Post by: Nick1911 on January 21, 2007, 06:11:09 AM
Quote
Search yields nothing; exhaustion sets in
By SOPHIA VORAVONG
svoravong@journalandcourier.com
(By Michael Heinz/Journal & Courier)
Dale Steffey woke up at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, full of adrenaline and ready to search the Purdue University campus for a cell phone that authorities believe belongs to his missing son.
Twelve hours later, he appeared weary, yet he tried to stay optimistic -- though an extensive hunt by hundreds of volunteers in the afternoon turned up nothing.
"We are running out of steam now," Steffey said, referring to himself and his wife, Dawn Adams. "We're looking for the phone specifically. ... But the two are not necessarily together."
The Bloomington couple's only son, 19-year-old freshman Wade Steffey, went missing shortly after midnight Jan. 13, seemingly without a trace.
The corner of Tower Drive and North Intramural Drive, where he was last seen, is heavily traveled by both foot and car traffic at that hour.
"We need help. We need more avenues to investigate," Adams said, pleading with anyone out that night to call police -- even with details that may seem irrelevant.
"I'm at a loss. I have no idea what the scenario was for his disappearance," Adams said.
The Purdue University Police Department, which is leading the investigation, also wants to speak to anyone who was out between midnight and 3 a.m. Jan. 13 on the north end of campus.
Hundreds lend support
Nearly 300 people showed up to a student-organized vigil Saturday afternoon at Purdue's bell tower, praying for Wade Steffey's safe return. Among them were Purdue University President Martin Jischke and his wife, Patty.
Originally planned to last more than an hour, the vigil instead was cut to just a few minutes so those in attendance could help with the cell phone search.
Investigators hoped that finding the phone would give clues as to Steffey's whereabouts.
"He is a freshman like me," Purdue student Megan Lewis said. "I personally don't know him, but I feel a connection to him because of that.
"I feel it is an obligation and a responsibility to help search for him."
Investigators learned Friday that Steffey's Verizon-serviced cell phone had transmitted a signal until Jan. 17 from a triangular area roughly bounded by Russell Street, State Street and Northwestern Avenue.
They learned that the phone "pinged" at a cell phone tower Jan. 12 from an area that includes Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, where the aviation technology major was attending a party with friends.
The signal then shifted to the location where volunteers searched Saturday.
That included much of the academic campus, Ross-Ade Stadium, Mackey Arena, a construction site and Cary Quadrangle residence hall, where Steffey lived.
Volunteers dragged through trash receptacles and peered in and under bushes in Saturday's chilly weather, looking for Steffey's silver, flip-style phone.
University spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg said the search turned up some shoes, socks and cell phone parts -- but nothing definitely linked to Steffey, a National Merit scholar at Purdue on a full-ride scholarship.
His parents, meanwhile, have not ruled out any accidental possibilities for his disappearance, though they appear to suspect foul play.
Steffey's good friend, Megan Priest, attended the fraternity party with him and said he didn't appear impaired "in the least."
He did not have a car on campus or access to one.
"I know that he is not under his own control," Adams said of her son, both a track and cross country runner at Bloomington South High School and an Eagle Scout.
Added Dale Steffey, tears welling in his eyes: "It's hard to believe that someone can just disappear like this."
By SOPHIA VORAVONG
svoravong@journalandcourier.com
(By Michael Heinz/Journal & Courier)
Dale Steffey woke up at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, full of adrenaline and ready to search the Purdue University campus for a cell phone that authorities believe belongs to his missing son.
Twelve hours later, he appeared weary, yet he tried to stay optimistic -- though an extensive hunt by hundreds of volunteers in the afternoon turned up nothing.
"We are running out of steam now," Steffey said, referring to himself and his wife, Dawn Adams. "We're looking for the phone specifically. ... But the two are not necessarily together."
The Bloomington couple's only son, 19-year-old freshman Wade Steffey, went missing shortly after midnight Jan. 13, seemingly without a trace.
The corner of Tower Drive and North Intramural Drive, where he was last seen, is heavily traveled by both foot and car traffic at that hour.
"We need help. We need more avenues to investigate," Adams said, pleading with anyone out that night to call police -- even with details that may seem irrelevant.
"I'm at a loss. I have no idea what the scenario was for his disappearance," Adams said.
The Purdue University Police Department, which is leading the investigation, also wants to speak to anyone who was out between midnight and 3 a.m. Jan. 13 on the north end of campus.
