Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Criminal Profiling Topic of the Day: The Facts of the Henslee/Howarth Case

I have removed all previous posts on the murders of Henslee and Howarth due to physical threats and constant vicious comments. Any future comments posted on this blog concerning the Henslee/Howarth murder case will be removed if they contain anything but a civil discussion of the issues.

Since there has been a lot of uproar about the facts not being properly represented, I am going to review the "facts" of the case as I know them. If anyone can has any information that can correct any "facts," please do so. The purpose of this post is to establish what is true and what is not and what we simply do not have proof of. It is an opportunity for anyone in the know to make sure the correct facts are know. I will leave opinions about what these facts mean out of this post but you can feel free to share your thoughts in your comments.

Fact: Amy Henslee got into Beebe's truck.
Fact: Amy Henslee did not call her husband, James, to inform him she was going with Beebe.
Fact: We do not know when Tonya Howarth arrived at Beebe's or how she arrived.
Fact: Amy Henslee and Tonya Howarth were killed.
Fact: Amy Henslee and Tonya Howarth were shot with a shotgun
Fact: A shotgun was found at Junior Lee Beebe Jr's home
Fact: We do not yet have scientific proof that the shotgun at Beebe's was the one used to kill Amy and Tonya.
Fact: Beebe claims he did not shoot Amy.
Fact: Beebe claims he shot Tonya in self-defense
Fact: We do not actually know who shot Amy and we do not know who shot Tonya
Fact: Beebe claims he buried Amy and Tonya.
Fact: We do not actually know who buried Amy and Tonya.
Fact: James Henslee claims he called home at 10 AM and, thereafter, again and again until he decided to leave work around 10:30 and drive to the house. (We do not have phone records yet available for public review).
Fact: James Henslee claims his neighbor described Beebe's truck and said a girl that looked like Amy got into the truck.
Fact: James Henslee states he knew that it was Beebe who came to his house and this is why he then called Beebe around 11 AM.
Fact: James Henslee calls 911 once and the police called him back later.
Fact: James Henslee does not mention Beebe came to his house on either 911 call.
Fact: James Henslee does not mention he called any of Amy's friends or the hospital on the first 911 call.
Fact: James Henslee does not mention Amy's purse is at the home during either 911 call.
Fact: James Henslee later claims that he talked with Beebe twice on the day Amy Henslee went missing, that he called Beebe at 11 AM and Beebe called him later in the afternoon.
Fact: James Henslee claims Beebe told him at 11 AM that he had come to the house and Amy wasn't at home and he claims Beebe called him later in the day to ask if Amy had come home and to tell him Tonya was also missing.
Fact: James claims that he went "cruising" around town looking for Amy.
Fact: We do not know where James was from the time he left work until Amy's parents came to his home (if we could get a time when he talked with his neighbor or neighbors or if anyone saw him around town, this time line could be narrowed down).
Fact: James claims he would take a polygraph.
Fact: James did not take a polygraph.
Fact: Junior Lee Beebe Jr, James Henslee, and Tonya Howarth all have criminal records. Amy Henslee does not.
Fact: Junior Lee Beebe Jr and James Henslee were both arrested on the same day and charged with manufacture/delivery of marijuana
Fact: Beebe was charged with double homicide and will stand trial.

All right. These are the only facts I can come up with right now. I have kept away from any observations of behaviors and stuck with absolute facts. Where I wrote "claims" simply means that this person made a specific statement which has not yet been verified or cannot be verified. It is not a negative or a positive. I am simply being careful not to assume anything without scientific evidence . IF any of you have information that proves absolutely that something did or did not happen, please comment and I will update the list as evidence comes in.

Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fact: The family contracted the search dog outfit to search that specific location where the bodies were found.

Pat Brown said...

Anonymous, this is NOT a fact. We cannot include information that is generated from an unknown source or through the media without solid proof that it has not been erroneously generated. I am making the fact list specifically because some have said my analysis was based on things that were rumor or gossip. This is not true but I am doing this exercise now to examine what exactly the facts so everyone can see how careful one must be in saying stuff is so or saying it isn't.

It is also important to be more specific. WHO is the family and WHEN did the get the search team to search that location and WHY did they chose to do so. The exact facts will prevent erroneous conclusions.

Jamie said...

I was contacted on wednsday by James and i believe Amys Father contacted Sheila(Dog Team)the same time we were asked to come up on that Thursday to see what we could do,We had to stand down until LE did there walk around the Henslee property,Once that was done we took over.The Family called us in because L.E was not doing anything to help the Family,I arrived about 9.30 am and spoke to the Family untill K-9 ARRIVED about 11;30 and we started our task,i was givin a tip about an area of interest about 12;30 and someone took us to this area of interest to show us where it was,By 2;00 the scene was found.I then returned back to the Home of the Henslees to have a private meeting with James and Amys Parents and shortly after i departed Hartford.

