Missouri - The Springfield Three--missing since June 1992 - #15

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What is being "staged"? Why would there be a need? They didn't clean up the glass on the porch from the light. There was, as I recall, some stuff out of place in the area of Sherrill's closet, but that is not unusual or suggestive of staging. There was a blind that had a slat out of place. The TV was on, showing static. So why would someone do those things? It's not like they pointed to 3 runaway or to a burglary. Moreover, we have no real idea of what Stacy's mother and the rest of the unfortunate visitors moved, or "fixed," other than the broken glass.

People stage crimes to throw LE off, usually to disguise the acts of a criminal close to the victims. So they "stage" a burglary, usually. Or stage a domestic violence homicide to look like a psycho rapists did it. There's nothing in the appearance of the house that would either suggest or eliminate relatives of any of the three or for that matter, friends. The scene says nothing. The best "read" on that is an organized serial offender or offenders smart enough to leave no real evidence--or lucky because the "friends and family" event eliminated all of that.
I don't care what weapon you use. It's virtually impossible to remove three adults from a house unwillingly and leave the scene looking like they just walked away. Even surprising them in the house would likely leave something askew. There's that first moment before everyone is under control where things happen. People drop what hey are holding. They attempt to fend off the intruder. They bump things when herded out of the house. And all we have it a broken light globe?

I really believe the house was staged (a minor straightening up at least) or they weren't in the house when it happened (like they were lured outside). In the event of the McStay removal, there were signs in the house that pointed to a forced removal.
 
We know that Sherrill was security-conscious. We can't know whether Suzie looked the door when the girls came in. I've also thought it was possible for one or both girls to go back outside to the car after getting to the Delmar house. But again--we have no way to know.

I don't think the house was staged because there was no need. You "stage" if you want the crime to look like something it wasn't. If the house had been tossed like it was a burglary--that's staging. What the house looked like was normal. Like nothing had happened.

You may find it difficult to believe that one killer could subdue 3 women, but I can think of a half-dozen cases where families of 3-5 have been killed or kidnapped/murdered by 1 person. In the McStay case, one man took a family of four from their home into the dessert and murdered all 4. There is zero way to know how Sherrill or the girls would response. We do know that there is no evidence of a struggle. It's possible that the kidnapper(s) struck one of the women and that subdued the rest. What we know is that (as you point out) there is no physical evidence to suggest whether there were one or more perpetrators.

Could you provide some context for this passage? Where and when was this found?


Not only did Chase Merritt remove the 4 McStays he used a mallet ( big mess ) as the weapon . Plus , one could deduce 2 adult could get some shots in on someone with a hammer . But like the 3MW , an Abduction was likely the Last thing on their minds . They aren’t trained military ect. To respond to a rapid surprise attack .

The girls just wrapped up probably the biggest day and longest of their lives to that point . No Where prepared to respond to someone with a weapon .

Imo they would have been better off to take their belongings to make it look like they were gone somewhere, on a trip or whatever . Being gone without all your possessions important medicine , CLOTHES , raises a high level of suspicion to everyone on earth ( except for MH & JK apparently )
 
Not only did Chase Merritt remove the 4 McStays he used a mallet ( big mess ) as the weapon . Plus , one could deduce 2 adult could get some shots in on someone with a hammer . But like the 3MW , an Abduction was likely the Last thing on their minds . They aren’t trained military ect. To respond to a rapid surprise attack .

The girls just wrapped up probably the biggest day and longest of their lives to that point . No Where prepared to respond to someone with a weapon .

Imo they would have been better off to take their belongings to make it look like they were gone somewhere, on a trip or whatever . Being gone without all your possessions important medicine , CLOTHES , raises a high level of suspicion to everyone on earth ( except for MH & JK apparently )
The things that were left behind makes me think someone wanted focus on the Levitt/Streeter house and to make sure local cops remained in charge of the crime. moo
 
If the theory that the perp(s) were known to Suzie and/or Sherrill, I think it’s likely there would have been some altercation outside the house first. All it takes is the threat of violence to the other to make both women compliant. One of them may have screamed out for Stacy, still inside the home, unwittingly sealing her fate at being dragged into this sequence of events.

I think any time spent in the home by perps was minimal. Searching through purses, moving items.. it all takes time and it needs to serve a purpose. Regardless of whether it’s a single perp or a whole gang, they have 3 adult women who would have been resisting the abduction, they want to get in, get out and remove them with minimal fuss.
 
Not only did Chase Merritt remove the 4 McStays he used a mallet ( big mess ) as the weapon . Plus , one could deduce 2 adult could get some shots in on someone with a hammer . But like the 3MW , an Abduction was likely the Last thing on their minds . They aren’t trained military ect. To respond to a rapid surprise attack .

The girls just wrapped up probably the biggest day and longest of their lives to that point . No Where prepared to respond to someone with a weapon .

Imo they would have been better off to take their belongings to make it look like they were gone somewhere, on a trip or whatever . Being gone without all your possessions important medicine , CLOTHES , raises a high level of suspicion to everyone on earth ( except for MH & JK apparently )

Very true about the Chase Merrit murders. He needed a weapon because the wanted to take out a threat but still he got 2 adults and 2 children into a vehicle by himself. It's certainly possible that the perpetrator grabbed one woman, put a gun to her head and told the others to obey or the hostage would be shot. That's just one scenario where a perpetrator could pull this off. To my mind, it really doesn't matter if there was more than one abductor. The motive would still be the same. It might make it easier to carry out the crime. It would have risks on the other side of someone talking.
 
