Jessica Ridgeway Murder: Investigation Focuses On Suspects Of Prior Kidnap Attempts, Points To Local Suspect
Jessica Christine Ridgeway , the grape-hued bespectacled 10 year old who lit up the court as a Stadley Lake pee wee cheerleader, left her Westminster home at 8:30am on October 5, 2012.
She was due to meet her walk-buddy Jeremy after speaking to him briefly from her Mom’s cell at 8:25am. When she did not show by 8:40am, he hitched a ride from his Dad to avoid missing the 8:50am bell. The drive route would not pass an “enroute” Jessica if she were to take the normal path to school.
Jessica never made it to Witt Elementary School (WES) and the school called her Mother’s cell by 9am to alert her to her absence.
Sarah Ridgeway, Jessica’s Mother, worked the night shift and never heard the cell phone she left downstairs. Later in the afternoon Sara retrieved the voice mail from WES, got in her car and began looking for her daughter.
Ridgeway reports her only child she shared with Jeremiah Bryant missing via 911 when she was unable to locate her. Jeremiah Bryant, Jessica’s Father, was alerted first by his employer when police were trying to determine his whereabouts, and then directly by investigators.
Despite the 6 hour delay Westminster Police reacted swiftly. They had interviewed children that normally walked to school with Jessica by the end of the school day and issued an amber alert by 9:15 PM Friday evening.
Victorious. This is the word splashed across Jessica’s pink backpack found by a neighbor in nearby Superior in the early hours of Sunday October 7th. It was believed to have been placed there between 6:45PM Saturday and midnight Sunday morning.
By Sunday afternoon Jessica’s family had confirmed the backpack ,complete with water bottle bearing her name , was hers. By Sunday afternoon investigators knew the chances of this ending well were lost when a clear and deliberate placement of a missing ten year old child’s backpack was a definite calling card intended for them.
The complete contents of the bag or any other evidentiary clues it yielded have not been released.
Hours before Waste Management crews would stumble across the horrific mutilated partial remains of the little girl whose abduction had thousands of law enforcement assets scrambling to find her and the rest of us with cable-holding our collective breath, Jessica’s parents were cleared of any involvement in her disappearance. An unknown predator was responsible, and HE was out there.
While it has not been disclosed publicly, sources inside the investigation speaking to BOC on the condition of anonymity have confirmed that both Sara Ridgeway and Jeremiah Bryant were administered and passed polygraph examinations.
Panic Button
82nd St, west of Quaker. Across from a series of abandoned buildings and near a dilapidated mine shaft, Jessica’s torso was discovered by a maintenance team routinely scheduled to clear debris from the area. While her remains were partially concealed by a dark garbage bag, it was clear whoever placed them where they were intended for them to found quickly. Close to a drainpipe that would have likely hidden the fate of the little girl indefinitely, her killer chose instead to traverse a culvert placing the bag inside the barbed wire fence on an elevated area visible from the road. Sources indicate to BOC that the the dismemberment was intentional and several body parts remain missing.
The state of her dismembered corpse delayed her identification from the prevailing methods of dental records and fingerprints and had to be confirmed via DNA through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) lab. It did not delay a thinly veiled and uniform look of panic among law enforcement officials in Westminster, Arvada, the FBI and the Jefferson County DA during the press conference announcing what everyone already knew.
An autopsy preformed last week awaits toxicology and other anthropologic study results to make a final determination on her cause of death, however, as police have established she was murdered there is no question her manner of death is listed as homicide.
Jessica Ridgeway was the victim of a child predator of the darkest variety, and he is likely a member of the immediate community living among those in their extreme fear and grief.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Last Fall, and as recently as a few weeks before Jessica was abducted, police in Jefferson county had been alerted to what they believed amounted to two different men suspected of attempting to lure children into their vehicles. A letter was sent home from Jessica’s school in September.
While it is not known if these suspects and composites are connected to Jessica’s murder, police would still like the public’s help in providing any information about their identity and whereabouts.
Last November a series of attempted abductions of young girls in Arvada caused Arvada police to release a composite of an as-yet unidentified suspect.
Attempted Child Abduction Incidents
- On Saturday, November 12, 2011, just after 3:00 p.m. in the area of Danny Kendrick Park (7000 Ward Road) and the Apex Recreation Center. Arvada Police were called to the area on a report of an attempted child abduction involving a 12-year-old Arvada girl.
