The Long Island Ripper

[curious]

Can I just say that websleuths link is addictive

They're saying that SSWA activities are linked to both deposition sites and activities which seem to be linked to the killer; the use of the term "half-breed" in the phone call to Amanda Funderberg relates to dog-breeding, while the dismemberment method used on the victims relates to how you'd chop up a duck. Also, beheaded birds were found in Manorville and in a bag near the Ocean Parkway dump site, and the SSWA just happened to be in Atlantic City in September 2006, right before the Black Horse Pike prostitute murders. Burlap is also used by duck hunters they say. Crikey.

I think, whether the SSWA is his choice of club or not, the killer is most definitely a duck and wildfowl hunter. And I think Summer is his private hooker-hunting-season and Winter his public bird-hunting-season.

Hi,
Yes, I saw all that.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the "half-breed" reference is NOT to dog breeding. The writers are trying to tie everything to that area to make it mean something, but I don't think that term is used in animal breeding. It's a term for humans.

I don't have any feel for how it relates to the killer. Thinking about it a little, I think half-breed was mainly used as a derogatory term for people who were half white and half Native American. I wonder how it might tie in to Melissa Barthelemy's ethnicity.

curious

[curious]

I think, whether the SSWA is his choice of club or not, the killer is most definitely a duck and wildfowl hunter.

Yes, we can not know if he is a member of the club, but surely the police can check to see who made that trip to New Jersey, so close to Atlantic City.

I would think that would narrow down the possibilities to a very small number.

curious

[Sherlock Holmes]

Possible New Lead

The information about the duck hunting club this is very curious indeed


Would you please follow that lead for me and pm me your findings

Regards
Sherlock Holmes

[DarkPassenger]

Hi,
Yes, I saw all that.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the "half-breed" reference is NOT to dog breeding. The writers are trying to tie everything to that area to make it mean something, but I don't think that term is used in animal breeding. It's a term for humans.

I don't have any feel for how it relates to the killer. Thinking about it a little, I think half-breed was mainly used as a derogatory term for people who were half white and half Native American. I wonder how it might tie in to Melissa Barthelemy's ethnicity.

curious

On reflection, I agree. It is more likely used by the killer as a racist remark as such a phrase is well-used in that manner. The dog breeding connection is still there a bit but on balance, a hell of a lot slighter.

Here is something I've found with the half-breed comment in;

Seven days after Melissa disappeared, the phone rang at Lynn's home in Buffalo. The caller I.D. displayed the number of Melissa's missing cell. Amanda picked up. The voice was self-assured. "Is this Melissa's little sister?" he asked. "I hear you're a half-breed." Amanda's father is black. Whoever was calling knew what Amanda looked like.
There were seven calls in all. Once, the caller seemed to toy with Amanda, asking if she knew what Melissa did for a living. Another time, he said, "Are you gonna be a whore like your sister?" Police traced some of the calls to Midtown Manhattan and another to Massapequa. In the last call, in August 2009, he told Amanda outright that he had killed Melissa.

SOURCE: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runnin...ne_cocaine.php

So this tells us two things; it is primarily a racist comment and not necessarily drawn from experience with dogs, and secondly, the killer psychologically tortures his victims before killing them. That's how he got the information about Amanda out of Melissa.

I have a strange feeling this Melissa Barthelemy case, with all these twists and turns, might end up unlocking the case.

[DarkPassenger]

OMG MOMENT!!

Just after posting that I googled "Massapequa," where one of the calls originated from, not knowing where it is.

And guess where it is?

Just north of the Ocean Parkway deposition site, next to Tackapausha Nature Preserve!!

Yet another nature/wildlife connection!!

[DarkPassenger]

A feature on the murders: http://nymag.com/news/features/long-...milies-2011-6/

Also, "America's Serial Killer," a documentary on the case, airs on More4 in the UK tomorrow at 9pm and again on Monday at 10pm.

[curious]

OMG MOMENT!!

Just after posting that I googled "Massapequa," where one of the calls originated from, not knowing where it is.

And guess where it is?

