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Missing Jessica Heeringa, Norton Shores, Mich
#21
Jessica's blood at the gas station is very troubling. I agree with her grandmother, if she was abducted, that indicates that she likely did put up a struggle, despite what LE has said.

Good to hear that they've got investigators looking for more video and enhancing the existing video; LE is very focused on the guy in the silver mini-van and still claim that Jessica probably knew him, possibly as a regular customer. Hoping they can get his license plate number from video images. They've made little progress, imo, and it's approaching two weeks since she vanished.


Snip:
They have also obtained cell phone data, are following up on tips, working leads, trying to locate more video and enhance other video, Shaw said.

“We’re working to find Jessica, bring her home, get her medical treatment, and return her to her family,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Observer, an anonymous tip line, at 231-722-7463 or the Norton Shores Police Department at 231-733-2691.


http://www.freep.com/article/20130508/NE...sing-woman
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#22
Norton Shores Police keep pushing on, it has to be terrible for Jessica's little boy and all the family. Maybe, they have a couple of men singled out but, just cannot quite nail them down yet, I hope so! He could have shaved his head. Toledo Blade had the story, Detroit Free Press it's coast to coast now which is great! He could be in Flint MI he could be in South Bend, Indiana he had a truck route that way at one time for e.g. the SOB could be in a backwoods cabin and didn't forget Jessica late at night. Muskegon has many sex offenders & Grand Haven they are everywhere. Everyday I hope they find her!!
_____________________________________________________________
From Wood TV 8 Grand Rapids, Michigan.


2 interviewed, no person of interest
Police talk to suspicious men at area gas station

Updated: Thursday, 09 May 2013, 1:40 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 09 May 2013, 1:40 PM EDT

NORTON SHORES, Mich. (WOOD) - Thursday afternoon, Norton Shores Police Chief Dan Shaw said that while two more "suspicious" men had been interviewed, neither had been named a person of interest in the abduction of Jessica Heeringa.

Shaw said that both men had been spotted at area gas stations.

Heeringa, 25, was last seen at work at the Exxon Mobile gas station on Sternberg Road in Norton Shores on April 26.

Wednesday, police said that a sample of a suspicious substance taken from outside the gas station had been analyzed by the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory and it was blood that contained Heeringa's DNA . Police stressed that the amount of blood they found was small.

Dakota Quail-Dyer, the father of Heeringa’s 3-year-old son, said the development gives the family hope , because since it was such a small amount of blood, it means that Heeringa survived a struggle at the gas station.

“It wasn’t a lot, so it means she’s partially ok,” Quail-Dyer said.

Police continue to be on the lookout for silver minivans, after two surveillance cameras recorded video of one driving down Grand Haven Road near the Exxon Mobile gas station around the time that Heeringa disappeared.

Reporter Ken Kolker is continuing to cover this investigation and will have live reports on 24 Hour News 8 at 5 and 6. Check back with woodtv.com for updates.
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#23
I took this photograph from Find Jessica Heeringa FB page, there are no updates at this time to post. I just thought this was a darling photograph of Jessica and her little son, what a beautiful little boy he is.

I hope the Police find her soon!



[Image: 164249_200030520121418_1938493487_n.jpg]
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#24
Well, this is good news.

I know LE is vigorously working the leads, but they need all of the expert help that they can get to try to find the van and the man that they seem convinced drove off with Jessica.

Since LE is confident that she knew the man and he'd been seen around locally, I expected him to be tracked down sooner, but the mystery continues...

Announcement:
State police profilers plan to assist in the search for a 25-year-old woman who disappeared from her job at a west Michigan gas station last month.

Norton Shores police Chief Dan Shaw tells the Muskegon Chronicle today that Jessica Heeringa likely knew her abductor and they're focused on identifying a suspect. Shaw says state police behavior analysts are joining the investigative team this week.

Heeringa disappeared April 26 before she was set to close the station in Norton Shores, near Muskegon. Police said there was no indication of a robbery. Police have released a description of a silver minivan and a man seen in the area.
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#25
(05-13-2013, 03:05 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: Well, this is good news.

I know LE is vigorously working the leads, but they need all of the expert help that they can get to try to find the van and the man that they seem convinced drove off with Jessica.

Since LE is confident that she knew the man and he'd been seen around locally, I expected him to be tracked down sooner, but the mystery continues...