- On Wednesday, November 16, 2011, just after 8:00 p.m., a 6-year-old child was contacted by a man as she sat in a lounge area of the YMCA located at 6350 Eldridge Street. The suspect lured her outside and she was able to break free and return to her parents inside the building.
Indecent Exposure
- On Friday, November 4, 2011, three 12-year-old girls were playing outside in the area of 69th and Robb Street when the suspect approached the girls and exposed and touched himself in their presence.
Suspicious Incident
- On Monday, November 14, 2011, Arvada Police were called the area of 77th and Parfet Street where a 15-year-old girl was contacted by a man driving a silver or white four door car who began asking her for directions.
Although Westminster Police have publicly ruled out any connection to the Ridgeway case, about 8 hours away in Cody, Wyoming, Jesse Paul Speer, an acclaimed wilderness and wildlife photographer with ties to Colorado was arrested for abducting and sexually assaulting an 11 year old girl he forced into his vehicle after she declined along with her friends to help the man search for his imaginary dog.
On Monday October 8th, Speer is alleged to have sexually assaulted the child in his vehicle over a 4 hour period, finally releasing her with a bag over her head in a remote stretch of wilderness in temperatures under 30 degrees and known for heavy predatory wildlife. Speer , a highly experienced outdoorsman, knew the chances of his victim succumbing to hypothermia or worse- were strongly in his favor.
Fortunately, Speer’s victim was found wandering by a hunter and amazingly was able to provide a full description of her attacker, the route she was taken although her hands were bound behind her back and Speer’s repeatedly pushed her head down into the seat AND described that while she was being assaulted Speer’s had hundreds of pictures of naked girls strewn about the vehicle.
Westminster Police have not elaborated on the FBI’s exclusion of Speer in the Ridgeway case and the only known and verifiable whereabouts of Speer are based on video of him entering the Yellowstone National Park at 4PM October 7.
While I have faith in the FBI, I admit that that the likelihood of two separate and distinct perpetrators engaging in the stranger abduction and assault of similarly aged girls when the same also occurred a day earlier in Westminster being two different offenders is very slim- gives me great pause. Speer fits the suggested general FBI profile found below.
Speer is being held on a $2 Million dollar bond in Montana.
Much closer to home, as recently as last May, a female jogger was attacked by an unknown man who attempted to shove a cloth in her face she felt had some sort of chemical on it. It was the second attack on a jogger reported to police since 2010 and is currently unsolved. An 8 year old on a dry trail was similarly assaulted a few weeks before that about a mile away a few weeks prior to the May incident.
It is unknown if any of these incidents are related to the Ridgeway case, but until they can be excluded the possibility this suspect is not necessarily fixated on child victims should be of great concern.
If in fact Jessica did attempt to walk to school by cutting across 106th St, she would have been walking on the gravel open space trails that connect with the Ketner and Countryside loops.
The Suspect Profile
Well, sort of. The FBI, through Agent Dave Joly has released a public request for citizens and especially parents to remain vigilant and in particular to take notice:
FBI spokesman Dave Joly on Thursday asked for the public’s help in identifying possible suspects. He said the suspect could “be your boss, your friend” or a family member.
The FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit said that often, someone in the community will unknowingly be associated with the offender of the crime, and may be in a position to observe behavioral changes in that person. They will recognize the changes, and may even question the person about it, but may not relate the changes to that person’s involvement in the crime.
Immediately following the incident, he may miss work. The absence will be sudden and unplanned. He may either be a “no show” or he may offer a plausible excuse such as illness, death in the family, car trouble, etc.
He may miss scheduled appointments/commitments and be unaccounted for during this period. These appointments/commitments may include such things as medical appointments, meetings with a probation officer, prior commitment to a friend or family member, drug test, etc.
He may suddenly leave town, either with no explanation or with some plausible reason.
This individual may express an intense interest in the status of this investigation and pay close attention to the media. However, some offenders may quickly turn off media accounts or try to redirect conversations concerning the victims or their families.
There may be changes in the usual consumption of alcohol and/or drugs.
He may make a change in his appearance or alter something to prevent identification, such as changing the look of his vehicle, cleaning or discarding his vehicle.