Jamie Jones
Missing You Foundation

Anonymous said...

Hi Pat..I thought that the purse Was left at home.

Pat Brown said...

It has been stated the purse was left at home but it was not mentioned during the 911 calls.

Tari Akpodiete said...

you said:

Fact: Amy Henslee got into Beebe's truck willingly.

wouldn't it be more correct to state:

Fact: Police believe that Amy Henslee got into Beebe's truck willingly.

Pat Brown said...

You make a valid point, Tari. Police did say they believed that and the woman across the way did not say she saw any force being used and the behavior of Amy wearing a coat weighs against it being force, but, yes, it would be better stated at this point, that the police believe Amy got into the truck willingly and there is no evidence to the contrary.

Pat Brown said...

James, sorry, can't be used as facts at this time because they can't be verified! Heh But you share some interesting issues. One, that the family felt the police weren't doing enough to find Amy. This goes against the comments that the police know exactly what they were doing. I am not sure who would be right. The question I would raise is why didn't the police pursue the Beebe lead when Amy (or someone who looks like her) got into Beebe's truck and is now missing. When did the police find out about Beebe? It wasn't during the 911 calls because we have the audio recording as evidence. Did they learn about Beebe from James himself? Or from the family? Or from tips? And when? Why did the James or the family (there is no evidence here who actually instigated the call to you) push a search of Beebe's? And why did the family not move on Beebe until Wednesday night? Didn't they know the truck story on Monday and know this drug using violent man, Beebe, had a sick obsession with Amy?

Anonymous said...

I am not sure that it is a fact that Amy got into Beebe's truck willingly. It is possible he threatened her or he had a smaller gun, not noticeable to the neighbors. I don;t think its a "Fact" that she went willingly. Just a presumption at this point based on a clean, undisturbed home. "No signs of struggle or forced entry"

Pat Brown said...

I can live with that, Anonymous. Although the crime scene does not look like a premeditated set of murders, it is theoretically possible Beebe took Amy by some manner of coercion or force that was not observed or denoted by evidence at the home.

As an investigator, it would be important to establish precedence. Did Amy leave with Beebe before and had she done so on a regular basis. Is there a reason to believe force would have been necessary to bring Amy back to his house?

Obviously, for the defense to prove self-defense on the part of Beebe, they would have to prove Amy came of her own volition.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the phone records will tell. Also, wondering if they will pull stoplight surveillance videos to see Beebe's truck with 1 or 2 women inside. I guess this would also satisfy the doubt of James driving around looking for Amy.

Pat Brown said...

At some point, these facts will come out. Unless the police pursue some of this stuff, it would be the defense that would have to make the effort. Some may already have been done. Right now, we don't have any phone facts but the 911 calls and I haven't heard about any video yet.

Anonymous said...

Whatever the outcome, 2 women have died senselessly. I hope the children have peace and the law serves the families with justice and truth. RIP Amy and Tonya

Anonymous said...

You stated that James did not tell police that Amy's purse was not in the house. But her purse was in the house.?

Pat Brown said...

Thank you, Anonymous. That was a mistype and I have fixed it.

Anonymous said...

From your page..(Fact: Amy Henslee got into Beebe's truck willingly.) How do you know this to be fact, you were not there and the neighbor said somebody that looked like Amy..So please explain how this can be FACT???

Pat Brown said...

Okay, I have removed willingly. That Beebe DID come by and that a woman who looks like Amy got in, Amy is missing, and Amy ended up with Beebe, makes it extremely unlikely that it is not a fact she didn't get in the truck. We have to accept some facts are facts if there is no other explanation outside of aliens and flying monkeys.

I did remove the "willingly" though. You are correct. There is no evidence she was abducted and it is most likely she went willingly, but I will allow that is is not a "fact" at this point.

Anonymous said...

its funny how people freaking out about wat pat brown its say and also saying that she wasnt there to know if that a fact.....

well half of yoou wasnt there iether why dont you guys jus let the PROFECIANAL people inform you and be thanksfull i know alot of you are on james side, but we have seen 1000000 of case where husband and wifes act like they dont know what in the helll is going on and even come out crying and then come out been guilty, im not saying he did it but come on now this dude look sneaky as ever, im looking forward to find out the scientific proof and details of this case and its about time people stop getting mad at other over FACT.TRUTH and PROOF

WE ALL KNOW TRUTH HURT but hey we still need the TRUTH

Anonymous said...

