Suspect named in Deborah Poe's disappearance..

[crystaldawn]

I'm actually hoping someone has some more info about this. I was watching one of the new UM's on Spike and they profiled her case. At the end Farina said that one of Deborah's friends (he didn't mention a name) has been named as a suspect in her case. Does anyone know any more about this suspect? I'm also curious if it could be the guy who first reported her missing.

[Corky Kneivel]

I was watching one of the new UM's on Spike...


Oh, CeeDee...why would you do that to yourself?

[MissFit29]

Well, thank goodness they actually showed an unsolved case.

I always thought the business with her friend was fishy. Who in the world stops by the convenience store at 3 - 4 am? Even if it was to say hello, most people would be at home sleeping. The fact that there was no sign of any struggle or disturbance makes me think she knew whoever came in that night.

[SageSlowdive]

I seriously hope this case gets solved.

Did you all know blood hounds were brought in and picked up her scent at an apartment building beside hers, and they assume she left in a car.

Poor woman, she literally vaporized.

[sdb4884]

A logicial suggestion anyway. Still doesn't explain the Megadeath guy.

[undertakeress]

They said that the Megadeth guy was just a customer..WTF? I wouldn't ring somebody up if the clerk was gone!

[Drakken]

I'm actually hoping someone has some more info about this. I was watching one of the new UM's on Spike and they profiled her case. At the end Farina said that one of Deborah's friends (he didn't mention a name) has been named as a suspect in her case. Does anyone know any more about this suspect? I'm also curious if it could be the guy who first reported her missing.

As the last person known to have seen her alive, he is naturally a suspect to her disappearance. That doesn't mean that it is indeed him, though. Just that, to the police, some elements of his declaration are either unproven or unsatisfactorily checked out so that they can rule him out.

Or, it could be another unknown friend of hers as well, or a person with a romantic interest in her, who came to visit her and she took a break. That would account for her folding her work blouse, perhaps because there was a lull in activity and she neatly folded it before going out for a little fresh air or to smoke a cigarette with him. That person could have made advances to her that she refused, he got mad and abducted her.

When I used to work the graveyard shift in a CS, some of my friends did come to visit me at the wee hours of the night from time to time as well. If something had happened to me, they could have been suspects at first if only because they did come see me in the night and could have been the last people to see me on the scene.

[Drakken]

I always thought the business with her friend was fishy. Who in the world stops by the convenience store at 3 - 4 am? Even if it was to say hello, most people would be at home sleeping. The fact that there was no sign of any struggle or disturbance makes me think she knew whoever came in that night.

Well, either acquaintances with nothing else better to do during the night, or who work in bars or graveyard shifts of their own.

And some people are night owls, myself included. On weekdays I never go to bed before 2AM, even though I work the 9-to-5, and 4-5AM on weekends. If I had a friend working in a CS, I would surely visit him or her as well.

[Mastermind]

A logicial suggestion anyway. Still doesn't explain the Megadeath guy.

Is it possible this friend of hers is Megadeth?

I would think not, since it's taken so damn long to identify him.

You never know, though...

[SageSlowdive]

I just think if they picked up her scent in a parking lot right beside her apartment building, it had to be someone she knew, or something to that extent.

Megadeath was a scheming customer, if you ask me.

[Allierain]

I'm actually hoping someone has some more info about this. I was watching one of the new UM's on Spike and they profiled her case. At the end Farina said that one of Deborah's friends (he didn't mention a name) has been named as a suspect in her case. Does anyone know any more about this suspect? I'm also curious if it could be the guy who first reported her missing.

I have wondered (to myself) over the years about the friend who visited Deborah the night she disappeared. Since he was apparently the last to see her alive, he would naturally be a suspect. Maybe that is the friend they were referring to.

I also think now that Megadeth was just a would-be customer who wandered in and, finding the place deserted, took the opportunity to steal.

[SageSlowdive]

Again, I think it had to be someone she knew...

The hounds tracked her scent to the apartment building next to hers, so I highly doubt a stranger attacker would be interested in ransacking her apartment and getting caught.

