State Your Case

[harleymae]

While I have no idea who I think the murderer would be as far as a name, I do think the West Mesa murders are connected to the Jennings murders, and possibly the Chillicothe murders. Groups of drug addicts/prostitutes with close ties disappearing in a relatively small area and time period. The girls in both West Mesa and Jennings were reportedly afraid for their lives/knew they were targets before their deaths. There are heavy rumors of LE connections to the murders in both cases. In both cases locals in the drug scene seemed to know the girls were dead before bodies were found. West Mesa 2003-2005, Jennings 2005-2009. Reading about the cases, the details are eerily coincidental.

Could it be an officer who transferred from one PD to another? A traveling drug dealer or informant? Someone who is part of multi state sex trafficking, so has intimate knowledge of that "underground" world?

Do you have any links for the other two cases you mentioned.?

 

[harleymae]

In 2015, a man by the name of [FONT=&quot]Joseph Blea was convicted of raping an 8th grader 26 years earlier. He was sentenced to 36 years in prison in June 2015. It took that long for the girls rape kit to be done. The murders were done between 2001-2005. There hasn't been another one of those murders. I mean if Blea was able to rape an 8th grader; he's capable of doing this. Plus he wasn't in prison when those murders were committed. Plus two of his other victims were just 15 years old. He also has a long history of sexually assaulting women.[/FONT]

Do you have links for that case?

 

[harleymae]

Out of all the unsolved serial murder cases I've looked into, this is the one that I am the most confident I know who the perp is. I am convinced that Joseph Blea is the West Mesa killer. Let's look at some facts here:

-Blea is a violent serial rapist who had exhibited predatory behavior since at least the 1980s.

-He may have started killing as early as 1985. DNA recovered from the clothing of Jennifer Shirm, a prostitute who was found dumped on a curb, was matched to Blea in 2009.

-Six years before the disappearances began, a woman walking along Central Ave identified Blea as the individual who called her over to his vehicle and proceeded to expose himself. Police later found rope and electrical tape in the passenger seat of his vehicle.

-Police did surveillance on Blea, and observed him stalking prostitutes for four consecutive days. They watched as he "slowed and circled the block in areas where prostitutes were working. He did not approach any prostitutes but appeared to be closely watching them."

-APD detectives talked to at least 20 prostitutes who recognized Blea, one which reported that he once brought her to his house and attempted to tie her up, though she didn't let him.

-His wife reported finding women's underwear and jewelry in the house that did not belong to her or their daughter, and that the daughter once reportedly found a stash of women's underwear hidden in the shed. As of February 2016, police would not comment on whether any of these items could be linked to any of the victims on the grounds of them being part of an "ongoing criminal investigation".

-Some of the victims families noticed that jewelry was missing.

-Blea's former cellmate was interviewed and stated that Blea appeared to have an interest in the West Mesa case, and that while he never admitted to being directly involved, he said that he knew and had paid for sex with some of the victims. He also reportedly referred to the victims as "trashy" when discussing the case, and even admitted to hitting one, claiming that she tried to steal his money.

-His wife has said that Blea would often express his apparent hatred for prostitutes, calling them *advertiser censored* and *advertiser censored*.

-Both of his former wives also stated that Blea would frequently leave the house late at night to dump landscaping debris out on the West Mesa and would sometimes later return with women's clothing and jewelry.

-The burial site was close to the area where Blea disposed of his landscaping debris.

-A piece of landscaping debris; a tree tag for a Spearmint Juniper, was found buried 8 feet below the surface in the grave of one of the victims. I strongly suspect that this tag got stuck to the victim's body while in Blea's vehicle.

-The tag was linked to a specific wholesale nursery in Vacaville, CA that sold to retail landscaping businesses in Albuquerque, one of which identified Blea as a regular customer.


The fact that a piece of landscaping debris was found in the grave of one of the victims, and that Blea was a landscaper with a history of sexual violence, predatory behavior, and frequenting of prostitutes, and who was known to dump his landscaping debris near the burial site is just way too much to be a coincidence. I have a feeling that police are fairly confident that Blea is their man, but don't have quite enough to charge at this point. In any case, he's going to die in prison for being a serial rapist anyway.

So question? Are the newly released photos from the sex tape from his man? He sounds like the one.

