Found Deceased PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *arrest*

[IHAVENOCLUE]

However, if you ‘re going to be killed, I believe it’s better to be killed on the spot as opposed to the horrid things that could/would be done after you’re taken from there.

My opinion, too...

 

[ReaderRabbit]

I was trying to figure out what business it could have been, but there’s not much to go on. That road has a lot of small businesses along it. I wonder what he was looking for.

IMO perhaps a shovel?

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Thank you for the article. If I am understanding correctly, the article says that LS was wearing a black head covering which is not typical for their church-does this mean that LS had possibly already gone home to change her clothing? If so, why didn’t she take the lemon bars? Was she on her way to youth group when she was abducted? Or was LS walking home from church when she was abducted?

Or...
perhaps different Amish orders wear different color head coverings...
And she was seen with the perp in ANOTHER Amish order's location?

Just a thought...

 

[Curiosity1234]

Not disagreeing, but until it happens to you you really don’t know how you will react. In my case I was lucky, my brain said “if he gets you in the van, you are dead”, so I chose to run and fortunately was unscathed. I did not, could not, make a sound - I was too scared. I literally ran past people I knew, who would have helped me, until I reached the safety of my home. Some people, sadly, are so frightened they are compliant or become fixed to the spot. It affects people differently.
Moo

It does effect people differently. While it may appear someone is being compliant, it could be they are so traumatized and frozen in fear they lack the ability to even think about how to get out of that situation.

 

[ACG2x]

Jumping off your post....
You are probably correct he was a novice...
And/or hadn't planned this out very much in advance...

But...
I still wonder if there have been other assaults connected to him perhaps of less degrees...
(as this could have been his FIRST murder... And had escalated to this level at this time...)
Or perhaps HAS assaulted AND murdered before?...

Just some thoughts...

That's usually how it works. Progress from relatively harmless petty crimes like shoplifting and minor theft to more violent things like assault, robbery and perhaps even low grade sexual assault. Finally either the compulsion is too strong or an abduction/SA goes too far and they take the final irreversible step. Many who are in the same boat as this guy have said "they weren't" when asked what were you thinking when you actually committed the murder.

Unless this guy is a serial killer - which based on his history, planning and seeming intelligence level I seriously doubt - the act of murder is almost always to eliminate evidence. Deceased people can't tell their story so the murder and body disposal is a vehicle to further that and yes, most criminals are sincerely dumb enough to think they can get away with it.

 

[MyJoey]

I have a question: Would dogs pick up on any decomposition in his car? Another words maybe the police already know Linda is no longer alive. I hate to say it but if he disposed of her clothing 2 days after she went missing, she was most likely gone before that time. However I’m holding out hope she’s still alive. I just can’t wrap my brain around WHY ? Here this man in one year..had a place to work, live and owned a car. Obviously he had support of people that care about him and was on his way to a better life. My heart is torn for the fear Linda must have felt, I have to trust god gave her strength beyond what is normal and stayed with her to the end.

 

[Curiosity1234]

In this article it seems to bring up an issue on June 23, and another confusing issue from June 29. A business in Ronks on Harvest rd. had JS pull up behind this establishment, and was looking in windows, and checking doorways. This location is where investigators recovered the articles of clothing, buried approx. 8 inches under the surface.

Man Arrested & Charged With Kidnapping Linda Stoltzfoos; Linda Still Missing

She was abducted from Beechdale Rd. in Bird-In-Hand, She was seen with him in his vehicle in the Gap area and her clothing was found in Ronks. They have a lot of places to search for her many of which are wide open spaces. They will likely check in and around the business he worked for in Gap, if they haven't already. They'll want to know what areas of the business he had access to and if he has any keys.

 

[Oregonmama]

No one can get in a perp's mind re if this crime was planned or not. Most cases like this have the victim at the wrong spot at the wrong time. No doubt that he is a predator and hopefully he spends a long time behind bars. JMO.

 

[Rocky1]

That's usually how it works. Progress from relatively harmless petty crimes like shoplifting and minor theft to more violent things like assault, robbery and perhaps even low grade sexual assault. Finally either the compulsion is too strong or an abduction/SA goes too far and they take the final irreversible step. Many who are in the same boat as this guy have said "they weren't" when asked what were you thinking when you actually committed the murder.

Unless this guy is a serial killer - which based on his history, planning and seeming intelligence level I seriously doubt - the act of murder is almost always to eliminate evidence. Deceased people can't tell their story so the murder and body disposal is a vehicle to further that and yes, most criminals are sincerely dumb enough to think they can get away with it.

All this.
The only other scenario I can think of is sometimes seasoned serial killers get away with it so much, they start to get sloppy, take chances, and do stupid things.

 

[Curiosity1234]

Didn't they say he was arrested at work or I


Thank you.

I'm one to never question what LE is doing or not doing about any case.

All along investigators are working very hard to solve every crime. That is always their goal

I knew this case wouldn't be any different.

I knew LE wouldn't release anything until they had something to report nor should they.

I've never understood why many even think LE isn't working hard to solve cases when time after time it's proved they were always working very hard doing their jobs.

Maybe it's because many think that LE should tell the public everything or want instant results? Either way, imo, it's not realistic nor the way real life cases work.

Missing person cases aren't resolved instantly. Imo, they are far harder to solve, and to trackdown a suspect.

In this case LE has done a masterful job in such a short time especially with Linda's body still not found.

I don't think they will make a deal at this juncture. Most predators who have murdered their victim rarely gives up the body location.

I've seen many of them even plea NG when there is overwhelming evidence against them.