[Steve W.]

Yeah I saw this segment on UM a couple weeks ago as well and was shocked when they had an update 'cuz I had seen the segment air various times on Lifetime in the 1990's and early 2000's without there ever being an update and thought it was pretty hopeless.

I might remember it wrong, but I thought they said the guy had been charged with Deborah Poe's murder because DNA matched him to her remains or something like that. They showed a picture of the suspect guy and an accomplice. In the photos, the suspect had very short, gray hair, glasses, and was clean shaven. He looked like he was in his 50's. I believe his accomplice had short-to-medium length hair, was also clean shaven, and looked to be in his 50's as well.

As far as the "Megadeth t-shirt" guy, I think he just realized that no one was in there (after the suspect abducted her obviously) and thought he could trick people into thinking that he was the cashier with it being 3 AM or whatever exact time it was.

[slasherman]

As far as the "Megadeth t-shirt" guy, I think he just realized that no one was in there (after the suspect abducted her obviously) and thought he could trick people into thinking that he was the cashier with it being 3 AM or whatever exact time it was.
Or just a attention seeking girl. If I remember correctly it was only one witness to the Megadeth guy. Maybe she was a fan of Megadeth and wanted to show it this way....

Deborah Poe was connected to other strange disappearances, from convenience stores in the area. Guess those had other explanations.

[Steve W.]

"Guess those had other explanations."

I think Farina might have said that the two suspects (the 50-something year old guys now) were linked to some of those other disappearances in the area as well.

[Hambone2421]

I might remember it wrong, but I thought they said the guy had been charged with Deborah Poe's murder because DNA matched him to her remains or something like that. They showed a picture of the suspect guy and an accomplice. In the photos, the suspect had very short, gray hair, glasses, and was clean shaven. He looked like he was in his 50's. I believe his accomplice had short-to-medium length hair, was also clean shaven, and looked to be in his 50's as well.


Can anyone else validate this? I do not remember them saying that an arrest had been made, but if so, that would be a huge breakthrough in this case.

[soilentgreen]

I might remember it wrong, but I thought they said the guy had been charged with Deborah Poe's murder because DNA matched him to her remains or something like that.

I was under the impression that Poe's remains have never
been found; the (original) segment mentioned that two other local clerks had disappeared, one whose body was later recovered. It's too bad for a change that I missed the Spike showing.

The witnesses credibility really ties in to the 45 minute window of time. Deborah's friend found her missing at the store when he re-visited (by his own account) at 3:50 AM, and Deborah was known to have waited on customers until at least 3:05 AM (which was after the friend left).

You have to wonder about Megadeth man's apparent casualness at ringing a customer's purchases up, when (if he's simply an innocent passerby or figures to steal a few things) he has no clue where the clerk is. For all he knows she could be outside or be coming back in three minutes. Poe's work smock is laying around, her car is outside -- so at the least he decides to steal stuff or look through the register, then has to pretend to be the clerk when another customer walks in.

[yellowVWchase]

Or just a attention seeking girl. If I remember correctly it was only one witness to the Megadeth guy. Maybe she was a fan of Megadeth and wanted to show it this way...

I don't know about this - supposing this witness was a Megadeth fan and decided to lie to the police about seeing this guy there, just for kicks. I'd doubt she'd come up with that whole story about him not knowing where the cigarettes were and ringing her up for her purchase and all that - it's too elaborate a scheme/story to concoct. I'm inclined to believe it was true, and not some rabid fan causing shenanigans in an investigation...

I wonder if they checked the register receipts to see if a pack of cigarettes was rung up about that time...

[Steve W.]

I'm sorry about not remembering the details better on the update. I had a friend over and wasn't paying as good of attention as I would have been had I been watching it by myself. Hopefully they will re-air that segment soon or maybe there's more info. about it (Deborah Poe, etc.) somewhere online.

[crystaldawn]

Can anyone else validate this? I do not remember them saying that an arrest had been made, but if so, that would be a huge breakthrough in this case.

