Why Didn't UM Cover the "Springfield 3?"

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by Melanie85

I'm curious as to how so many people believe the women are buried under the concrete. I wonder how/where the rumor originated from and why so many people believe it's the truth.

An investigative journalist said she has had several calls from different witnesses not connected to each other that have said to "look under the concrete." She assumes it's people who have heard something through the grapevine but didn't actually witness the deaths. It is known that the parking garage was being built at the time of the disappearances. People have suggested that some of the construction workers were rather shady people as there was reported drug activity going on there. IIRC, the parking garage is very near the house from where the women went missing and it's possible one of the workers had "a thing" for one of them because he could probably see them in the neighborhood on a day to day basis.

I still think Cox is the best suspect. Just my opinion. We know he is a killer and used to work with one of the victim's father.

If their bodies were buried there before the parking deck was built, you would think they would have recovered the bodies once they began construction.

Again, the parking deck was being built during the time they went missing. It is likely that the construction workers there would know the ins and outs of the site and would be able to manage burying them under the cement. I agree it is not the most likely scenario, but considering the site was so close to the home and was under construction and that very time, I think it is a lead to be looked into. Also, keep in mind that construction projects do tend to bring in migrants with no roots in a specific area. So, it could potentially lead to a scenario of them being able to "fly under the radar" fairly easily.

But again, I think Cox is the most likely perp. Actually, I think both scenarios could be true actually: It's possible Cox used the construction site in some manner as a burial site.

[Cursiorandcursior]

I have long advocated and argued that Cox was the best suspect but I am coming around to the view that Gerald Carnahan could have ordered this hit up as he had the financial ability to carry out such a hit on the behalf of acquaintances. He is now in prison for life on the Jackie Johns murder from 1985. Only last year was he brought to justice. Cox could have been in his employ. This Garrison business is also quite unusual as well. He is in prison until he is 109 years old. Cox will never see the light of day either and neither will Carnahan. Both Cox and Garrison have clammed up. The grave robbers remain free as of this writing. I believe their current status is that of "persons of interest."

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by Cursiorandcursior

I have long advocated and argued that Cox was the best suspect but I am coming around to the view that Gerald Carnahan could have ordered this hit up as he had the financial ability to carry out such a hit on the behalf of acquaintances. He is now in prison for life on the Jackie Johns murder from 1985. Only last year was he brought to justice. Cox could have been in his employ. This Garrison business is also quite unusual as well. He is in prison until he is 109 years old. Cox will never see the light of day either and neither will Carnahan. Both Cox and Garrison have clammed up. The grave robbers remain free as of this writing. I believe their current status is that of "persons of interest."

Who are these Carnahan and Garrison characters?

[Melanie85]

Anybody know if the Springfield police plan to excavate the parking deck anytime soon? It was implied at the end of the Disappeared show that the police were interested in doing so (as of December 2010).

[TheCars1986]

As to the question of this being featured on UM, I am almost 100% positive that I saw this case. I definitely did not see this on the "Disappeared" show (good show, BTW) and I remember seeing it on one of the Lifetime reruns. I seem to recall it being one of the "newer" segments, possibly from the 2000's, or the season before like the late 90's (the same season that featured Tommy Zeigler, Phillip Kramer, and Katherine Korzilius). It wasn't a special alert, it was an actual segment. Wish I could give you more specific details, but this was all I remember.

[Cursiorandcursior]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

Who are these Carnahan and Garrison characters?

Carnahan is a convicted murderer who brutally murdered a young woman in 1985 and only last year got life in prison. It's a long story but he is suspected in other crimes throughout the Ozarks. Many people believed he was involved from the outset. Garrison is a convicted rapist and was widely suspected by the police back in the early 1990s. He was supposed to take them to the remains but couldn't or wouldn't deliver. There was some very unusual activities at his trial where his attorney and family were threatened by a biker type who is unidentified. He will be eligible for parole when he is 109 years old. Carnahan got two life terms and Cox is theoretically eligible in 2025 but has some federal charges hanging over his head. It is unlikely any will see the outside of prison. Cox and Garrison may be connected but have clammed up. I've not heard if Carnahan has said anything about this crime.

This is a thumbnail sketch of these guys. There is much, much more that would be too long to put into one post.

