catsmate
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Cameron Todd Willingham?
Ed Solving Missing-Person Cases / Anti-Abduction Tips
- Thread starter AmyStrange
- Start date
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- Tags
- doe network missing namus ncic ncmec
AmyStrange
Philosopher
AmyStrange
Philosopher
The Doe Network recently posted on their Facebook page that they've solved their 129th missing-person cold case. If you like to solve puzzles and do internet investigations, this is one of the best groups in which to volunteer and help.
https://www.facebook.com/thedoenetwork
I've given a pretty detailed description of what this group does here:
https://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=14176758#post14176758
"We are happy to announce Doe Network's 129th Solve! Solved by Doe Network Area Director Julie Lampe!"
https://www.doenetwork.org/closedmain.php
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https://www.facebook.com/thedoenetwork
I've given a pretty detailed description of what this group does here:
https://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=14176758#post14176758
"We are happy to announce Doe Network's 129th Solve! Solved by Doe Network Area Director Julie Lampe!"
https://www.doenetwork.org/closedmain.php
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AmyStrange
Philosopher
There is one theory that I've had about missing persons that seems so farfetched that I don't know how I could ever prove it, and no, I'm not talking about alien abductions.
What I'm talking about is the WitSec program, or the government's witness protection program. Could a very, very small number of missing persons have disappeared because they were entered into the program? Of course, that would mean they would've had to have been witnesses to a crime, and I don't remember any of the missing being in that situation.
While I worked for the Doe Network, I talked with someone who was a retired Federal Marshal, and they said that was not a viable explanation. I believed him but it still makes me wonder.
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What I'm talking about is the WitSec program, or the government's witness protection program. Could a very, very small number of missing persons have disappeared because they were entered into the program? Of course, that would mean they would've had to have been witnesses to a crime, and I don't remember any of the missing being in that situation.
While I worked for the Doe Network, I talked with someone who was a retired Federal Marshal, and they said that was not a viable explanation. I believed him but it still makes me wonder.
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theprestige
Penultimate Amazing
Witsec is for people who have testified against criminal organizations that might retaliate against them.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
Yes, I know, that's why in my comment, I wrote, "Of course, that would mean they would've had to have been witnesses to a crime, and I don't remember any of the missing being in that situation."
It sure would be nice if folks read the whole comment before posting their criticism.
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catsmate
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No problem. I'm generally against anti-scientific nonsense and that case had an abundance of it.
Matthew Best
Penultimate Amazing
AmyStrange
Philosopher
Thank you, Matthew. Catsmate already beat you to it, but I still appreciate the effort.
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Matthew Best
Penultimate Amazing
It's amazing how some names stick in my memory when I can barely remember what happened yesterday.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
I can remember conversations with hundreds of people, years ago, but not their names.
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AmyStrange
Philosopher
I'm getting conflicting reports from folks on the MSN forums that are saying that there are thousands of folks still missing in North Carolina. I've tried searching through local missing person reports and there's nothing in them that even comes close to that number. If anyone knows where I can go to verify this, please let me know. Thank you:
AmyStrange
Philosopher
One of the many ways missing person cold cases are solved (other than through Doe Network volunteers) is through the FBI’s biometric analysis services that also includes the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
The Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, blends forensic science and computer technology into a tool that enables federal, state, and local forensic laboratories to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking serial violent crimes to each other and to known offenders.
In the case below, William Herman Hietamaki went missing in 1995. Fourteen years later, November 2009, two workers pouring cement near the Hoover Dam found some bones that were determined to be human. A search of the area turned up more bones, but identifying the body wasn't easy because the whole process itself was very complicated and very expensive, and also very interesting (at least to anyone interested in using forensics to solve missing person cold cases anyway), although, because of the condition of the bones they couldn't determine how the man died.
The following article can explain the whole process a whole lot better than I ever could:
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The Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, blends forensic science and computer technology into a tool that enables federal, state, and local forensic laboratories to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking serial violent crimes to each other and to known offenders.
In the case below, William Herman Hietamaki went missing in 1995. Fourteen years later, November 2009, two workers pouring cement near the Hoover Dam found some bones that were determined to be human. A search of the area turned up more bones, but identifying the body wasn't easy because the whole process itself was very complicated and very expensive, and also very interesting (at least to anyone interested in using forensics to solve missing person cold cases anyway), although, because of the condition of the bones they couldn't determine how the man died.