Announcement:
State police profilers plan to assist in the search for a 25-year-old woman who disappeared from her job at a west Michigan gas station last month.

Norton Shores police Chief Dan Shaw tells the Muskegon Chronicle today that Jessica Heeringa likely knew her abductor and they're focused on identifying a suspect. Shaw says state police behavior analysts are joining the investigative team this week.

Heeringa disappeared April 26 before she was set to close the station in Norton Shores, near Muskegon. Police said there was no indication of a robbery. Police have released a description of a silver minivan and a man seen in the area.

Thanks! for the announcement.

Do you think the Police got their hands on a list provided by the Owner of the Exxon Station, of all the deliveries that are made weekly on Jessica's shift which I believe was 3 til 11 p.m. The fuel tanker has to deliver fuel is it coming in from Detroit? where is it coming in from and everyone else that delivers, bread, chips, pop, beer you name it these people Jessica would get to know, the Police keep stating it has to be someone that knows her. It could be a long distance truck driver that stops to fuel up and he possibly delivers to all the Walmart Stores, Meijers Stores IMO

I think if it was someone that lived and worked nearby they would have had him by now.
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#26
I hope that police have checked suppliers/vendors for the station, NightOwl. They seem diligent, so I trust that they have.

I'm with you. If the POI was a local and known to Jessica, seems to me that LE would have identified him by now given that they have a lot of information about Jessica, it's not a densely populated area, a description/image of the vehicle and a sketch of the POI have been widely distributed...

If he's from out of town, however, and unknown to Jessica or those closest to her, needle in a haystack.

I really hope that she left willingly with a secret friend for reasons yet unknown. I don't think that's likely though. The blood at the station makes me fear the worst, but hoping for a safe rescue very soon.
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#27
Locals are pushing LE to conduct ground searches and to organize searches themselves. It's two days short of 1 month since Jessica was reported missing.

LE continues to push back on ground searches because:

1. They believe Jessica was transported away from the scene of her disappearance and therefore don't have a defined area; waste of resources to start searching under the circumstances.

2. They don't want citizens organizing searches without the training and legal rights to do so; trampling on other people's property, etc...

I think it's the right call, though understand that people want to help.

LE continues to state that Jessica was at least acquainted with her abductor. At this point, they've certainly checked into her known circle fully, the gas station owner/employees, those with vehicles fitting or similar to the description, etc... Imo, they have a piece of information that they haven't shared with the public to justify their theory (or they're holding on to a wrong early assumption, not good for Jessica).

Encouraging quote in the article; hope they're right:
Authorities have said they believe she is alive and can still be brought home safely.

Ref:
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index...eerin.html
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#28
(05-15-2013, 11:30 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: Locals are pushing LE to conduct ground searches and to organize searches themselves. It's two days short of 1 month since Jessica was reported missing.

LE continues to push back on ground searches because:

1. They believe Jessica was transported away from the scene of her disappearance and therefore don't have a defined area; waste of resources to start searching under the circumstances.

2. They don't want citizens organizing searches without the training and legal rights to do so; trampling on other people's property, etc...

I think it's the right call, though understand that people want to help.

LE continues to state that Jessica was at least acquainted with her abductor. At this point, they've certainly checked into her known circle fully, the gas station owner/employees, those with vehicles fitting or similar to the description, etc... Imo, they have a piece of information that they haven't shared with the public to justify their theory (or they're holding on to a wrong early assumption, not good for Jessica).

Encouraging quote in the article; hope they're right:
Authorities have said they believe she is alive and can still be brought home safely.

Ref:
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index...eerin.html

Well this is encouraging news HairOfTheDog, the police believe she is alive and can be brought home safely.

Someone mentioned Jessica was wearing high heel boots the evening she was taken, looking back I really wonder now about those boots.

Was the blood droplet, Jessica's handbag with $400 left laying all staged?
What is leading them to believe she is still alive? they have to have information! IMO
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#29
(05-15-2013, 03:41 PM)NightOwl Wrote: Someone mentioned Jessica was wearing high heel boots the evening she was taken, looking back I really wonder now about those boots.


