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Ed Solving Missing-Person Cases / Anti-Abduction Tips

London police offer new reward in cold case of body discovered in wine bar freezer after 9 years
Fri, October 20, 2023 at 1:37 PM PDT
Antonio Planas


FROM: https://news.yahoo.com/london-police-offer-reward-cold-203757000.html


Police in London sought help from the public on Friday to identify the person responsible for a man’s death whose body was found inside a freezer at an empty pub after he had been missing for nearly a decade.

590008a56fdd576ffbd0d580699cfaec.jpg

Roy Bigg. (Met Police)​


Roy Bigg’s body was discovered on Oct. 15, 2021, in the basement of a building that was once Simpson’s Wine Bar, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police Service.

Builders working on the property found Bigg’s body, police said.

A reward for up to 20,000 pounds, or more than $24,000, for information leading to the arrest, and prosecution of anyone responsible for Bigg’s slaying is being offered, police said...

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The case against the Zombie Hunter
UPDATED ON: OCTOBER 22, 2023 / 2:08 AM / CBS NEWS
BY MORGAN CANTY



FROM: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bryan-patrick-miller-zombie-hunter-phoenix-canal-murders-timeline/


Bryan Patrick Miller violently murdered two young women in Phoenix in the early 1990s and went decades without being caught. By the time police caught up to him, he had a new persona and was hiding in plain sight. Genetic genealogy and DNA would be the keys to identifying him as the killer...

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In late 2014, forensic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick spoke to investigators at a conference. Fitzpatrick's company, Identifinders International, had developed software that could mine public genealogy databases, searching for matches to crime scene DNA. Phoenix police sent her the DNA information from the canal murders. Fitzpatrick's company crunched the data and came up with the surname Miller. Schwartzkopf found six people with the last name Miller on his list. One of those names was Bryan Patrick Miller: a 42-year-old man with a juvenile record for the stabbing of Celeste Bentley...

(SNIP)
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Learn how to fight human trafficking
(2023-10-21)


FROM: https://www.mariettatimes.com/opinion/editorials/2023/10/learn-how-to-fight-human-trafficking/


When we read the words “human trafficking” a variety of scenarios might come to mind. Many people might admit they’re not exactly sure what qualifies as human trafficking, let alone how to identify and report it.

But given the work being done by law enforcement agencies across the country to stop this growing problem, Mid-Ohio Valley officials are wise to join an information campaign that will include a public forum at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at St. Marys High School.

Third Circuit Judge Tim Sweeney will host the event.

According to material provided to go along with the forums, human trafficking is “a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against their will. Victims can be any age, gender, nationality or race, and come from any socioeconomic class.”

That’s just the start of what ordinary citizens have to learn if we are to be part of the solution...

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Tampa Police rescue 17-year-old girl from human trafficking
Published October 5, 2023
By FOX 13 News Staff


FROM: https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-police-department-human-trafficking-investigation-teenager


TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police rescued a 17-year-old human trafficking victim after they were notified of images of the girl posted on an online prostitution website.

According to the Tampa Police Department, they were notified on Sept. 28 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that images of the victim had been posted online.

Investigators determined that the photographs had been posted from a location in the northern section of the city.

On Wednesday, TPD SVU detectives recovered the teen and connected her with resources, including the Tampa Police Victims Advocate. According to TPD, no arrests have been made yet, but the human trafficking investigation remains active...

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AmyStrange said:
PitPat, I hope you understand that I didn't mean that your complaints were unjustified.

They are very, very justified, and I'm sorry if I didn't explain myself very well.

Hell, after rereading it, even I was confused by what I posted.

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No worries, Amy, I think we're on the same page.
 
Dangers of human trafficking during the holidays
Posted: Dec 9, 2022 / 03:56 PM EST
Updated: Dec 9, 2022 / 03:56 PM EST
by: Jennifer Rodriguez


FROM: https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/dangers-of-human-trafficking-during-the-holidays/


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The holiday season is a time of celebration but can also bring danger with it.

Major Jeff Allen with the Mahoning County Human Trafficking Task Force says people should be cautious all year long, but there are some things to be especially concerned about during the holidays.

“There’s kids out shopping, you’re talking more online, probably celebrating, posting pictures out shopping, younger children traveling with older people,” he said.

Allen says human trafficking doesn’t look the same everywhere, and in the Mahoning Valley, it’s more likely to involve predators using social media and drugs on their victims...

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Very good point, not even sure trick or treating is safe anymore, unless in gated communities or something like that. I remember it and have fond memories, but I live in a neighborhood where it's not much of a tradition unless escorted during afternoon hours.
 
catsmate said:
Several of the bodies unearthed during the Gilgo Beach murders investigtion haven't been identified. Of course that investigation was a disaster, massive LE incompetence and corruption.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/magazine/gilgo-beach-killer-suffolk-police.html
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Thanks for the info, catsmate.