Joly said the FBI is “working on an abundance of leads” in the case. He would not discuss specifics of the body that was found Wednesday and said the FBI is only wanting to give a profile to the public so that they might notice the behavior of the suspect.
Anyone with information should call the tip line at 303-658-4336.
(Editors Note: Ask for Suzie Salmon sweet girl- over by the canopy)
Research Credit: BOC editor Jacqueline Beaufort
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@Bridget
Bloodhounds were used in the search. All excellent questions and I certainly believe that le has worked or are working those angles.
I absolutely believe he has been to the area where he left her and knows it well.
I’m sure Jeremy’s dad is heartsick and replaying the morning over and over in his head as we speak/read/type. Poor guy.
Blink – again with the understanding that there is sensitive and graphic info that you do not wish to disclose – can we assume that “trophy collector” may also fit the profile? Seems like everything about the placement of the remains was strategic and I’m wondering if the missing parts are by design or are serving the perp some sort of “purpose.”
I would say that it cannot be excluded to my knowledge.
B
Bridget, same track here re: the maintenance crew. It would be interesting to know exactly how often the crew was mobilized to that location and what sort of employment is used (temp labor? high turnover?, etc).
Sorry for the multiple posts; one more question for now: I don’t recall reading whether or not Jessica also typically walked HOME from school. Anyone know?
50. Christina Stoy says:
October 19, 2012 at 1:50 pm
@Bridget
Bloodhounds were used in the search. All excellent questions and I certainly believe that le has worked or are working those angles.
I absolutely believe he has been to the area where he left her and knows it well.
************************************************
BINGO! Irritating nagging voice inside my head telling me he possibly is part of the construction crew out there, OR Waste management.
Well I can say the WM truck remained on site, on blocks, through Thursday.
B
Tarheel says:
October 19, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Sunshine4me, my daughter is 15 and I still have concerns about letting her out of my sight, and normally do not unless she has a friend with her. Sometimes I wonder if I am too paranoid or over protective, but then there are cases like this that remind me that I’m not. However, I’m afraid there are alot of parents that just do not realize how dangerous the world can be, or think it won’t happen to them or not in their neighborhood.
~~~~~~~~
Not paranoid at all….I drove my kids to school every morning….3 blocks…for two reasons really….I always enjoyed it and it kept them safe…but I had a dad that would sit at the table and drink coffee while I trudged out into torrential downpours to walk about a mile…(and no it wasn’t uphill both ways..)…
We can NEVER be too careful…even today these giant boys of mine as well as my 30something daughter get words of caution as they leave my house…
Sad…but safe
If bloodhounds have been used there should have been a scent trail that was solid for a while and then stopped. This could be the vicinity of the abduction. I would think LE knows the location or at least close to the location it occured.
Unless parents are very good about keeping each other informed regarding walking schedules, things like this happen. A perp of this type would likely give up the area if he saw that children were always being supervised by one or more adults.
I also thought about a person who lives near the area and holds a job that keeps him out of town a lot of time. He would know the area,but would not be a constant part of the daily commings and goings of the community.
This could also be someone like the BTK killer in that he is in the area for a reason and no one would think that he didn’t belong.
Keeping your child and children of others safe is IMO job one of all parents. This means constant vigilance as to what goes on in your community.
wpg says:
October 19, 2012 at 1:47 pm
3.
walking option and biking/walking routes
****
Wow that path around Ketner lake is so close to Jessica’s school and the playground is right there in plain view of that path. Perp could have watched children from that path. Point C is indeed scary and someone could hide right there. If she was grabbed there he would have had to take her somewhere. The parking lot is close to that point. Could someone have been in a truck salting the lot due to snow that morning? I wonder if cars are ever on that road /path from point c to the parking lot? There has been speculation or rumors that her scent was tracked to the school . Has anyone else read this?
Is it probable that this murderer is on a RSO list somewhere, but recently moved to this area within the past 2 years and did not register in this community. People need to think about neighbors who appeared just prior to the first attempted abductions/attacks. Also, does LE somehow check nationwide for similar offenses/attempts?
That happens frequently, I agree, but I do not believe this guy is in the system.
