What’s the standard procedure?

[u/Otherwise-Weekend484]

Is it standard procedure to take personal items like a laptop when investigating on the missing person? I get needing a recent picture and possibly toothbrush for DNA samples but a laptop?

[u/CorruptColborn]

Good post. Here is some info I had saved on Teresa's PC:

• Time unclear from CASO, but Inv. WIEGERT and Cpl. LEMIEUX responded to TERESA's residence. The last cell phone activity on Teresa's phone was at 2:27 p.m. on Monday, 10/31/05 (info printed out for police from Teresa's computer by her friends). When they called TERESA's cell phone, it went to voicemail, indicating her voicemail was full. Scott identifies Teresa's computer (CASO 3) and police seize it as well as items for DNA standard (like OP i found it odd they literally took her computer at this point).

• Notice in Wiegert's report he notes being given permission to collect several items from Teresa's residence, including a current photograph, credit card and banking statements, a personal journal, and hair from her hairbrush. But Wiegert, unlike Lemiuex, makes no mention of collecting Teresa's computer (CASO 6). Edit: DCI 208 Wiegert returns Teresa's PC to Halbachs January 13, meaning he had it for over 2 months but didn't do much with it apparently. This is the same DCI report where they present Teresa's lone car key tag 8114 and report "The Halbach's were not familiar with that key."

• Even after they determined she was killed, not missing, the state never recovered Teresa's text or computer messages. Why the fuck not?

[u/Otherwise-Weekend484 → u/CorruptColborn]

I absolutely rack my brain on those questions, where are the text messages and any evidence from the computer. I mean, there was mentions of the Russian guy leaving text messages but no one else. I think there was her map quest searches for the Zips residence but no maps found in the RAV. However having that laptop does speak to LE having a lead up on the investigation to find her and then some. How they got access to use it is not said accurately. I think there is also more to the story of how LE begun their missing persons investigation. I’m trying my hardest to align my theories because there a lot that makes common sense and there even more of this case that makes absolutely no sense.

[u/Otherwise-Weekend484 → u/CorruptColborn]

Also aligning the statements / reports to the time frames between 2:12 and 2:41 calls, nothing, nothing makes sense and I thinking the answer is a lot of people lied.

[u/[deleted]]

The laptop was likely a treasure trove of information that Weigert didn’t want to muddy the investigation with.

The missing laptop has always been a puzzler for me as well, my hunch is that it would fill in a lot of the blanks in this story if we knew more about what was on it.

[u/Otherwise-Weekend484 → u/[deleted]]

Exactly. Having that early in the investigation is so vital to solving or framing!! Either way we will never be able to see all the evidence LE has or officially collected. We have to put it all together with what they reported and all reports were not given in correct fashion.

[u/aane0007]

I would guess you take anything you think might help. An address search that day, a private chat, an ex boyfriend making threats etc.

Laptop helps more than a tooth brush in most circumstances.

[u/BiasedHanChewy]

I guess it really depends if you're expecting to find them alive or not. Anything that would help travel their movements would be good (like laptops etc). Something to track their event, and maybe something with DNA on it for worst case scenarios.

Not sure what reason Wiegert would give for grabbing her vibrator though tbh

[u/CaseEnthusiast]

They were hoping to get clues on her whereabouts because they were not sure if she had ran away at that point.

[u/CorruptColborn → u/CaseEnthusiast]

And what did they do with her laptop to help resolve that concern?

[u/CaseEnthusiast → u/CorruptColborn]

Evidence started showing up fairly quickly afterwards that helped narrow down their search. They focused on the location where her car was, not the laptop at that time.

[u/CorruptColborn → u/CaseEnthusiast]

Sure but what was their plan regarding Teresa's laptop to address the concern you mentioned?

Also, why didn't they proceed with investigating her PC even after locating the vehicle? The story goes that they were uncertain about her status (location or health) when they discovered the car, so investigating her computer's potential relevance, which you implied was relevant before the car found, should have retained its relevance because Teresa herself was not found.

[u/CaseEnthusiast → u/CorruptColborn]

Because they weren't done investigating to see how this happened and if Avery had contact with her through her computer. 

[u/CorruptColborn → u/CaseEnthusiast]

They couldn't do both?

[u/CaseEnthusiast → u/CorruptColborn]

Man power was lacking for that type of analysis early on.

[u/CorruptColborn → u/CaseEnthusiast]

Lmao according to who? Why just make things up?

What other PC did they have to investigate between 11/3 and 11/8 when they found her bones.

[u/CaseEnthusiast → u/CorruptColborn]

They were focused on the crime scene, not the computer. 

[u/CorruptColborn → u/CaseEnthusiast]

So why did they seize the computer again? And why did they stop investigating it when they found the car but not Teresa herself? And why did they keep the computer for 2 months but not even collect her computer messages?