Here are the cases the Doe Network is working on concerning the Gilgo Beach murders and surrounding area:


151UFNY
Gilgo Beach. Additional Personal Items: She was found in a ... DNA testing had indicated an unidentified toddler found on Gilgo Beach, a known area where the Long Island Serial
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/151ufny.html

1323UFNY
Location of Discovery: Gilgo Beach, Suffolk County, New York Estimated Date of ... discovered in April 2011 at Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach, New York. Near these remains, 2864UMNY and
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1323ufny.html

1047UFNY
Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach.Investigators believe she was a prostitute in the New York City area.She is known as Manorville Jane Doe and is one of eleven victims found along the
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1047ufny.html

605UFNY
Killer (also known as the Gilgo Beach Killer and Craigslist Ripper), whose crimes began approximately in 1996 and lasted, at least, through 2013. Suspected and confirmed victims
https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/605ufny.html

2864UMNY
Reconstruction of the victim. Date of Discovery: April 4, 2011 Location of Discovery: Gilgo Beach, Suffolk County, New ... at Ocean Parkway, located in Gilgo Beach, New York in April
https://doenetwork.org/cases/2864umny.html

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For those of you who didn't read my first two opening post, this is what the DoeNetwork does:


FROM: https://www.doenetwork.org/


DoeNetwork
International Center for Unidentified & Missing Persons​

"Who founded DoeNetwork? The Doe Network was not founded or created by a single person, but rather it was established through the collaborative efforts of various individuals, including law enforcement officials, forensic specialists, and concerned citizens, who recognized the need for a centralized resource for identifying and locating missing persons and unidentified remains."

- Todd Matthews


The Doe Network began as a website in 1999, before evolving into an informal volunteer organization in 2001, and finally becoming an official 501c organization on July 29, 2011. This highlights the organization's growth and development over the years, as well as its continued commitment to providing resources and support for families of missing persons and to the investigation of unidentified remains.


Organizational Structure

We have a structured organization that allows each volunteer member to actively participate in a productive way...

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Please don't simply cut and paste from other sites unless you are going to be discussing what you've pasted.
Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Darat
 
Human Trafficking is one of the many reasons why people (even children) mysteriously disappear.

Sure, 99.9% of all missing person reports are cancelled because they are found, but what about that small percentage that haven't been?

My biggest concern about missing persons (besides finding them) is how do you tell your kids about it without scaring them half to death?

Do you just tell them not to talk to strangers, or do you give them scary scenarios of what happened to others who had been abducted? What are your thoughts?


From the ground up: Working to eradicate human trafficking

FROM: https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/madison/news/2023/09/28/human-trafficking-milwaukee--


MILWAUKEE — Dana World Patterson believes the fight against human trafficking needs to start at a young age...

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If you believe someone is a victim of human trafficking, contact your local police department or call the human trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888

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"Patterson has spent most of her life working to eradicate human trafficking. During that time, she has found that discussing the topic directly with kids can be traumatizing."

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I'm all for anything that can help solve missing person cold cases, and photogrammetry sounds like something that will help speed this process up a little. I'm not sure if it's really the future, but every little bit helps.

What do y'all think?

I've always been fascinated with forensic science, and I actually started learning the basics from old Perry Mason mysteries written by his creator Erle Stanley Gardner.

I also remember the original CSI TV show, because facial reconstruction was the centerpiece of the very first episode, and I found that fascinating.


OHIO STATE RESEARCHERS EXPLORE PHOTOGRAMMETRY, THE FUTURE OF SOLVING COLD CASES
October 23, 2023
Zoe Botley


FROM: https://www.thelantern.com/2023/10/...togrammetry-the-future-of-solving-cold-cases/


Identifying skeletal remains just got a little bit easier for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation thanks to Ohio State researchers.

Dean Hensley, an instructional design specialist, is working to provide a new way of reconstructing faces through photorealistic digital images alongside senior graphics researcher Jeremy Patterson. The two developed the program to assist criminal intelligence analysts who can reconstruct human skulls just by sending a picture from their phones.

One of the analysts, Samantha Molnar, said she wanted to partner with the others at the university to work on the reconstruction project. Upon meeting Hensley, they began to develop a process known as "photogrammetry," where they could make scans with an iPhone application rather than specialized hospital equipment...

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FAMILIAL DNA SEARCHES

I'm all for them, but some folks think they're an invasion of everyone's privacy.

What do y'all think?


