night.. I, too believe it's a possibility that this email was not written by her.. Not convinced that it was for certain but definitely believe it to be possible.. A couple of reasons why I believe it's possible..

A) to my knowledge she had not told anyone else that an attempted break in had occurred, nor that she was in fer staying at her apt.. I believe this intelligent woman would have definitely involved police if she even thought there was a possible attempted break in.. Along with te fact that she was really close with some folks in town and was with them Saturday morning but still to my knowledge did not make mention of these important and scary details..

B) in McD's on air interview prior to his arrest he really goes on and on about particular details in thisemail.. It's the firsy we hear of the "Macon hoodlums" attempting to break in.. He goes on amd on about Lauren being scared .. Really going overboard with the remark about his little gun he would have lent her.. Etc..etc..

C) and probably biggest reason if all I think it spossible if not likely that the email was sent by someone other than her.. This detail also comes from McD in the interview..
I originally thought it not likely that another sent an email from her laptop because as we know everything seems to be password protected and just found it unlikely the murderer would just have happened to know her password.. But McD clearly states that when he and the other classmates entered Laurens apt on Thursday to check on her that they got On her laptop and checked her email.. This was when they read the email she had sent out Saturday late nite..

So therefor obviously Laurens account was easily accessible which makes sense she did live alone and it was her personal laptop.. After finding out tht her email was accessible it truly made the possibility of another having written that email even greater..

With it being sent at a late hour Saturday night I truly believe it may have been authored and sent by the murderer from Laurens laptop.. If this is the case I believe it was an AFTRR the fact idea to lend more credence to a stranger AKA Macon Hoodlum.. As I said if u go back and read from what we know this statement in this email is the only statement that is made to anyone about Lauren believing there was an attempted breakin amd her fear of staying alone..

IMO thiz was an after te fact attempt to help conceal the identity of the murderer by attempting to make it appear as if this were an on going stalking, break in, stranger type of crime.. Jmo, tho!!

 

[Jessicaleanne1992]

ok, this may be a dumb question, but they have already took dna from the body to run it against laurens, right?

 

[SmoothOperator]

If in fact they only found a torso (which sounds plausible due to the landfill and river search) my gut says this one is going to go unsolved.

I totally understand your reasoning for thinking this about going unsolved.. But oh, Sonya do I pray that this does not go unsolved.. There are just way to many cases tbat go unsolved and families left in limbo never to have closure they deserve.. As sad as it may be I am thankful, however that this family atleast will have closure in actually knowing that she is deceased whereas so many families these days must live their lives just not knowing whether their loved one is dead or alive..

I do feel that this case most likely will be solved because no matter what effort in a clean up is attempted a dismemberment cannot be concealed and most dismemberment cases are solved IMO.. The two latest dismemberment cases that both have already been resolved is the Zahra Baker case and the Matthew Hoffman/Sarah Maynard case.. Both dismemberment cases and both fairly quickly solved..

Atleast I pray for the sake of this family that this case be similar in being solved fairly quickly..

 

[Sonya610]

B) in McD's on air interview prior to his arrest he really goes on and on about particular details in thisemail.. It's the firsy we hear of the "Macon hoodlums" attempting to break in.. He goes on amd on about Lauren being scared .. Really going overboard with the remark about his little gun he would have lent her.. Etc..etc..

C) and probably biggest reason if all I think it spossible if not likely that the email was sent by someone other than her.. This detail also comes from McD in the interview..
I originally thought it not likely that another sent an email from her laptop because as we know everything seems to be password protected and just found it unlikely the murderer would just have happened to know her password..

Two things. These law student folks are likely very liberal; i.e. guns kill people, or poverty forces people to kill people (but owning a gun is like major uncool amongst enlightened folks that understand we need to empathize with criminals not shoot them) therefore explain why you MIGHT have a small firearm for self defense (and look apologetic in order to please your friends).

Secondly. Passwords required to send email? Errrrrrrmmmmm.....no. I enter the password when I reboot (by some choice I made when I bought a new computer). No passwords required for days on end to send email. I am guessing a lot of folks don't ever need to enter a password.

 

[SmoothOperator]

I would assume that yes, they have taken a DNA sample from the torso and I know her family is there in Macon,now. So I would also assume they have taken a DNA sample from fam members to prove this is Lauren..

LE said they hoped to have those results next week..