If you guys knew James the way I do, and then you guys would know he wouldn't do such a thing. I'm Amy's nephew. And it's getting pretty annoying hearing all the time that people think that James has done it. He loved Amy. I never once saw them unhappy or arguing and believe me I was always around them. He would never hurt her. And you guys sit here saying he did it, and i'm sick of it.. It's already hard enough loosing her.. and now people are trying to blame her husband after the BB was already convicted for her murder.

Pat Brown said...

First of all, Anonymous, no one has said James has committed any crime. I raised a question about James seemingly ignoring that Amy went with BJ and not informing the police of this. I was told I was unfair to question this odd behavior and I should stick with the facts. So I am simply putting up the facts as I find them out.

Secondly, BJ has NOT already been convicted of murder. He has been charged with murder and is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Anonymous said...

Well...sometimes a person's dark side is very well hidden. Look at "Ted Bundy", he was a successful, good looking attorney, with a lot of charisma, everyone liked him. So when he was found out to be a serial killer, all who knew him just could not believe he would do such a thing..
Or look at BTK, although he was not well liked by many, he just seemed like a hardworking, disgruntled with life, man. His wife once said, jokingly, your writing looks like BTK's, she really did not have a clue that the man she was married to for 34 years and who doted on her was BTK, Witchita's most feared serial killer. He broke into homes, usually in the day, tied up his victims, and forced them to suffer a slow death. His name is Dennis Rader. He is serving 10 consecutive life terms. Not saying anyone involved in the Hartford Murders is a serial killer, just saying you cannot ever really know what goes on inside a person.
Indiana Gal

Anonymous said...

Honestly though Ms. Brown I think its a crock the way people are criticizing you for (peacefully) expressing your views. In part I think its merely because of your celebrity status.

Not ONCE have I seen anything out of line in the contradictions you pointed out in the now deleted articles. Its a sad day for those in pursuit of truth when the HeadHunters try focusing blame on those trying to help...but Im sure youre accustomed to the scrutiny and constant critique...comes with the territory i imagine.

Pat Brown said...

I thank you for those kind words. Yes, it does indeed come with the territory. Emotions tend to cloud logic and then no rational explanation has any impact. I had a case where a woman told me her son burst into her house, took a shotgun from his brother's room, the mother tried to wrench the shotgun from his hands, he won the round, and stormed out of the house with the gun. He was found shot to death sitting on his couch with the shotgun still in his hands, the doors to the trailer home locked from the inside. Mom insisted he was murdered.

Sometimes the truth brings out a completely different scenario of what happened. Sometimes the truth doesn't change the story of what happened, but just explains why it did.

I don't know yet in the shooting deaths of Amy Henslee and Tonya Howarth what the truth will lead us to learn, but, I believe, as I have from early on, there is more to the story than we know or at least the background to the story may well be different than some are presenting. The gist of the story that seems to be the popular one now is that Junior Lee Beebe had some evil plan to do something to Amy and he used some kind of ruse or force to coerce Amy into getting into his truck. Then he either was raping Amy when Tonya came in or he planned to do away with both women because they knew something. A few people think Amy may have gotten in the way of a domestic between Beebe and Tonya but they still don't think Amy would have gone to his house willingly.

I find these stories not credible at this point (unless some evidence comes to light that Beebe really did have a sick obsession with Amy and abducted her . I think when more facts become available, why Amy was at Beebe's will be explained and what occurred that day at Beebe's home will make more sense.

Anonymous said...

I realize you're very busy Ms. Brown, but have you had a chance to read anything on the Bethany Ann
Decker case? It's a very complex one,and since there is a love triangle involved, the two suspects in the situation could have had motive. I wont state any details because I know investigators commonly like to view all information from their own fresh perspective first. But It's an odd case I think you would
provide valuable insight on.

Pat Brown said...

We have done the Decker story for the last two nights on Nancy Grace and I may be doing a segment on The Early Show on this on Monday.

It is a strange case and center to it is Bethany's odd behavior (two men, two fathers, and not seeming to see her first child too much) and the family's odd behavior of not reporting her missing for three weeks (which means to me they are not sure she didn't go missing on her own).

Much of the investigation will depend on what more the detective's find out from interviews with all those connected to Bethany.

Anonymous said...

WOW...I need to watch television occasionally I suppose! TY Ms. Brown, and it's true, theres nothing to suggest she may not have simply went missing willingly, though theres been no report of activity on her bank cards, or credit cards, which means she would have to be getting help from Family/friend, or she had a money-stash no one knew about.


