Questions Without Answers

Many folks in the Chapel Hill area have largely lost touch with this case; indeed most of the students now at the Univ. of N. Carolina probably don’t remember it or have any great familiarity. Many key figures and others formerly interested in the case have long since moved out of the area.

What Chapel Hill Police should do to regain some of their own credibility, as well as maintain interest in this fading case, is solicit questions about the crime from that segment of the public that IS still engaged. Many questions will be redundant, inappropriate, or trivial, but they can sift and sort through them ahead of time and then hold a press conference answering what they are able… instead of, once-a-year emerging to embarrassingly ask the public to produce new info on a case they feel largely in the dark on.

Here are some of the questions I have (several of which I’m sure they won’t answer)… other folks will no doubt have many additional questions:

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1.  What was Faith's estimated time-of-death?

2.  There’s been a lot of talk about DNA, but no mention of fingerprints (as I recall?) — were any key fingerprints (i.e. of the murderer) found at the crime scene and if no fingerprints were found how do you explain that (wiped clean, gloves used…)?

3.  How many individual apts. adjacent to Faith's were occupied at the time of the assault, and was anything heard by anyone beyond the single early morning “thump” that has been reported? Again, if nothing was heard, how do you explain that?

4. How many men that were at the Thrill nightclub on the fateful night were interviewed (…and can you estimate how many may have passed through the club that evening who were NOT interviewed)?

5. How confident are you that the murderer is of Latino or Native American background (as indicated by DNA), or at least NOT Black nor Caucasian? Most all the men mentioned in the released documents were Black or Caucasian (…were the 2+ years of inquiry based on those released documents largely ‘wild goose chases’?)

6. Law enforcement constantly implies that the case is close to being solved and just needs a little more help from the public. Does that mean you have a very small number, or even just one, significant suspects at this point, or does it merely mean you have a LOT of evidence built up at this point but with no one to tie it to?

7. How often do you have to travel out of town to seek evidence or interviews? And are there any individuals you’re still interested in but have lost contact with (lost addresses for) over the course of 5 years?

8. How frequently is the DNA run through the national database?

9. When was the last time you spoke with Eric Takoy Jones, and the last time you spoke with Karena Rosario? 

10. Since the 20/20 case episode of last year has there been a single piece of actual, new evidence uncovered (not speculation, theory, or “leads”, but new solid or physical/forensic evidence)?

11.  My understanding is that it is believed the NON-blood-stained Time-Out bag was written on by one person, the killer, AFTER the crime… is that correct, or is the timing of the message far less certain than that?

12. Is it fair to say that this case can NOT be resolved without a DNA match? And to move the case along has any thought been given to seeking a familial-related DNA match?

13. Is the SBI or FBI currently assisting in any aspects of the case?

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…not holding my breath, though, for any answers.

Anniversary #5

Two news entries to the case, as expected, this week marking the 5th anniversary of Faith's death):

1)  Tom Gasparoli’s latest post on the case here:

http://www.gaspowrites.com/2017/09/new-info-from-law-enforcement-clip-of.html

Disappointingly, LOTS of words but nothing much new or substantive (I don’t say that to criticize Tom, but just to indicate how embarrassingly, tight-lipped law enforcement continues to be).  Still, there’s stuff folks can continue to chew on, speculate about, imagine scenarios for. There are a couple of additional pics (I'd not seen before) of the Time-Out food bag, and the possibility that there was only one apt. key between the two girls is raised as one possible explanation for Karena not locking the door behind her (as I’ve never found leaving the door unlocked terribly surprising, it’s not a detail I even care about much, but others may). I wish Tom had pressed his 'informer' more on certain issues, though perhaps he did and simply got no answers.

2)  Chapel Hill Police Dept. with their annual inept-ish-sounding announcement at the crime anniversary: 

http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Home/Components/News/News/11464/22

It’s almost insulting to the public, not to mention Faith’s family, that after claiming they had 100’s of new leads last year, they appear to have nothing new to add to public knowledge this year, nor even summarize what if anything those prior leads produced. But five years out they’re still begging for additional info from the public. 

I’ve said before that I believe Faith put up quite a struggle, probably leaving visible marks on her attacker(s)… five years ago police could’ve requested that family members, workers, students, others, be on the lookout for individuals who were oddly wearing long-sleeve shirts on those hot September days perhaps to cover arm marks/bruises… but, they did not. They could’ve disclosed the odd bag message to see if that handwriting or letter formation was recognized by ANYone out there… but, they did not (until 2 years later). What else have they chosen not to disclose that might have wrapped this case up 250 weeks ago?

How many key figures, or friends and family of Faith, will be dead by the time this case is solved, IF it ever is? And when “solved” will the correct perp be apprehended, or just someone to make the case go away?

Yeah, like others, I'm feeling pretty frustrated and skeptical by now.

I’ll throw out one additional, completely speculative (maybe even off-the-wall) thought I’ve had:

I’m in a camp that believes there may well have been two (or more) perps involved and present at Faith’s murder. It’s difficult and rare for even one individual to commit such a heinous act and manage to remain silent about it for 5 years… for two people to have been present and maintained silence among all their contacts for this long is remarkable (though it’s always possible they have threatened violence against anyone who they have told of their acts). I can only imagine such a silent pact possibly arising between very close blood relatives… like two brothers. Raising the possibility in my mind of two close-knit brothers (or similarly tight-knit relatives) at the Thrill on the fateful night, possibly being rebuffed by the girls, and venturing later to their apartment. But nothing more than further idle speculation of which we already have plenty.

So many of us are so weary of this case… and in utter disbelief that it remains unsolved. But we carry on and press forward, because our hearts won’t allow us to do otherwise, until resolution is reached.

[...There may be further news reports this week, and I believe Gaspo plans another column as well (maybe even today), so it's possible I'll tack on an Addendum to this post at some point, if worthwhile.]
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ADDENDUM:  For any who hadn't already heard it, Tom has now posted Karena Rosario's entire 911 audio call here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2syhKETyJEzVUFNS3d6VWNpdkE/view

This is the call that many (including Tom) find suspicious, but again, I've never had a problem with it, given an individual in shock. I don't believe it adds much information at all to the case, but others analyze it differently, so you can make up your own mind.