B
I hope because this is a learning site that parents in a like scenario will load up their child to drive to school backtrack to look for walking buddy, call parent, if again no contact, call school, then have them call LE if child has not shown. We all have to be active participants to protect our children and families from these Godawful predators. This can happen anywhere, anytime to anyone. Prayers for this beautiful little girl, Jessica, her family and friends. She should be enjoying the weekend with that cute little dog I have seen in photos. Sick, disgusting, vile people live among us. So sad.
Wooden cross could be crucial clue in Jessica case
http://www.9news.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=295144
http://sor.state.co.us/?SOR=offender.detail&%20fname=christopher&lname=acosta&eml=&category=All&street=&city=&zip=&county=&sort=NAM&Search=Search&id=XX03809999
Have no idea what this guy did to deserve his RSO title, but he lives on 106th Ct., Westminster. I would assume that because of this he would have been one of the first RSO’s investigated. However, I always wonder about these perv’s acquaintances. When I looked at him the other day, I hadn’t seen the first composite sketch, only the second, which he looks nothing like.
Can we make the educated assumption that since Jeremy waited for Jessica at Chelsea Park and she did not show up that she was abducted BETWEEN her home and the park? That’s only two blocks.
Why would she continue along to 106th street passing her friend at Chelsea Park when they had just coordinated their plans on the phone at 8:25 am?
I am not aware that Jeremy waited at Chelsea park, that would not make sense to me.
B
Stater fluid Is ether (almost) and can be bought anywhere.
This perp is someone invisiable – One of “those” people that doesn’t get noticed.. Like servants were and old people are now (Not that I think he’s old)
http://www.9news.com/news/article/295144/71/Cross-could-be-crucial-clue-in-Jessica-case
I am officially creeped out……
Maybe I’m misunderstanding the article at the link below…. Where was Jeremy waiting for Jessica? Wasn’t she walking to Chelsea Park to meet him?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/07/jessica-ridgeway_n_1946520.html
“Jessica was last seen on Friday, Oct. 5th around 8:30 a.m. making the three-block-walk to Chelsea Park where she usually meets a group of friends to walk to school with, but authorities say she never made it that far.”
https://www.facebook.com/westminsterpolice/photos_stream
****
OMG Blink what is going on here. This guy appears to be leaving clues..? The cross release is beyond spooky. This is a strange thought but indeed this case is strange…Could the Zig Zag pattern on the back of the cross be a map? If you lay it over a map with the first part where the body was found followed by the second point where the back pack was found and the next point where Jessica went missing where would the last point be? I am beyond scared for this community. Is this what the murderer wants? Bizzar I know.
Small cross found at the crime scene:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/ondeadline/2012/10/19/cross-murder-jessica-ridgeway–westminster-colorado/1645143/
NEW MEDIA . . .
“Police seek help identifying cross that could lead to Jessica Ridgeway’s killer”
(snipped)
Police want help finding the owner of a cross they recovered during the Jessica Ridgeway murder investigation.
It “could become a pivotal piece of evidence that helps authorities identify and locate Jessica’s killer,” says Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso.
Look at the photos of the wooden cross. It’s 1 1/2″ tall by 1″ wide and it has a hole drilled in the upper part of it that makes it look like it was or could be worn on a necklace.
One side has three vertical bars etched onto the shorter horizontal section and a zigzag pattern is carved on the other side.
“Authorities are looking for someone who may carry or wear this type of cross, may have recently purchased one of these, or is known to have some association with one,” Materasso says.
They’re also looking for a local business that sells this cross.
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/19/police-seek-help-identifying-cross-that-could-lead-to-jessica-ridgeways-killer/
What is up with the three notches on the front of the cross ?
Working on that as we speak.
B
Lauren says:
October 19, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Oh my….I remember posting about a cross on a vehicle that was seen by a child in an attempted abduction……dang I can’t remember now. I remember my post was wondering if perhaps they perp had the same kind of cross tattooed on his person. Will go looking now.
Here it is, a distinguished cross on the truck. (Oh. LORD, please tell me this not some kind of organization.)
Posted: 11:38 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/police-man-tries-abduct-10-year-old-girl/nRFGW/
(snipped, composite included @ link)
The man’s vehicle is described as a white, full-size, extended cab pickup with a tool box in the bed. There is a distinct gold-colored cross on the left side of the tailgate.
