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

[oceanblueeyes]

I hope people listen. I understand it’s unsettling when a young person is missing locally, but people here are losing their minds. I’ve seen pictures of at least three vehicles posted by local “concerned citizens” with long, dramatic stories of “suspicious behavior” that “probably has something to do with that missing Amish girl!!!”

So people share the post. Some call the police. Then people post that they’ve talked to the police, it was checked out, and the vehicle was a delivery van with paperwork showing a legit delivery in the area. (It’s usually something that people could have observed on their own without jumping to conclusions.) But then it’s all reposted and other people call police about the van. Some insist that the police fell for a story and that the van really is there to kidnap children “and probably grabbed that Amish girl too!!!!!”

And on and on it goes. Such a waste of police resources. No wonder most police families I know hate social media.

Good morning HSC and all!

Ita!

Social media for years now have become a pain for LE, and most definitely for grieving families who have missing or murdered loved ones.

Sadly, it's become commonplace no matter the case or state where LE must come out to the public asking them to stop the gossip, rumors, and countless misinformation.

However it does no good no matter how many LE pleads.

It's like an insatiable arrogance, and so many on SM think they are far smarter than the investigators. Never mind none of these people know what the facts, and evidence even happens to be.

None of them care if they accuse anyone falsely even if they cause undue pain against those who are totally innocent.

Being tried, and convicted by the internet SM masses have been going on since at least the early 2000s, and has only worsens each year.

Imo, its become some sick twisted pastime for many using the pain, and sufferings of others for their own mean spirited self centered entertainment.

It's not only locals either. I have read where total outsiders have wasted LEs valuable time by bombarding them with their theories, and mere unsubstainiated assumptions. Ugh.

While SM does help in some missing cases it has also become a nightmare LE has to contend with.

That is the very reason I stopped reading years ago about any cases on other social sites. The misinformation, and downright false allegations, and lies being spread like wildfire were mind boggling to me. What was just as unsettling for me was to see how easily others believed the unsupported claims.

The worse the allegations were resulted in many more followers who believed the outlandish claims without question without the posters having one bit of proof to support any of it nor did the followers even demand it either.

These many cruel SM posters know all they have to do is claim something to be true, and most will just believe it hook, line, and sinker.

Imo,these kind of SM posters on the internet are very dangerous individuals, and many don't even know the victims or families nor do they care. Just like they do not care when they constantly falsely accused people who have turned out to be totally innocent. Many of those they have wrongly targeted have had death threats made against them, and harrassed even though they did nothing wrong.

Tragically for our society I believe it will continue to worsen, and more, and more, innocent people will be vilified unfairly.

Imo, we are in a deep deep hole of great moral decline, and it shows on SM sites where anything hurtful or people being viciously attacked goes on night, and day.

It seems in our society more than ever very bad behaviors, and very bad acts have become acceptable, and even supported.

Jmho

 

[cutter99]

The Amish host church in their homes and it rotates from house to house every other week. Many build their homes a certain way, usually in the basement, to accommodate all the people. Some will hold it in a barn if the house is not big enough, but in the last 20-30 years most Amish homes are built of certain designs with basements to accommodate church.

Many walk to church, although most take a horse and buggy. If you drive by an Amish farm on a Sunday, and see a bunch of horses tied to a flat bed wagon, you can safely assume Amish church is in session. So travel quite a few miles to the outer limits of their “church territory“. If you see buggies leaving very early on a Sunday morning, you can assume they have much further to go to church that particular Sunday. I have never seen them use English drivers on a Sunday- walking, scooters, horse and buggy.

The benches for church are driven from house to house in a large grey enclosed wagon. When you see the wagon show up at someone’s home, you can safely assume that is the location of church that week. I have seen the wagons moved the day after church or during the following week.

 

[jvb]

I'm assuming the rest of her family was also at the church service. Really interested to know if they usually travelled together to church, and how it wasn't noticed until so much later that she was missing.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

Oceanblueeyes, very well stated. And real people are very definitely harmed by all this crazy stuff people post. I’m actually concerned for my retired neighbor, because his rather distinctive van is like the one in recent “suspicious vehicle” postings, except for the out of state plates. He drives Amish work crews, too. He’s probably not on social media to see people saying “box him in and call police!” Or even worse, “shoot on sight!”