 

[harleymae]

I just had a few thoughts on it, but the former police officer who said that they used to tell prostitutes that they themselves were killing them is very odd. Maybe because I'm not understanding the chronology? When were they telling them these things was it before or after the dump site was found? I wish someone would have asked the working girls that, because if it WAS before the dump site was found, it would imply foreknowledge to the serial killings as the question was even posed as to why it took the police so long to figure out there was an active serial killer(s) in the area. And if they were telling the girls this before the dump site was discovered, why wouldn't they have also warned or alerted the public to be on the lookout? Another thing I find strange about it is why would you want to make your own job more difficult? If they were telling the women this, you would be opening yourself up to alot of prostitutes resisting arrest if they had a run in with them. And you're also going to cause MORE distrust amongst the citizens when you already have a horrible reputation?? It simply fails any type of logical reasoning to tell that to the people you are policing. Also, it's very possible that what you are looking at is a symbiotic relationship between the police and drug runners. It was already labeled as an out of control police department so corruption by drug runners paying off or using police is already is a possibility. And if it is a drug hub for smuggling, then more often than not, police are on their payroll. Smugglers may be ruthless, but they're not stupid. They will take the path of least resistance. Meaning if they couldn't own or bribe the police, it wouldn't BE a hub as the smugglers would move their route through a place they could buy off. So I'm hypotheizing that its a combination of two of the potential scenarios/suspects presented tonight: Crooked police working for smugglers/cartels. But I hope someone investigates alot deeper into the police officer who said that they themselves told the women that they were killing them as that fails even the most basic logic on multiple levels.

I think it all depends on the answer to your first question, was it before or after?

 

[harleymae]

Having never heard of this case (WTH?!) until it was mentioned at the end of ep6 of the killing season, I have tried to take in as much information as I could about the case.

I dont think WM SK is Blea or Montoya. For all the same reasons stated in this thread and in the killing season episode. Montoya being too close to dumpsite, Blea preying on younger girls, etc.

I do agree that the murderer is very good at covering his tracks - the LE theory makes sense/fits with that. The lack of evidence left behind, the location of bodies,etc. Also, there may be more then one SK involved as two of the victims were taken together. There are more burial sites out there, I don't think they have stopped or will ever stop.

So to recap I think LE or two SK working together.

I don't think he knew their ages. They just had to look young. One was 15..

 

[buckeye05]

So question? Are the newly released photos from the sex tape from his man? He sounds like the one.

No, the person I am referring to is suspect Joseph Blea. You are thinking of the other suspect, Lorenzo Montoya.

 

[buckeye05]

Well for me I wish they did more follow up on the guy and his son that moved to california. After getting what they belive to be a positive voice match, I feel they should have looked into it further.

Also if I'm not mistaken, they moved to San Bernardino California, at least that's what I got from the show. Which is less than an hour from Santa Ana. I find it peculiar to say the least, that now there is a believed serial killer, killing prostitutes in Santa Ana, after moving from a close proximity of the west mesa murders and being possibly suspect in the case, they move to place in california in close proximity to a similar eire series of murders.

I do understand the drug cartel idea, but to me I feel like the drug cartel would send more of a message. Another weird thing for me is the woman that disappeared with her cousin, insinuating more than one killer, possibly cartel, possibly father and son...



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What are you going on about? The Santa Ana killer, Steven Dean Gordon was caught and arrested a while ago and was recently sentenced to death. There is no link there.

 

[Linn Fyke]

How sad it is after 8 years missing women are not discovered yet. :thinking:But Jochems and Barber are stilling hoping that their detectives will solve the case.

 

[SeaAbq76]

Gacy and Dahmer's trophy gardens were pretty close to home...

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Exactly. Ridgeway had several close to home. I am rewatching this episode right now and the amateur profiler they used was wrong.

 

[mogirl09]

Personally, I'm on the Blea side of the fence. I would say that the fact that he has been tied DNA wise to killing a prostitute already (I thought there were no time statutes on murder but I don't know) He was raping little kids from Mckinnley. The nursery tag.
I think APD is guilty of a lot of things, but mostly I think they are too incompetent for an actual coverup. I just found out that you don't have to have a degree in anything that has to do with forensics or science or criminology to become a "CSI" for them.

My buddy was killed by the Banditos for owing them money; they buried him in Rio Rancho's west mesa. 12 Feet Deep. They at least at that time were the people who controlled the drug supply in New Mexico. With as many unsolved murders that there are in this city, and a crime rate that is skyrocketing, I don't see a resolution soon.

Who knows, but, in all my years here, I have seen the ugly underbelly of the city. Lost a lot of good people needlessly.

 

[mogirl09]

One thing that might be very helpful is that Albuquerque just seated a brand new mayor Tim Keller and the former Chief of Police Eden has "retired." Keller is very concerned about the crime and his first day named an interim police chief. Here is the shakeup APD is NOT happy they are about to go through. http://www.tk4abq.com/safeabq The new police chief did work on the West Mesa Killer Case, and I think in these first days of the administration, he would be open to talking. Also, Hector Balderas, our Attorney General is fantastic and has been very open in talking to people about what he can.

 

[Elana619]

I used to work in New Mexico doing social work with women and had a client who believe she escaped from the West Mesa Killer. I remember when she came in for intake and shared the story. Very traumatizing for her and the story she shared was frightening.

