Somer Renee Thompson #1 10/19/09 - 10/29/09

[Brandi]

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/special/somer/news-article.aspx?storyid=147069&catid=338
Officials Focus on House Near School in Somer Investigation
 Ann Butler  Dave Wax     Created: 10/22/2009 4:35:15 PM    Updated: 10/22/2009 4:55:16 PM

ORANGE PARK, FL -- A house on Gano Avenue is being investigated right now by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement because the sidewalk outside the home is the last place anyone saw Somer Thompson alive.

There was a fire at the house at 1080 Gano, and it has been vacant ever since, said Mary Justino, the public information officer for the Clay County Sheriff's Office, at an afternoon news conference.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has a mobile lab parked outside the home and is investigating.

Justino also said police are calling the death of the 7-year-old who disappeared Monday a homicide, but have not made any arrests in the case.

About 50 police are working the Thompson case, with several deputies and agents at the Georgia landfill where the body of the first grader was found Wednesday.

So far, Justino said, police have received 651 leads; 239 of those have been checked out and closed.

Nine trucks of trash from the neighborhood where Somer vanished have been dumped at the Chesser Island landfill in Folkston, Ga. Each carries 25 tons of garbage.

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler confirmed Thursday morning that the body found was that of first-grader Somer Thompson.

At a 7:15 a.m. news conference, Beseler said they were able to make a positive identification from the birthmark on the lower extremity of the child, along with some clothing items that she was wearing.

After positively identifying the body, Beseler called Somer's mom, Diena Thompson.

"She was absolutely devastated," Beseler said. "It was the hardest phone call that I've ever had to make in my life."

Investigators removed the body early Thursday around 2 a.m. The sheriff's office said the GBI and FBI are in charge of sifting through the surrounding garbage at the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston to see if they can find any other clues.

"This early discovery is going to be tremendously helpful in our investigation," said the sheriff. "And I am very confident that we are going to have a positive outcome and find the person or people who are responsible for the death of this beautiful child."

Beseler also said that if they had not found the body as quickly as they had, it could have been buried under hundreds of tons of garbage and never found.

An autopsy, scheduled for today at the Medical Examiner's office in Savannah, should help determine a cause and manner of death. It still is an active crime scene, but it's unknown how long it will take to sift through all the garbage from Clay County.

The sheriff said the office still needs the community to call with tips and leads as they search for the suspects.

"There is a child killer on the loose, and that's why we're going to catch this person and bring them to justice."

[SloSthrnStyle]

Heya Monkee's,

On the subject of letting children walk to school, or run around the neighborhood, we as parents can do something.
When you take your children to school, and you notice someone new with children, strike up a conversation with them, find out who they are.
Reason I say this, is, observing parents notice someone they didnt know, 2 different times, taking children (who they knew) into schools.  They got the needed info and looked them up in the sex offender registry and we have had arrest's because they were on the list. One of them had already been arrested again for being in the home of children.
These women didnt care enough to look someone up, or find out about them, before they let the men in their homes. 
Thanks to observing parents, disaster has been diverted, for those children, their own, and those in the elementary schools.
Lesson is, ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE offenders are lurking. We have an obligation as adults to question everything when it comes to our neighborhood children.

Bumping this up...This is worth a repeat....We have to network to protect our kids, in our homes, neighborhoods and in our schools.

[EverySunset]

I am so sick right now.

Somer,
I am so sorry for what happened to you. I hope you are at peace and peace be with your family.
 

[no rose colored glasses]

Heya Monkee's,

On the subject of letting children walk to school, or run around the neighborhood, we as parents can do something.
When you take your children to school, and you notice someone new with children, strike up a conversation with them, find out who they are.
Reason I say this, is, observing parents notice someone they didnt know, 2 different times, taking children (who they knew) into schools.  They got the needed info and looked them up in the sex offender registry and we have had arrest's because they were on the list. One of them had already been arrested again for being in the home of children.
These women didnt care enough to look someone up, or find out about them, before they let the men in their homes. 
Thanks to observing parents, disaster has been diverted, for those children, their own, and those in the elementary schools.
Lesson is, ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE offenders are lurking. We have an obligation as adults to question everything when it comes to our neighborhood children.

Bumping this up...This is worth a repeat....We have to network to protect our kids, in our homes, neighborhoods and in our schools.

Thanks, I totally agree with you 

[ScareyCarrie]

My notes from Diena's news conference:

Diena thanked everybody who looked for her baby. She said she will not sleep until the person who took her is caught.

She knew about the fire and the abandoned house.