The only thing I heard them say was a friend of hers was named as a suspect in her case. Anyone know the name of her friend who was interviewed in the segment? I had thought of seeing if she was on Facebook and sending her a message. I think she would be willing to talk about her friend's case if she were directed here.

[soilentgreen]

Crystaldawn, the friend who was interviewed on UM is Lori Tillman.

I'm sorry about not remembering the details better on the update. I had a friend over and wasn't paying as good of attention as I would have been had I been watching it by myself. Hopefully they will re-air that segment soon or maybe there's more info. about it (Deborah Poe, etc.) somewhere online.

Google Deborah Poe on youtube. Apparently someone has made a documentary (Missing Person: Deborah Poe) about Poe's disappearance that mentions the search dog tracing her scent near her residence and a business. That led the police to believe that she got into a car before she vanished. Interestingly enough, there's no mention of Megadeth man.

The documentary claims that the police have long suspected that Poe's remains were near the Chapel Hill Baptist church, which isn't far from the convenience store. The documentary also mentions that Poe's last boyfriend, Scott Iaggi, lived across the street from the church.

Below is a 1990 Orlando Sentinel article about the case, with Scott Iaggi interviewed. (It mentions, among other things, that a naked guy harassed Poe at the convenience store two weeks prior to her disappearance.)

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-02-06/news/9002062920_1_poe-boyfriend-aunt

More articles from the Orlando Sentinel on Poe:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/deborah-poe

[mwcarolina]

They said that the Megadeth guy was just a customer..WTF? I wouldn't ring somebody up if the clerk was gone!
i HIGHLY doubt that the Megadeth guy was JUST a customer or even a shoplifter. IF he was a customer, why's he ringing up other customers?? i think the witness is also correct (i am sure the police checked the story). i think the Megadeth man is either, A) the "suspect" that we are discussing and they finally found him and found out he's a friend or B) a guy who was robbing the store, but found out that the store was easier to rob and was trying to steal the money, but then a customer came in and he decided to add some money to the money he's stealing.

[Steve W.]

"i think the witness is also correct (i am sure the police checked the story). i think the Megadeth man is either, A) the "suspect" that we are discussing and they finally found him and found out he's a friend or"

I don't think the "Megadeth t-shirt guy" is the suspect in the update. The suspect in the update, from his photo, was probably in his 50's, mid or late-40's at the absolute youngest. Even though it's been about 20 years since this happened, I still don't think that the "Megadeth t-shirt" guy (if he was as young looking as the actor who portrayed him in the original segment) would look as old as this suspect guy looked in the photo. He looked pretty old. I just don't think "Megadeth" would look THAT old, even 20 years later.

[Hambone2421]

"i think the witness is also correct (i am sure the police checked the story). i think the Megadeth man is either, A) the "suspect" that we are discussing and they finally found him and found out he's a friend or"

I don't think the "Megadeth t-shirt guy" is the suspect in the update. The suspect in the update, from his photo, was probably in his 50's, mid or late-40's at the absolute youngest. Even though it's been about 20 years since this happened, I still don't think that the "Megadeth t-shirt" guy (if he was as young looking as the actor who portrayed him in the original segment) would look as old as this suspect guy looked in the photo. He looked pretty old. I just don't think "Megadeth" would look THAT old, even 20 years later.

I dont remember there being a photo shown of the suspect in the update. Was there one?

[MegtheEgg86]

I don't think the "Megadeth t-shirt guy" is the suspect in the update. The suspect in the update, from his photo, was probably in his 50's, mid or late-40's at the absolute youngest. Even though it's been about 20 years since this happened, I still don't think that the "Megadeth t-shirt" guy (if he was as young looking as the actor who portrayed him in the original segment) would look as old as this suspect guy looked in the photo. He looked pretty old. I just don't think "Megadeth" would look THAT old, even 20 years later.

Megadeth was supposed to be 18-25 years old in 1990, so that's actually probably about right.

[soilentgreen]

On the Charley Project, it states that police had a new suspect in March 2002, but refused to divulge his identity. They apparently were focusing on a site near the Chapel Hill Baptist church (this is right across the street from Poe's boyfriend's home).

