Who sells flowers at a strip mall? Missing 12-year-old Pricilla Ristick did. On the surface it’s a clear cut case of abduction in a white van, by a woman with the name of Nancy. But as you pull back, when you rewind the tape to Sunday’s data, surveillance footage from a camera in a little strip mall in Lilburn, Georgia, things get FUZZY not CLEAR.
Several sources are responsible for our ‘colored lens perceptions.’ Pricella’s uncle, Joey Thompson’s accounts of the incident at Caesar’s Pizza vary slightly.
Then there’s the suspicion that comes as a result of an official Amber Alert not be issued. For me, however, the renege of testimony from the witness at the Dominigan Salon, which is next door to the Caesar’s Pizza, is the greatest hurdle to believability of the uncle’s version of events.
At first it was claimed by the uncle that an employee at Dominigans told him they saw the little girl being pushed into the white van. So it seems as if an eyewitness actually saw the abduction while in progress.
Now we are hearing that this unidentified witness never really saw the alleged abduction. Even this revelation hasn’t been widely reported. I suspect the cops are trying to get to the bottom of this contradiction, before the media springs like a black panther on this pristine evidence.
Spoils the party (crime scene), you might say. This would also explain why authorities were reluctant to issue the amber alert. Caution must be applied before such extreme measures can be ordered.
Investigative reporter, Michelle Sigona, sorted this out on Jane Velez-Mitchell on Wednesday. I have it in my notes, but it gets complicated. I will say, however, that in Georgia it’s called a Levy Call, not an Amber Alert.
Another misplaced item is in the police report; it states that the uncle didn’t call the police until 35 to 45 minutes after Pricilla disappeared from in front of the Little Caesars. But a family friend to the uncle, Archie Steve, who provided candid testimony to JVM, says it was only 15 minutes before he called. Who’s right?
My question or concern with the uncle’s version of events, is did Pricilla go into the pizzeria with him, or did she remain outside? It makes a big difference. Did they already eat the pizza or were they waiting waiting for it to be made, when the little girl approached the mystery white van? It makes a big difference.
When you see the uncle lighting up a cigarette outside the eatery, the white van is in the back of the frame. Why isn’t he holding the pizza here? Had they already eaten it? Was it still being made? Why does he appear to be so calm at such a critical juncture? It’s most unclear exactly what is happening in this split second, that defines the entire case.
I sympathize with the mother of Pricilla, Julia Ristick, but why does she avert her eyes to the television camera whenever she is speaking? Maybe I’m just suspicious by nature, but the story about the cell phone call from Pricilla, when she’s supposedly with this Nancy (right after the abduction), is indeed odd.
I’m not saying that it’s a lie, but with the other discrepancies that are cropping up, I’m still not entirely sold on its veracity. One thing I noticed, is the white van looks like an unusual make and model. The cops should be able to find this white van!
The other obvious clue, is a concern (I have) about a little white car that Pricilla is walking towards. The person in this car would be the best witness to the said ‘abduction.’ Of course, you can’t completely see the car from the photo. Maybe there wasn’t anybody inside of it? And so it goes with this case. Every time you throw out some clue or thesis of events, something comes back to slap it down!
Is the uncle lying? Why would he be lying? Why is a friend backing him up? Why is the mother backing him up? What did the beauty salon employee really see? Who is the employee? Did they eat the pizza or not before she disappears? Is there a Nancy? Did they sell lots of flowers at this strip mall before?
It makes a difference. Why does Pricilla look happy as she approaches the curb? Photography lies just as easily as people lie. Don’t always believe what you hear. (A corollary to that): Don’t always believe what you see either.