Apparently she has been told more info that she is not allowed to say. She did say that she wants this sick person to pay for what he did.

Pleading for help in finding the person who did this.

She feels confident he will be found. When asked what she would say to the person: "Watch out, we're coming. We are going to get you."

I am amazed at her composure. My guess is she is in shock still. I do hope she gets counseling now.

She does not know COD or when she will be able to bring her back to Florida.

It is still going on. HLN is covering it.

Thanks Brandi, you rock!!! 

[Brandi]

http://www.wesh.com/video/21395508/index.html

Sheriff official talks about somer (from 4 PM presser, I believe)

[Brandi]

http://www.wesh.com/video/21396177/index.html

Diena Thompson, Somer's mother's news conference above.

[cw618]

from looking at the S.O. of that hood, i found that a lot of the
S.O. own several Vehicles
WTH, why do you need 7 Vehicles,i have my suspicions why
and im sure many of you will, come to the same conclusion to why

GARY ALBERT CRUISE
if you go here
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/Search.jsp

click neighborhood
needs an addy i used... 1089 gano
needs a zip......32073
radius...1 mile
after search, see on the results pg click on, view flyer link
at the bottom of the flyer is info about the victim
sex /sometimes not always, cruise victim was a boy
if the victim was a minor
below that info is a link to,...  Vehicle and Vessel Information
cruise owns,...7 autos and 3 types of TRAILER one is a boat TRAILER

hope these links work
Vehicle and Vessel Information
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyerVehicleVesselInfo.do?personId=66005

flyer
http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/flyer.do?personId=66005

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/10/this_is_why_my_kids_cant_walk_to_school_somer_thompson.php
THIS Is Why My Kids Can't Walk to School
Thursday, October 22, 2009
filed under: family

Somer Thompson's death gives one mom a wake-up call.
florida girl somer thompson missing

MyFoxTampaBay.com

Momlogic's Julie: Last month, the New York Times ran a piece called "Why Can't She Walk to School?"

I'd like to answer that question now. Why can't my kids walk to school? Somer Thompson is the reason why. There are just too many evil, crazy people out there, and her murder is proof of that.

115 children are kidnapped by strangers each year, according to federal statistics. There are 73.7 million children in the U.S. YES, I realize that the odds are slim that the worst could happen. But tell that to Diena Thompson, Somer's mom. The odds were just as slim for her, and it happened.

It happened. And now her child is dead.

The New York Times article said that only 13 percent of kids walk or bike to school these days because parents are so anxious that something awful could happen. I'm definitely one of those paranoid parents, and Somer's heartbreaking case only makes me more vigilant.

Yes, I know my kids are much more likely to get into a car wreck on the way to school than be abducted while walking home. I get it. But Somer didn't die in a car crash. She died after being abducted, while walking home from school. And, as a parent, that is something I believe you could never get over -- never in a million years.

The child killer who did this to Somer didn't just kill that little girl ... he killed her whole family. Her mother. Her twin brother. Her other siblings. Her wheelchair-bound dad. Those people who loved Somer most will never be the same. This animal on the loose took away their innocence and life as they know it. He took away their Somer -- snuffed out her bright young life and threw her in a landfill like yesterday's trash.

So when you ask me why I won't let my kids walk to school ... THIS is why. Somer is why.

Call me paranoid all you want. But letting my kids walk alone is just not a risk I'm willing to take.

Read more: http://www.momlogic.com/2009/10/this_is_why_my_kids_cant_walk_to_school_somer_thompson.php#ixzz0UhoJDFOZ

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/10/22/is_it_somer.html
 Sheriff Fears For Community, ‘Child Killer On The Loose’
Thursday, October 22, 2009 6:20:01 PM
ORANGE PARK -- A medical examiner has positively identified a body found in a Georgia landfill Wednesday as Somer Thompson, a 7-year-old North Florida girl missing since Monday.

According Mary Justino, a spokeswoman from the Clay County Sheriff's Office, the body was identified through dental records.
Early Thursday, Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler said they had tentatively identified the body based on clothing and a birthmark that matched the girl’s.

Thompson was last seen near a home at 1080 Gano Ave. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has set up a forensic mobile unit at the home, which is vacant, and will process it for evidence related in the case.

The home is approximately 500 to 600 yards away from the girl's school.

"I know about the house. I know about the fire. I didn't know that they were investigating it. I don't know really much more than what y'all know," said Diena Thompson, Somer's mother.

Justino said they still believe Thompson's death is a homicide. The details of the girl's death have not been released.

There are no suspects or persons of interest in this case yet.