Just north of the Ocean Parkway deposition site, next to Tackapausha Nature Preserve!!

Yet another nature/wildlife connection!!

Was it Melissa who made two calls from Massapequa to check her voice mail? The calls were from two different motels as I recollect.

[curious]

Just after posting that I googled "Massapequa," where one of the calls originated from, not knowing where it is.

So, the killer made a call from Massapequa? then from very busy areas in Manhattan so that even though the authorities got security surveillance tapes there were too many people on the phone to be able to narrow it down?

So, question No. 1:

Did the newspapers print that Melissa called from Massapequa? And the killer perhaps then went there to make a call because he read the papers and knew she had called from there? Or did he pick her up there and returned there for the call?

I'm guessing he does not live there. I think he is too savvy.

The great part is, though, that the authorities do have pictures of people on telephones. So, when they get suspects, they can check to see if that person is on one of the security tapes from around Times Square or Madison Square Garden or wherever the calls originated.

Those security cameras might eventually seal the killer's doom, even though right now the authorities say that with nearly 1,000 people on the phone it is no help.

Somehow, I wonder if the trip to the event in New Jersey has not narrowed the suspects down enough that they know who, but just don't have the evidence for an arrest and conviction yet? Perhaps the killer has enough clout that they are going to have all their I's dotted and T's crossed before making a move.

Officially, the authorities are saying the New Jersey murders are no connection, but I wonder . . . .

Dark Passenger, why do you think the killer called only Melissa's sister and doesn't appear to have used the other victims' phones?

[DarkPassenger]

Yes, having checked my facts the Massapequa call was by Melissa to her voicemail.

But there is still that connection. She was there because she was meeting the killer, and checking voicemail is something you do to pass time while you're waiting.

But according to this link;

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-159991.html

One of the calls was indeed linked to Massapequa, as well as her voicemail checking.

So it seems she was in Massapequa on 9th July, then again on 12th July when she vanished. Both times she checked her voicemail while waiting for her client. And if one of the killer's calls did come from Massapequa it's possible he lives or works nearby.

[DarkPassenger]

Somehow, I wonder if the trip to the event in New Jersey has not narrowed the suspects down enough that they know who, but just don't have the evidence for an arrest and conviction yet? Perhaps the killer has enough clout that they are going to have all their I's dotted and T's crossed before making a move.

Officially, the authorities are saying the New Jersey murders are no connection, but I wonder . . . .

I'm beginning to agree with this idea. If a bunch of internet people can make the waterfowling link I'm sure the cops can.

Dark Passenger, why do you think the killer called only Melissa's sister and doesn't appear to have used the other victims' phones?

Just found this on the thread link posted earlier;

Melissa's boyfriend, Johnny Terry also received several phone calls, probably, from the killer

1.According to Melissa's boyfriend, Johnny Terry, he too received taunting calls from someone he described as a "white guy".

2.Terry received over thirty phone calls during an eight month period, the caller mentions tattoos. Terry is quoted as saying, “He was threatening me. He said you liked to do some crazy stuff with Melissa. I know where you be at. Most of the time he seemed drunk. He knew who I was. He knew I had tattoos on my back.” One of the phones used to make these calls was a throw-away phone registered to Mickey Mouse

SOURCE: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=159991

Guy has a fixation on tattoos.

Anyway, it seems Melissa's boyfriend got calls too, but they were much less publicised.

He's taunting the families and I suspect what was said earlier about the killer being pissed off at having lost $900 to Melissa when she banked the cash might be true. The guy doesn't have that much to throw away, certainly not in one fell swoop. He doesn't just kill during the Summer, he uses hookers during the Summer and budgets for it. Maybe Melissa was in Long Island on 11th July to see the LISK, because he was scouting for victims?

[curious]

So it seems she was in Massapequa on 9th July, then again on 12th July when she vanished. Both times she checked her voicemail while waiting for her client. And if one of the killer's calls did come from Massapequa it's possible he lives or works nearby.

So, does that mean the 12th was a repeat performance?

She met him first on July 9? Got paid?