VERY ODD CASE.

seeker said...

Good Morning, Pat. Didn't James call 911 the first time and the same dispatcher CALLED JAMES BACK, later that afternoon or evening, to see if James had heard from his wife?

From Pat's List:

"Fact: James Henslee calls 911 twice."

Meaning, James called 911 only once, and as you state, he didn't mention that he knew his cousin's truck had been at his home that morning and that the neighbor saw a woman who was probably Amy getting into the truck and leaving with James' cousin, Jr Bebee. James failed to mention his call to his cousin, Jr. at around 11:00 am that morning, thereby leaving out this crucial information to the people he was supposedly seeking help from. Because he never mentioned his cousin, he left out was the fact(which he described in later statements)that Jr. told James he had gone by the Henslee home and knocked, but Amy was not there.

Also left out, according to James in later interviews, he received a call back from his cousin, Jr. Bebee, asking if Amy had been found and sharing that his girlfriend, Tonya Howarth, was also missing.

All before James called 911 that late afternoon.

Only James and Bebee know what was said between them in just these two calls.

I think that there a a huge possibility that James made up the conversations to account for the calls. The call James made to Jr. Bebee at 11:00 am was probably prompted by family members once the neighbor told them (James and Amy's parents) that Jr's truck had been seen, as well as Amy probably being the woman getting in and leaving with Bebee in his truck.

I realize people respond to emergencies differently, but it has bothered me from the beginning that James has said that Amy's parents told him he ought to not start worrying until the school bus came in the afternoon. If Amy wasn't back to meet the kids, James has stated that his in-laws told him, THEN would be the time to worry.

I don't buy that, based on James' own words and behavior. He told "us" he was worried the first time Amy didn't answer the phone at 10:0am. He is nothing but dogged and determined, as he stated he continued to try reaching her for an half an hour before leaving work to go home, because his wife, Amy, hadn't picked up his routine 10:00am call. He was that worried.

That is when I would think a worried spouse would call 911.

James Henslee's personality and character are concerning. He lies during the investigation into the disappearance and murder of his wife, beginning the first day. (At least in both conversations with 911). He moves from appearing to be extremely controlling to being passive (as regarding his in-laws supposedly telling him to wait to sound the alarm for HOURS)and sitting quietly next to the family friend in interviews.

To me, the most glaring aspect is that James did not mention his cousin nor did he himself go to Bebee's house (or property), if he is to be believed. If this tale is true, what loving husband wouldn't have called the police as soon as he spoke to his cousin, so that he could be checked out. Cousin or not, based on James' own account of his 11:00am phone conversation with Bebee, Bebee's story to James didn't jibe with the neighbor's eye-witness sighting. At the very least, why didn't James go straight to Bebee's that morning and share with the police information he was privy to; information that could have saved his wife's life?

Thank You, Pat, for staying on top of this.

These are all MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS.

Pat Brown said...

Oh, GOOD catch, Seeker! James DID call once and the police called back. I will fix that error.

Yes, Seeker, it is this lack of informing the police of Beebe's driving off with Amy from his house that I find very confounding and no one has given a good explanation for this (I have had a few explanations but they don't make a lot of sense).

Also, someone just stated that James did not know that Beebe had a sick obsession with Amy prior to the murders, but that someone told him after the fact that Amy was scared of Beebe. One would think if James and Amy had such a strong relationship and talked on the hour during workdays, she would have mentioned to him her concerns about Beebe. It also would make no sense she would go off with him.

James' behaviors may be explained by a desire to keep certain information from becoming public rather than that he is involved in a crime in any way, but there is certainly something behind his failure to inform the police of Amy being with Beebe that morning.

Anonymous said...

It appears that James is hiding something. It is rumored that Amy cheated on James before. That is the first place I would begin my investigation to get the facts about that. No one knows what goes on inside someones home. Another rumor is she had been getting drugs from Beebe. I would investigate all aquaintances that knew her, James,Tonya and Beebe. Then check home phone records and "so-called" cell records of her, Beebe, James, and Tonya. What time was Tonya dropped off at the trailer? Phone records,toxicology reports, and gun residue and finger print results are crucial for both sides. LE had better have tested Tonya for gun residue on Tonya's hands since Beebe stated that Tonya killed Amy before he was arrested.

I can only hope he gets a fair trial and that the defense attorney investigates everything and obtain their iwn witnesses. Then, I can only hope that they can obtain an inpartial jury.

Based only on the facts, I say not guilty to Amy's murder and voluntery manslaughter to Tonya's-"Crime of passion or heat of the moment".