They are not the same poster, but I do feel the first post is worthy of further scrutiny- way to be vigilant.
B
http://www.boulderweekly.com/article-9976-jessica-ridgeway-killerrss-lsawareness-spacers-may-lead-to-clues.html
One thing that stands out is that Jessicas home, where her backpack was found, and God Bless her, her resting place, form a triangle or T. While checking out my thinking on this..I came across a newspiece that seemed to give good info on the (sick monster)” killers awareness space”.
Ty you Blink for covering Jessica’s case.
T. Ruth,
Oh my…. That is super weird! God I hope it isn’t some org…
Nice find!
re: Lauren, October 19 post about cross found
I can’t help but think that the 3 vertical marks on the horizontal bar of the cross are a tally of some sort. Looking at the photos in the news article, they don’t look like they were part of the “original” design. Could the diagonal marks on the reverse side of the cross also have significance, and if so, what? Of the diagonal marks, there are also 3 (the same # as the vertical marks on the front of the cross). Could the diagonal marks on the back indicate failed abductions? Maybe this side of the cross was the “back side” worn against one’s body, so if the diagonal marks do indicate failed abductions, they would be hidden from view of others thus kept private as “shameful” failures.
I wonder where they found the cross. I hope it is linked to the case and serves as an important clue in IDing Jessica’s killer. And if all of that is the case, then I also hope that Jessica was the one who ripped that cross off of the killer’s neck in her fight for survival, because if so, she left an important clue for the rest of us to follow.
re: T.Ruth, October 19 post about cross on truck of man who attempted to abduct a girl in Washington state…
IMHO I don’t think there is an “organization” aside from ours predominantly being a nation of Christians (73% of the US population self-identify as Christian).
The ex-wife of Jesse Speer (accused of abducting and sexually assaulting the girl in Wyoming) said that “He wasn’t brought up this way. He grew up in a churchgoing family.” (Link to quoted article below).
It doesn’t even need to be said that someone who was brought up going to church or who currently goes to church, is completely capable of being a horrible human being. In fact, going to church and/or displaying articles of “faith” in a very public manner (cross worn around neck or cross sticker on truck) if you are actually a murderer and/or rapist would benefit you by creating a cover by suggesting or communicating that you supposedly have morals, go to church, or are a productive member of society.
My point being, that displaying crosses would bring you into the fold of 73% of Americans– so not part of a small organization.
Link to article I mentioned, because I always forget to put it in my original post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ex-wife-says-wyoming-child-abduction-suspect-might-have-snapped/2012/10/16/60ecd472-17f2-11e2-a346-f24efc680b8d_story.html
Sorry to blow up the board with all my posts. I’ve been reading and waiting and thinking and waiting….
But I also want to get people’s opinions on the possibility of a serial killer and/or serial offender. LE said Jesse Speer (Wyoming abduction) isn’t linked to Jessica’s murder– perhaps that story will change. But in the meantime, there are tons of cold cases IDed by LE as being victims of serial killers (up to 6 killers) in Denver area. Reading descriptions, it seems some can obviously be ruled out bc of age, body display, etc. But some made me pause…
Jenny Larson’s decayed body found in a sunflower field
http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2011/11/06/jennifer-sue-jenny-larsen-sunflower-field-murder/2903/
38 year old woman’s dismembered body found in orchard under plastic http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2011/06/05/womans-dismembered-body/2284/
Woman’s head and hands missing (but suspect is husband)
http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2011/04/09/womans-head-and-hands-missing/2059/
And then missing persons in Colorado– I looked for young girls/teenagers and blonde.
Elizabeth Ann Miller, Missing Aug 16, 1983, Age 14, last seen morning jog, Idaho Springs, CO
Abby Jo Blagg, Missing Nov 13, 2001, Age 6, last seen w/ mother (found deceased in 2002), Grand Junction, CO
I wish I could research more but have to run out to an appointment. I want to check missing persons and cold cases in the surrounding states (the ones Jesse Speer liked to travel to, and which others could easily travel to).
The Westminster PD has a Facebook page set up for announcements and contact info for tips. What a great outreach these LE are doing.
https://www.facebook.com/westminsterpolice?v=wall
It is more likely Jessica’s killer left the cross intentionally. It was with the deceased childs remains so she could not have pulled it off him as she was not killed at that location.
