TX - James, 48 & Michelle Butler, 46, driving RV to Fort Lauderdale from Corpus Christi, 14 Oct 2019

[Herat]

Would their 2018 Chevy Silverado truck have any kind of GPS location device?

If we know their truck and trailer were observed entering Mexico, does that mean that they had their original NH plates? Those plates would certainly stand out from a distance when mixed in with Texas-licensed vehicles.

And there has to be other highway/ gas station footage of that rig.

Does anyone know how far it is from where they were last seen to the border crossing?

 

[zecats]

Would their 2018 Chevy Silverado truck have any kind of GPS location device?

If we know their truck and trailer were observed entering Mexico, does that mean that they had their original NH plates? Those plates would certainly stand out from a distance when mixed in with Texas-licensed vehicles.

And there has to be other highway/ gas station footage of that rig.

Does anyone know how far it is from where they were last seen to the border crossing?

GPS stated as disabled. 4.5 hours to Del Rio border crossing.
ETA spelling

 

[zecats]

I haven't read the thread (haven't been online in a long time), but I am intimately familiar with the location where the bodies were found. I patrolled that beach frequently for sea turtles and shorebirds. I just moved away a couple weeks ago. A good friend of mine is a National Park Service law enforcement ranger and was on scene when M was found. The site is in an area called The Bowl where people like to party.

There are illegal immigrants on the beach frequently, illegal Mexican fishing boats offshore, drugs and bodies washing up are not uncommon.

100% honest, but I'm thinking about where their three cats are now...

Me too. Makes me even sadder.

 

[Herat]

GPS stated as disabled. 4.5 hours to Del Rio birder crossing.

It looks like there are essentially 11 other border crossings the perps could have taken.

Del Rio looks like more of a straight shot from San Antonio on the freeway. Any local people can comment on the drive from the Butler's last place to the Del Rio crossing?

The disabling of the GPS makes this seem very nefarious and targeted by calculating bad people, not just robbers. Although I would have thought there were plenty of other places to hide the bodies that would not connect them with the last sighting of the Butlers

 

[zecats]

It looks like there are essentially 11 other border crossings the perps could have taken.

Del Rio looks like more of a straight shot from San Antonio on the freeway. Any local people can comment on the drive from the Butler's last place to the Del Rio crossing?

The disabling of the GPS makes this seem very nefarious and targeted by calculating bad people, not just robbers. Although I would have thought there were plenty of other places to hide the bodies that would not connect them with the last sighting of the Butlers

And Brownsville would have been a closer choice. Shorter drive.

 

[Herat]

GPS stated as disabled. 4.5 hours to Del Rio border crossing.
ETA spelling

I was kind of excited reading there was a specific birder border crossing. As a birder, this seemed special.

 

[zecats]

I was kind of excited reading there was a specific birder border crossing. As a birder, this seemed special.

I enjoy birds myself. But autocorrect took over on that post.

 

[Herat]

And Brownsville would have been a closer choice. Shorter drive.

My guess is that Del Rio is not very busy? And Brownsville is much busier- more ICE and LE people to observe or stop a vehicle?

And I'll bet the perps have surveilled the Butlers and their truck and rig. Sized up the situation, likely chatted with them to figure out how difficult it would be to overpower them. It is probably too much to hope there is surveillance video of the roads entering the park area.

 

[roguelady]

I hope that the US Govt. uses every resource available and does not stop looking for the SOB's who murdered this beautiful couple. Every crime we follow here on WS is heartbreaking, but there is something about this cold-blooded nightmare that is particularly disturbing. Every day we hear about wonderful people living their lives who run into pure evil. Please, find who did this!

 

[zecats]

My guess is that Del Rio is not very busy? And Brownsville is much busier- more ICE and LE people to observe or stop a vehicle?

And I'll bet the perps have surveilled the Butlers and their truck and rig. Sized up the situation, likely chatted with them to figure out how difficult it would be to overpower them. It is probably too much to hope there is surveillance video of the roads entering the park area.

I was just going to say that. Looking at the map, Brownsville is a town and there would likely be more chance of being seen. My aunt used to live near there and when I visited we crossed into Mexico from Brownsville. It’s def more populated. .

 

[Herat]

I always remember the horrible crimes that were perpetrated on those college kids in Matamoros.

Brownsville is the third busiest border crossing in Texas. El Paso has almost 3x the volume, Laredo has about 1.5x the crossings at Brownsville/Matamoros.

I think the perps have experience in border crossings and had calculated the least obvious crossing with the best freeway access. They avoided Eagle Pass, which has a very big rail and truck line, it seems. (Please correct if I am wrong)

It also looks like there is a secondary US Border stop on Highway 90 in Bracketsville, en route from San Antonio area to Del Rio Does anyone know if this is actually a hard stop on the freeway, or is it just a substation.