Hundreds lend support
Nearly 300 people showed up to a student-organized vigil Saturday afternoon at Purdue's bell tower, praying for Wade Steffey's safe return. Among them were Purdue University President Martin Jischke and his wife, Patty.
Originally planned to last more than an hour, the vigil instead was cut to just a few minutes so those in attendance could help with the cell phone search.
Investigators hoped that finding the phone would give clues as to Steffey's whereabouts.
"He is a freshman like me," Purdue student Megan Lewis said. "I personally don't know him, but I feel a connection to him because of that.
"I feel it is an obligation and a responsibility to help search for him."
Investigators learned Friday that Steffey's Verizon-serviced cell phone had transmitted a signal until Jan. 17 from a triangular area roughly bounded by Russell Street, State Street and Northwestern Avenue.
They learned that the phone "pinged" at a cell phone tower Jan. 12 from an area that includes Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, where the aviation technology major was attending a party with friends.
The signal then shifted to the location where volunteers searched Saturday.
That included much of the academic campus, Ross-Ade Stadium, Mackey Arena, a construction site and Cary Quadrangle residence hall, where Steffey lived.
Volunteers dragged through trash receptacles and peered in and under bushes in Saturday's chilly weather, looking for Steffey's silver, flip-style phone.
University spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg said the search turned up some shoes, socks and cell phone parts -- but nothing definitely linked to Steffey, a National Merit scholar at Purdue on a full-ride scholarship.
His parents, meanwhile, have not ruled out any accidental possibilities for his disappearance, though they appear to suspect foul play.
Steffey's good friend, Megan Priest, attended the fraternity party with him and said he didn't appear impaired "in the least."
He did not have a car on campus or access to one.
"I know that he is not under his own control," Adams said of her son, both a track and cross country runner at Bloomington South High School and an Eagle Scout.
Added Dale Steffey, tears welling in his eyes: "It's hard to believe that someone can just disappear like this."
This situation is really weird - I really wonder what happened to the poor guy. I helped search, but it's really not looking good, and the police are at a loss for ideas. It amazes me that someone can disappear in this day and age.
Post by: Lee on January 21, 2007, 06:32:35 AM
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 21, 2007, 07:03:27 AM
gay serial killers
Oh, murder is such grand fun! It's faaaabulous!
Post by: Lee on January 21, 2007, 09:03:30 AM
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 09:56:29 AM
Honor student, athlete, engineering major, born and raised 2 hours from West Lafayette, he doesn't seem to be the kind that would take off for Vegas or NYC. Unlike some who did road trips in undergard.
Nick, it is not that unusual for people to disappear. Happens all the time in my line of work. People just simply vanish. However, in his SES and the SES you are used to, it is very uncommon for people to disappear unless they are murdered.
Gay serial killer(s) is my theory as well.
Post by: Matthew Carberry on January 21, 2007, 10:21:28 AM
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 10:24:19 AM
It's been leading the media stories here for several days now. Flyers, volunteers looking for him, continual media attention, how are the autorities not taking it seriously???
Post by: Matthew Carberry on January 21, 2007, 10:32:47 AM
How are the Purdue police not taking this seriously, carebear?
It's been leading the media stories here for several days now. Flyers, volunteers looking for him, continual media attention, how are the autorities not taking it seriously???
It's been leading the media stories here for several days now. Flyers, volunteers looking for him, continual media attention, how are the autorities not taking it seriously???
I was making the obligatory "the media and authorities only care about missing pretty white girls" comment.
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 10:43:50 AM
Post by: Matthew Carberry on January 21, 2007, 10:47:28 AM
Oh, I see. Sorry I was confused (as usual).
I couldn't think of an appropriate smilie. I probably should have just written something.
What does SES mean?
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 10:48:04 AM
I hope I am wrong and their horror is only temporary, but based on past experiences in these matters I fear he is in an orchard or a ditch somewhere never to return. I hope I am wrong.
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 10:50:31 AM
Post by: Matthew Carberry on January 21, 2007, 10:58:19 AM
I'll go pack my things for exile.
That makes sense, I actually use that description, though not the term, when people start asking about racial or income impacts on crime. My understanding is, once you control for SES a lot of those differences become meaningless. Middle class folks, like this kid, are pretty much all alike.
I'll remember the term.