I want to point out that there is NO details about the recovery of the cross. We do not yet know how or where it was recovered outside of Investigator Materasso’s statement that it was recovered during the investigation.
That said, I do not believe it was pulled off, and I do believe it was “left” intentionally.
B
2. mosaic says:
October 19, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Can we make the educated assumption that since Jeremy waited for Jessica at Chelsea Park and she did not show up that she was abducted BETWEEN her home and the park? That’s only two blocks.
Why would she continue along to 106th street passing her friend at Chelsea Park when they had just coordinated their plans on the phone at 8:25 am?
I am not aware that Jeremy waited at Chelsea park, that would not make sense to me.
—————————– this was my assumption and confusion as well, i figured he knew she’d be coming out of the house and heading for her school walk ,and it happened closer to the home.???
Everything about this case makes me sick. But do you suppose he left the cross as a sort of marking of the grave site? As we have marked graves throughout history with wooden or stone crosses.
Amys Sister, yes, I agree that the cross would be left intentionally and that the three cuts may mean something to the killer.
The backpack was a statement, the dismemberment was a statement, the cross and its marks are a statement: the ‘crime scenes’ are in themselves a statement.
Blink, you said you would comment once we reached page 2 (out of respect for the family). You’ve stirred my curiousity.
The cross could also be off a rosary. Many time, the cross can fall off, which my sister refers to as a ‘headless’ rosary (missing the crucifix). The 3 marks could be from its original design representing Jesus and the 2 thieves who were crucified. JMO
I’ll post this here so more will see that a helpful program to reduce the risk of child abuse in organizations has been in the works a number of years and I’ve personally seen it functioning at a comfortable level for all concerned (-minus the pedophiles who were aced out.)
http://www.reducingtherisk.com/
Crosses here look very similar. Made in Portland, OR.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLotusShop/search?search_query=wooden+cross&order=date_desc&view_type=gallery&page=1
My Google fingers have worn out on all the wooden cross images at bookstores, jewelers, retail sites, craft fairs, etsy, and so many more.
The three slashes remind me of the Christian symbolism of 3, of rich mythology, in general.
Two thieves on crosses to right and left of Christ–at a ‘crossroad,’–the Trinity,
-length, breath, width–symbolic of geometric completion
-attributes of God: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence
-thought, word, deed
-animal, vegetable, mineral
-the third day of Resurrection
–Inscriptions on Christ’s cross written in three languages
-raising 3 persons from the dead
-the trident and the triquetra (sp?)
Oh, dear, I’m overwhelming my little brain.
Thought*Word*Deed. That’s what tripped me up.
This is the cross I’m wearing for Jess today.
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=215508516
Word Girl, the third day of resurrection…her back pack is found on Sunday…3 days. Could the cross have been found with her back pack? I think that the cross is common yet to have a release by WPD has everyones minds spinning. I actually think the cross was found with her body so that kind of kills 3 days for me. It does seem confussing if the cross is also connected to the May attack on Ketner loop.
T.Ruth, yes I saw the Portland crosses. Did you happen to look at the name (first only). Just caused a little hmmmm
FYI I meant nothing disparaging towards the Portland artist. Their work is beautiful and I really like the purple heart wood items. I am sure they have no connection to Jessica what so ever.
Mosaic,
It appears Jessica may have been walking to meet her friend at his house . . . not at Chelsea Park that particular snowy morning.
Not giving what I believe to be the address of the friend, but it appears the home is close to where Moore Street meets with W 107th Avenue, which is SOUTH of Chelsea Park.
map with point of intersection
(not the friend’s home whatsoever, though):
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Moore+Street+and+W+107th+Avenue,+Westminster,+Colorado&hl=en&sll=39.890262,-105.112499&sspn=0.005524,0.00839&t=h&hnear=W+107th+Ave+%26+Moore+St,+Westminster,+Jefferson,+Colorado+80021&z=16
Also Mosaic, I’m re-posting a portion of my October 18 comments for you:
(snip)
In this video dated October 6, the reporter states Jessica was enroute to a friend’s house and the reporter is shown interviewing the friend’s mother while he is standing outside the friend’s home . . . the mother is standing and speaking off camera:
1:20 time mark
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Jessica%20Ridgeway%20%20-CO-/?action=view¤t=100612Investigators-searchforJessicaRidgeway001.mp4&mediafilter=videos
(end snip)
I would like to know exactly what was said during that brief phone call.