"She doesn't know a stranger," Diena said.
Somer's partially covered body was found in a landfill in Folkston, Ga., just over the Florida state line, after investigators followed garbage trucks leaving from the neighborhood where the child disappeared.

Folkston is about 55 miles from Orange Park, where Somer’s family lives. (View Map)
http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Folkston,+GA&geocode=;Fa5v1gEdEqEc-w&dirflg=&saddr=Orange+Park,+FL&f=d&gl=us&sll=30.802013,-81.978607&sspn=0.813904,1.234589&ie=UTF8&ll=30.498384,-81.855011&spn=1.6329,2.469177&z=9

An FBI forensic unit is helping process evidence from the landfill.

No funeral arrangements have been made at this time. The family is expected to meet with funeral homes Friday.

Somer was last seen alive Monday, when she vanished after walking ahead of her siblings during their walk home from Grove Park Elementary School.

At a news conference Thursday morning, Beseler said he still fears for the community until a suspect is apprehended. He would not talk about what evidence police have recovered, or whether investigators believe the crime was committed by one or more people.

Though details on the nature of Somer’s death or a possible suspect have not been released, a quick search on the FDLE’s Web site showed 161 registered sex offenders living within a 5-mile radius of Somer’s home. (View Map)
http://www.cfnews13.com/uploadedImages/Stories/Local/fdlesomermap1.jpg

[Brandi]

I have a question. I don't know what importance this may have to this case, if any. But I wonder why this was not NEWS. Why I have not seen anything about it reported.

We know the Thompson home is at 1706 Horton Drive.

Who was robbed at this address yesterday? Or were these four just arrested at that address for a robbery at another time? I am just trying to make sense of this.

Has anyone read or heard anything about this?

I am just wondering what it was all about.




http://p2c.claysheriff.com/dailybulletin.aspx

[no rose colored glasses]

That is new to me Brandi, I have no idea. I was thinking about that abandoned house, could be that a homeless person, or a SO was squatting there and saw Somer and took the opportunity.

[crazybabyborg]

Hi Monkeys! I just got in from work and need to go catch up, but know we are all remembering Somer. May that poor baby rest in peace.

[Brandi]

That is new to me Brandi, I have no idea. I was thinking about that abandoned house, could be that a homeless person, or a SO was squatting there and saw Somer and took the opportunity.

Thanks, no rose.

It's very possible that an SO or homeless person was squatting there and did just that.

I have searched and searched maps to try to find the house. I am GUESSING this one is it.



I haven't seen any good pictures of it yet reported in the media.

[no rose colored glasses]

Beautiful pic CBB    Brandi I believe you have the right house, I also saw that on WS. I'm really curious now about the robbery at their house, how very strange.

[Fanny Mae]

I have a question. I don't know what importance this may have to this case, if any. But I wonder why this was not NEWS. Why I have not seen anything about it reported.

We know the Thompson home is at 1706 Horton Drive.

Who was robbed at this address yesterday? Or were these four just arrested at that address for a robbery at another time? I am just trying to make sense of this.

Has anyone read or heard anything about this?

I am just wondering what it was all about.




http://p2c.claysheriff.com/dailybulletin.aspx

Wow! Just wow!   

This is not making any sense........

[Fanny Mae]

Hi Monkeys! I just got in from work and need to go catch up, but know we are all remembering Somer. May that poor baby rest in peace.

Thank you so much CBB. 

[Brandi]

I just heard the Sheriff's official who spoke this afternoon at 4 say that the house fire was a "few months ago."

JVM is covering the case right now.

[Brandi]

<snipped>
Clay County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Mary Justino said that Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime scene investigators were processing a vacant, burned out home on Gano Avenue where witnesses last saw Somer.

The house is about 500 yards from Grove Park Elementary School and not far from where Somer ran off from her twin brother and older sister about 2:45 p.m. on Monday.

"Since is is the last known area where Somer was scene, we have obtained permission from the homeowner to go in and process it," Justino said.

Investigators also searched for evidence in a public restroom at the Orange Park Athletic Association across the street from the house.
<snipped>
http://www.news4jax.com/news/21389523/detail.html

[trimmonthelake]

I have a question. I don't know what importance this may have to this case, if any. But I wonder why this was not NEWS. Why I have not seen anything about it reported.

We know the Thompson home is at 1706 Horton Drive.

Who was robbed at this address yesterday? Or were these four just arrested at that address for a robbery at another time? I am just trying to make sense of this.

Has anyone read or heard anything about this?

I am just wondering what it was all about.




http://p2c.claysheriff.com/dailybulletin.aspx

Wow! Just wow!   

This is not making any sense........

Wow.