New York can resume family DNA searches for crime suspects, court rules
OCTOBER 25, 2023


FROM: https://phys.org/news/2023-10-york-resume-family-dna-crime.html


New York's highest court on Tuesday ruled police can resume a DNA searching method that can identify relatives of potential suspects, a technique that has helped solve crimes but caused privacy concerns.

The method, known as familial DNA searches, allows law enforcement agencies to search information in their DNA databases to find blood relatives of people who have left genetic material at a crime scene.

The order from the New York Court of Appeals allows the state to use such searches in criminal cases, reversing a lower court ruling from last year that blocked the practice.

The case was brought by two men whose brothers were convicted of crimes and had genetic information in the state's databanks. They alleged that searches could improperly target them because of their family members' crimes and that the technique was never approved by the state Legislature...

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Those DNA searches reunited my friend with his firstborn, abducted by his wife as a toddler, allowing him to have a relationship with his son before he died. I'm also all for them.
 
dellarte said:
Official status of the so-called Springfield Three is that they are missing. Two of the missing are now legally deceased.

Anyone who believes they have a contribution to make in this case may do so via the Submit an anonymous Tip online link at: The Springfield Three - Springfield, Missouri

Random speculation causes family and friends of victims unnecessary suffering.
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Since I'm in the process of reviving this thread (so as to include abduction avoidance as part of the discussion), I remembered this particular comment in reply to my post about the Springfield Three missing-person, cold case, and I can NEVER, EVER recall any family member, loved one, or friend ever declining publicity about their loved one's case, but for some reason, one of the sisters actively worked to shut people up about it.

Very, very odd from my point of view and experience.

Here's a link to my post:

https://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=14181245#post14181245


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PS: Please, pay particular attention to the hilited part, and remember that even though construction started roughly a year after the disappearances, anyone who's worked in construction knows that the preconstruction activity begins long before the actual construction begins. Now, if it had been finished long BEFORE the disappearances, then that would be a different story.
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AmyStrange said:
Since I'm in the process of reviving this thread (so as to include abduction avoidance as part of the discussion), I remembered this particular comment in reply to my post about the Springfield Three missing-person, cold case, and I can NEVER, EVER recall any family member, loved one, or friend ever declining publicity about their loved one's case, but for some reason, one of the sisters actively worked to shut people up about it.

Very, very odd from my point of view and experience.

Here's a link to my post:

https://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=14181245#post14181245


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PS: Please, pay particular attention to the hilited part, and remember that even though construction started roughly a year after the disappearances, anyone who's worked in construction knows that the preconstruction activity begins long before the actual construction begins. Now, if it had been finished long BEFORE the disappearances, then that would be a different story.
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One thing about missing persons cases is that there's often the usual suspect (spouse, ex, somebody close). I feel sorry for those people that have that cloud over their head just because everybody has an opinion on social media.

Even when they're cleared, they still have to live with that. Can't imagine what it's like to have your spouse killed, having children (that you have to inform), and being grilled on it.

Maybe seen too many true crime docs where they get tunnel vision on a person without much evidence. It can literally ruin lives.
 
PitPat said:
One thing about missing persons cases is that there's often the usual suspect (spouse, ex, somebody close). I feel sorry for those people that have that cloud over their head just because everybody has an opinion on social media.

Even when they're cleared, they still have to live with that. Can't imagine what it's like to have your spouse killed, having children (that you have to inform), and being grilled on it.

Maybe seen too many true crime docs where they get tunnel vision on a person without much evidence. It can literally ruin lives.
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I agree. You're absolutely correct and thank you.

This has also happened in many serial killer and child molestation cases. Some innocent folks have even been convicted and were on death row for years before being exonerated, and like you said, some still live under a shroud of suspicion for that very reason.

There's one case that haunts me to this day. I can't remember his name, but he was executed for killing his kids using arson, and that was because LE jumped to the conclusion that he was guilty because of the fire pattern, and also because they thought he was a satanist, even though dozens of arson experts (from all over the country) said they were wrong about the fire pattern being a Satanic symbol. His wife even helped to get him convicted.

They even used the fact that he had a Led Zepplin poster to prove he was a satanist.

That's totally different from someone actively working to stop anyone and everyone from publicizing their sister's disappearance. If one wants to criticize, fine, but please start with the Wikipedia page that suggested the idea. I'm merely informing folks of the facts and not accusing anyone of anything.

If you've ever worked with a lot of missing persons' families, you'd know the sister's behavior was very, very odd to say the least, especially since someone very close to the LE agency that was involved in the case told me that they'd never be found because of the people who were involved.

TBH, I don't think the sister had anything to do with it, but it's still very, very odd behavior, and THAT IS ALL I AM POINTING OUT.


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