I like pretty footwear A LOT but I'm sure I would never spend 8 hrs. in high heeled boots standing at a cash register, I would view that as hell, many women would. I'm not even sure why I'm addressing that, it just sounded so odd.
[Image: Zy3rKpW.png]
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#30
She was short, right? She probably spent most of her adult life in heels. I know women who do that (my hairdresser for one).
Commando Cunt Queen
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#31
Today's local headline:

Jessica Heeringa's alleged abduction results in at least one 'fraud' for family funds, police say

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index...on_ca.html

The article doesn't indicate whether family members or friends of Jessica's are involved in these alleged frauds.

Interesting though that "alleged abduction" is back in the verbiage.

I don't think LE has ruled out that this is a hoax. JMO. Not saying Jessica wasn't abducted, just that it's my opinion that police haven't ruled it out completely based on the wording of all the LE statements that I've read in this case.

Even if LE still considers a willful departure a possibility, I think that they're doing everything possible to find Jessica.

Really hoping that she's okay. It's been a month.
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#32
UPDATE:

- The police have arrested and charged one woman for panhandling for donations at Wal-mart, under the pretense that they'd be given to Jessica's family. The woman is not believed to be associated with Jessica's family in any way.

- The multi-agency task force is shifting; some of the investigators are going back to their own cases, but reportedly still working on Jessica's case remotely.

- Police say tips continue to come in every day, but so far it's going slowly. They need "the tip".

- Regarding the Profilers that were recently added to case:

“We don’t know how long the profiling process will take,” Shaw said. “It could take several weeks to review all the data that we’ve provided them. They have all the reports written so far. They have videos of interviews of people and everything else. They are reviewing everything they have from us.”

There is someone out there who knows where she is right now,” Shaw said.


Ref:
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index...gas_1.html
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#33
"HIGH PRIORITY TIPS" Received

NORTON SHORES, MI – Investigators are chasing down “high priority tips” they received over the weekend in connection to the Jessica Heeringa abduction case, said Norton Shores Police Chief Dan Shaw.

Shaw declined to give details about the information authorities received, but said they consider it “high priority” and on Sunday, May 19, investigators began to actively investigate them.

“We just have to figure out what’s true and what’s not. There are a couple tips that the guys are actively investigating since Sunday. Hopefully, we’re getting closer. Every piece of information we get is beneficial,” Shaw said.

“We are starting to get more information this morning. We’re moving forward. It’s all we can do," he added.


Story here:
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index..._ca_1.html
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Hoping these tips lead to Jessica.

Shaw doesn't sound overly confident in this interview, but he may just not want to get hopes up prematurely.


Note/Correction: It was 3 weeks that Jessica's been missing as of last Friday, not a month as I previously noted.
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#34
UPDATE: contains some details that are new to me.

A fellow Exxon Mobil employee was driving past when she saw a minivan drive behind the station, Kasher said. The woman turned around, drove past the station again and saw a man — who has been described as being about 30 to 40 years old — getting into the van, Kasher said.

Police have said Heeringa’s last sale was made at 10:50 p.m. Less than a half hour later, a customer called 911 to say the station was open, but no one was there, police have said.

Police say they believe Heeringa knows her abductor. Investigators are looking into the possibility that more than one person is involved in her disappearance, Kasher said.

He said the names of three men, who have been considered persons of interest, continue to surface through the course of the investigation. Kasher said the men are customers and acquaintances of Heeringa and some of the information they provided to police didn’t add up.


The blood outside of the station indicates she was injured, but maybe not severely, police said.

Police said they are still operating under the belief that Heeringa is alive.

“We’re still focused on the No. 1 goal that we had from day one,” Shaw said, “and that is to find Jessica.”

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NightOwl,
have you seen/heard anything lately? TIA.
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#35
(05-27-2013, 11:05 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: UPDATE: contains some details that are new to me.

A fellow Exxon Mobil employee was driving past when she saw a minivan drive behind the station, Kasher said. The woman turned around, drove past the station again and saw a man — who has been described as being about 30 to 40 years old — getting into the van, Kasher said.

Police have said Heeringa’s last sale was made at 10:50 p.m. Less than a half hour later, a customer called 911 to say the station was open, but no one was there, police have said.

Police say they believe Heeringa knows her abductor. Investigators are looking into the possibility that more than one person is involved in her disappearance, Kasher said.

He said the names of three men, who have been considered persons of interest, continue to surface through the course of the investigation. Kasher said the men are customers and acquaintances of Heeringa and some of the information they provided to police didn’t add up.


