The Remains Location -and the search

[AmandaReckonwith]

I'm curious, what makes you think that? Arouba connects in intertwines with many named and unnamed roads, though. There are some house, several tree farms (avocados, citrus), and lots of roads, some well paved, some sort of paved, some not paved. It's really hilly and rocky all over the area.

No, Ghostwheel, I was wrong. You are right.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

North County times said (on CNN they had a reporter) just say that authorities have told them today that:

a) they are "still processing" the scene where Amber's remains were found
b) John Gardner is considered a "focus" in the Amber case.

Gardner is to appear in court this afternoon at 2.

Maybe he will be charged in this murder?

 

[Ghostwheel]

North County times said (on CNN they had a reporter) just say that authorities have told them today that:

a) they are "still processing" the scene where Amber's remains were found
b) John Gardner is considered a "focus" in the Amber case.

You know, you can't go down Arouba road in street view in google maps. It says it is no longer available. I wonder if that was done on purpose?

 

[concentric]

I guess a locked gate is no impediment to a monster:

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/bittaker_norris/4.html

The rape and murder could wait until they found the perfect isolated spot to take their victims. Sometime in late April, cruising aimlessly, the hunters found a remote fire road in the San Gabriel Mountains, overlooking Glendora. A padlocked gate barred access, but Bittaker smashed the lock with a crow bar. They were in.

 

[TravelingBug]

Maybe someone in the area remembered seeing someone creepy on their property, and when they saw JG on tv and knew girls were still missing, they called it in? Initially you might think the person is just a trespasser and not call it in.

It's actually private property belonging to the Rainbow (a town) Water District - so not a property that is a residence.

They also wouldn't confirm that the gate is even typically locked.

 

[Lipin One]

He is now the focus of their investigation in Amber's disappearance/murder.

To me that means someone came forth with the information and not him. Had he voluntarily given the information, that would've been equal to a confession, so what investigation there had to be?

I figure he either confided in someone, or someone witnessed the incident, and came forth.

The dark-skinned guy a witness described could've been a Native American from the reservation?

IMO

 

[Ghostwheel]

KNSD 7/39 news at 4:

Emphasizing NO ONE is taking questions and NO ONE wants to say on the record HOW the tip came in.

Emphasizing that the very brief statement just released within the last hour was VERY carefully worded by intention.

(BTW, Bill Garcia is saying ON the RECORD (he spoke it - I saw him say it) that he doesn't think it was JAG, but that someone obviously told them very specifically where she was found)

Body was found on private property (Rainbow Water District)

There is a gate toward the front of the property, but "no one is saying" if it's usually locked.

No the gate is not always locked, as google maps street view shows it clearly unlocked. (see remains location thread, post 79).

Attached here is a map of the Pala area of Rainbow Water District. You can see where the Water district property overlaps Pala-Temecula Rd. Arouba is in that area.

 

[SoCalMom]

There are several photos of the crime scene being taped off. Many are in the photos thread, but here's a news link to what I'm referring to:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/photos/2010/mar/08/125915/

I wonder how far from the body this tree is. It's been marked by an underground locating company (they locate utilities before digging occurs in an area scheduled for any type of construction), and the spray markings look recent. I'm just speculating, but I wonder if a locator or other construction personnel spotted the body.

 

[TravelingBug]

There are several photos of the crime scene being taped off. Many are in the photos thread, but here's a news link to what I'm referring to:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/photos/2010/mar/08/125915/

I wonder how far from the body this tree is. It's been marked by an underground locating company (they locate utilities before digging occurs in an area scheduled for any type of construction), and the spray markings look recent. I'm just speculating, but I wonder if a locator or other construction personnel spotted the body.

What they just showed on KGTV from the chopper was actually down the slope of the hill there a ways as where they found her and the area they were focusing on, not an area really visible from the road.

 

[Ghostwheel]

There are several photos of the crime scene being taped off. Many are in the photos thread, but here's a news link to what I'm referring to:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/photos/2010/mar/08/125915/

I wonder how far from the body this tree is. It's been marked by an underground locating company (they locate utilities before digging occurs in an area scheduled for any type of construction), and the spray markings look recent. I'm just speculating, but I wonder if a locator or other construction personnel spotted the body.

