Found Deceased PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *kidnapping arrest* #3

[Maplesyrup]

Today I started thinking about a different angle and thought of a little bird called a Killdeer.
When I was young and would see a Killdeer start calling and making a lot of noise, I paid attention. A few times when I didn't have anything else to do, I'd walk around to see which of my movements panicked the Killdeer parent more. They nest on the ground and the closer you come to their nest the more dramatic they become, even spreading their wings and flopping and hobbling and pretending to be injured...all to get you...the predator..to follow THEM thereby never finding their nest...or young ones...who are on the ground. So it's worth considering if JS had a plan to grab an Amish girl off the side of the road, that he already had the location ready where he would leave his victim when finished. In the lead up to that, he could have purposefully driven into the Welsh Mountain area, drove around just to add that to his GPS history which he knew LE would use to track him... IF [and only if] he somehow screwed up and was suspected. We have already asked why he would bother burying her undergarments when he could so easily throw them away. Maybe it was an "oh s***" moment when he realized he still had the stuff in his car and decided better to leave them the opposite direction of where Linda's final resting place actually was. Do everything possible to keep them searching in the opposite direction of where she actually is. He may have left his phone home when he drove off to leave Linda in her final location. I know this is giving him a lot of credit and assuming he could be this clever but I'd guess that at some point in prison he had to hear other inmates talking about ways to reduce the chance of being caught.

 

[Daisydo]

It really makes me livid that he is not giving up her location. No doubt he is enjoying the fact that her family and friends are suffering and that the searches have come up empty! I bet the right cellmate could make him cough up information relating to her location!

 

[Rocky1]

It really makes me livid that he is not giving up her location. No doubt he is enjoying the fact that her family and friends are suffering and that the searches have come up empty! I bet the right cellmate could make him cough up information relating to her location!

If he gives up her location, he's guilty of murder.
I'm willing to bet at this point his attorney has told him to keep his mouth shut. It's up to the state to prove he murdered her, if he did, and at this point in time, depending on what evidence they have, proving she was murdered may not be an easy thing to do.

 

[sallye818]

My heart continues to break for Linda's loved ones. I would dearly love to see JS grow a conscience and tell where he left Linda. No, it might not be good for his own skin, but it would be good for his soul, and well, just the right thing to do. Isn't it amazing that this kidnapping was caught on tape and yet she still hasn't been discovered?

 

[Bucksharbor]

I thought this was really clear and informative map. Includes search info.
Hundreds search in vain Saturday for missing Amish woman Linda Stoltzfoos

 

[Bucksharbor]

Justo Smoker will waive his arraignment Friday 8/28.
Man charged in kidnapping of missing Amish teen Linda Stoltzfoos pleads not guilty

 

[HailedSunSea]

I think it would be appropriate, and perhaps beneficial to put Linda's image on national news outlets once again,making her case more relevant and visible to as many people as possible. Plaster her image from coast to coast, on television and news prints,and I'd say north of the U.S border, into Ontario, Manitoba,Saskatchewan, at least. The off chance that she might have been trafficked or swapped for a debt, and/or ran away, and is being harboured in a community no where near Pennsylvania, might be worth the effort of a good solid campaign with her image being distributed once more nationally IMHO.

Another real kick in the gut after reading that JS has waived his arraignment! Seeing all the efforts that SAR, LE, and the Amish communities have put forth, its a real sad shame.
Im saddened that she has been disrespected so greatly, and is lost to all who seek her with great determination. Without being morbid, im still rolling over possible methods of disposal, is she in one piece, is she weighted under water, have chemicals that are caustic been involved, is she on the surface in the bush, is she somewhere in the city having been thrown into a corner of an unused building like trash, who else knows even perhaps?

I know some that go missing, never are found again, and it is a terrible thought, and the legacy of that fact lingers within a family, and within a community unfairly.

I promote a full scale national effort to distribute her image from coast to coast, in an effort to bring the story to every community, as long as the investigators don't currently believe it might jeopardize her well being in any shape or form.