And something else that concerns me is that all the kidnapper van nonsense seems to downplay the fact that far more vulnerable people get lured gradually into human trafficking than are abducted by strangers. Parents would do better to worry about who their kids are talking to at the mall and on social media than about delivery vans.

 

[Anee]

BBM- This gives me reason to pause. Do the Amish "co-mingle" (for lack of a better word) with other Amish communities? Might there be a suitor from another community (either welcomed by LS or not)? Creepers can be Amish, too. Just saying...

There are registered sex offenders among the Amish and Mennonite communities, and I would imagine the police are looking at them.

 

[Lusitana]

Call me crazy, but I'm not getting the feeling that whatever happened to Linda was caused by someone outside of her community. I would think that it would be easy to identify those not accounted for when she went missing, but maybe not.

 

[Rosiebones]

I think it is someone, not necessarily Amish, but a well known and accepted English that did not frighten her when he stopped and offered her a ride and someone whose vehicle would not cause alarm if seen that morning in the area. Someone that no one would ever think could do such a thing.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Oceanblueeyes, very well stated. And real people are very definitely harmed by all this crazy stuff people post. I’m actually concerned for my retired neighbor, because his rather distinctive van is like the one in recent “suspicious vehicle” postings, except for the out of state plates. He drives Amish work crews, too. He’s probably not on social media to see people saying “box him in and call police!” Or even worse, “shoot on sight!”


And something else that concerns me is that all the kidnapper van nonsense seems to downplay the fact that far more vulnerable people get lured gradually into human trafficking than are abducted by strangers. Parents would do better to worry about who their kids are talking to at the mall and on social media than about delivery vans.

Nowadays you have a valid reason to be worried about your retired neighbor. I pray he stays safe. I also hope he isn't unduly harassed, and threatened either.

We are living in crazy times where anything dangerous is possible.

It's like so many have lost their moral compass who doesn't care who they hurt nor care if they tell downright hideous lies about anyone.

I will never forget what Mark Lunsford told Nancy Grace in one of his many interviews, he had when his little girl was missing, and after his precious little daughter, 8 year old Jessica, was then found raped, and murdered by the stranger absconded sex offender, John Couey.

In one of his interviews after they had arrested JC, he told NG that losing Jessica is the very worst thing that has ever happened to him, and his family. BUT he said what had been said about him, and his elderly parents on SM is something he will never get over or ever be able to forget. He said at the very worst time of their lives when their world was being torn apart, starting when she first went missing, he, and his parents were being torn to shreds night, and day by the internet masses. Words cut deeply, and leave emotional scars.

Words matter, either when written or said orally. They can't ever be taken back. Written words posted on other SM sites leave a written history that can't be erased even though they all were flat out wrong. By then the damage has been done.

Ive been on crime message boards since the early 90s, and a member since Jan. 2004 here. That is why I have been very mindful of what I have posted about any case. I don't accuse anyone by name specifically without first knowing there is supporting evidence to substantiate my opinions. I wait for the facts to come from LE.

It's just the way I've always preferred to do it for I can't think of anything more hurtful than to be innocent yet falsely accused of committing any criminal act.

I really wish we would return to being a kinder society like we once were. Wishful thinking I know on my part though.

Jmho tho

 

[Rosegold68]

I'm assuming the rest of her family was also at the church service. Really interested to know if they usually travelled together to church, and how it wasn't noticed until so much later that she was missing.

yes, I find this interesting too!

the community all seem to think of enough people pray then it will all turn out alright.

 

[Limecat]

Good morning my fellow WS friends. Was so hoping to find good news when checking in today. Instead, now reading that Linda was not last seen walking home but at the church services makes this even more concerning and confusing for that matter.

It was one line(s) of thought that she was last seen walking along the road but this makes consideration of what could have happened even more convoluted in my opinion. I know they thoroughly searched the location where services were held but it just seems like now there’s a much much larger scheme of possibilities as to what could have happened.

I think it also removes some previous theories I held at least. I never really thought she had a medical emergency while walking home or was hit by a vehicle because she would have been easily found, I think, but now we really have nothing to go on.

Not saying she still could not have been given a ride by someone known (more likely) or unknown. But what throws me more now is with all her family there at services and friends, etc., did Linda not tell anyone she was ‘heading home’ or say goodbyes to people if she was leaving?