Post by: El Tejon on January 21, 2007, 11:11:14 AM
It's like they are afraid to admit that minorities (excepting many Asian groups) compose a lot of the urban lower SESs and thus contribute to the crime rate. However, take these same minorities and move them up the SES ladder (edcuation, 2 parent families, strong moral standards, etc.) and crime rates approach zero.
IME and IMHO the more that can be done to kick the African-American, Hispanic SESs whose culture is influencing more lower white SESs (e.g. the rise in illegitimate white births, a decline in the respect for education, etc.) in the backside back toward middle class values (of any race or ethnicity), the faster the crime rate would approach 1907 levels.
Don't blame guns for crime, blame the Left that crumbled the cake of traditional morals and freed people from the lash of poverty and allowed everything to slide downhill.
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 21, 2007, 12:19:57 PM
Post by: Lee on January 21, 2007, 01:15:30 PM
I would suspect a pedophile if a bunch of children were missing...wouldn't you?
Edited to add: I guess my supposition is a little premature. Not to mention the sexual orientation thing - hopefully these guys will be found alive.
Post by: Lee on January 21, 2007, 01:19:55 PM
and well adjusted overall. Was planning a trip with GF when he disappeared -somewhere between a campus bar and home - sometime after 1 am (I think).
http://someoneismissing.com/shaffer/index.htm
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 21, 2007, 06:29:11 PM
Post by: Bogie on January 21, 2007, 07:03:03 PM
Google John Wayne Gacy, or Jeff (The Chef) Dahmer...
Methinx there's a roamer...
Has anyone seen "A History of Violence" - the guys in that movie make me wonder how many like 'em may be out there...
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 21, 2007, 07:18:13 PM
Google John Wayne Gacy, or Jeff (The Chef) Dahmer...
Yes, I'm aware there are search engines I could use. Thanks.
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on January 22, 2007, 08:49:36 AM
On another note...
I'm a student at Purdue, too. How could I have gone this long without realizing there are at least two other Purdue folks here on APS, El Tejon and Nick1911? Are there any other Boilermakers hiding out there?
Post by: El Tejon on January 22, 2007, 08:52:58 AM
Post by: El Tejon on January 22, 2007, 08:58:13 AM
The important thing is that they are chemically imbalanced murderous thugs not their sexuality.
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on January 22, 2007, 09:03:00 AM
Post by: richyoung on January 22, 2007, 09:48:45 AM
Why are we suspecting a "gay" serial killer?
Who else is going to have motive AND the requisite strength to subdue a young, healthy man AND catrry off his corpse to dispose of it afterwards? There are other factors as well:
Its very rare for a lesbian to have both the desire and succcess at harming men - while almost a stereotype, extreme lesbianism seems to manifest itself as an aversion to being around men, rather than a desire to actively go out and eradicate them. Second, the strategem with the greatest probability of success, the "honey trap", involves appearences and behavior that are typically an anethema to an extremem lesbian.
Also, while its possible that all of these men are victims of non-sexual crime, the common factors of age, education , and location imply a victim profile that typically is not present in economic or non-sexual thrill crimes - they tend to exhitit much more randomness in their victims. This counter0indicates a straight man or woman being involved.
As for the straight women, serial murder is almost exclusively the domain of men, and the few exceptions are almost exclusively of non-heterosexual orientation. Odds alone preclude this possiblity.
So if its not likely gay or straight women, and probably not straight men,... who are you left with?
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 22, 2007, 09:59:45 AM
HTG, no, I'm not a Purdue folk, although I do not mind dating Purdue students, professors and administration officials.
Tejon sounds another booty call to male APS members. 
Post by: Bogie on January 22, 2007, 10:18:24 AM
"Chemically imbalanced?"
Dude, someone done been around the legal system WAY too long...
Replace with "flaming homicidal nutjob."
Too many of these folks grew up pulling the wings off flies and disassembling neighborhood pets, in between their parents' torture sessions, but there are also folks who have "normal" childhoods (okay - I admit that I once tried the magnifying glass and anthill thing - right before I got bored and poured gasoline on it like I was supposed to...) who grow up to be flaming homicidal nutjobs...
Post by: Nick1911 on January 22, 2007, 10:43:21 AM
Everyone I've talked to today seems pretty depressed about the search. It's been a week since Wade disappeared, and nobody has been able to find a thing about him. It's becoming harder to deny the fact that he's probably gone for good.
On another note...
