WA - Unidentified Male: "Lyle Stevik", Grays Harbor, 17 Sept 2001 - #4

[emeraldine]

I just looked at the crime scene photos and noticed the pillows placed between the wall and closet bars. Why do u think he did that? Noise reduction? So no one could hear him struggling? It seems odd to me and I'm just curious what you all think? Forgive me if this has already been asked.

I always thought what you think - that it was about noise.

 

[nitsirk]

I'm still confused. Or is this a private conversation?

They are speaking about the Tim Bosma case in Ontario. The main perpetrator's father committed suicide a few years previous, but after he was arrested for TB it was decided it wasn't suicide.

 

[nitsirk]

I just looked at the crime scene photos and noticed the pillows placed between the wall and closet bars. Why do u think he did that? Noise reduction? So no one could hear him struggling? It seems odd to me and I'm just curious what you all think? Forgive me if this has already been asked.

I've seen this discussed previously. Could it be support so the brackets don't come out of the wall? No idea.

Right now I'm stuck on why he was wearing his boots and the motel employees knowing more then they've said.

 

[emeraldine]

I've seen this discussed previously. Could it be support so the brackets don't come out of the wall? No idea.

Right now I'm stuck on why he was wearing his boots and the motel employees knowing more then they've said.

This makes even more sense.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I've seen this discussed previously. Could it be support so the brackets don't come out of the wall? No idea.

Right now I'm stuck on why he was wearing his boots and the motel employees knowing more then they've said.

I wonder about the boots, too.

What was the estimated time of death?

The pillows are curious. Lyle mentioned messing up the pillows in the first room then they found the next room's pillows tucked in neatly on either side of his "gallow". He seemed to have a specific reason, but it wouldn't work on the clothing rod in the first room (which is why I think he changed rooms as the rod was inadequate). I don't think the pillows would have prevented the screws from coming out of the wall as the weight was in the front, but it could have reduced some noise of thrashing around.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

What gets me is the money - not sure which one of you mentioned it, but he may have withdrawn that from an ATM and I bet the store has an ATM inside of it. I didn't see any notes about interviewing the staff at the store. He got the newspaper(s) from somewhere. He got the cup from somewhere. From what I could tell on Google maps, he had to have gotten those things from the store. I can see why they didn't see if he got off the bus. The store appears to block the view of the bus stop. Someone made a very valid point that if he came from Canada, he either had to have come by road or he had to have flown in prior to the planes coming down on the 11th, which would have been before 5 am on the 11th on the west coast. The more I think about it, the less I believe he came from Canada. As far as being missed if he was a medical professional, he wouldn't be missed if he had resigned his position first. Paramedics and EMTs would be even less likely to be missed and students do drop out. I think he was older than the general consensus is. I think he was around 35 years old. He paid for one night then said he would be staying a few more days. Why was that? Did he decide while he was there to commit suicide and do it there? Had he intended to commit suicide the first night, then have second thoughts, requiring more time to talk himself into going through with it? If he was intent on committing suicide, I would think that he would get up every morning thinking "today is the day" - but he asked for fresh towels on Saturday. So, had he set a date that he intended to do it? If so, why wouldn't he pay in advance for days up to the day he intended to commit suicide? The pacing out on the highway is weird. There were more pleasant places to walk if walking was his sole intention. Was he trying to get up the nerve to jump out in front of a moving vehicle? Was he waiting for someone or something that didn't show up? Was someone supposed to come get him from the motel and he got stood up? It's really starting to make me wonder if he came there with the intention of committing suicide at all. For the record, I don't think he was murdered. I am starting to believe that what he wanted to happen at the motel did not go as planned, though.

An ATM could have potentially solved this case early on. Many have built in cameras and if he was caught making a transaction...LE would have found his name, his address, his banking information, and his past history. By not checking out the store and talking to the people, they missed their opportunity.

I find it a stretch to think he was associated with the medical field. Suicide sites and suicide literature were readily available to one seeking such information in 2001. The site I saw earlier described his type of hanging down to the small details. I personally feel a medical pro would have opted for a better way out with no chance of malfunction.