Also mentioned on CP is that Poe was last seen by this same boyfriend at 1 AM and that another friend saw her in the store at 3AM.

[Steve W.]

I dont remember there being a photo shown of the suspect in the update. Was there one?

Yes, there were photos shown of two different men (at least on the episode I watched about two weeks ago: it was a weeknight/early morning episode) as suspects.


"Megadeth was supposed to be 18-25 years old in 1990, so that's actually probably about right."

Maybe, but this guy (both guys in the photos) looked more like they were in their 50's, IMO. I said mid-to-late 40's at their absolute youngest because, you know, some people look a lot older than they really are.

[Hambone2421]

Yes, there were photos shown of two different men (at least on the episode I watched about two weeks ago: it was a weeknight/early morning episode) as suspects.


"Megadeth was supposed to be 18-25 years old in 1990, so that's actually probably about right."

Maybe, but this guy (both guys in the photos) looked more like they were in their 50's, IMO. I said mid-to-late 40's at their absolute youngest because, you know, some people look a lot older than they really are.


What I mean is were actual photos of suspects shown, not just composite sketches? I just watched this episode two weeks ago on spike and they did not show photos.

[jasonbigley]

This case is part of the reason why I would never want to work at a gas station. Why on earth would they have a lady working alone that time of night? There should be two people atleast working the graveyard shift. Recently, I was across town with a relative of mine a little bit past midnight. We passed the gas station and the lady was all by herself working the graveyard shift. We have been in there before and she has worked alone before. We live in a safe area, but no matter where you live, your not completely safe.

Back to Debrah Poe, I think it is terrible what happened to her. The whole situation is so complex. The friend paying a visit to her that late of night always struck me odd. I remember him saying in the old UM segment that he was there, came back a bit later and she was gone. The MegaDeath guy just adds to the complexity of the story. Also, her smock was neatly folded. If your going to be kidnapped, who would even think about making shure their smock was neatly folded? That would be the least of my worries. Or why would the kidnapper think about making that smock neatly folded a priority? The smock being neatly folded also adds suspense to the story.

[peachysquirt21]

This case is part of the reason why I would never want to work at a gas station. Why on earth would they have a lady working alone that time of night? There should be two people atleast working the graveyard shift. Recently, I was across town with a relative of mine a little bit past midnight. We passed the gas station and the lady was all by herself working the graveyard shift. We have been in there before and she has worked alone before. We live in a safe area, but no matter where you live, your not completely safe.

Back to Debrah Poe, I think it is terrible what happened to her. The whole situation is so complex. The friend paying a visit to her that late of night always struck me odd. I remember him saying in the old UM segment that he was there, came back a bit later and she was gone. The MegaDeath guy just adds to the complexity of the story. Also, her smock was neatly folded. If your going to be kidnapped, who would even think about making shure their smock was neatly folded? That would be the least of my worries. Or why would the kidnapper think about making that smock neatly folded a priority? The smock being neatly folded also adds suspense to the story.

I hear ya... You couldn't pay me enough to work at a convenience store during the graveyard shift. I don't care how desperate I was for money I still would not do it.

[Steve W.]

What I mean is were actual photos of suspects shown, not just composite sketches? I just watched this episode two weeks ago on spike and they did not show photos.

Yes, photos were shown, not composite sketches. That's what I meant previously as well.

[Hambone2421]

Yes, photos were shown, not composite sketches. That's what I meant previously as well.

Wow, that's huge for this case. Does anyone have a link or know where I can view these photos of the suspects? I'm shocked that the new UM wouldn't show them on the update.

[Steve W.]

Wow, that's huge for this case. Does anyone have a link or know where I can view these photos of the suspects? I'm shocked that the new UM wouldn't show them on the update.

Maybe I saw the most updated version of the segment, I dunno, but I saw the suspects' photos in the segment's Update on the Unsolved Mysteries that aired the early morning of Wednesday, June 9th (I believe; either the 2nd or the 9th, but I'm pretty sure it was the 9th) on Spike TV between 3 and 4 AM ET.