 

[Trackergd]

And if she has been forced into the sex traffic trade, her picture coast to coast would get her throat slit and her body dumped in a trash heap somewhere. Darned if you do, and darned if you don't.

 

[HailedSunSea]

And if she has been forced into the sex traffic trade, her picture coast to coast would get her throat slit and her body dumped in a trash heap somewhere. Darned if you do, and darned if you don't.

Exactly why we cant expect information from investigators to be more readily accessible to the general public body. It certainly would be lovely, too see Linda Stoltzfoos have some form of relevance delivered. Im certain LE have a case built, at least I hope so for her, and her community.

 

[Hatfield]

Sad to see that she is still not found.

If she is not found before September thru Nov-Dec then at least with the deer hunting seasons that are coming there will be others that should cover lots of ground and may stumble upon a clue.

LE needs to have a press conference right before deer seasons open to inform hunters to be on the lookout for anything unusual that may be tied to this case.

LE needs to do that right before deer archery season opens which I think happens first as early as September and then again right before deer gun seasons. The link below has the actual dates and it gets confusing because certain areas have differences.

Seasons and Bag Limits

Hunters have helped solve murder cases in the past and they are glad to help out. They need to be informed and reminded of this case though. Below is an example of where a hunter helped find a murder victim.

Homicide victim found by hunter outside of Cody identified

 

[LadyL]

I had a dream that she was found.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

@Hatfield, I have the same thoughts/hopes about the hunters. No doubt many hunting in eastern Lancaster County will be on the lookout for anything possibly related to this case as they hunt. No matter how well a wooded area is intentionally searched, it seems there are potential hiding places that are missed or overlooked. The Evelyn Fisher case gives me hope for Linda if her body is in the Welsh Mountain woods.

If Smoker is convicted of the kidnapping and related parole violations, they’ll know where to find him for the murder charge when her body is found. Unless there’s a lot more evidence than we know about, it seems risky to proceed with a murder charge at this point. IMO

 

[MontereyMama]

Bump

 

[crhedBngr]

Where are you, Linda?

 

[Niner]

@sds71 - was wondering if there might be a new court date?

Friday, August 28th:
*Arraignment Hearing-WAIVED! (@ 10am ET) - PA – Linda Stoltzfoos (18) (last seen June 21, 2020, Bird-In-Hand, Lancaster County) – *Justo Roberto Smoker (34) arrested (7/10/20 at work at Dutchland, Inc.), charged (7/11/20) & arraigned (8/24/20) with felony 1st degree kidnapping to inflict injury/terror & misdemeanor false imprisonment. Plead not guilty. Denied bail. Held without bond. Lancaster County #MJ-02302-CR0000324-2020
Case info reference post #965 here:
ACTIVE SEARCH - PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *arrest*
7/11/20 Update: Appeared before Magisterial District Judge B. Denise Commins for a preliminary arraignment. Charged with felony kidnapping to inflict injury/terror & misdemeanor false imprisonment. Denied bail. Bail Action Reason: Due to the nature of the charges & ongoing investigation into the status of the victim. Next preliminary hearing on 7/21/20.
7/20/20 Update: Preliminary hearing has been postponed to 8/5/20. Hearing will go from 1:30pm to 5pm. Assigned attorney Christopher Tallarico. 8/5/20 Update: East Lampeter Township Police Detective Christopher Jones testified regarding the video surveillance. Also Trooper Kory Wardrop. Based on video evidence discussed at a preliminary hearing today, as well as the accounts of several witnesses who told investigators they saw a Red Kia with an Amish girl in the passenger seat, Magisterial District Judge Denise Commins found there was enough evidence for charges of kidnapping & false imprisonment to move forward to Lancaster County Court for Smoker. Arraignment hearing on 8/28/20.
8/24/20 Update: Smoker will waive his arraignment for Friday & has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping & false imprisonment.

 

[sds71]

@sds71 - was wondering if there might be a new court date?