B
It’s hard to tell if the cross has been treated with a wood stain or if it’s natural wood that has weathered. Either way, it looks like the marks on the cross were made some time ago, not recently.
If you carve a slash on a piece of finished wood, the mark at first appears light. Then with time it weathers and becomes dark like the rest of the piece.
@ wpg October 21, 2012 at 12:51 am
The 1:20 time mark on the video you linked doesn’t really show much of anything… it seems that the interview at the friend’s house is at 1:46 time mark and the friend’s father, not mother is speaking to the reporter.
Was this an error on your part or am I confused as to what you are referencing/talking about?
Thank you WPG for the link to the interview with the friend’s mom.
So the assumption is that she was abducted between her home and her friend’s home which is near the intersection of Moore Street and 107th.
This hasn’t been mentioned in our discussion yet:
Police had been focusing on a suspect, Ari Liggett, who is suspected of murdering and dismembering his mother recently.
However, Liggett was cleared of involvement in Jessica’s murder by DNA… which means that LE must have obtained DNA from at least one of the crime scenes.
This might also support why Blink stated (in response to Patricia’s post on October 19, 2012 at 4:40 pm) “…I do not believe this guy is in the system.” Because if LE does have DNA from Jess’s murderer, they obviously would have already run it through the databases and arrested someone or announced a “be on the lookout for” if he was in the system.
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/10/19/suspect-in-mothers-dismemberment-cleared-of-involvement-in-ridgeway-case/
Correct, he is not.
B
Question for Blink or anyone else who can answer:
Blink states in response to wpg’s post on October 21, 2012 at 12:51 am: “I would like to know exactly what was said during that brief phone call”… meaning the phone call between Jessica and the friend she was supposed to meet on the morning she was abducted.
Would a child be capable of recalling what, exactly, was said during the phone call? I assume the child would have been questioned about the phone conversation on Friday evening/night after LE was alerted that Jessica was missing, though the child may have questioned later. But if the child knew Jessica, his friend, had gone missing, would the stress of the situation interfere with his ability to recall what, exactly, was said when the two spoke on the phone?
@ Mosaic October 21, 2012 at 10:03 am:
It looks to me that the wood cross was stained. I would even venture to say the wood was lacquered or oiled or something based on how the light reflects off the edges in the first 2 photos of the 5 released by LE. I think that when wood is untreated and weathers it actually starts loosing color and looking more grey or light brown (?).
The thing about the marks on the cross are that I would have expected– had the marks been made a long time ago as you theorize– that they wouldn’t be as raised as they appear…that the raised part of the carvings would have been worn/rubbed down a bit and appear more smooth.
Anyway, I’ve seen stated on other boards that the material of the cross doesn’t matter as much as figuring out who might own or have owned one like it. I couldn’t help but think about the other details of the cross too, though.
All jmho.
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It’s hard to tell if the cross has been treated with a wood stain or if it’s natural wood that has weathered. Either way, it looks like the marks on the cross were made some time ago, not recently.
If you carve a slash on a piece of finished wood, the mark at first appears light. Then with time it weathers and becomes dark like the rest of the piece.
at first look the cross reminds of mexican latino religous cross art,very popular on the west west coast, and mexican nic-nac stores sell these as inexpensive craft pieces to make your own rosary’s or wall art. the one at lotus shop look more high-end and polished. it definately looks hand made and i would at first think that the offsetness of it was rogue craftmanship,. but on second thought , the offsetness could be –Santeria ,it has that look.
Blink says:
“I would like to know exactly what was said during that brief phone call.
B”
Blink,
Agree. After posting the map and video again I thought something is not making sense here.
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BlackPearl,
The 1:20 time mark for the video was a brief “lead-in” time to the reporter’s voice-over saying investigators believe Jessica may have been abducted earlier that morning while walking to a nearby friend’s house.
The reporter says “that friend’s mom asked us not to show her face”.
I don’t know if that was the mom’s actual voice or if it was disguised by the media or what.