Related to the Missing Oregon Mom

[Ben]

First off, I hope they find her alive and well.

A couple of things in this article caught my attention:

1) LE says her phone was turned off right after she left the gas station, and it was not because the battery died. How can they know it wasn't because of the battery? Is there a way to track through the carrier when someone hits the "off" button for a normal shutdown?

2) There may be some very helpful ATM video footage, but LE can't get it from the bank because no crime was committed. I appreciate that in this cas LE are folling the law regarding privacy issues, but given the situation, one would think this would be a situation where if nothing else, the bank would want to volunteer to give LE the tapes, or if nothing else, search for the applicable part of the video footage and just give that to LE.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/01/search-for-missing-oregon-mother-expands-to-islands-off-washington-state/

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

If the bank volunteers someone will freak over that. Banks lawyers probably say no

[CNYCacher]

1) LE says her phone was turned off right after she left the gas station, and it was not because the battery died. How can they know it wasn't because of the battery? Is there a way to track through the carrier when someone hits the "off" button for a normal shutdown?

Perhaps during a normal shutdown the phone does some kind of "sign-off" to the cell network?

[Boomhauer]

1) LE says her phone was turned off right after she left the gas station, and it was not because the battery died. How can they know it wasn't because of the battery? Is there a way to track through the carrier when someone hits the "off" button for a normal shutdown?

It's well known that a cellphone even turned off can still be accessed/manipulated. It may not be in range of a cell tower to do so now, though, thus denying them a current location.

[Ben]

It's well known that a cellphone even turned off can still be accessed/manipulated. It may not be in range of a cell tower to do so now, though, thus denying them a current location.

Yeah, I knew they could potentially be tracked as long as the battery is in place. I was trying to figure out how they knew it went through an elegant shutdown versus the battery dying.

[Ben]

Well, a story today now says they don't know if the battery died or she shut the phone off, so potentially bad info in the first story.

[MillCreek]

There is apparently a witness sighting of her and her car on a ferry to one of the San Juan islands in Puget Sound.

[lupinus]

Reports saying she's been found dead. Not much on details other than it was a rural area and near her vehicle.

[MillCreek]

^^^ The Oregonian is reporting that she was found close by a logging road in the Sheridan area with her SUV close by. The article states there is no sign of foul play and the public is not in danger, which I am interpreting as she either killed herself or died of natural causes.

[MillCreek]

The medical examiner ruled it a suicide by asphyxiation.  They found a note and an empty bottle of sleeping pills.  I am guessing she took the pills and put a plastic bag around her head.