Then went back on the 12th?


"And if one of the killer's calls did come from Massapequa it's possible he lives or works nearby."

Don't you think it is more likely that a person this savvy met her out-of-town? A short drive from his hometown?

Gotta get off the computer and get my day started. This is very intriguing. . .

curious

[Ginger]

A feature on the murders: http://nymag.com/news/features/long-...milies-2011-6/

According to this, she was charging $200 an hour for her services, one third of which went to the driver/bodyguard. At that rate, the $900 may not have been from the killer at all, but just might have been a regular day or two worth of earnings that she hadn't yet deposited. I rather imagine the banks were generally closed when she'd finished for the evening.

[curious]

According to this, she was charging $200 an hour for her services, one third of which went to the driver/bodyguard. At that rate, the $900 may not have been from the killer at all, but just might have been a regular day or two worth of earnings that she hadn't yet deposited. I rather imagine the banks were generally closed when she'd finished for the evening.

Hi, Ginger,
After reading this story, I think that possibility exists.

However, another source states:
On the night that Barthelemy disappeared, she had met with a client, deposited $900 in her bank account, and attempted to call an old boyfriend who did not answer his phone. She then checked her voicemail from two motels in Massepequa (a Budget Inn and a Best Western). She then left the motel for a appointment with a client. Her pimp had offered her a ride but she declined the offer. Barthelemy was never seen again."


What I find especially interesting is that on two days close together Barthelemy checked her e-mail from the little town of Massapequa. Was she there to see the same person?

curious

[Beowulf]

Hi, Ginger,
After reading this story, I think that possibility exists.

However, another source states:
On the night that Barthelemy disappeared, she had met with a client, deposited $900 in her bank account, and attempted to call an old boyfriend who did not answer his phone. She then checked her voicemail from two motels in Massepequa (a Budget Inn and a Best Western). She then left the motel for a appointment with a client. Her pimp had offered her a ride but she declined the offer. Barthelemy was never seen again."


What I find especially interesting is that on two days close together Barthelemy checked her e-mail from the little town of Massapequa. Was she there to see the same person?

curious

Massapequa may be little but it's packed. It's about 4 miles but it's population as of 2010 was 21,685. Don't know if you would consider this to have any bearing on the issue, though.

Btw, he's not really a 'ripper' though, is he

[curious]

Massapequa may be little but it's packed. It's about 4 miles but it's population as of 2010 was 21,685. Don't know if you would consider this to have any bearing on the issue, though.

Btw, he's not really a 'ripper' though, is he

Hi, Beowulf:

Not in the JtR sense, but some stories are calling him a "ripper."

He dismembered his earlier victims.

Do you think the size of Massapequa has a bearing on this? How? If you don't mind sharing.

His dismembering his victims relates to an item I posted earlier. Apparently, one of the older victims was 5'6" and 150 pounds. The four latest victims were right at 100 pounds or less and 5 feet, or thereabouts.

My first thought was that he had switched to smaller victims because the killer himself is small or smallish average and that a bigger girl had been more than he could easily handle.

However, after more thought, I wonder if he switched sizes as a "business decision."

The early victims were dismembered and their body parts disposed of in different locations. The killer was vulnerable as long as he had body parts with him -- say he was stopped by the authorities for anything -- taillight out, drivers license check -- anything.

The early victims were also wrapped in plastic. The latest ones in burlap.

The earlier victims were placed back in a thicket, the latest ones really in the edge of the roadway.

So, perhaps he switched to smaller women because:

A. he preferred not to have to go to the trouble of dismemberment -- or had lost his workshop in someway and no longer had that option.

B. He could just drop a body into a burlap bag, toss the bag into the back of his pick-up or car with other bags and feel safer, and it took less time and effort.

C. Something was going on with his health -- or he lost an accomplice . . . .

So many possibilities, I guess.

curious

P.S. Oh, and BTW, I didn't start or name the thread. I've just been sorta keeping up with this case since very early after the first bodies were discovered.

It's very interesting, but very unsettling because it's so current.