 

[Herat]

That's also a large trailer. Those Cedar Creek models are about 40 foot long. They would have to travel fairly large freeway routes and not too many small backroads.

I don't seem them filling the truck with the trailer en tow. I think they would have to unhitch it and park it because the entire rig is too long to fit though anything but truck stop gaspump setups

And the perps would clearly have to have filled the truck between the crime site and the border crossing when towing that trailer. And that's a diesel truck, so not all gas stations will carry diesel. I'd think LE is looking very carefully at truck stop diesel pump video.

Although not a new showy trailer, it's a nicely set up home, and that truck is quite new and expensive, so it would be a prize by itself.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I always remember the horrible crimes that were perpetrated on those college kids in Matamoros.

Brownsville is the third busiest border crossing in Texas. El Paso has almost 3x the volume, Laredo has about 1.5x the crossings at Brownsville/Matamoros.

I think the perps have experience in border crossings and had calculated the least obvious crossing with the best freeway access. They avoided Eagle Pass, which has a very big rail and truck line, it seems. (Please correct if I am wrong)

It also looks like there is a secondary US Border stop on Highway 90 in Bracketsville, en route from San Antonio are to Del Rio Does anyone know if this is actually a hard stop on the freeway, or is it just a substation.

If memory serves, when you are heading west on Hwy 90 the checkpoint is after the border crossing. What I mean is, when on Hwy 90 you go through Del Rio, turn left to cross the border and Amistad. If you continue straight, you hit a checkpoint. Does that make sense? I don't recall any west bound checkpoint in Brackettville. Del Rio is not a super busy crossing but busy enough given Lake Amistad is right there with a lot of activity.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

That's also a large trailer. Those Cedar Creek models are about 40 foot long. They would have to travel fairly large freeway routes and not too many small backroads.

I don't seem them filling the truck with the trailer en tow. I think they would have to unhitch it and park it because the entire rig is too long to fit though anything but truck stop gaspump setups

And the perps would clearly have to have filled the truck between the crime site and the border crossing when towing that trailer. And that's a diesel truck, so not all gas stations will carry diesel. I'd think LE is looking very carefully at truck stop diesel pump video.

Although not a new showy trailer, it's large enough and that truck is quite new and expensive, so it would be a prize by itself.

These are good points. I was surprised they didn't ditch the trailer because it sticks out so much, and prize the truck only. That truck is golden. I don't understand keeping the trailer at all. It's like a beacon screaming "look at ME".

 

[not.a.muggle]

I was kind of excited reading there was a specific birder border crossing. As a birder, this seemed special.

That's why I took a job down there...several birders in this thread.

 

[Herat]

If memory serves, when you are heading west on Hwy 90 the checkpoint is after the border crossing. What I mean is, when on Hwy 90 you go through Del Rio, turn left to cross the border and Amistad. If you continue straight, you hit a checkpoint. Does that make sense? I don't recall any west bound checkpoint in Brackettville. Del Rio is not a super busy crossing but busy enough given Lake Amistad is right there with a lot of activity.

I remember reading something about the Mexican side of Lake Amistad as being almost a no-man's land where you didn't want to accidentally wander into.

Not too much else in the Mexican area, Ciudad Acuna. And a fairly long drive into anything else of note in Mexico. Makes me think again the perps know this area

Here's a little tourist blog about a visit there in 2017.

A Day on the Border: Lake Amistad, Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna

 

[Herat]

These are good points. I was surprised they didn't ditch the trailer because it sticks out so much, and prize the truck only. That truck is golden. I don't understand keeping the trailer at all. It's like a beacon screaming "look at ME".

Unless maybe there are lots of other trailers around the area. Probably didnt stand out in the beach areas but would be more conspicuous the farther out on Highway 90 they went

Yeah, if they were customary criminals, they'd ditch the trailer and become far more annoymous driving farther west to cross the border and especially into Mexico.

But the trailer is the size of a small house, and nicely set up. Likely nicer than the place the perps live in.

 

[TexLil]

Very sad outcome here. True evil exists and I'm so very sorry this couple came in evil's path. Also very sad about the kitties. . Please let justice prevail and prevent this monster from doing something like this ever again.

 

[Herat]

Very sad outcome here. True evil exists and I'm so very sorry this couple came in evil's path. Also very sad about the kitties. . Please let justice prevail and prevent this monster from doing something like this ever again.

I have assumed this wasn't a single perp. Somehow I just thought it woud be more likely that two people did this.

Did the sighting at the border specify if there was just one person seen in the truck ?

 

[Ray_of_hope]

It's always upsetting to find a "found deceased" on the website. But the story behind this one is truly heartbreaking. To imagine a couple living out their dreams of seeing our great country and then having their lives cut short by violence and whatever selfish desires caused someone to kill them is truly abhorrent. On top of everything, we're talking about a military family that served our country. I hope for peace for the family and justice, too.

CW, I couldn't have said it better and in the prime of their lives too. It's heartbreaking.