Very true about the Chase Merrit murders. He needed a weapon because the wanted to take out a threat but still he got 2 adults and 2 children into a vehicle by himself. It's certainly possible that the perpetrator grabbed one woman, put a gun to her head and told the others to obey or the hostage would be shot. That's just one scenario where a perpetrator could pull this off. To my mind, it really doesn't matter if there was more than one abductor. The motive would still be the same. It might make it easier to carry out the crime. It would have risks on the other side of someone talking.
Also, it can't be that easy to find two accomplices willing to kill children or teenagers. And three shady looking people ( assuming killers would look shady) would stick out much more than one killer.
 
Also, it can't be that easy to find two accomplices willing to kill children or teenagers. And three shady looking people ( assuming killers would look shady) would stick out much more than one killer.
Exactly . Who’s helping him kill a 3&4 year old plus their parents bc he had a gambling problem ? That was his motive .
 
While his MO doesn't seem to fit with making three women disappear, this guy needs to be vetted in this case as he was in Springfield in at least 1997. Wonder if any of the three women arrested with him in 1997 ever heard or suspected something?
In 1997, Secret Service agents raided Baldwin’s apartment in Springfield, Missouri, after learning he was making counterfeit U.S. currency on a personal computer. He and two female associates were indicted on counterfeiting charges.


Spfd , the Mecca for serial killers .
 
Over the past 3 years or so, I have read many message boards, and watched videos, etc on this case. There are numerous issues that I believe have brought us to where we currently stand, and why this case has not been solved. These are just some general observations of what I have seen throughout the few years I’ve observed this case.

1) The amount of factual evidence the public is aware of is very minuscule.

2) I believe law enforcement has more evidence they have withheld from the general public. As has been mentioned numerous times, they will do this so they can deduce suspects based on information only the perp will know. However, I believe due to the overall lack of evidence in this case, this may have backfired per se.

3) I do believe there are some people who have inquired and talked with folks “in the know” on some little known details. However, they have not given out some details they were made aware of as they 1) Do not want to leak confidential information (which is understandable), and 2) They want to be the person who solves this case (ego driven).

4) I believe this will not be solved unless a confession of sorts is made (perp or witness w/ evidence).

Personal Thoughts on the Case:

1) It was an unfortunate event that those who were at the house, cleaned the crime scene. I believe, this is single-handedly the turning point of the case.

They did not clean the house, and that came from Janis McCall herself.
 
I would consider this possibility:
The women may have been removed from the house (or outside the house) by someone different than the person who staged the house. If that is the case, an extra vehicle is only there a very short time. The one staging the inside needs no vehicle in the driveway and can be picked up there later (or just walk away).

I think no matter how clean the house was before, getting three adults out of the house is bound to leave some signs behind. And those minor items were re-staged so it left less evidence of what happened - such that it lead people coming to the house to claim that the women had walked somewhere to eat.

I totally agree,I believe we are talking about very Cold ,calculated, and professional criminals ,professional in the terrible meaning of the word.
 
It is interesting to know what led the police and investigators to conduct a polygraph test to the only person who failed the test, teenagers who were probably in stress during the test managed to get through it successfully. Regarding that person ,The police probably thought he might have a connection to the crime and therefore investigated him, why did they think so? Was he part of a gang? Did he have the acquaintance with one of the abducted women?
 
A young male friend of the girls has given various accounts of the
events he recalls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on June 7. He was one
of those who entered Levitt's house early in the day apparently
looking for the women. "We pretty well cleared all that up,"
Worsham said of the friend's accounts. "He was simply confused on
some times as to where he was." End quote.N-L 8-3-92.

Giving various accounts of your whereabouts likely leads to not passing your poly .
 
A young male friend of the girls has given various accounts of the
events he recalls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on June 7. He was one
of those who entered Levitt's house early in the day apparently
looking for the women. "We pretty well cleared all that up,"
Worsham said of the friend's accounts. "He was simply confused on
some times as to where he was." End quote.N-L 8-3-92.

Giving various accounts of your whereabouts likely leads to not passing your poly .

Aren't polygraphs more yes or no questions? If you couldn't remember where you were or if you were lying that would explain failing one. The officers seemed more eager to excuse some people over others. MOO
 
Also, it can't be that easy to find two accomplices willing to kill children or teenagers. And three shady looking people ( assuming killers would look shady) would stick out much more than one killer.
There were no children there. Killers rarely appear to be killers. And money changes everything.
 
Aren't polygraphs more yes or no questions? If you couldn't remember where you were or if you were lying that would explain failing one. The officers seemed more eager to excuse some people over others. MOO

This explanation has always stuck in my craw as sloppy police work. While he may have seemed harmless he may have had a strong desire to get something he would not otherwise get. It also would seem to explain the odd behavior of Janelle that day. If she was in the back seat why was she there and why was she crying? Why didn’t she simply go to the McCall’s house and get the ball rolling sooner? Why was she still wearing a wet bathing suit under her street clothes?
 
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