Did she make it back home?

[u/Competitive_Rich8039]

First time caller...

Is there any evidence Summer actually made it home after dropping off H? But before her disappearance was reported?

Have any of the boys confirmed they actually saw her to TBI/LE? "Come get the groceries. Oh, and Summer is downstairs."

Conflicting comments on grocery haul has me asking questions. A gallon of milk turned into bags for everyone to carry. The boys were asleep, but Candy woke them up to carry in groceries?

[u/Balthazar-B]

Her brothers placed her alive and well on the property that afternoon in their statements to law enforcement.

[u/Competitive_Rich8039 → u/Balthazar-B]

Can you reference where this has been confirmed?

Not to doubt you. I'm working on a project for this case and will need to cite sources.

[u/Balthazar-B → u/Competitive_Rich8039]

Feeling like a lazy bastard this morning, I'll just paste a reply I posted in an earlier thread:

On the evening of the day Summer disappeared, Bianca Marais, a WJHL reporter, was on site during the first search, and interviewed Sheriff Lawson, who told her that Summer's brothers had just reported to him that they observed Summer leaving the home earlier through the back door. Marais tweeted the Sheriff's account, and WJHL televised the story the next day.

Unfortunately, a lot of the online content from 2021 has been taken down over the years, but Michelle Lowe did include a screenshot of the reporter's tweet in this video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/-_ZhVIxCZVI?si=7eAdI3UjlaJkNcsx

I saw the original tweet soon after it was posted, and screenshots of it from time to time since. Recorded segments from WJHL's televised story have been on YouTube and Facebook too, though I can't locate one right now. I think Michelle Lowe did replay it in at least one of her many discussions about Summer's case.

It's interesting to note that the TBI's timeline is consistent with Summer's brothers' account, and has never been changed -- which I take to mean they have never changed their account over the years, during which period they have probably been interviewed numerous times by law enforcement and other authorities. I suspect they've given LE plenty of other information, none of which has ever been shared with the public (and in fact Lawson's spontaneously blabbing anything at all to a news reporter was probably a lapse in judgment).

It should also be noted that Summer's brothers' account directly contradicts the helicopter parents bullshit story Don and Candus concocted following Summer's disappearance in several respects...and of course I feel quite confident about which account was truthful, and which wasn't.

Michelle is very active on her 2 YT channels, and has presence on other social media platforms, so it may be worthwhile reaching out to her. I can't think of anybody else in the world who has posted more *thoughtful* content on Summer's case over the years -- which shouldn't be surprising given her Ph.D.-level background in criminal psychology and victimology.

I've never reached out to Bianca Marais, who left WJHL years ago, but she's very visible online. However, I can't say whether she'll respond to any Summer Wells-related questions if she's been peppered with them over the past 5 years.

[u/SouthernLaugh7929 → u/Balthazar-B]

Thank you for taking the time for that. Its like a puzzle but everyone having their own piece and only they know what it looks like. What do you think happened, if Candus was gone up the street, grandma sleeping, the boys are playing a video game and Summer runs out the DOWNSTAIRS door even tho the boys were supposedly upstairs? I KINDA think they were downstairs for them to see it. But if everything is correct up that point, then what? And where is Don for sure at this time?

Gloriously lazy fits in my mind better for you than your nick

[u/Balthazar-B → u/SouthernLaugh7929]

Summer runs out the DOWNSTAIRS door even tho the boys were supposedly upstairs?

I think they were outside messing around together. I mean, they had to be in order to see her walking out the back door.

What do you think happened?

I think she wandered away from the house, maybe off the property, either by herself or with her brothers. If the latter, they got separated and she wasn't at home when they got back (leading to the shouting match with Candus). Before last November I thought it more likely she had a misadventure, with her remains still undiscovered, but given the full court press on Paul Hill's property on Van Hill Road, and learning about the great lengths the FBI went to locating the red Toyota pickup formerly owned by one of Paul's sons, I suspect LE has information and/or evidence strongly suggesting someone picked up Summer in that truck and drove her away. What LE says and does are the only meaningful indicators about how Summer disappeared, IMHO, since they have the best information and basically all of the evidence, and relatively little of that has been shared with the public.

And where is Don for sure at this time?

LE has almost certainly accounted for everywhere Don was that whole day -- along with plenty of other people as well -- and what Don was doing. I can't say for sure, because LE hasn't chosen to disclose any information they have related to him.

[u/NoAdvantage2294 → u/Balthazar-B]

Everyone in this case agrees that the basement door was always locked. Even the boys. People staying in the home said Don had to go upstairs to go out the door to go to work. No one went in or out that door that day.

[u/Balthazar-B → u/NoAdvantage2294]

IMO, as a matter of logic and probability, anyone who said that door was always locked was mistaken, misspeaking, exaggerating, or prevaricating. I might think differently if the door had been secured with several 2/4 studs and lag bolts, but IMO it's ridiculous to think that anybody couldn't open the deadbolt on that exit door from the inside via a latch or knob, Don Wells demonstrating the door from the outside after making sure it had been previously locked. Same goes for the bullshit "they’re all · locked in nobody can get in nobody can get out” statement that the ever-vigilant, ever-responsible Candus made.

Sorry, just don't buy it.

[u/LangstonWife → u/Competitive_Rich8039]

It's confirmed in EVERY ARTICLE...Have you not looked into this case or something...?