I'm a student at Purdue, too. How could I have gone this long without realizing there are at least two other Purdue folks here on APS, El Tejon and Nick1911? Are there any other Boilermakers hiding out there?
On another note...
I'm a student at Purdue, too. How could I have gone this long without realizing there are at least two other Purdue folks here on APS, El Tejon and Nick1911? Are there any other Boilermakers hiding out there?
I am a Purdue Student, unlike Mr. Lawyer on the other side of the river.
The search is getting pretty depressing. I really would have thought that he would have shown up by now.
Post by: tokugawa on January 31, 2007, 06:40:31 PM
Post by: Cosmoline on January 31, 2007, 07:06:06 PM
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on January 31, 2007, 08:51:39 PM
A nine year old going missing on campus is a big deal. A 19 year old going missing is NOT. It's called bagging the semester and ditching the parents. Why it's even newsworthy is beyond me.
'Cause straight-A, middle class, white kids with bright futures don't ditch their families and run off like that. Odds are good he was taken, and it looks more and more like he isn't coming back alive.It's news because there are 40,000 pairs of middle class white parents of other good Purdue students who are afraid their little Timmy or Johnny or Mary might be the next to vanish.
Post by: Nick1911 on March 20, 2007, 07:36:32 AM
Quote
UPDATE (11:15 a.m.): Steffey accidently electrocuted, death instantaneous, Dale Steffey: Thankful for his son
By Staff Reports
The body found in a high-voltage room in Owen Hall Monday afternoon has been identified as that of missing freshman Wade Steffey.
University spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg said during a press conference at 10:18 a.m. that the cause of death has been determined to be accidental electrocution.
Officials think Wade was trying to get into Owen Hall, next to his residence of Cary Quadrangle, and tried different doors. He entered through the exterior entrance of the high-voltage room, which was not marked with a high voltage sign. During the investigation, police found that the exterior door had been unlocked.
Norberg said the area near the room was searched previously by dogs.
"The location of Wade's body inside the room would have made it difficult for anyone to see him from any of the doorways," she said.
Norberg also said the person who opened the door Monday and discovered the body, a utility worker, was drawn in by the smell.
Officials also think he tripped within the room, which was about 50 yards from where he was last seen. He was accidently electrocuted and the death was instantaneous.
The utility room, about the size of a one-car garage, contains three electrical transformers which are connected by high-voltage wires, said Norberg. Steffey's body was found behind one of the transformers.
The coroner is releasing the body sometime today and the funeral will be held in Bloomington, Ind., Steffey's hometown.
Wade Steffey, who has been missing since early Jan. 13, was last seen just out of Owen Hall by two female students.
Wade's father, Dale Steffey, said the past couple of months have been difficult. He said he is glad to have his son and the investigation is not over. "We're thankful more than anything," he said. "We're thankful we have our son."
Dawn Adams, Steffey's mother, said she was glad her son's death was not malicious.
She said she is mostly relieved for everyone involved in the search effort, but feels grief as well.
"We have many answers. We have the big answer to where our son is," she said. "and we have him back."
Check back with www.purdueexponent.org for updates on this story.
By Staff Reports
The body found in a high-voltage room in Owen Hall Monday afternoon has been identified as that of missing freshman Wade Steffey.
University spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg said during a press conference at 10:18 a.m. that the cause of death has been determined to be accidental electrocution.
Officials think Wade was trying to get into Owen Hall, next to his residence of Cary Quadrangle, and tried different doors. He entered through the exterior entrance of the high-voltage room, which was not marked with a high voltage sign. During the investigation, police found that the exterior door had been unlocked.
Norberg said the area near the room was searched previously by dogs.
"The location of Wade's body inside the room would have made it difficult for anyone to see him from any of the doorways," she said.
Norberg also said the person who opened the door Monday and discovered the body, a utility worker, was drawn in by the smell.
Officials also think he tripped within the room, which was about 50 yards from where he was last seen. He was accidently electrocuted and the death was instantaneous.
The utility room, about the size of a one-car garage, contains three electrical transformers which are connected by high-voltage wires, said Norberg. Steffey's body was found behind one of the transformers.
The coroner is releasing the body sometime today and the funeral will be held in Bloomington, Ind., Steffey's hometown.
Wade Steffey, who has been missing since early Jan. 13, was last seen just out of Owen Hall by two female students.