I’m so afraid there’s so much we can’t or may never know simply because of the different culture of the Amish community versus what we are used to using as “sleuthing” tools - probably no SM, no cell phone (that we know of), a society that deals with its own legal problems within itself as a matter of course, the private nature of their community, wishing to be apart from the world which now makes it harder for the “world” to help...

I have to say I’ve never thought of this as self harm or as “running away”. Linda does not seem the type of girl to put her family through literal hell when she is 18 and free to leave without the need for all this hurtful drama. And if she did leave to join the English life, she’d know by now that she was being searched for and could easily have someone reach out to LE or her family and simply let them know she is fine.

So what are we left with? If there’s no self harm, no running away, and the last place she’s known to have been seen was at services, something had to happen to her there or after she left there. I doubt an Englisher drove his panel van into the driveway to pick her up from services, or any other vehicle, you know what I mean, so she either did leave alone and walk toward home (without saying goodbye?) and someone picked her up, or she left with someone (buggy/known to her?) and something happened to her, or she never left there.

I wish we knew more about what and where her family members were at what times - NOT implying they had anything to do with her disappearance just for a more solid timeline.

Rant over. Sorry. All is MOO

 

[24Roses]

@cutter99, IMO-I think they also have walls in their houses that they can remove for church services as well. And when they have weddings and funerals, they sometimes have those in tents. For funerals, they often will have more than one location and preacher at the same time.

 

[24Roses]

IMO-I think that there is a misconception that Linda and other Amish in general are "free" to leave once they are 18 or older. While that is true because at 18 you are an adult, if Linda or other Amish who have already joined the Amish faith leave, they will be shunned by the church and their family so that is the consequence of their beliefs. Of course, some English are also estranged from their family as well, but not because of if they joined a church before they left.

 

[Rosegold68]

so...she was last seen in a house...how about the vehicle which collects the pews/equipment after the service,when does that bit happen?

if she left in a vehicle that is

 

[cutter99]

so...she was last seen in a house...how about the vehicle which collects the pews/equipment after the service,when does that bit happen?

if she left in a vehicle that is

It is a wooden, horse drawn wagon that the benches are stored in and it is typically pulled by at least two horses. Here is a picture of what you typically see in Lancaster County.

 

[cutter99]

This is a fancier wagon from Indiana, but this is typically how the benches are stacked.

 

[Rosegold68]

View attachment 253923 This is a fancier wagon from Indiana, but this is typically how the benches are stacked.

thanks for that! not sure what i was expecting but thought it would be a regular vehicle not horse drawn. theres space in there for a person though, and that could be a way of escaper a place to hide a person

 

[cutter99]

thanks for that! not sure what i was expecting but thought it would be a regular vehicle not horse drawn. theres space in there for a person though, and that could be a way of escaper a place to hide a person

Yes, but the benches are not put away immediately following the service. They are used during the meal after the church service for seating.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

Since they have church every other week, where does the church wagon go between turns?

 

[sds71]

Attached is a composite photo that was created by the FBI to show how Linda might appear in street clothes and with her hair down. Again, if anyone has any information regarding this missing person case please contact the East Lampeter Township Police at 717 291-4676, click on the submit a tip button below or through the FBI's online tip site: tips.fbi.gov.

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: CASE: Linda Stoltzfoos Composite Picture

 

[Maplesyrup]

I may be wrong but I keep having this nagging feeling that Linda has a good chance of being alive. I do wonder if she was taken by so

Me too. I guess after drilling down, investigators realized no one actually saw Linda walking home. Maybe that’s why they want to talk to anyone who traveled those roads in the 8-4 timeframe.


So, did she leave at all? Did she tell anyone she was leaving, or did they just assume she’d left when they didn’t notice her there anymore? Presumably the place they had church that week was thoroughly searched, along with adjacent fields and buildings.

Did she leave the service in a carriage with someone? You can’t really see into the closed ones.

Did she leave the service and get into a vehicle? Happenstance or prearranged?


Lots of questions.

Edited to add: I wonder if the report of Linda seen walking around 12 or 12:30 was actually someone else in her family that was seen. Sometimes Amish families wear matching clothing to church or for other special days.

I just had this thought pop into my head. Do they use outdoor outhouses in those areas or indoor toilets? If any outhouses are in the immediate area, or at the location she was last believed to be, they need to drain it. I would hope she didn't fall in or someone placed her there. A terrible thought but one that should be looked into.