6:00 Samantha Runnion Press Conference... Live thread.

[Partisan Hack]

The Sherriff just said that he is 100% certain that Alejandro Avila is the man that kidnapped, raped, and murdered Samantha.

[Shaka]

They spent nearly a half an hour patting each other on the back...hugging each other and self glorifying. Whats up with that? No evidence, no assurances....just back patting...kind of weird. How does America know if this is the guy? Then, the sherrif says..oh, yeah we're %100 sure this is the guy..good nite and God bless all of us who are paid to do our jobs...and then come on national t.v. and congratulate ourselves...how ridiculous...there's a little girl that was just brutally murdered and they're high fiving each other for doing their jobs...stoopid.

[Shermy]

Here's some info I haven't seen before from LA Channel 4

Story

"... Adelina Avila told NBC4 that authorities removed bedding and two pairs of shoes from her apartment Thursday. Authorities also seized Alejandro Avila's car and his mother's white rental car. ...

NBC4's Mary Parks spoke to the apartment manager of the complex where Avila is believed to have lived with his mother and sister. The manager said she noticed a man "lurking" around vehicles in the parking lot Tuesday night. After recognizing Avila, the apartment manager realized that Avila was acting suspiciously around his own car. ...

One of Avila's neighbors told NBC4 that Avila changed the tires on his car earlier this week.

[Partisan Hack]

I just learned that in California, Child molesters are housed in the general population, not given solitary.

The mind reals with possibilities...

[Alissa]

Bump for later read

[BellStar]

My son died around this time in 94. While I'm watching this with all of you I drift back to that time feeling that pain that only those damned to go through the loss of a child can know. Please left these parents up and that poor man that was led to find her too in your prayers for the next year or so.

[I-couldnt-make-this-stuff-up!]

Personally, I am getting fed up with hearing what parents can do to protect their kids, instead of hearing about what is going to be done about keeping all sexual predators off the streets! And I mean even the ones that ATTEMPT an abduction. Why have any tolerance for rape and murder of children ? I just don't get it. This crap about registering sex offenders when they move into a community is CRAP...why are they allowed to live in our communities??????????

[Partisan Hack]

The back patting, hugging and high-fiving was a little weird. I think it was relief on their part more than anything else.

It kind of reminded me of the self-congratulatory celebrations by the FBI after the Unibomber was arrested....He was turned in by his brother for God's sake!

[runningbear]

I posted it on another thread, but here it is again.

NBC4.TV News

and the webpage:"Transcript Of 911 Call Call Placed By Man Who Found Body Of Samantha Runnion
This is a transcript of the 911 call made to authorities shortly after a man identified as "Justin" discovered the murdered body of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion.

NBC4.TV NEWS
It is emotional.

[OldFriend]

Some young girls are reporting that this animal tried to lure them into his car a few weeks ago.

There is no doubt in my mind that the little girl who was the eye witness saved other lives with her observations under such terrible circumstances.

[tall_tex]

I guess mill stones work. I know that a noose works, arround the neck of peoople that harm our young ones. Of course after a trial, by a jury of their piers. How in the world can you find 12 people to sit on a jury that have molested and killed 5 year olds? Piers. Go figure. Hooah!

[uncitizen]

the first 2/3 of the news conference did seem very political.

[tell me]

After the "FBI can't work with the CIA fiasco" related to 9/11, tonight they were trying to show the world that they've changed...they're better now. Americans can trust them again to do their jobs.

[HarryArmpitch]

I couldn't disagree more. It's too quick.

[jimkress]

rape of children ? I just don't get it.

It's just sex. What's the big deal?

< / sarcasm>

[Just another Joe]

I am sure that you will, although I doubt that you will accept it.

Don't bet your bottom dollar on it.
I'm the kind that believes in REASONABLE doubt.
OJ would have been toast if the jury would have been me.

[sweetliberty]

Well, they did say that there was an abundance of physical evidence at the scene.

[OldFriend]

We lived in the town where John List murdered his mother, wife, and his children one by one as they came home from school. Years later he was caught after a sculpture was shown on America's Most Wanted.

Reading about the case something stuck in my mind all these years......the schoolmates of the murdered children became afraid that their dad would murder them too.

The damage done to society by these criminals is long lasting and unforgivable.

[I-couldnt-make-this-stuff-up!]

Totally agree

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I wish they had been successful in time to save Samantha. Speaking from personal experience, even a guilty verdict with the death penalty will not bring closure. I lost a close relative through murder and rape. Though the perpetrator was arrested, tried and convicted, I will never get over the horror of how my cousin died, and the shame I felt that I was incredulous that it could happen in a family in middle class America.

We had a case in St. Louis that has never been solved. A ten year-old girl was taken from her home, driven to a remote location in a game preserve, gang raped, skinned, tied to a tree and allowed to die of exposure, alone in the dark in the woods. She was not a pretty child, her parents were involved in small time drug trafficing and were not an attractive pair. It was 8 years ago at Thanksgiving when Cassidy Senter was taken, tortured and killed and, to this day, not a Thanksgiving goes by that my thoughts aren't with this child.

I guess Samantha's family is lucky to know who did it. In Cassidy's case, I'm not sure I'd use luck to describe it. Even though this little girl was a pudgy, stringy haired, sallow-skinned child, her eyes still had the joy of childhood, and I'll never stop hoping God has a special place on his lap for all these sweet children. Pray for all those who have lost loved ones through such painful circumstances.

[saradippity]

Thankyou so much for that post.As I was listening to the Oscar Award winning performance extolling the wondrfulness of just everyone involved and the cooperation and the swiftness with which everyone coordinated and cooperated I got nauseous.

I don't suppose it ever occurred to any of them that that is what they get paid to do and if they had really been on their toes a report of an abducted child that they received within 4 minutes of the abduction should have led to an apprehension of the suspect before he raped and killed that little girl.

I am ordinarily very supportive of the police and would never have thought to criticize them except after listening to the adulation they bestowed on one another my thoughts started straying and that's when I got mad and started thinking ratiionally,see above.