Friday, August 28th:
*Arraignment Hearing-WAIVED! (@ 10am ET) - PA – Linda Stoltzfoos (18) (last seen June 21, 2020, Bird-In-Hand, Lancaster County) – *Justo Roberto Smoker (34) arrested (7/10/20 at work at Dutchland, Inc.), charged (7/11/20) & arraigned (8/24/20) with felony 1st degree kidnapping to inflict injury/terror & misdemeanor false imprisonment. Plead not guilty. Denied bail. Held without bond. Lancaster County #MJ-02302-CR0000324-2020
Case info reference post #965 here:
ACTIVE SEARCH - PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *arrest*
7/11/20 Update: Appeared before Magisterial District Judge B. Denise Commins for a preliminary arraignment. Charged with felony kidnapping to inflict injury/terror & misdemeanor false imprisonment. Denied bail. Bail Action Reason: Due to the nature of the charges & ongoing investigation into the status of the victim. Next preliminary hearing on 7/21/20.
7/20/20 Update: Preliminary hearing has been postponed to 8/5/20. Hearing will go from 1:30pm to 5pm. Assigned attorney Christopher Tallarico. 8/5/20 Update: East Lampeter Township Police Detective Christopher Jones testified regarding the video surveillance. Also Trooper Kory Wardrop. Based on video evidence discussed at a preliminary hearing today, as well as the accounts of several witnesses who told investigators they saw a Red Kia with an Amish girl in the passenger seat, Magisterial District Judge Denise Commins found there was enough evidence for charges of kidnapping & false imprisonment to move forward to Lancaster County Court for Smoker. Arraignment hearing on 8/28/20.
8/24/20 Update: Smoker will waive his arraignment for Friday & has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping & false imprisonment.

Just checked.
There isn’t a new date set yet.

 

[Niner]

Just checked.
There isn’t a new date set yet.

 

[Hatfield]

@Hatfield, I have the same thoughts/hopes about the hunters. No doubt many hunting in eastern Lancaster County will be on the lookout for anything possibly related to this case as they hunt. No matter how well a wooded area is intentionally searched, it seems there are potential hiding places that are missed or overlooked. The Evelyn Fisher case gives me hope for Linda if her body is in the Welsh Mountain woods.

If Smoker is convicted of the kidnapping and related parole violations, they’ll know where to find him for the murder charge when her body is found. Unless there’s a lot more evidence than we know about, it seems risky to proceed with a murder charge at this point. IMO

Yeah that whole Welsh Mountain area should be crawling with hunters during the different deer seasons. Most of the locals to that area should already know about this case but I always fear that a hunter that has not paid attention to the news may find evidence and just brush it off and walk away because they were not aware of her still being missing.

I hope LE puts out a media announcement with a direct plea to hunters to be on the lookout for any clues to this case. They could even work with the Game Commission and the Game Commission could put out an announcement because hunters pay attention to any news coming from the Game Commission.

ETA - You know what would immediately add thousands of searchers (i.e. hunters) for her?

Have the Game Commission put out an announcement that any hunter during this deer season that finds Linda's remains will get a FREE Lifetime Hunting License.

Gosh, I wish I was in a position to make that happen.

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Praying that today is the day that Linda is found.

 

[Maplesyrup]

@Hatfield, I have the same thoughts/hopes about the hunters. No doubt many hunting in eastern Lancaster County will be on the lookout for anything possibly related to this case as they hunt. No matter how well a wooded area is intentionally searched, it seems there are potential hiding places that are missed or overlooked. The Evelyn Fisher case gives me hope for Linda if her body is in the Welsh Mountain woods.

If Smoker is convicted of the kidnapping and related parole violations, they’ll know where to find him for the murder charge when her body is found. Unless there’s a lot more evidence than we know about, it seems risky to proceed with a murder charge at this point. IMO

Hopefully it doesn't drag out this long but mushroom hunters in spring are very good eyes on the ground. Weeds and ground cover are dead and it's easier to see things that are out of place. The problem is when leaves fall from trees in autumn. They blanket the ground and hide so much.