The following article can explain the whole process a whole lot better than I ever could:
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Yeah I think I heard something about that. I'm often amazed at how far forensics have come in the past 30-40 years. And how DNA analysis has become much faster. Hell, in about 20 years they can probably figure out whether and when you breathed in the same room.
If only all law enforcement agencies/PDs had access to those capabilities at the highest level. I applaud efforts to go back and look at cold cases for DNA evidence if they're not improperly stored, or lost, and the like. Also love the idea of charging DNA for rape and similar cases where the statute of limitations can expire.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
I agree, but the problem is three-fold. One, there are 40,000 plus unidentified bodies in the US that still haven't been identified with an average of a thousand more being added every year, two, the family itself has to be in a database somewhere, and three, it's expensive as hell to do.
It's why volunteer organizations like the Doe Network are so important.
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catsmate
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Similar in Spain ATM, after the floods, 205 known dead but others are still missing.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
Thanks, catsmate.
I'm waiting for the actual number of missing, and how they intend to identify them or get the actual number together. Obviously, it's not the same as solving a missing person cold case, but still very important to be educated about methods and techniques, especially if one wants to help investigate cases like this, at least in my opinion anyway.
Do you have a link? This is all I can find so far:
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AmyStrange
Philosopher
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE AND NOT BE A VICTIM OF AN ABDUCTION?
I don't know how true the poster below is, and maybe those in other countries can correct or verify what it says, but the point I'm trying to get across (or ask) is how do you protect your kids (or yourself) from being abducted and eventually becoming a missing person?
Of course (as the poster below infers), one way is to not to talk to strangers, and another way is to always be aware of your surroundings, but I wonder if that's enough.
If an adult comes up to your children and ask them to help them find their dog, of course, some kids will want to help, especially if the adult looks or seems like he's really concerned about their pet, and this might be enough to convince them to go into the woods with them.
It's not just kids either that fall for this. Look at the way Ted Bundy was able to convince women to follow him to a secluded enough spot so that he could knock them out with a tire iron, and then abduct them. He sometimes wore a fake cast and pretended that he needed help to load and unload his boat. It's exactly how he was able to abduct two women from Lake Sammamish State Park in Washington State on July 14, 1974.
As a matter of fact, the main theme in my six novels is about a team of FBI consultants that help to find missing persons, but after two of the main characters (who are married) have a daughter, one of them wonders if maybe scaring the hell out of them is the best way to prevent the above situations from developing into an abduction scenario. He wants to do this by showing her pictures of dead children, or have her watch horror movies based on evil villains that abduct their victims, and then torture them, or show them articles of other children who have disappeared and/or been found dead.
He eventually decides this is not a good idea, but the question still remains. What is the best way to teach your children to be safe and not be a victim of an abduction?
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I don't know how true the poster below is, and maybe those in other countries can correct or verify what it says, but the point I'm trying to get across (or ask) is how do you protect your kids (or yourself) from being abducted and eventually becoming a missing person?
Of course (as the poster below infers), one way is to not to talk to strangers, and another way is to always be aware of your surroundings, but I wonder if that's enough.
If an adult comes up to your children and ask them to help them find their dog, of course, some kids will want to help, especially if the adult looks or seems like he's really concerned about their pet, and this might be enough to convince them to go into the woods with them.
It's not just kids either that fall for this. Look at the way Ted Bundy was able to convince women to follow him to a secluded enough spot so that he could knock them out with a tire iron, and then abduct them. He sometimes wore a fake cast and pretended that he needed help to load and unload his boat. It's exactly how he was able to abduct two women from Lake Sammamish State Park in Washington State on July 14, 1974.
As a matter of fact, the main theme in my six novels is about a team of FBI consultants that help to find missing persons, but after two of the main characters (who are married) have a daughter, one of them wonders if maybe scaring the hell out of them is the best way to prevent the above situations from developing into an abduction scenario. He wants to do this by showing her pictures of dead children, or have her watch horror movies based on evil villains that abduct their victims, and then torture them, or show them articles of other children who have disappeared and/or been found dead.
He eventually decides this is not a good idea, but the question still remains. What is the best way to teach your children to be safe and not be a victim of an abduction?
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catsmate
No longer the 1
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Nothing overall, but some coverage (like this BBC story) reufer to "dozens" still missing while The Guardian (video) refers to "countless" missing.
AmyStrange
Philosopher
Thanks, catsmate. It might take more than a couple days to get a real roundabout number. Some folks might be missed immediately, but others might take a few days, and others might never be missed---hopefully not many of those or none at all.
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