This is the same tree as in the JPG I posted (post 79), you can see the large scar at the base of the tree (slightly different angle). It's where Arouba branches off from the road, so I'm thinking the body was a ways away from here.

Which marking do you think was done by the locating company? I don't think the white paint is by a locating company, maybe the orange? I've never seen one marked like that for identification.

 

[Ghostwheel]

What they just showed on KGTV from the chopper was actually down the slope of the hill there a ways as where they found her and the area they were focusing on, not an area really visible from the road.

Bummer, I don't have TV. Can you give me any idea where that might be? How far in off the road?

 

[TravelingBug]

Bummer, I don't have TV. Can you give me any idea where that might be? How far in off the road?

Ack, I'm so terrible at guesstimates when it comes to distance. Let me see if they show it again, but I'm guessing it was 12-15 feet down the slope at least.

 

[nursebeeme]

question for you map wizards:

How far off the main road do you guys estimate the body was found?

further thoughts on the gated road: I am sure that suspect had knowledge of the area and felt a sort of comfort/security in dumping behind these 'gates'. Is the main road that this gated road is off of on the way to the casino?

 

[TravelingBug]

question for you map wizards:

How far off the main road do you guys estimate the body was found?

further thoughts on the gated road: I am sure that suspect had knowledge of the area and felt a sort of comfort/security in dumping behind these 'gates'. Is the main road that this gated road is off of on the way to the casino?

Yes, the gated road is off the road between the two casinos, but honestly, I'm struggling to tell how far down the slope her body was found.

They only showed a quick aerial enough to let you see it was down the slope, but it was just the one station and they've not replayed it yet. They've got the chopper now over her school where there's a candlelight vigil. I'm hoping they'll reair it or I'll find it on one of the other stations when I channel hop!

 

[Ghostwheel]

question for you map wizards:

How far off the main road do you guys estimate the body was found?

further thoughts on the gated road: I am sure that suspect had knowledge of the area and felt a sort of comfort/security in dumping behind these 'gates'. Is the main road that this gated road is off of on the way to the casino?

I'm great with maps, but I don't have TV, so I don't know where the area the copter was in. There are so many hills and slopes, it could be anywhere, unless it was down the slope next to where the police cars were in a previous picture (with a blue canopy) If that is the area, I can give you a rough estimate of where that would be.

The "gated" road is off the main road that some people would take from Pala Casino to Pechanga Casino. It is called Pala-Temecula Rd. Most people, if going only to Pala, would come in east from 15, or west (ish) from inland Valley Center.

 

[MrLucky917]

bbm and ITA.

Further thoughts... for her remains to have been in Palo she had to have been transported by the perp. Perhaps her blood was found in one of his cars?

As for the tip... it 'seems' it was so specific.. It would be interesting to know the exact time of the tip (was it friday night? etc?) because we really don't know yet how long LE had to search there to find her. In other words was it a specific tip (ie: she is under this tree), or was it a general tip (ie: some friend or family calls in to say he goes there a lot to hunt, hike, etc)

Some reports say Amber was found early saturday morning which would mean that either they were searching that area already or they were told the exact location. How come there wasn't any media coverage until Sunday afternoon.

 

[sungrl]

Some reports say Amber was found early saturday morning which would mean that either they were searching that area already or they were told the exact location. How come there wasn't any media coverage until Sunday afternoon.

This is odd too because at that time they were still searching Kit Carson Park. I read they didn't end their search there until the afternoon.

 

[MrLucky917]

This is odd too because at that time they were still searching Kit Carson Park. I read they didn't end their search there until the afternoon.

I thought that was strange also but I think it was Escondido PD that was searching Kit Carson park and San Diego Sheriff's searching Pala. The presser was going to be at the Sheriff's office in Kearney Mesa but changed to the Escondido PD office.

 

[TravelingBug]

They have emphasized on local media she was found EARLY Saturday morning. (As in, they either went truly straight there, or they were there overnight).

And yes, there was that concurrent search in Kit Carson Park - with ALL three agencies involved there, as well.

"Escondido police, the FBI and divers from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department spent the day searching the pond and brushy areas behind a stand of trees in the park near the Westfield North County mall."

 

[Wise Old Owl]

maybe GPS coordinates off an IPhone or Blackberry?