WA - Mackenzie Cowell, 17, Wenatchee, 9 Feb 2010 - #14

[erok]

I just spoke to a close friend who offered some insight on the case...
She said that she believes MC was involved with a female gang and she was unable to get out of it. She then stated that she recently spoke to a man whose daughter was a friend of MC. Apparently the night before MC's disappearance, MC attended an underage drinking party in the south end of town. This man's daughter arrived at the party and began looking for MC... after she asked around the party to MC's whereabouts she was jumped. The girl was beaten so bad she was hospitalized and concussed. Apparently the attackers were members of this girl gang. The next day, MC disappeared. I do not know if MC was present at the party when the girl was jumped.

So perhaps she told a fellow gang member that she wanted out of the gang and they retaliated..? According to my friend, this type of killing (strangle/stabbing) is to send a message to others. So, there is likely others (gang members) who aware of MC disappearance and murder and are too afraid to say anything - obviously. This is consistent with LE's statements and pleas for someone to step forward.

It was also mentioned that MC had TWO boyfriends... one her age and the other around 27.

My friend has a lot of contacts in the valleys including fire, law, elected officials, etc. Her insight and theory has surely grabbed my attention.

What do you think?

 

[Miss Optimism]

pufnstuf- I have something to change on your timeline.

The RUMOR that MC and JV recently broke up is FALSE.

FACT: MC & JV did break up about 8 months ago and got back together after a few days. They were very much together and going strong before all of this happened.

This comes straight from JV to me.

Thanks, Melissa... I'll change it.

Also have some stuff to add that liz sent... I'll get it all done in a bit.

By the way, I didn't mean to come off rude in anyway. The capital letters and bolding was only done so that people going through these threads fast would catch it.

Thanks for doing the timeline for all of us!

 

[erok]

I think this is a rather common occurence around the country, puf.

In many rural parts the county Sheriff is also the coroner...

 

[pufnstuf]

I personlly don't know JL but I believe he has nothing to do with his case he is simply a photographer from Wenatchee. I know a few people who had done shoots with him that have not complained about him being creepy or making them do anything sexual/or anything that would make them feel uncomfortable. From what I have heard he is a nice person and just because he went or held a dance for Mackenzie doesn't really make him a POI. There isn't anythind leading toward him personally knowing Mac. So I believe you guys are mistaken

Mistaken about what? All anyone has said is that he makes inappropriate photos of young girls. I stand by that opinion.

Just because someone doesn't complain doesn't mean that he's doing nothing wrong. Whether a 13 year old wants a provocative photo of herself done or not, it's up to the photographer to say, "NO."

Posing girls like Hustler models with their clothes on, especially when they're 13, just isn't right. My opinion.

And he's been all about Mackenzie 24/7 since her body was found. He didn't just attend the dance... He planned/promoted the vigil, then at the memorial was the "photographer," then planned/promoted the dance.

I don't know if you're privy to his fan group, but the guy is warped. He's mad because someone started a group something like "JL takes inappropriate photos of lil girls" and it hurt his feelings. So he went to his "fan" group and whined, and got his bruised ego mended by these girls. GIRLS who all appear to be at least 9 or ten years younger than him.

I think that he is very immature, and not in the "doesn't put the toilet seat back down" way. I think he's mentally still a teen whose for some reason not able to make friends his own age. so he uses his photography to befriend young girls. Making pictures of someone is one thing. Taking them gift baskets, hiring them to be your assistant, and constantly having your ego stroked by them is quite another.

That doesn't make him a murderer though. But if he keeps up what he's doing now, he'll eventually seductivly pose the child of the wrong parents.

 

[Miss Optimism]

I just spoke to a close friend who offered some insight on the case...
She said that she believes MC was involved with a female gang and she was unable to get out of it. She then stated that she recently spoke to a man whose daughter was a friend of MC. Apparently the night before MC's disappearance, MC attended an underage drinking party in the south end of town. This man's daughter arrived at the party and began looking for MC... after she asked around the party to MC's whereabouts she was jumped. The girl was beaten so bad she was hospitalized and concussed. Apparently the attackers were members of this girl gang. The next day, MC disappeared. I do not know if MC was present at the party when the girl was jumped.

So perhaps she told a fellow gang member that she wanted out of the gang and they retaliated..? According to my friend, this type of killing (strangle/stabbing) is to send a message to others. So, there is likely others (gang members) who aware of MC disappearance and murder and are too afraid to say anything - obviously. This is consistent with LE's statements and pleas for someone to step forward.

It was also mentioned that MC had TWO boyfriends... one her age and the other around 27.

My friend has a lot of contacts in the valleys including fire, law, elected officials, etc. Her insight and theory has surely grabbed my attention.

What do you think?

Interesting thought. Does your friend know the party information first-hand? I just can't see MC being in any kind of a gang. From the pictures we've seen of her, there is nothing but a pretty sweet looking girl, which is unlike pictures I've seen of gang bangers.