As I mentioned before, Lyle pacing out by the highway seemed deliberate like he was waiting on someone as a stroll would likely have taken place around the motel with the grass and trees. I thought a long time ago perhaps Lyle was expecting a lover and perhaps the person not showing up was his final straw. Maybe until then he held out some hope and the reason he waited instead of doing it the first day.

 

[brett1968]

In the police reports it quite clearly states that his age was 'approximately 25 years'. This is something that a medical examiner can work out conclusively using various scientific methods (unknown to me).
In regard to the uncertainty in regard to Lyle's age, the missing person's advertisements state that his age was within a certain age range.
I assume that this 'speculation' has only been included because without actually knowing the fact, people tend to perceive each others age as being around a certain amount.
This given 'age window' aids the investigation because there might be people out there who knew the decedent, but they were unaware of his exact age.
Rather than give out his exact age and have people not come forward based on their reading of his age not fitting with the age given, (because they thought he might have been 30, 31, 32... etc), the investigators include an age range so as to try to find anyone who might have had even the most passing of encounters with him.

 

[emeraldine]

The range was from 1970-1981. He could have been 31, but I wouldn't personally make that argument.

 

[Kentuckiana]

Getting money from an ATM is a good possibility - and I think you're the only person I've ever seen mention it...!

If he got money from the ATM, it would have come out of his account under his REAL name! Just checking all the accounts that were hit from that ATM for the days he was there, and making sure those people were all alive and accounted for, could have ID'd him.

 

[Kentuckiana]

An ATM could have potentially solved this case early on. Many have built in cameras and if he was caught making a transaction...LE would have found his name, his address, his banking information, and his past history. By not checking out the store and talking to the people, they missed their opportunity.

Oops, sorry - just saw this, GMTA!

 

[outofthedark]

Fwiw, I'm no longer convinced 'Lyle' wrote any of what was presented to LE on 17 Sep 2001 - other than the word suicide. My new suspicion is, the pen in 'Lyle's' pocket matched the writing of the word suicide, and not 'for the room'. The name and address at the front desk was likely written with a pen that was available at the front desk.

What are the chances Aunt B read the book 'You Must Remember This'? Reading would be a good way to fill ones day in between catering to guests needs at a motel. After all, it seems to be Aunt B that misspelled Meridian as Meridan. She could have also misspelled Stevick as Stevik. Jmo.

To my eyes, the writing for "For The Room" looks like it was done with a thicker tip. I'm looking at the one that was already given to us before.

After reading your post, I went back and looked at the registration. The writing style for "Lyle Stevik" and "1019 S. Progress Ave" 99% matches the style used for the rest of the words on there!

As for "Suicide", I'd wager that the pen was either a 0.5 or 0.7 point.

For me, the registration now throws a different light on the name and address of choice. How do we know if he even gave that name and address? Looks like the name and address might be a work of fiction in a whole other way. What if the desk had something for that particular Best Western laying around somewhere?

I have to fill out mine and my grandparents' last names, the day of the week, times of arrival and exit, and apartment # before I can visit them; and this woman can't figure to fill out a date on a hotel registration form, exact or otherwise?

 

[seopaula]

Could it be that the Motel´s Manager entered the room first, saw the money and instead of taking it before reporting the scene took a piece of paper and wrote "for the room" in order to keep it?

This in my mind makes no sense, it would have been easier to keep it instead of writing the note, but maybe they just did it in case they discover LS had money with him. Senseless I guess.

Just trying to think what could have happen and the more I read your comments the more convinced I am that the motel staff know more than they say.

 

[Coffeelover]

BTW, Canadians have been able to use American ATM's and vice-versa since at least the late 1980s. Hubby and I are an Am-Can couple and we started dating back in the 80s and had a long-distance relationship and used our bank cards while visiting the other just like you can today.

 

[Woodland]

To my eyes, the writing for "For The Room" looks like it was done with a thicker tip. I'm looking at the one that was already given to us before.

After reading your post, I went back and looked at the registration. The writing style for "Lyle Stevik" and "1019 S. Progress Ave" 99% matches the style used for the rest of the words on there!