 

[Josephbleastepson]

Hello, my name is Anthony Clark, son of Cheryl Blea who was the wife of Joseph Blea during the time of his arrest. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that Joseph Blea is not the West Mesa killer and that Lorenzo Montoya is. We were raided 3 times over the course of 2 months and interviewed for hours and hours. Ida lopez and another female detective whos name I can't remember were fairly certain Lorenzo Montoya was the killer, but since hes dead there will likely never be closure to this case. Joseph Blea was rapist who liked teenage girls when he was young, but started to just buy hookers when he got older. The detectives were pushing hard to put a killers face with these murders to give the community closure and to say it was a dead man just wouldn't do. But in all reality im 99% certain that Lorenzo Montoya was the killer and was killed when he murdered his last victim by her boyfriend/pimp. He lived less than 3 miles from the West Mesa graveyard and several different sets of tire track leading right from the graves to his trailer were found and matched to his vehicle after his death. He was also caught in the act of strangling a prostitute in his car years ago, but the case was dropped because the victim wouldn't testify. There is really no mystery to this case and i just wanted to give everyone here closure and let you know that the West Mesa killer did get his karma in the end. Im happy to answer any questions you have, just ask. Have a great day.

 

[Josephbleastepson]

Buckeye05
Im sorry to disappoint you, but Joseph Blea isnt the West Mesa killer, though i can see why people think this. Im Anthony Clark son of Cheryl Blea, who was married to Joseph at the time of his arrest. Now im in no way sticking up for Joseph and I believe he is a peice of **** who is justly spending life in prison. Now first off a few of your fact are misconstrued and a are couple down right wrong.

'His wife reported finding women's underwear and jewelry in the house that did not belong to her or their daughter, and that the daughter once reportedly found a stash of women's underwear hidden in the shed.'

This is my mom. She never made those comments to detective Ida Lopez and she was pissed when she read this. The only thing remotely like that she said was she found a ring in his desk. She asked 'whos is this?' he replied 'your daughter (my sister) must of stole it.' referring to my sister who had a habit of stealing jewelry from walmart.
Other than this my mom has never told detectives she found jewelry or womens underwear in the house or shed and was baffled when she read this.

-Blea's former cellmate was interviewed and stated that Blea appeared to have an interest in the West Mesa case, and that while he never admitted to being directly involved, he said that he knew and had paid for sex with some of the victims. He also reportedly referred to the victims as "trashy" when discussing the case, and even admitted to hitting one, claiming that she tried to steal his money.

He was being accused of being the West Mesa killer, no surprise he showed interest in the case. Also Joseph regularly picked up all the prostitutes in the warzone so im sure he was concerned he would be blamed.


-Both of his former wives also stated that Blea would frequently*leave the house late at night to dump landscaping debris out on the West Mesa*and would sometimes later return with*women's clothing and jewelry.

Now this is the biggest lie and i dont know how it spread, but if detective Ida said it, she down right lied. For 15 years Joseph illegally dumped most of his landscaping debris in the dumpsters of a business who had stiffed him. He would do this late at night and it was no where near the west mesa; it was around San Mateo blvd. When my mom read he dumped landscaping debris in the mesa she once again became pissed because she never told Ida that.
So how do i know hes not the West Mesa killer? Because Lorenzo Montoya is. We were raided 3 times over a 2 month period and interviewed for hours and hours and i can tell you Ida and the other female detective were fairly certain Lorenzo Montoya was the killer, but because hes dead there probably never be closure to this case.
The rest of your facts are mostly accurate with a few inconsistencies, but i dont feel like pointing them out. Just know that facts get misconstrued badly. Anyways if you have any other questions just ask, im happy to answer, have a great day.

 

[cort2209]

Is there a chance you could share any sort of detail of her story?

 

[cort2209]

Do you believe Joseph Blea may have known who was doing the killings?

 

[Josephbleastepson]

Is there a chance you could share any sort of detail of her story?

Who's story?

 

[Josephbleastepson]

Do you believe Joseph Blea may have known who was doing the killings?

Well I I'm pretty sure he didn't know Lorenzo Montoya.

 

[Εχ ΜοΓτιδ]

I was stationed at Kirtland AFB during the early 90s. I find it interesting that no one seems to think it could be someone that was stationed there. I'm curious to see if there are similar cases near other bases right before or right after the time frame in Albuquerque. The window of murder fits with someone showing up and then leaving after a relatively short period of time.

 

[Εχ ΜοΓτιδ]

After doing a bit of catching up on this case I found that the cousins that were some of the last identified were on their way to a park at Gibson/ San Mateo.. The only park I find in that area is on the west base of Kirtland. Am I missing something?