The blood outside of the station indicates she was injured, but maybe not severely, police said.

Police said they are still operating under the belief that Heeringa is alive.

“We’re still focused on the No. 1 goal that we had from day one,” Shaw said, “and that is to find Jessica.”

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NightOwl,
have you seen/heard anything lately? TIA.

HairOfTheDog, no I have not seen nor heard anything lately. It's good to read they are still hopeful she is alive. So we have a female an employee of Exxon come forth with the above information, it's so strange, I don't know if the station has a back door or not, what caused this female to turn around she must have a reason? there are just bits and pieces like this that drive me up the wall, she must have been suspicious of the van so it must have been near 11 p.m. IMO It's too bad that last minute customers didn't swarm in there.

The names of 3 men keep cropping up I wonder if any of them is a SO.
I'm wondering what information doesn't add up with the 3 of them.

Thanks for the report, may I say you are doing a fabulous job as the Crime Moderator.
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#36
(05-29-2013, 06:34 PM)NightOwl Wrote: HairOfTheDog, no I have not seen nor heard anything lately. It's good to read they are still hopeful she is alive.

It is good to read that. Starting to think that LE may know more than they're letting on here. Like they have very strong suspicions, but no proof yet. Hope so.

(05-29-2013, 06:34 PM)NightOwl Wrote: So we have a female an employee of Exxon come forth with the above information, it's so strange, I don't know if the station has a back door or not, what caused this female to turn around she must have a reason? there are just bits and pieces like this that drive me up the wall, she must have been suspicious of the van so it must have been near 11 p.m. IMO It's too bad that last minute customers didn't swarm in there.

Thank you! I was wondering if you found the female co-worker's witness story suspicious too. I'm not accusing her of anything, but definitely find it weird that she'd be going by there at that time, consider a customer being there so odd as to check it out, get a good enough look at the guy to apparently provide for a detailed sketch, and then just drive off. Either something's missing from the public account of it or her story doesn't add up.

Now I'm wondering if LE is suspicious of this Exxon witness and possibly a couple of male mutual acquaintances of her's and Jessica's. It would explain why I've found the LE statements so odd from the start, along with why LE seems insistent that this guy in the van is local.

I wonder if LE is sweating a few people out; calling bluffs on the public stage while continuing to investigate other possibilities more low key, just in case. All just conjecture (and maybe some wishful thinking).

(05-29-2013, 06:34 PM)NightOwl Wrote: The names of 3 men keep cropping up I wonder if any of them is a SO.
I'm wondering what information doesn't add up with the 3 of them.
I also wonder how well these men know the Exxon witness and Jessica.

(05-29-2013, 06:34 PM)NightOwl Wrote: Thanks for the report, may I say you are doing a fabulous job as the Crime Moderator.
Thanks NightOwl!
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#37
Body Found - Not believed to be Jessica, but not confirmed.

CBS/AP) PARK TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Police officials say a man on a personal watercraft found a body floating in a western Michigan lake Monday, but the body does not match the description of Jessica Heeringa, the 25-year-old woman who disappeared April 26 from her job at a gas station in Norton Shores.

The Holland Sentinel and MLive.com report the body was discovered Monday afternoon on Lake Macatawa in Ottawa County, and the Coast Guard pulled it from the water.

The sheriff's department says an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday in an effort to identify the body.

"Based on the description I got from Ottawa County authorities, I don't believe it's Jessica," Norton Shores Police Chief Dan Shaw said, according to MLive.com

Officials have reportedly not confirmed whether the body is male or female and it is unknown if there were any signs of foul play.

"It doesn't sound like they have a lot to work with, but it doesn't sound like Jessica," Shaw said, according to the news site.

A reward of up to $15,000 has been offered for a tip leading to an arrest in the case. Anyone who may have information regarding the disappearance is asked to call 231-733-2691.


Full story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5...olice-say/
==============================================

Guessing the body is either male or too decomposed to be that of Jessica, but nothing is definite yet.

Other than that, no new developments in the investigation reported in quite some time.

Maybe the reward money will motivate someone to talk, though police have had not shortage of tips, just that they haven't led to any arrests.
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#38
Thanks for the earlier Facebook update, NightOwl. Just re-reading it.

Don't know if the gas station owner has a very solid alibi along with a clear polygraph result; anything on that that you've seen?