I think the two boyfriends thing was just a rumor that spiraled out of control. The only boyfriend of hers that was at the memorial was JV, who is 21. The WW had said that her boyfriend was 17, which was her age, but I think they just were mistaken about that.

 

[pufnstuf]

Here are the two side by side!

Bahahaha. Got the moustache wrong and the hair color is off, but yeah, I see the resemblence. hahaha.

 

[erok]

Interesting thought. Does your friend know the party information first-hand? I just can't see MC being in any kind of a gang. From the pictures we've seen of her, there is nothing but a pretty sweet looking girl, which is unlike pictures I've seen of gang bangers.

I think the two boyfriends thing was just a rumor that spiraled out of control. The only boyfriend of hers that was at the memorial was JV, who is 21. The WW had said that her boyfriend was 17, which was her age, but I think they just were mistaken about that.

My contact spoke to the father of the beaten girl..... she said she was there looking for MC.

 

[Miss Optimism]

My contact spoke to the father of the beaten girl..... she said she was there looking for MC.

That's crazy. And the beaten girl had no gang affiliations? I wonder if this girl has gone to the police about all of this because I would think she would remember who did it to her.

 

[pufnstuf]

By the way, I didn't mean to come off rude in anyway. The capital letters and bolding was only done so that people going through these threads fast would catch it.

Thanks for doing the timeline for all of us!

You're welcome...

Sometimes I miss stuff in the thread, especially for the past week or so.

 

[sockmonkey]

That's crazy. And the beaten girl had no gang affiliations? I wonder if this girl has gone to the police about all of this because I would think she would remember who did it to her.

Seriously if this is true then the police should be told....

 

[pufnstuf]

Interesting thought. Does your friend know the party information first-hand? I just can't see MC being in any kind of a gang. From the pictures we've seen of her, there is nothing but a pretty sweet looking girl, which is unlike pictures I've seen of gang bangers.

I think the two boyfriends thing was just a rumor that spiraled out of control. The only boyfriend of hers that was at the memorial was JV, who is 21. The WW had said that her boyfriend was 17, which was her age, but I think they just were mistaken about that.

How old would VDD be right now? That could have been something that someone read at WS and then it got around Wenatchee.

She might have attended an underage drinking party (I think everyone does that kind of stuff in their teen years) but I can't imagine her being a gang member.

She might have done something that pissed off a girl gang member (like commenting, "mmmm you look good" on a boyfriend's photo). And that might have set the whole thing off.

 

[Miss Optimism]

How old would VDD be right now? That could have been something that someone read at WS and then it got around Wenatchee.

She might have attended an underage drinking party (I think everyone does that kind of stuff in their teen years) but I can't imagine her being a gang member.

She might have done something that pissed off a girl gang member (like commenting, "mmmm you look good" on a boyfriend's photo). And that might have set the whole thing off.

VDD would be 20 or 21 now. I remember when the story first broke about this, WW reported that her mother and her 17 year old boyfriend showed up at PC to see her car. I'm not sure why they said 17. Maybe they just assumed he was the same age as MC.

That is a possibility about pissing off a girl gang member! IIRC, the person whose picture comments you're referring to had some gang affiliations.

 

[pufnstuf]

Another thing that makes me wonder...

Most men have access to guns. Would an adult man bludgeon, strangle, and stab a victim? Hope opportunity for DNA transfer with something like that.

Plus, it seems so "hands on" to me, when the same result could have been accomplished with a gun. Or with just one slash in the right place.

The way she was killed makes me think that the killer (if an adult) was completely enraged with her and the murder was not premeditated.

Or, the person (a juvenile) didn't have access to a gun, he/she did it the only way he/she could: with weapons that are readily available in any home. A bat, and a knife.

Just thinking out loud again... delirious from lack of sleep.

 

[pufnstuf]

VDD would be 20 or 21 now. I remember when the story first broke about this, WW reported that her mother and her 17 year old boyfriend showed up at PC to see her car. I'm not sure why they said 17. Maybe they just assumed he was the same age as MC.

That is a possibility about pissing off a girl gang member! IIRC, the person whose picture comments you're referring to had some gang affiliations.

She seems like a very very controlling person. Just from nosing my way around the net, I quickly came to that conclusion.

 

[AutumnRose]

Mistaken about what? All anyone has said is that he makes inappropriate photos of young girls. I stand by that opinion.

Just because someone doesn't complain doesn't mean that he's doing nothing wrong. Whether a 13 year old wants a provocative photo of herself done or not, it's up to the photographer to say, "NO."

Posing girls like Hustler models with their clothes on, especially when they're 13, just isn't right. My opinion.

And he's been all about Mackenzie 24/7 since her body was found. He didn't just attend the dance... He planned/promoted the vigil, then at the memorial was the "photographer," then planned/promoted the dance.

