Hi all, it was my Big Island Chronicle post about the two tents that MiloliiSect linked. Months ago, I went through the warrant requests and affidavits to get clear myself on the two tent or one question. I did a timeline of all the info from the various documents, which I did not post, but I am thinking it could be helpful, as it took me some time to work through all those documents that were posted in reverse chronological order.
I continue to feel great sadness for what both families have gone through and will continue to endure. If I discuss what happened, it is only to talk about facts that we have to work with, and the only point of all this is that the truth has value to the families and to the community -- and community includes everyone in every place who has been touched by the tragedy.
I do think some details found in the original warrants raise questions now that Bo has been found too.
The Rope/Clothesline and blood found in search were at the excluded campsite
The rope that was found in a tent, that appeared to match the marks on her neck, which the detective had personally seen, the clothesline that was severed and hanging loose, the apparently bloody clothes on the other clothesline, and the blood on the outside of the tent -- were ALL on the first tent, at the campsite that was searched first and later excluded.
No blood is mentioned in the affidavit about the preliminary scouting of the Bo and Brittany campsite. There were tissue scrapings and her hair that were on the lava where she was dragged to the cliff. Those marks start about 100 yards south of the tent, not at the tent. If any blood was found in the formal search, we do not have public records of that search.
There is no suspicious clothesline or rope listed in the warrant for the correct campsite. So ... how is it that there is suspicious rope that appears to match the strangulation marks, and now seems similar to what is hanging Bo, at this other campsite -- and yet this other campsite is of no further interest to the police. I donÔt get it.
In any case, we the public are not privy to what the police think was the source of the rope used in the murder and the alleged suicide. They used the rope at the first site as probable cause for that warrant, so in keeping with that, they would have mentioned any suspicious rope in the warrant request for the second site, no?
Instead, the warrant requests asks that the scope of search include looking for "any materials that can be used as a ligature." In other words, there was no such material already in plain sight at the Brittany & Bo campsite.
Perhaps they found the rope when conducting the warranted search, and the evidence is in the GJ proceedings; all I can look at is the information released in the warrant requests, stating what they found on their first survey of the scene.
Location of the two tents
The first tent was found by helicopter search and was near where BrittanyÔs body was found in the ocean. (Later they realized it had drifted.) That tent was far enough from the Johnson-Royal campsite that the aerial searchers described it as not near any other campsites. The second and correct tent was found with the help of Ed Elarth and was ten minutes walk from the County viewing area from the description of the search.
Sites where BoÔs belongings were found in relation to his body
The correct campsite is described as a cleared out area within a forested area (kipuka). That is where BoÔs belongings were found, a short walk from the tent, as officers canvassed the site for possible evidence.
In the press conference, Tavares says that Bo was found in a kipuka more than a mile mauka of the campsite. It sounds to me like BoÔs belonging were found quite a distance from the hanging site.
Odd detail that BoÔs personal effects were not with him at the end
The backpack, cell phone, knife and ID were found at 11:30 AM on May 30th, two days after Brittany was found. At the press conference, the date of the suicide note was not revealed, but Tavares said he believed Bo hung himself within a couple days of Brittany being found. That would imply they found his ID, phone, knife, backpack the same day they believe he hanged himself mauka of the campsite.
Is it not odd that his belongings were in one forested area but that he went and hanged himself shortly thereafter in another area over a mile away. I know a person in that state of mind isnÔt necessarily rational, but even so, why not just drop the backpack and stuff next to the spot where you do the deed?
If you have a knife with a five inch blade, and you are an outdoorsman who plans to hang yourself from a tree, why would you drop the knife on the ground before you hike off to the place you have in mind? I mean, most guys I know would keep the knife in case it came in handy to carry out the plan, cut the rope again, whatever ...
IIRC from one time through the press conference, Tavares said that no personal effects were found with him other than the composition book. Again, if you plan to hang yourself from a tree, do you really just precut the rope and assume it will work out perfectly? He was by all accounts a smart and savvy young man.
Tavares said there was no evidence that Bo made a second campsite or was surviving in the kipuka where they found his body. He said they think he was in the Kalapana area for those two days.
Photo police originally released of Bo
Re the photo someone mentioned where Bo looked kind of ragged, that has already been clarified to be the Alaska State ID photo. I have seen several DriverÔs License photos where perfectly nice people look like they could be serial killers.
Location of the murder site relevant to the undisturbed tent
The evidence of the hair and tissue drag marks seems to indicate that Brittany was killed about 100 yards away from the tent (location to the south per the affidavit and north per the press conference), on lava covered ground. Theoretically she could have been carried to that point and then dragged, but that makes no real sense. If you can carry her that far, you can carry her the whole way and not leave evidence all over the groung. 100 yards is the length of an American football field minus the end zones, a fair distance.
Whoever did this, did not use his hands to strangle her, rather used rope. They werenÔt in the tent where he could grab something at hand in a state of rage. HPD has described the tent scene as having no indication of a struggle or dispute.
If the murder is committed a football field away from the tent, then the strangler had to form that intent and acquire rope in advance, and had to take the rope to this spot on the lava, or maybe followed her with rope in hand as she tried to get away, or marched her away from the tent, or ... well think about the possible scenarios.
I donÔt think this works very well with a crime that starts as a domestic quarrel, but there are different ways to imagine it. Either way, there has to be a certain amount of intent involved, as the chances that a rope was lying around on the bare lava at that distance from the tent are pretty slim.
The composition book
We donÔt know if it was in a bag or not. We donÔt know how or if the police dated the writing beyond the signed date. The police did not mention a ziplock. That is something I hope they clarify. It is too bad that the question did not get asked at the press conference. There was certainly an opportunity for Tavares to describe the note as written in a bagged composition book, but he did not. OTOH, he was giving minimal information.
I wish the authorities would release the details about the note. I donÔt see any reason that serves the public. It is important to give the families the news first, but seriously, releasing the details now instead of months from now cannot hurt an investigation that has firmly concluded the true perpetrator is dead, that no other persons were involved, and that will never go to trial. At this point, all I see is they are foreclosing the ability of anyone to properly question their findings.
Just some thoughts. I appreciate all the thought you guys have put into this case, whether or not I am on the same page. If I misread anything or got a detail wrong, please tell me so that I can correct my mistake.
[
] It is sad that this event occurred at Kalapana, but if you believe everything happens for a reason, that too was for some purpose.