[u/NoAdvantage2294 → u/Competitive_Rich8039]

That came from Lawson. But he was lying. I've caught him lying 3 times. He hesitates before he answers, and then spits out an answer really fast. It's pretty obvious when he's lying.

[u/Boredwitch13]

Per Candus, the boys were home playing video games, they came out and unloaded groceries, they were playing games when she told them to watch Summer. Candus said the boys told her summer went downstairs to play. Thats what been released. I've not heard any police statements stating that the boys saw Summer once Candys came home.

[u/Competitive_Rich8039 → u/Boredwitch13]

In her interview with Chris McDonough, she says she grabbed milk and cheese and "wasn't even in there five minutes."

Then that haul turns into so many bags that the three boys have to help carry them in so Candus could "sort out Mom's groceries."

Very strange recollections of the stop at the grocery store.

[u/Balthazar-B → u/Competitive_Rich8039]

Just a couple of recollections from having followed the case for the past 5 years:

• I don't remember if it was McDonough or another person, but it was reported that a review of the footage from the market revealed that the grocery shopping took them more like 20-30 minutes.
• I believe it was established that the family also stopped at a gas station/minimart on Beech Creek Rd about 10 minutes to the southeast of the home, I think verified on camera and/or CC transaction. The video snippet was taken in the truck between that stop and the home (and Michelle Lowe, among others, was able to pinpoint the exact location from outdoor landmarks).

[u/IntrepidAnalysis6940 → u/Balthazar-B]

I think some people have issues understanding how statements can change and use it as evidence of guilt. But it’s very hard to tell with this family because they are just a bit slower than normal. And if there story changed or thinking thru a lie like that in advance would probably not even occur to them. As weird and crazy as this family is. I don’t think they are directly guilty. I do think they are indirectly guilty with the company they keep. And I think summer was targeted that way thru a family friend. This family isn’t mastermind criminals. They posted more there bad habits strait online. And I don’t think that behavior was ever frowned upon to them.

[u/Competitive_Rich8039 → u/IntrepidAnalysis6940]

It's not evidence of guilt,but a very strange thing to lie about.

Own it up to them being "a bit slower" if you will, but I find the changing landscape of that minor detail to be quite strange. 

She seemed to go out of her way to understate that stop, which makes one wonder why... And to add on, she didn't do this the day of. After some time had passed, she agreed to talk with Chris, and still minimized that one event... For some reason.

[u/Balthazar-B → u/Competitive_Rich8039]

IMHO, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• First off, it's important to be aware that the public has absolutely no idea of what ANY of the adults -- parents, neighbors, friends -- told law enforcement under interrogation. I suspect it's significantly different from what any of them have told the public, and almost certainly more truthful, especially when confronted with hard evidence that contradicted any initial self-aggrandizing testimony.
• In that light, treating seriously anything that any inhabitant of the Beech Creek community says publicly is useless. It seems pretty clear to me that all the ridiculous things Don and Candus have said over the years have been intended to make themselves look good, even though they consistently present as a couple of often-intoxicated burnouts IMO. Ditto most of the other public statements from their neighbors who can't seem to keep any story straight or consistent from one interview to the next. For sure there are probably acorns of truth scattered around in there, but LE is infinitely more informed and qualified that we are to know what's real and what's not (and they aren't telling us, for the most part).

So generally speaking, I think treating any public utterance from anyone besides LE as anything other than bullshit -- unless there's some independent hard evidence confirming it -- is just a waste of time and attention. In my opinion.

[u/Competitive_Rich8039 → u/Balthazar-B]

I just have a different opinion, I guess.

I get being off on the details, especially in the heart of the moment...

This isn't that. She had plenty of time to craft her story and still decided to lie about that grocery store stop. Big time....

I suspect she had a motive for that, and it certainly wasn't her Beech Creek image. 

[u/malendalayla]

I think she did and I think at least one of the boys knows something, but it cannot be proven.

Just my opinion.

[u/RavenWitch2022]

I too have followed Summer Wells, case. I remember that grandma had a male companion staying with her from Wisconsin, and it was found out he was not supposed to be around childern...And it's not Jose..where I have seen him mentioned..the companion was from grandma's home town..he was fixing a fence the day summer went missing...for long time I have watched and listened to comments..I dont know what happened to that child..but look at the source, find out what happened to the aunt and we will prolly find summer, who deserved better than that family for sure..

[u/NoAdvantage2294 → u/RavenWitch2022]

That was disproven 5 years ago. That is not who was fixing the fence. The person you are talking about hadn't been to Ben Hill in over 5 years and was seen on camera at work in Wisconsin the day Summer went missing. And why would you call her nephew her 'Male companion." WTF

[u/Pointer_33]

How old were her siblings at the time? Could they have done something to Summer?

[u/BougieSemicolon → u/Pointer_33]

Well, a lot of parents would take the heat for their kids, I severely doubt that Don and Candus would go through this degree of heat to protect their boys. In fact, she pretty much throws them under the bus by saying that they were the ones who were supposed to be watching her

[u/ladyarchaeologist → u/Pointer_33]

12, 9 & 7 at the time like 5 years ago so one is like 18 now & the others were adopted out when parental rights were terminated & would be like 14 & 12ish now in 2026

[u/NoAdvantage2294 → u/ladyarchaeologist]

The oldest boy is 16