I'm still puzzled by Jessica's co-worker's witness account - odd set of circumstances.

It does seem like it's possible that Jessica's disappearance revolves around the Exxon station, imo. Would explain why LE still seems convinced the man in the van is local.

Update:
-LE confirmed that the body found earlier this week is not Jessica Heeringa.
-A second woman was arrested for fraud. Like the first one, she was 56 ys old and panhandling for donations under the guise that they'd be given to Jessica's son. What's wrong with these people?
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#39
(06-08-2013, 10:13 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: Thanks for the earlier Facebook update, NightOwl. Just re-reading it.


I'm still puzzled by Jessica's co-worker's witness account - odd set of circumstances.

Yes! I am still puzzled also by the co-workers account, the Police could be thinking the same thing.


(06-08-2013, 10:13 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: Don't know if the gas station owner has a very solid alibi along with a clear polygraph result; anything on that that you've seen?

I haven't found anymore information out about the gas station owner, only that he looks similar to the police sketch with his hair parted in middle. It would be interesting to know if he owns a van. He apparently lives back in off the highway his home is secluded from what I gathered, his parents possibly live up front on the same property. He has a young son, his wife was killed in a car crash a few years ago. Apparently he was not very pleasant to Jessica's family and he chased the media away from his property, I think he got very disgruntled, possibly because the Police questioned him etc., I don't think the Police have ruled this gas station owner out yet. Most employers would be overwrought you would think if their employee had been abducted and most would be very supportive of the family, so IMO he's acting very odd!!


(06-08-2013, 10:13 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: It does seem like it's possible that Jessica's disappearance revolves around the Exxon station, imo. Would explain why LE still seems convinced the man in the van is local.

I think you are right on here.

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Thanks! for the update on everything. It's disgusting how people try to raise money for a good cause then they pocket it.
"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone."
Henry David Thoreau
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#40
Jessica's case is getting national coverage now on HLN, Jane Velez-Mitchell (JVM) show.

The more visibility the better. Hope it results in valid tips and leads.

JVM interviewed one of the eye witnesses to the suspected abductor. With more details of the witness accounts, I can see why police are so insistent on keeping their focus on the silver mini-van and its unidentified driver.

Witness Accounts

1. Friend who was at the Exxon station earlier that night:
CHRISTIAN VANANTWERPEN, FRIEND OF JESSICA HEERINGA (via phone on JVM):
"Well, I was just getting gas after work, and Jessica was out taking care of the receipt papers at the pumps. And somebody just started having a conversation with her at the pumps while still in the vehicle, and it was a silver minivan. And I thought that was kind of strange, because he didn`t wait to go inside. He just decided to have a conversation with her on the spot.

Well, he never got out of the vehicle, and he was a couple of bays over. So unfortunately, I didn`t get a really good clean shot of him, but it was just very peculiar to me when the cops came the next day and said that they were looking for a silver minivan. Then I remembered this connection, because it seemed out of place that he was just striking up conversation, never left his vehicle. He didn`t buy gas. He was just there to talk to her at the pumps, almost like he was waiting for her to come outside or something.

It seemed like it was somebody who had been in there before, that she might have known. He seemed pretty comfortable talking to her. She obviously was dealing with the receipt papers at the time. So she seemed preoccupied and maybe a little annoyed, as well, that somebody was doing this.

And I was driving away so I didn`t think too much of the situation. But it seemed that -- it rang a bell in my mind that something was going on. That didn`t seem quite right."

2. Fellow Exxon employee (from police statement in the media):
A fellow Exxon Mobil employee was driving past when she saw a minivan drive behind the station. The woman turned around, drove past the station again and saw a man — who has been described as being about 30 to 40 years old — getting into the van. This reportedly occurred near closing time. She called the police right after Jessica's disappearance was announced to report this. I haven't seen or heard any direct interviews with this witness, just the statement from police in the media.

3. Customer who called 911 (recording played on JVM):
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via phone): I just walked inside, there`s nobody. There`s a car here. There`s another car out front. But it just -- it`s very suspicious why there`s nobody here.
DISPATCHER (via phone): OK. So did you yell or anything? Or...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I hollered, "Hey," and you know, walked around the building. It just -- I don`t know. (When police arrived they found Jessica's purse still at the station, the cash drawer on the counter, and no sign of Jessica).
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