Wade's father, Dale Steffey, said the past couple of months have been difficult. He said he is glad to have his son and the investigation is not over. "We're thankful more than anything," he said. "We're thankful we have our son."
Dawn Adams, Steffey's mother, said she was glad her son's death was not malicious.
She said she is mostly relieved for everyone involved in the search effort, but feels grief as well.
"We have many answers. We have the big answer to where our son is," she said. "and we have him back."
Check back with www.purdueexponent.org for updates on this story.
Post by: Manedwolf on March 20, 2007, 07:40:02 AM
Question, though...is it code for an unmarked utility room to have transformers with open busbars like that? Not even a cage? Seems kind of hazardous to me?
And it's not like it's one of those hundreds-of-years-old brick buildings with frighteningly jury-rigged old power systems jammed into former furnace or coalbunker spaces.
Quote
Owen Residence Hall opened in 1957 and was named for Richard Owen, the first president of Purdue University.
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 20, 2007, 07:47:36 AM
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on March 20, 2007, 07:53:08 AM
Obviously some type of joke, but I don't get it...
So judging by reports, he must have just hit one of the legs of the HV side of the transformer. Probably enough to cause a brief power flicker, but that's about it..
Had he hit more than that, he'd have been found much sooner. Or at least parts of him would, after the arc flash explosion (and possibly transformer explosion)....
Post by: Sindawe on March 20, 2007, 08:06:15 AM
I wonder what liability Purdue will face for having a dangerous facility unmarked and unlocked.
Post by: El Tejon on March 20, 2007, 08:15:12 AM
Post by: Headless Thompson Gunner on March 20, 2007, 08:23:07 AM
Makes you wonder what he was doing. There's no need to break into Owen through a double secret back door. The regular entrance doors are usually unlocked, and it's no trouble getting someone inside to open a door for you if they are locked. People are always coming and going through those doors, at all hours of the day and night.
What a horrible turn of bad luck to find the main doors locked and the transformer room unlocked.
Enormous liability, even with an Indiana jury. The PI lawyers were smacking their lips in court today.
Yup, this is gonna get ugly. Somebody is going to make a lot of money at Purdue's expense.
Post by: DrAmazon on March 20, 2007, 08:41:58 AM
Post by: AJ Dual on March 20, 2007, 08:56:08 AM
They leave the bars or kegger parties and just "dissapear", then they sometimes turn up along the Mississippi river banks down around Iowa or Illinois. Some are up in arms about a "serial killer", but it's probably just kids falling-down drunk.
Hard for me to prove, but my first thought when I opened this thread was that considering the winter weather, he just fell asleep, or passed out somewhere moderately concealed and died of exposure. That he got electrocuted is just a variation on the theme as far as I'm concerned.
It seems counter-intutitve that it's "hard" to hide something as "big" as a body, accidentaly or otherwise, but I'd wager that the police and various SAR professionals can tell you otherwise.
Post by: Perd Hapley on March 20, 2007, 08:57:26 AM
Cheney
Obviously some type of joke, but I don't get it...
Obviously some type of joke, but I don't get it...
Yeah, that was just a joke. The real question is, why did the homosexual kidnapper return the body to the school and dump him in some electrical room?
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 20, 2007, 10:53:01 AM
Cheney
Obviously some type of joke, but I don't get it...
Obviously some type of joke, but I don't get it...
Yeah, that was just a joke. The real question is, why did the homosexual kidnapper return the body to the school and dump him in some electrical room?
That's a question best left to the elite profilers of the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit.
Post by: LadySmith on March 21, 2007, 02:33:16 AM
Post by: Harold Tuttle on March 21, 2007, 03:35:41 AM
Post by: El Tejon on March 21, 2007, 07:51:53 AM
Post by: Matthew Carberry on March 21, 2007, 08:37:40 AM
If the dog had caught anything, they probably would have sent someone, a biped who can be smart enough not to ram its nose into live electricity, in to look around.
Post by: roo_ster on March 21, 2007, 09:56:00 AM
Yes, I have seen too many kid-oriented Disney classics recently. It is about the only thing kids can watch and not get barraged with sex, violence, or lefist agitprop.
Even Animal Planet and the newer (last 20 years) animal programs are anti-hunter, anti-market, anti-human, luddite screeds with a cutesy critter on the packaging.
Post by: Lee on March 21, 2007, 02:51:12 PM
Post by: tokugawa on March 25, 2007, 04:28:44 PM