As for "Suicide", I'd wager that the pen was either a 0.5 or 0.7 point.

For me, the registration now throws a different light on the name and address of choice. How do we know if he even gave that name and address? Looks like the name and address might be a work of fiction in a whole other way. What if the desk had something for that particular Best Western laying around somewhere?

I have to fill out mine and my grandparents' last names, the day of the week, times of arrival and exit, and apartment # before I can visit them; and this woman can't figure to fill out a date on a hotel registration form, exact or otherwise?

Agree that 'for the room' and name, street address and ID were written by the same person - the way the R joins O. It would be handy to see a written statement by BW if she gave one - maybe she only spoke to Det LY? While GB writes his report in caps, find it difficult to see any similarity with what is attributed to LS writing.

Was it a surprise to GB that a written statement was asked of him? This realization would have come much later in the day - I'm guessing. Since Aunt BW was 'away' for the day, did GB advise not to ever write anything down?

Wonder if the maid ever wrote anything down for LE.

Agree the address of another motel could have been handy at the front desk, along with many others. Could they have chosen an address that was furthest away?

 

[Woodland]

Could it be that the Motel´s Manager entered the room first, saw the money and instead of taking it before reporting the scene took a piece of paper and wrote "for the room" in order to keep it?

This in my mind makes no sense, it would have been easier to keep it instead of writing the note, but maybe they just did it in case they discover LS had money with him. Senseless I guess.

Just trying to think what could have happen and the more I read your comments the more convinced I am that the motel staff know more than they say.

Imo, if someone from the motel decided to take quick advantage of the situation, there wasn't a lot of time to plan and think ahead.

Your post sparked another thought for me - if LS had been there for a couple of days without paying and without stating exactly how long he planned to stay, wouldn't the owner or manager approach the room before the maid that day? Seems more in line imo - there should have been some concern. I think the whole scenario is wide open now.

 

[seopaula]

Maybe this is a stupid question as Im not from USA, but can you stay in a motel for an undetermine number of days without paying or without giving a credit card in deposit? At least in Spain that is not possible.

 

[Woodland]

It would be odd anywhere, imo, for a motel owner to let someway stay at their location without a guarantee of payment in one form or another.

What we have, according to the owner and manager, is LS paying for the night of 14 Sep, staying there 15 and 16 Sep without paying, and the maid going to the room, after a normal check-out time, to clean that room. Doesn't ring quite right to me.

 

[mountainash]

I wanted to point out that I do not believe the photos posted here of the motel are of the correct motel. The Quinault River Inn does not have a building with a flat roof like is pictured in the imgur album of images from the scene. Also, at the Quinault River Inn, there are no rooms separate from the main motel; judging by images of the motel on TripAdvisor, all eight rooms at this motel are in the main structure. Lake Quinault Inn which doesn't have a website or a TripAdvisor page does have a separate building with a flat roof as can be seen on Google satellite imagery. I could only find one image of Lake Quinault Inn online. See here: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/117591638

 

[Estelle1]

I wanted to point out that I do not believe the photos posted here of the motel are of the correct motel. The Quinault River Inn does not have a building with a flat roof like is pictured in the imgur album of images from the scene.

Ah, sorry, that was my mistake. I checked online for all the motels in the area, and that looked the closest. Well, I wouldn't have even come across the motel you've just mentioned because there's very little about it online. You're right - they still don't have a website, looks like they never have. It doesn't appear on any travel review websites, and I can just find that one photo you've posted (there's a second that's been tagged on their Facebook page, but that hasn't even been updated).

 

[Dylgem22]

Was it stated that whomever observed LS pacing up and down the highway/road watched him the entire time he was there? Did they see him walk out to the road, and then back to the room?? Could it be possible someone did meet him and that might be where he got the fresh money from? Maybe it was some sort of a "deal" ... or maybe he did walk off somewhere to obtain the fresh, crisp bills (ATM) ... I just really wish we could figure this one out. I hope someone is able to give LS a real identity .. and soon!