But even if they never are able to locate Linda, they will file charges of first degree murder at some point.

Missing body cases are being successfully won by DAs now, and have been for over 15 years or more now. No longer do juries fall for the defense nonsense that the victim may be alive.

However I do believe they will be able to locate where he put her, without him telling them.

Its takes time to do a complete detail deep dive into all of his GPS data, and cell phone data. They have to serve SWs to the provider before they have a complete listing of all of his movements.

Imo, they are going to be able to locate the site. It's just a matter of time, and good police work.

The investigation is just beginning to kick into high gear which usually happens after they have arrested the suspect

Jmho

I am just throwing a thought out. It is highly likely that he most likely assaulted and killed her in the Gap area because that's the last place she was seen alive with him.

 

[abstr]

It does effect people differently. While it may appear someone is being compliant, it could be they are so traumatized and frozen in fear they lack the ability to even think about how to get out of that situation.

I was attacked in a parking garage almost 30 years ago. I literally could not scream, he never covered my mouth and I tried but not a sound would escape my lips.
I have nightmares still where I try to scream and my voice is paralyzed. I was young, fit and strong but I froze. IMO, Linda came from a culture where you are supposed to be polite and not offend anyone. That voice in your head that says it may be a bad situation.... many of us squash and don’t want to be rude. I am still that way sometimes.

 

[Curiosity1234]

No one can get in a perp's mind re if this crime was planned or not. Most cases like this have the victim at the wrong spot at the wrong time. No doubt that he is a predator and hopefully he spends a long time behind bars. JMO.

Some abductions are abductions of opportunity, others are not because they are planned. The planned ones seem to take longer to solve because some victims are being held against their will in a holding place no one knows about but are eventually rescued. I was relieved to hear he has no bail status. He is at high risk for fleeing. JMO.

 

[Curiosity1234]

Jumping off your post....
You are probably correct he was a novice...
And/or hardened planned this out very much in advance...

But...
I still wonder if there have been other assaults connected to him perhaps of less degrees...
(as this could have been his FIRST murder... And had escalated to this level at this time...)
Or perhaps HAS assaulted AND murdered before?...

Just some thoughts...

I believe his DNA will go into a data bank to see if it matches other crimes of this nature.

 

[MissTilly]

I was attacked in a parking garage almost 30 years ago. I literally could not scream, he never covered my mouth and I tried but not a sound would escape my lips.
I have nightmares still where I try to scream and my voice is paralyzed. I was young, fit and strong but I froze. IMO, Linda came from a culture where you are supposed to be polite and not offend anyone. That voice in your head that says it may be a bad situation.... many of us squash and don’t want to be rude. I am still that way sometimes.

When it happened to me I was still a child. I can still remember more than 40 years later the visceral fear and the horrible inability to produce any sound at all. I have only ever been in one other threatening situation and my reaction then was completely different. As an adult I have read that the most common reactions are fight, flight, freeze, appease. I am so sorry that Linda also had to experience that fear.
moo

 

[Curiosity1234]

No, as the post above says, it’s the Welsh Mountain area, a very wooded place with trails and game lands. In the early 80s, a 14-yo girl, Evelyn Fisher, was murdered and discarded there. It took months of searching and re-searching to finally find her.

Why are they looking in East Earl do you know ? That's quite a distance from his known areas of travel.

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[Rocky1]

No, as the post above says, it’s the Welsh Mountain area, a very wooded place with trails and game lands. In the early 80s, a 14-yo girl, Evelyn Fisher, was murdered and discarded there. It took months of searching and re-searching to finally find her.

Thanks.
I'm not familiar with that area, so wasn't sure if there were farms there.
I'm trying to figure out why a Hazmat team would be included in the search. They must have information. Perhaps the suspect is talking and pointed LE to that area.
Maybe her body is buried with chemicals. Acid ? Maybe chemicals were involved with the cause of her death, if she's dead? Chemicals used in waste water systems?
Just tossing out ideas.... all MOO.

 

[abstr]

When it happened to me I was still a child. I can still remember more than 40 years later the visceral fear and the horrible inability to produce any sound at all. I have only ever been in one other threatening situation and my reaction then was completely different. As an adult I have read that the most common reactions are fight, flight, freeze, appease. I am so sorry that Linda also had to experience that fear.
moo

Sorry to Like this. It is so terrifying. I am thankful we both survived! I mostly live a normal life but I do sometimes revert to not trusting my gut and I don’t know what I would do in the same situation. I have also had some uncomfortable situations related to my work and was able to help a few people who others might have automatically involved law enforcement; granted I had coworkers there. I think Linda had a very compassionate heart and might not have had that radar that stops you for a moment. MOO is that she did not get into that car willingly.

 

[Oregonmama]

Why are they looking in East Earl do you know ? That's quite a distance from his known areas of travel.

Someone else must have his password to change his fb page. He would not have access to social media, cell phone or internet while in jail.

Many PDs or defense lawyers have their clients or their family members change the privacy settings on SM. MOO

 

[Hereshecomes75]

Why are they looking in East Earl do you know ? That's quite a distance from his known areas of travel.

It’s about a 20 minute drive from Ronks, but it’s probably the most densely-wooded, remote place in that part of Lancaster County. There are biking and hiking trails in there, so maybe he had a spot in mind.


Something else with JS’s progression of crimes...who knows what sort of people he met or what he “learned” during his time in prison? I’ve heard it said that many inmates just learn how to be a better criminal while they’re in prison.

 

[abstr]

I pray for Linda’s family. I love the Amish idea of forgiveness....hate in your heart eats at you but darn it is hard to give out forgiveness.