[asmitty]

I, too, saw the Disappeared episode on this the other night. I do not ever remember seeing this on UM but have been interested in the case for several years. My grandparents and an aunt and uncle all live in the Springfield area (grandparents actually live in Nixa where the victim of the crime Carnahan was convicted of was from).

I know that it seems obvious to dig up the parking garage to put to rest the question of whether the three women are there, but you have to realize you're dealing with the bureaucracy and convincing them to spend the money to have this done. It's just not as simple as saying, "go dig up the parking garage." Also, the analyst who was hired, was hired by someone who is certain about this location. Unfortunately, it seems all too often that paid "experts" give the opinion that the hirer wants. Look at the differing opinions in psychiatric testimony between the defense and prosecution in cases where the accused person's mental state is called into question. However, the Disappeared episode did make it seem as if the police have a renewed interest in that location, so here's hoping that something happens soon.

[Cursiorandcursior]

I can confirm this was featured on Unsolved Mysteries. I used to have it on tape.

[Kyte]

I wondered about this too...

[WishfulDreamer]

What do you guys think about the obscene phone call? Connected or just a coincidence?

[Cursiorandcursior]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

What do you guys think about the obscene phone call? Connected or just a coincidence?

Connected. I view them more as a ploy to discover when the crime scene was discovered than legitimate. After all, the perp(s) left four things undone in the haste to leave. 1) The television was left on, 2) The purses with substantial money was left behind, 3) The door was unlocked, 4) The porch globe was shattered which is when I believe in the haste to leave the other things were not attended to.

It would have been much more in the perp(s) benefits to have taken care of all four which would have delayed discovery of the crime scene. There was no other way into the home short of a key and the police wouldn't have been unduly concerned as they could have left with someone else to go whereever they wished. Had Janelle entered the home immediately in the morning, which was possible it could have immediately set off alarm bells that something was terribly wrong.

[UnsolvedMFanatic]

Hahaha....so I too just finished watching the Disappeared episode. I too thought, and then even said out loud (to nobody), "why did UM not feature this case? Right time frame, right type of case. I wonder why they didn't?" I too went to do a search on updates, or if they ever ripped up the parking garage (like they should have). I too read "case was featured on Unsolved Mysteries". I sat straight up and "wait what?!" "Can that be possible?!" "There's no way I could have missed this, and not seen the segment.....is there?!" "No, no....it cannot be possible, it can't! I've seen them ALL 4 billion times, all of them!"

Then I saw this thread and my heart resumed normal rhythms. I knew that this was something I could have missed. I watch ID channel everyday, almost all day. I've cut back on my Unsolved Mysteries watching to about an hour, sometimes two, a day, because of the lack of segments/episodes to watch online as of the past year or so, and I've had "the ultimate collection" for quite a few years now, and have watched all of them 3 trillion times. So, needless to say, I see a ****-ton of ID shows on a daily basis. I'm always seeing cases on different shows on ID, that were covered on UM. I recognize them instantly. Selfishly, I feel offended that these shows "steal" these cases from UM, even though they do not "belong" to UM, and getting these cases out there, in any venue, could help solve unsolved cases, and spread the word about others that have resolutions, I'm just very protective of my UM. I try hard to remember this fact, but I still get irked when I see cases that were featured on UM, on different shows on ID channel. (Though, I've always wondered why ID hasn't picked up UM, I mean, they show many of the same episodes of the same shows over, and over and over again on that channel, why not grab some seasons of UM and start showing them?)

I remember no "special alert" segment on this. And I', just as familiar with "special alert" segments as all the regular segments. In fact, a "special alert" segment on UM, that briefly mentioned a couple of kidnapping cases, was how I became aware of the Christopher Abeyta case, and have over the years followed the case closely, and became a "Facebook friend" of his families FB page devoted to finding him.

So I'm all but positive that this was never, ever featured on UM. I think that sometimes, UM, and "Americas Most Wanted" (a show I never liked for some reason), get intertwined in some peoples minds. Casual watchers of both shows.

Ok, I feel better now. I'm done rambling

[NellieBlyArmy]

"Air Alex" has virtually devoted its entire website to this case.

What's "Air Alex"? I found a model airplane site of that name, but I'm guessing that's not it.