I don't know if you're privy to his fan group, but the guy is warped. He's mad because someone started a group something like "JL takes inappropriate photos of lil girls" and it hurt his feelings. So he went to his "fan" group and whined, and got his bruised ego mended by these girls. GIRLS who all appear to be at least 9 or ten years younger than him.

I think that he is very immature, and not in the "doesn't put the toilet seat back down" way. I think he's mentally still a teen whose for some reason not able to make friends his own age. so he uses his photography to befriend young girls. Making pictures of someone is one thing. Taking them gift baskets, hiring them to be your assistant, and constantly having your ego stroked by them is quite another.

That doesn't make him a murderer though. But if he keeps up what he's doing now, he'll eventually seductivly pose the child of the wrong parents.

Not only that Puf, but in looking at the pictures and comments posted on every single MS that I looked at.................someone needs to reign in our kids!!!! I don't see the pics or comments posted as harmless gansta wannabe"s! I think they need their phones taken away.........their computers...........their cars..........their tv's..........and they need their mouths washed out with soap or a bottle of extremely hot hot sauce! If one of my kids had a MS like these, they wouldn't leave the house for months! I would sit on them! My kids weren't perfect and they did their share of badmouthing their parents........but you better be straight I went through their pockets and their bedrooms and their trash and their backpacks and I read their emails WHEN I had reason to be concerned and told them to expect as much. I wanted to know what was going on in their emotionally trying teen age lives and every single one of them knew I cared enough to find out. I'm sorry, but I want to march up to Eastmont High and Wenatchee High with a car full of soap bars! :furious:

 

[AutumnRose]

Interesting thought. Does your friend know the party information first-hand? I just can't see MC being in any kind of a gang. From the pictures we've seen of her, there is nothing but a pretty sweet looking girl, which is unlike pictures I've seen of gang bangers.

I think the two boyfriends thing was just a rumor that spiraled out of control. The only boyfriend of hers that was at the memorial was JV, who is 21. The WW had said that her boyfriend was 17, which was her age, but I think they just were mistaken about that.

Let me just say that the ONLY JV I was able to find anything about was a 27 year old JV from Pateros. NOBODY to my knowledge has been able to find any other info. Maybe JV has 2 personalities? Silly, I know. But, speculation

 

[scandi]

snipped...

How odd that the coroner is the same person as the prosecutor. Seems like that would be a conflict of interest in some cases.

Hi Pufnstuf ands Liz, Sheriff Corona in Orange County Ca was the Sheriff as well as the Coroner at the time Samantha Runion was abducted.

I do see your point however and wondered about it back then. It might be more common that we realize to hold several power positions like this. I chalked it up to Corona being such an extraordinary man. Just sayin'

 

[pufnstuf]

Not only that Puf, but in looking at the pictures and comments posted on every single MS that I looked at.................someone needs to reign in our kids!!!! I don't see the pics or comments posted as harmless gansta wannabe"s! I think they need their phones taken away.........their computers...........their cars..........their tv's..........and they need their mouths washed out with soap or a bottle of extremely hot hot sauce! If one of my kids had a MS like these, they wouldn't leave the house for months! I would sit on them! My kids weren't perfect and they did their share of badmouthing their parents........but you better be straight I went through their pockets and their bedrooms and their trash and their backpacks and I read their emails WHEN I had reason to be concerned and told them to expect as much. I wanted to know what was going on in their emotionally trying teen age lives and every single one of them knew I cared enough to find out. I'm sorry, but I want to march up to Eastmont High and Wenatchee High with a car full of soap bars! :furious:

And worse, these kids don't realize that one day in the future, they'll apply for college and a job, and those myspaces are out there damning them before they've ever started the college or job search.

They don't think about their futures. They live in the here and now. We were bad when we were kids, but bad back then was stealing my best friend's father's scotch and meeting up in the woods for a bonfire party. We didn't disrespect adults, and, while we probably cursed (ok, not probably... we definitely did), we would never have written it on the internet for everyone to see.

If I had a daughter in middle-to-high-school and she put photos on her myspace that you see on many of these kids' myspaces, I'm like you... I'd first make her get off the net. Then I'd ground her for a long time.

They don't think about the future.... just immediate gratification.

 

[erok]

Does anyone know if the strangling and stabbing is a common killing method for gangs?

http://www.mydeathspace.com/article...r_Hess_(17)_to_death_and_then_burned_her_body

 

[greydiggity]

How old would VDD be right now? That could have been something that someone read at WS and then it got around Wenatchee.

She might have attended an underage drinking party (I think everyone does that kind of stuff in their teen years) but I can't imagine her being a gang member.

She might have done something that pissed off a girl gang member (like commenting, "mmmm you look good" on a boyfriend's photo). And that might have set the whole thing off.

VDD is 11/16/88

JV was a senior in 06/07 so he would be 21 now, or very close to it...