GA - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 #1 *Arrests*

[Lamima]

Subbing in.

 

[southernmimi]

Why does the glove have to be a part of the crime scene at all? People throw items out of their cars, drop them, etc. all of the time. Unless it has traceable fingerprints or DNA , I wouldn't assume anything.

 

[lstiff]

The age would be right for a student but I think I read where Towns grew up on a family farm near McRae? That's almost an hour away from Ocilla.

It's all relevant. Everywhere (town or place) down there is 30-60 minutes away. It's not like living in the city where I would not dream of driving 45 minutes away to go to the store. 1 town over or even 45 minute drive is "up the road" down there. I was born and raised in the area, it's not that far away in the grand scheme of things.

Just tossing ideas around: He might have had a friend who went to her school, he might have known her or of her from pageants (they put that stuff in the newspaper and in parades) or through friends and family. Even if he didn't know anything at the time, he would know her name b/c of her case.

I also have to wonder if his DNA is now in the system b/c of this arrest and it might have matched say a glove from a cold case OR he talked to get a plea deal. This is all assuming on my part that he is the one who gave the info for the search. Which seems to be good since they found something and are digging further, according to the article linked above. This is all JMO obviously.

 

[SassyBenton]

If it's on Topix it has to be true. :laughing: But IF this is true, unless he's just coming completely clean so he can sleep at night his motivation would seem to be a possible plea bargain in exchange for evidence of another crime.

Not saying Topix is a reliable source but sometimes locals do get the real scoop before the rest of us do. Local cops/people working on the case go home and talk to their families/friends and before you know it word gets out. I’ve seen it happen right here on Websleuths.

 

[SassyBenton]

It's all relevant. Everywhere (town or place) down there is 30-60 minutes away. It's not like living in the city where I would not dream of driving 45 minutes away to go to the store. 1 town over or even 45 minute drive is "up the road" down there. I was born and raised in the area, it's not that far away in the grand scheme of things.

Just tossing ideas around: He might have had a friend who went to her school, he might have known her or of her from pageants (they put that stuff in the newspaper and in parades) or through friends and family. Even if he didn't know anything at the time, he would know her name b/c of her case.

I also have to wonder if his DNA is now in the system b/c of this arrest and it might have matched say a glove from a cold case OR he talked to get a plea deal. This is all assuming on my part that he is the one who gave the info for the search. Which seems to be good since they found something and are digging further, according to the article linked above. This is all JMO obviously.

It is interesting that this guy is in custody and right after a search related to Tara’s disappearance begins after years of nothing. Just makes me wonder.

 

[scoopd83]

The news story said that the GBI got a "credible tip." If Towns had been on a slippery slope for some time, finally reaching such a low point that he lured an innocent couple to their deaths for cash, he may well have come into contact with some undesirable characters along the way. Certainly possible he came across this knowledge at some point and has decided to use it to his benefit.

 

[CanManEh]

This case and jennifer kesse has allways been my main 2 cases or coming to websleuths so if this turns out to be real well thats prety wild if i do say so myself..

 

[RememberTara]

http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/cr...pond-for-evidence-in-grinstead-case/23184781/

That's according to J.T. Ricketson, special agent in charge of the GBI's Perry office.

He said they found some items that could be evidence in the case.

"But I'm very disappointed," said Ricketson. "I would have liked to find a lot more."

He also scoffed at rumors that spread around the towns of Ocilla and Fitzgerald due to the massive search scene: "We have not found a body. We have not found multiple bodies."

Grinstead, an Ocilla school teacher, disappeared in October 2005. Her body was never found and no one has been charged in the case."

Ricketson gave this account of the search:

He said about a week ago, a tipster contacted the GBI with what he called "fairly credible information" in the case.

The tip led investigators to some property in Fitzgerald, in Ben Hill County.

 

[scoopd83]

According to WALB news in Albany the tip came in from a local farmer. No body was found but some evidence was recovered and they continue to sift through the mud and debris.

 

[iluvmua]

I hope this new information leads to Tara. she needs to come home and her killer brought to justice.

 

[southernmimi]

A tip from a local farmer? How would he know what's at the bottom of a pond unless he put it there or saw someone else do it. Nine years is a very long time to wait for a memory surge.

 

[iluvmua]

A tip from a local farmer? How would he know what's at the bottom of a pond unless he put it there or saw someone else do it. Nine years is a very long time to wait for a memory surge.

He might have seen a car down by the pond or a person by the pond put something in there.

just speculating.

 

[scoopd83]

Agreed Mimi. Just reporting what was on the 6 o'clock news. Could be that report is erroneous unless this tipster just heard about it. Either way I just hope it leads to something.

 

[iluvmua]

*bump*

 

[scubadvr99]

A couple of questions that entered my mind, who owned the property 10 yrs. ago and who owns it now? If different people, are either owners friends/family with any of the people who were suspected at the time.

I hope that she is found and this is finally solved.

 

[sundrop]

The tip came from a local farmer

More was made of this search than was necessary

 

[sundrop]

The location is sultana and monitor areas

 

[annoulzz]

How far is that from her house?

 

[sleeze]

10 miles

 

[annoulzz]

Oh. Pretty close. I hope the evidence they found is really linked to her.